Tapout Tuning

LF4 Performance Tuning Specialists

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Pankl Racing Titanium Connecting Rods Now Available!

Pankl Racing Systems in Austria specializes in the development, design, manufacture and testing of connecting rods in turbocharged applications for the racing sector. It’s no surprise that Cadillac tapped Pankl for the OEM LF4 engine connecting rods. these are brand new factory pieces, manufactured from exceptionally strong and incredible light titanium. GM dealerships sell these connecting rods for $610 each, and Tapout is happy to be able to provide these to you at a much more affordable price! Check them out here.

#TapoutTakeover #ResultsNotInsults #StayTuned #UnderPromiseOverDeliver

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Congratulations to Tim King!

Tim King ran a 10.98 @ 125.2 mph at the Street Car Takeover event in Indianapolis this past weekend! Ten second ATS-Vs are always impressive. This one even more so because he ran tens on his very first pass ever! Tim has a 2016 ATS-V with intake, intercooler, fueling and exhaust modifications, in addition to the Tapout Tune and torque converter. Race weight was 4,080 pounds with density altitude of approximately 2,445′. Stay tuned and you will see Tim near the top of the leaderboard as soon as he gets more seat time in the car and the weather cools down.

#TapoutTakeover #ResultsNotInsults #StayTuned #UnderPromiseOverDeliver

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Maximize Power and Efficiency with Wideband Tuning!

There is a balance between performance and safe tuning. At Tapout we have found that most ATS-Vs achieve the best combination of these attributes with wide-open throttle (WOT) air/fuel ratios somewhere between 11.8:1 and 12.8:1. Typically we target 12.0 to 12.5:1 on most remote tunes. We set the target range, and all remote tuned cars will be in this vicinity. But every car is different, and in most cases additional improvements can still be found. For customers who want even more performance out of their ATS-V, a wideband oxygen sensor can be installed and we can dial in your particular car perfectly. Each and every ATS-V has its own slight variances, and adding this sensor allows us to pinpoint what those are, and how to best adjust our tune for them.

12.5:1 WOT air/fuel ratio equates to 0.85 λ. See the image below for some data from a remote tune we worked on earlier this week. The green areas are low load where stoichiometric should show 1.00. The red areas are under boost where we tuned for 0.85 λ. This customer has installed a wideband and you can see that we have his WOT air/fuel ratio calibrated within one to two percent of perfect across the board.

HP Tuners data logging can accommodate any wideband oxygen sensor that has an analog output. If you’re running the latest MVPI2 interface you’ll need to upgrade to the Pro Feature Set. The wideband itself can be installed in either downpipe. If you want to get really fancy, you can install a dual channel wideband and we can skew your injectors by bank for fueling perfection!

Feel free to contact us at Sales@TapoutTuning.com with any remote/custom ATS-V tuning questions you may have, we’re always here to help the community.

#TapoutTakeover #ResultsNotInsults #StayTuned #UnderPromiseOverDeliver

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Tapout LPFP Props up Weak ATS-V Fuel Systems!

One of the weak links in the ATS-V is the stock fuel system.  Although adequate for OEM boost levels, once you crank that boost up many ATS-Vs end up having fuel systems that can’t keep up with demand. In some cases, the HPFP ends up sucking the LPFP dry thus entering the danger zone.

Paul from Florida has a 2016 ATS-V A8 with intake, BOVs, spark plugs and exhaust and 32,000 miles on the clock.  With his previous aftermarket tune he was running dangerously lean which he discovered while on a dyno. Once he learned that he immediately switched to Tapout.  The new Tapout Tune is much safer and he likes it better than the tune he ran before.  However, now that his air/fuel ratio has been corrected we can see how the stock fuel system is not able to keep up with demand.  Check out the blue and yellow traces in the scan below.

With this newly found information Paul decided to install a Tapout LP fuel pump.  The following scan was taken one day after the above scan, with no other hardware or tune changes.  It’s very clear how much more stable, safe and reliable his fuel system is now.  Notice how both the low- and high-pressure sides have improved just from replacing the LP pump alone.

The Tapout LP fuel pump is an excellent product that solves an annoying problem on this platform.  It is affordable, relatively simple to install and can show immediate fuel system volume capabilities on tuned ATS-Vs. Every day we are looking for ways to make the ATS-V better, and we’re proud to offer proven products like this.

#TapoutTakeover #ResultsNotInsults #StayTuned

 

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Easily Fill and Bleed your ATS-V Intercooler!

What’s the Easiest Way to Fill and Bleed the ATS-V Intercooler?

Last year we made a post showing how to fill and bleed your ATS-V intercooler without the expensive adapter fitting and vacuum pump that GM recommends. Here’s an update, complete with video showing the process. I’ve also found a way to improve upon the OEM setup.

With the OEM hoses, it’s extremely difficult to determine how well fluid is flowing and whether air might still be present in the system. In this video I shortened up one of the factory hoses, then added a ¾” barb coupler, short piece of UV-resistant clear PVC tubing and two hose clamps. This step is not mandatory, but now that it’s done, I definitely wish I had done it a year ago.

To fill and bleed the intercooler system, you do not want to leave the pump running. Most of the air bubbles come to the surface when the pump starts and stops. For this reason, starting and stopping the pump every few seconds will yield much better results than leaving it running continuously.

There is a positive battery terminal right beside the fuse box in the engine compartment. Use a jumper wire to carefully short between the battery terminal and either side of the intercooler pump fuse. This video shows a 2018 ATS-V, but the fuse location may vary in other years. Check the underside of the fusebox lid in your own car to identify the proper fuse.

Rotate your intercooler fill port to the vertical position. Remove the rubber cap. Use a short piece of ¾” heater hose to support a large funnel. Add 50/50 coolant mix to the funnel. Depress the Schrader valve with a dowel rod or long ¼” extension. Continue cycling the intercooler pump power every few seconds until there are no more air bubbles.

Sometimes it helps to fiddle with the 7 mm. bleeder screws, but this does not seem to be necessary. Through experience I have found it’s best to fill and bleed the system cold, the drive around until it’s up to normal operating temperature, let it cool down and bleed it one more time.

Follow the link below to see a video of the process:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qiTKWfus7qU&feature=youtu.be

#TapoutTakeover #ResultsNotInsults