Ive been working on the quality of my idle/gas mileage/smoothness for a long time. I had a million drivability issues. All the obvious fixes aside (vacuum leaks, injectors, fuel pressure, etc), the biggest improvements happened with 2 different things. Since I had installed the MSD 50's/extender/LS1 MAF/translator, I had a constant battle with BLM's and a rough idle. After I got the updated translator chip from Mike, I could now run no BLM offset, to get my BLM's in a good range. I used to have to take the BLM offset on the extender to zero or 1 to get in the 110 range. After the translator chip, I got BLM's in the 120-130 range with no offset. I was a happy camper. I did have to have my translator set to 10% lean at idle though. Yesterday I made an EGR blockoff plate. Normally I could machine something up at work, but I was at home, so i had to pull a MacGyver and use what I could. I grabbed a steel bar that was part of my old garage door opener, and cut it with a hacksaw to length, drilled a hole, and layed some sandpaper on the garage floor, and sand 1 face totally flat. I painted it up and installed it on the car. I pulled off all that unsightly EGR hardware and it really cleaned things up alot! Anyway, as hack as it sounds, it looks pretty good. I was thinking that even though the EGR valve passed the leakage test, that it may have been cross-talking between the 2 holes a bit. Cause if while it was idling....if I pulled up on the diaphragm at all...the slightest bit, the engine would almost die. I figured it must be already leaking if its that sensitive, and it would explain the always improving with work, yet still poor idle quality. Especially when the engine warmed up. Anyway, I didnt know the engine could idle this well. Accelerating moderately, the engine is as smooth as glass....I mean really really smooth. I come to a stop light, and the engine is no longer idling like it has a cam and bad plugs. It feels and sounds like a stock engine. I was even able to take the translator from 10% lean at idle, to the normal stock setting. Now I have no more offset adjustments with the chip and translator. My fuel pressure is set where full throttle speed says to have it, and my BLM's are rock solid on the nose.
So its just a message to anyone thinking of eliminating the EGR, who already has a chip that has it turned off....that you will not be disappointed. Its a great mod! Your EGR valve may pass a leakage test, yet still be cross talking.
So its just a message to anyone thinking of eliminating the EGR, who already has a chip that has it turned off....that you will not be disappointed. Its a great mod! Your EGR valve may pass a leakage test, yet still be cross talking.