Well it has been two afternoons and the project is about complete… when the sun goes down it gets cold quick up here.
Like most are aware the Pro-Pain kit is well thought out and engineered. However, I am not here to kiss any asses… I am going to list a few of my own complications with the kit and its installation. And also offer advice and guidance to would be consumers.
1) Do a test fit of everything, a dry run of how it is going to go together, lay it out in the trunk and see that it fits as claimed. Because mine was a bit tricky, I partially blame the luxury trunk kit that my car has (thick padding). However, the regulator when installed to the tank, has about 1/16” of clearance below the speaker/package tray. I actually had to mount my tank toward the PS middle of the trunk to find enough space.
2) You may find that your solenoid ends up very close to the regulator knob, like me. Not good if you have fat fingers. This is not a problem in my case (fat fingers).
3) The finish on the tank bracket is… well plain crap. You’d figure that for the money you pay, it would come powder-coated and not painted flat black.
4) Speaking of half assed things, the missing components that are required for the install about drove me mad. Not to mention the PITA things required in the install.
- You’ll need (2) 1” long – 5/16” bolts w/ 2 nuts, 2 flat and 2 lock washers. To get the bracket to install. 50 cents of parts don’t make it into the kit.
- Teflon paste… it costs very little. Why can’t they just include it?
- 9/16” Drill bit. Now, I don’t own a ½” drive drill so I went to Home Depot to get a 9/16” bit w/ a 3/8” shank. Hmm… they only go up to ½” w/ a 3/8 shank. No dice, good thing I already have one. So I drilled the ½” hole and using a hacksaw blade I sectioned the hole and beat a ½” drive extension through the hole… making it JUST large enough to run the line through. This unrealistic drill bit size BIT MY ASS. But it gets better.
- There is NO mention of the blow down tube in the instructions, much less how to install it. FYI, the inside diameter of the hose is 5/8”. Try getting a 3/8” shank bit in this size! Repeat the previously mentioned hole enlarging technique. Now, you will find that the hose won’t go through the hole… unless you really applied yourself with the “hole technique”. What I did, thinking ahead was I got a 5/8” barbed PCV fitting from Home Depot (79 cents) and fed it up through the hole and into the hose. So now the blow down tube is secure, and less likely to back itself up into the trunk.
- Assembling the tank, clamps, and regulator to the bracket in the trunk is a major discomfort. You are going to need to be limber to pull this one off time and again. See your chiropractor after assembly. The good news is that this doesn’t have to happen to often with the “long life” of the tank’s contents. Not a good design ergonomically, if you care to retain trunk space. Also there is the working of the 1-1/8” wrench to install the regulator fitting to the tank… I hope you enjoy turning the threaded fitting a ¼ turn at a time until it is seated… because you are going to be hitting the underside of the weather stripping often.
- Then there is the discharge nozzle installation. Hmm… the instructions are simple enough if you want to drill a hole in a hose and call it a day. I didn’t, so I took the alternate route and chose to install the nozzle into the up pipe… right above the hose. Drill a 3/8” hole… says the instructions. Well at least I have that bit… I think to myself. I learned that the stock up pipe is some strong ass steel. I also learned that the nozzle WILL NOT fit through a 3/8” hole. It will not thread itself in either. So out comes the tap and die set (make sure you own one). A few minutes later… it treads in. Yeah! Hmmm… it looks kind of loose in there. Back it out and put a rubber grommet over the treads and back in it goes… squish! And it is loose again. Hmmm… maybe the supplied nut will be a good shim. Nope… too thick. A couple of junk washers later, it works. I am going to have the supplied nut welded onto the pipe in the near future.
- The lack of vacuum hose is annoying. $3 CDN for 3’.
- A few zip ties wouldn’t hurt either.
- Connectors for the power line and a longer ground would be advantageous.
5) No one seemed impressed that I had to have my new tank purged… and one attendant asked why they didn’t purge it when I bought it. I explained it was shipped to me… yada yada yada. $5 CDN charge for the service and $6 CDN for the fill up.
6) Make sure you check for leaks when you do a final assembly. I smelled something funny when I opened the tank It seems I had another full “go around” with the regulator to tank fitting… it isn’t tight until it stops moving completely.
7) I find the font on the “Command Center” to be offensive… I chose to NOT mount it in plain full-time driving view. I am graphically picky (Designer by trade)… and don’t care to think of Aladdin every time I look at my dash.
8) Watch the S/S line around your alternator… there is the potential for “sparky sparky”!!!
Now, on to the compliments:
1) Well designed… engineered to the T.
2) Looks damn cool under the hood. Well, it would if I had a hood.
3) Looks damn cool in the trunk.
4) Lots of wiring & S/S line to reach and run it how/where you want.
5) Ease of changing the “jets”. But, this is also relative to where you mount the nozzle.
6) The service and tech support are great. I am waiting for my Pro-Pain friendly chip to come back from JayC’s place.
7) Reasonably easy to install (not a bolt-on)… it goes together in a snap once everything is in place.
8) Added performance potential is amazing.
I hope to have pics in the near future… but, I remain digital cameraless since I keep spending money on the cars.
I have yet to test drive the system… I think I will tomorrow.
Like most are aware the Pro-Pain kit is well thought out and engineered. However, I am not here to kiss any asses… I am going to list a few of my own complications with the kit and its installation. And also offer advice and guidance to would be consumers.
1) Do a test fit of everything, a dry run of how it is going to go together, lay it out in the trunk and see that it fits as claimed. Because mine was a bit tricky, I partially blame the luxury trunk kit that my car has (thick padding). However, the regulator when installed to the tank, has about 1/16” of clearance below the speaker/package tray. I actually had to mount my tank toward the PS middle of the trunk to find enough space.
2) You may find that your solenoid ends up very close to the regulator knob, like me. Not good if you have fat fingers. This is not a problem in my case (fat fingers).
3) The finish on the tank bracket is… well plain crap. You’d figure that for the money you pay, it would come powder-coated and not painted flat black.
4) Speaking of half assed things, the missing components that are required for the install about drove me mad. Not to mention the PITA things required in the install.
- You’ll need (2) 1” long – 5/16” bolts w/ 2 nuts, 2 flat and 2 lock washers. To get the bracket to install. 50 cents of parts don’t make it into the kit.
- Teflon paste… it costs very little. Why can’t they just include it?
- 9/16” Drill bit. Now, I don’t own a ½” drive drill so I went to Home Depot to get a 9/16” bit w/ a 3/8” shank. Hmm… they only go up to ½” w/ a 3/8 shank. No dice, good thing I already have one. So I drilled the ½” hole and using a hacksaw blade I sectioned the hole and beat a ½” drive extension through the hole… making it JUST large enough to run the line through. This unrealistic drill bit size BIT MY ASS. But it gets better.
- There is NO mention of the blow down tube in the instructions, much less how to install it. FYI, the inside diameter of the hose is 5/8”. Try getting a 3/8” shank bit in this size! Repeat the previously mentioned hole enlarging technique. Now, you will find that the hose won’t go through the hole… unless you really applied yourself with the “hole technique”. What I did, thinking ahead was I got a 5/8” barbed PCV fitting from Home Depot (79 cents) and fed it up through the hole and into the hose. So now the blow down tube is secure, and less likely to back itself up into the trunk.
- Assembling the tank, clamps, and regulator to the bracket in the trunk is a major discomfort. You are going to need to be limber to pull this one off time and again. See your chiropractor after assembly. The good news is that this doesn’t have to happen to often with the “long life” of the tank’s contents. Not a good design ergonomically, if you care to retain trunk space. Also there is the working of the 1-1/8” wrench to install the regulator fitting to the tank… I hope you enjoy turning the threaded fitting a ¼ turn at a time until it is seated… because you are going to be hitting the underside of the weather stripping often.
- Then there is the discharge nozzle installation. Hmm… the instructions are simple enough if you want to drill a hole in a hose and call it a day. I didn’t, so I took the alternate route and chose to install the nozzle into the up pipe… right above the hose. Drill a 3/8” hole… says the instructions. Well at least I have that bit… I think to myself. I learned that the stock up pipe is some strong ass steel. I also learned that the nozzle WILL NOT fit through a 3/8” hole. It will not thread itself in either. So out comes the tap and die set (make sure you own one). A few minutes later… it treads in. Yeah! Hmmm… it looks kind of loose in there. Back it out and put a rubber grommet over the treads and back in it goes… squish! And it is loose again. Hmmm… maybe the supplied nut will be a good shim. Nope… too thick. A couple of junk washers later, it works. I am going to have the supplied nut welded onto the pipe in the near future.
- The lack of vacuum hose is annoying. $3 CDN for 3’.
- A few zip ties wouldn’t hurt either.
- Connectors for the power line and a longer ground would be advantageous.
5) No one seemed impressed that I had to have my new tank purged… and one attendant asked why they didn’t purge it when I bought it. I explained it was shipped to me… yada yada yada. $5 CDN charge for the service and $6 CDN for the fill up.
6) Make sure you check for leaks when you do a final assembly. I smelled something funny when I opened the tank It seems I had another full “go around” with the regulator to tank fitting… it isn’t tight until it stops moving completely.
7) I find the font on the “Command Center” to be offensive… I chose to NOT mount it in plain full-time driving view. I am graphically picky (Designer by trade)… and don’t care to think of Aladdin every time I look at my dash.
8) Watch the S/S line around your alternator… there is the potential for “sparky sparky”!!!
Now, on to the compliments:
1) Well designed… engineered to the T.
2) Looks damn cool under the hood. Well, it would if I had a hood.
3) Looks damn cool in the trunk.
4) Lots of wiring & S/S line to reach and run it how/where you want.
5) Ease of changing the “jets”. But, this is also relative to where you mount the nozzle.
6) The service and tech support are great. I am waiting for my Pro-Pain friendly chip to come back from JayC’s place.
7) Reasonably easy to install (not a bolt-on)… it goes together in a snap once everything is in place.
8) Added performance potential is amazing.
I hope to have pics in the near future… but, I remain digital cameraless since I keep spending money on the cars.
I have yet to test drive the system… I think I will tomorrow.
