houston-z06

I took a 2000FRC I purchased on this board last month to MTI in Houston Tx Friday morning to have the PCM reflashed as I have the check engine light on and cannot clear...it seems CARTEK has locked the PCM.

MTI called me at work this afternoon, said there was a problem with the car.....

I go to the shop and they unscrew my oil cap and smoke is being pushed out at a fairly good velocity...

In addition to locking the PCM, CARTEK set an extremely aggresive tune ( read very very lean) and I have a major problem now.

Explanation was piston ringland is bad.

I bought the car for 25K (not a bad deal with all the aftermarket parts) and now this is going to cost several thousand more .

I am going to put the 383 stroker package in from MTI, and not look behind.

Anyone buying a used performance car buyer beware.....

I flew up east to check the car out no problems and then drove the car back to Houston, had the vehicle a month now - have not raced or gotten on it hard.

I am not going to say what member I bought the car from, this is not a personal attack - just a bummer of a story.....

pewter99

ok....words to live by ...Anyone buying a used performance car buyer beware.....


that being said..it is NOT uncommon for tuners to lock the PCM after tuning......as for the aggresive tune not being an azz but could you not tell by listening / driving the car?? I mean usually cars tuned that way have a large cam etc. and its pretty obvious. Also if you drove the car back to Houston with no issues I find it hard to believe that the tune etc. caused the problem a month down the road...I don't know just saying....have you contacted Cartek to see when the car was tuned to get an idea how long the car was "ok" before having this issue??

Please don't think I am not being sympathetic to your issue because I would be just as upset as you maybe more so because unlike you I probably wouldn't be able to afford to get the 383....best of luck with repairs.

90 droptop

**** happens all the time....with bone stock engines, let alone a high performance engine. The good news is your going to love the 383.

houston-z06

I have just stepped into the vette world after selling my 03 Kb Cobra, I can tell you the two performance shops that did work on my Cobra did not lock the Cobra computer, MTI told me they do not lock PCMs so that's why I thought locking the PCM was strange...

I knew the car had an aggressive tune, that's one of the main reasons I wanted MTI to look over the tables.

MTI explained to me that this problem I have was developed over a period of time. I should have done a simple compression test on each of the cylinders before driving back to Houston.

If MTI would not have discovered this problem I would have happily been driving off in the sunset and at some period in the future.....

All I am saying is just by driving the car around, reving the motor, going through the gears, using the brakes hard - everything seemed ok. I am over it, going back to MTI this morning to put a 50% deposit on the 383 stroker kit

90 droptop

How aggressive was the tune? Maybe the previous owner asked for a aggressive tune and then drove the car with cheap gas and rattled it to death.... would that be CARTEK'S fault? Dude, it's a used high performance car that had mods done to it. Like I said earlier, STOCK engines break all the time.

screw991le

[QUOTE=houston-z06]

Anyone buying a used performance car buyer beware.....

QUOTE]


Thats why I don't but "modded" cars. Sorry for you trouble and hope it works out for you.

screw991le

[QUOTE=houston-z06]

Anyone buying a used performance car buyer beware.....

[QUOTE]


Thats why I don't but "modded" cars. Sorry for you trouble and hope it works out for you.

pewter99

Oh I understood you completely and you did not come off bashing anyone and it sounds like you would have done what most would have done, test drive and all....sounds like you are making the best of a bad situation....hope you are back soon.

houston-z06

I guess I just posted to get some feedback, that's all.

I Pm'd the previous owner just looking for some background on this, no ranting or raving or my attorney calls your attorney and nothing changes after 30K and 6 months..

Everything is cool, I was going to put a S/C on this summer... it will be a new forged 383 instead

Maybe you guys can shed some light on this - drove a few miles down the road to the Exxon station last night and the car just died as I was turned in to the station. After coming out of the station, I could not get the car started - it's full of gas with a new battery.

The guys at MTI flashed the PCM and downloaded the standard GM factory tune, I suspect this is the root cause. Anyways I am leaving in 15 minutes to drive back to MTI to put a deposit down on the 383 and have them look at the car so I don't get stranded out in greater Houston.

shurite44

I agree, your post was informative to others looking at vehicles. Good luck with your new engine.

mdhmi

That's a bummer. I realize that some tuners lock their tunes.. Personally I wouldn't bother with them.

Hopefully MTI is able to get you back in the saddle soon.

Mark

houston-z06

Well, a little more bad news...

Went to get the car inspected, failed due to leak on FPIS headers where bung is welded in

Oh well, called MTI - Jeff is going to hook me up with a pair of Kooks 1 3/4 " long tubes late next week or early week after, $1800 for headers and labor...

ain't life grand..

pewter99

hmmm couldn't they just fix the leak?? oh well matters not..probably be better off with the KOOKs on that 383

keep us posted on the new goodies

Maniac

Man, you get two thumbs up for attitude!!

I guess when you're staring down the tunnel and a built 383 is at the end of it, life ain't all bad

chriswtx

Wouldn't you be better off doing the new headers with the new motor? that would save you some labor charge since they have to take the headers out to do the new motor...

Corvette4ever

Sorry to hear about your troubles. If you're getting a 383 then you should get Kook 1 7/8 headers.

houston-z06

yes, I would save labor but.....

Jeff at MTI says there are 32 motors in line ahead of me, he quoted a 10 - 12 week lead time for the 383.

My temp plates expire on the 28th of this month, so $400 to install headers is not that big of a hit for me, I will be spending 7K plus for the new motor and tuning this summer

houston-z06

Yes, you are right - misquoted MTI, got confused between 1 3/4 and 1 7/8.

vetterlatethannever

Cool! I was going to say get the 1-7/8!!!!

mdhmi

Mark