AMG ETR Finally Running Right!

[AMG ETR]

Hi Guys,
Over the past month or so I have started mentioning issues with my car as I have been becoming increasingly frustrated. I was having a few issues with the methanol system and with overall driveability. The car now seems to be back where it should be and I really wanted to clear the air and thank Chris and the HPF guys for the support.

Issues/Solutions:
1. Methanol system completely stops working
1 Solution: Relay blew due to water getting in, HPF now seals this relay to avoid this problem and I have not had it again.

2. Methanol System Leaks:
2 Solution: Replaced the fittings that were leaking only to have them leak again. HPF now sent me newly designed fittings and they have not leaked since.

3. Car Dropped a Cylinder during a drag strip pass
3 Solution: Chris B. answered his cell phone on a Saturday to help me out since I was in the middle of nowhere outside my town. Turned out to just be a bad coilpack (not HPF's fault)

4. (The Main Issuse): The car's driveability has been erratic, sometimes being ok, sometimes being terrible! The car would be running 17+ AFR's during cruise and light throttle causing the car to buck and surge and on/off throttle made it impossible to drive smooth.
4 Solution: First HPF tried sending me new fuel injectors, which did help but not solve the problem. Then HPF tried a new wideband sensor which again did help but not solve the problem. Finally HPF now sent me a new tune to try, but before I could even try it the car was running perfect! The issue I have found is a loose connection in the ECU box. Under the cover there are now A LOT of wires crammed in there with the Factory DME>HPF converter and when tightened down I must have a wire or connection that is pulled out. As long as everything sits right in there, my car is back to running good! Chris said they are working on a bigger box to avoid this issue so I am looking forward to recieveing one of those.


So yes, my car and I have been through hell and back, but HPF has been very supportive the entire time, always answering my phone (most of the time Chris himself) and sending me parts to fix my issues! Hopefully this is the last of them!

Thanks to HPF
Evan

[supersickbimmer]

That's good to hear. Now get out there and enjoy the car.....Oh, and make more videos.LOL

[Brian N]

Great customer service way to go above and beyond HPF!! :clap:

[cheech320]

Way to go Evan. Glad you got everything sorted out because your car is :drool:

[plaroud]

Nice, any plans on re-running your dad?

[AMG ETR]

Nice, any plans on re-running your dad?
Of course :) Except we are putting a procharger on the Z06 early next week so I think I am in trouble for the rematch :yikes::drool:

[RACEMX-M3]

Evan very happy to hear you got this sorted out. HPF's customer service is the best.

[DLSJ5]

Cool deal Evan, glad to hear you are up and running right! :woot:

[ObsessedM3]

Why did it leave the shop without a complete check of these problems?

[Custom3]

From what other members have been posting with this kit it seems like there is a lot of parts failing...which sucks for the customer but is good for HPF because this is how they learn how to improve their kit.

Why did it leave the shop without a complete check of these problems?

[AMG ETR]

Correct, these are all parts that failed during my time with the car (and there have been other smaller issues as well). Its very annoying, but I knew I would have some issues when adding this kind of power to an M3... I Just hope I got the bulk of those problems up front and it will be smoother sailing from here on!
Evan

[BimmerDude18]

Was the meth fitting you had trouble with the plastic quick connect right under the manifold?

[AMG ETR]

Was the meth fitting you had trouble with the plastic quick connect right under the manifold?
That was 1 of them, but the majority of the ones that failed were at teh bump behind the bumper...

If anyone needs to get their front bumper off I can do it in under 3 minutes I have done it so many times :D :bawling:
Evan

[Greg Ogden]

Glad to hear things are all sorted out! Chris, David and the rest of the staff at HPF are all great and are the biggest givers. I've gotten to know most of them very well over the past year not just on a client bases but as friends and i can tell you they treat everyone the same and are always ready to serve no matter what! :bow:

[frankieb96]

inserting my 2 cents here. . .by the way, it was nice meeting you on saturday, Evan

i had a leak from the fitting on the bottom of the solenoid as well. as a replacement, i'd suggest switching out the bottom fitting, or even ALL the plastic 90 degree fittings, with some stainless steel ones. . .like we discussed. since this fitting will see more fatigue than the others, being that once every now and then, the line will be pulled out and re-inserted for purging the meth, the plastic one will likely be prone to failure as a result IMO. i'm trying to find a good source to get these at; i just happened to have one laying around from a previous project. i'm pretty sure this one's not going to leak anytime soon. I did speak to chris k at HPF about this, and they were going to send me another plastic fitting without hesitation(typical stellar HPF customer service), but i'm going to be running this one instead. HPF: you need to go all stainless on those fittings for future kits. :)

http://i294.photobucket.com/albums/mm120/precisionsport/IMG_0549.jpg

upon installing this, the car was seeing proper boost with no change in AFR from when the plastic piece was in and working correctly.

[2K5 325i]

Hi Guys,
Over the past month or so I have started mentioning issues with my car as I have been becoming increasingly frustrated. I was having a few issues with the methanol system and with overall driveability. The car now seems to be back where it should be and I really wanted to clear the air and thank Chris and the HPF guys for the support.

Issues/Solutions:
1. Methanol system completely stops working
1 Solution: Relay blew due to water getting in, HPF now seals this relay to avoid this problem and I have not had it again.

2. Methanol System Leaks:
2 Solution: Replaced the fittings that were leaking only to have them leak again. HPF now sent me newly designed fittings and they have not leaked since.

3. Car Dropped a Cylinder during a drag strip pass
3 Solution: Chris B. answered his cell phone on a Saturday to help me out since I was in the middle of nowhere outside my town. Turned out to just be a bad coilpack (not HPF's fault)

4. (The Main Issuse): The car's driveability has been erratic, sometimes being ok, sometimes being terrible! The car would be running 17+ AFR's during cruise and light throttle causing the car to buck and surge and on/off throttle made it impossible to drive smooth.
4 Solution: First HPF tried sending me new fuel injectors, which did help but not solve the problem. Then HPF tried a new wideband sensor which again did help but not solve the problem. Finally HPF now sent me a new tune to try, but before I could even try it the car was running perfect! The issue I have found is a loose connection in the ECU box. Under the cover there are now A LOT of wires crammed in there with the Factory DME>HPF converter and when tightened down I must have a wire or connection that is pulled out. As long as everything sits right in there, my car is back to running good! Chris said they are working on a bigger box to avoid this issue so I am looking forward to recieveing one of those.


So yes, my car and I have been through hell and back, but HPF has been very supportive the entire time, always answering my phone (most of the time Chris himself) and sending me parts to fix my issues! Hopefully this is the last of them!

Thanks to HPF
Evan

Eek. Sounds like a rough time.
-Chris

[SPDu4ea]

i'm trying to find a good source to get these at; i just happened to have one laying around from a previous project. i'm pretty sure this one's not going to leak anytime soon.

I'd be very careful. Using different fittings was a contributing factor in Scott's original engine failure: http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showpost.php?p=8213601&postcount=49


upon installing this, the car was seeing proper boost with no change in AFR from when the plastic piece was in and working correctly.

Good to hear

[BimmerDude18]

The fitting Frank used is fine, its a meth system stainless fitting. Brass corrodes (gets a buildup) from meth, so stainless is the best choice (nickel plated brass is the next best thing).

Plastic is also corrosive resistant, but is weaker and as a result more prone to breaking. The problem with Scott's fitting is that it wasn't a meth fitting and thoroughly restricted flow from the tank.

There is nothing wrong with plastic fittings being used, but given the importance of the meth system in these kits, its not a bad idea to switch over to a more robust stainless fitting.

[b0ki]

We have some issue with kenny cars too not sure if its the methanol or not...it just doesn't pull that good we aee around 9 psi then 11 then 7 ... wired .. and around 4 - 6 K rpms u have feeling the car has no power... but we are working on it Chris K is helping a lot i hope we fix the problem soon
also our methanol tank is all the way in trunk.... maybe that has to do something with it... ( also we are waiting for the new tank from HPF )

[///M3-QTR]

^ why is it in the trunk ? :S

[HPF Chris]

We have some issue with kenny cars too not sure if its the methanol or not...it just doesn't pull that good we aee around 9 psi then 11 then 7 ... wired .. and around 4 - 6 K rpms u have feeling the car has no power... but we are working on it Chris K is helping a lot i hope we fix the problem soon
also our methanol tank is all the way in trunk.... maybe that has to do something with it... ( also we are waiting for the new tank from HPF )

In each of these cars the methanol safety line pressure sender is telling the ECU there is not enough line pressure to run high boost safely so the ECU brings boost safely back to 7psi.

There are several reasons why this could occur in one of our M3's. #1) customer puts tank in the trunk. The pump will always make less line pressure if the tank is in the trunk due to the distance the pump has to suck the methanol down. Do not do this. #2) methanol pump seals go out, Sureflow is working on this. #3) methanol fittings leak. If you have the white fittings call us and we'll give you the gray ones. If you have the gray ones, you can usually find the leak by turning the pump on with our pump testing tool, trim back the methanol line and re-insert it into the fitting.

Chris.
Chris.

[2K5 325i]

In each of these cars the methanol safety line pressure sender is telling the ECU there is not enough line pressure to run high boost safely so the ECU brings boost safely back to 7psi.

There are several reasons why this could occur in one of our M3's. #1) customer puts tank in the trunk. The pump will always make less line pressure if the tank is in the trunk due to the distance the pump has to suck the methanol down. Do not do this. #2) methanol pump seals go out, Sureflow is working on this. #3) methanol fittings leak. If you have the white fittings call us and we'll give you the gray ones. If you have the gray ones, you can usually find the leak by turning the pump on with our pump testing tool, trim back the methanol line and re-insert it into the fitting.

Chris.
Chris.
I heard my name being echo'd, so I figure'd I'd hop in the thread and ask a question :P.

HPF Chris, if you had to guess- What percentage of HPF M3's that you guys build (Stage 1, 2, 2.5, 3, 4... etc) experience some sort of issue (minor or major) with the kit? As minor as a "minor leak" or as major as blown motor (or nuclear holocaust).

Hoping for an honest answer ;) :dunno:!
-Chris

[frankieb96]

I'd be very careful. Using different fittings was a contributing factor in Scott's original engine failure: http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showpost.php?p=8213601&postcount=49


that was a fitting of a much smaller diameter. this one is pretty much the exact same piece as the plastic one, just stainless instead.

[b0ki]

In each of these cars the methanol safety line pressure sender is telling the ECU there is not enough line pressure to run high boost safely so the ECU brings boost safely back to 7psi.

There are several reasons why this could occur in one of our M3's. #1) customer puts tank in the trunk. The pump will always make less line pressure if the tank is in the trunk due to the distance the pump has to suck the methanol down. Do not do this. #2) methanol pump seals go out, Sureflow is working on this. #3) methanol fittings leak. If you have the white fittings call us and we'll give you the gray ones. If you have the gray ones, you can usually find the leak by turning the pump on with our pump testing tool, trim back the methanol line and re-insert it into the fitting.

Chris.
Chris.


When Kennys brings the car to shop again i will check on the fittings make sure we have the gray.... We purge the methanol and checked for leaks with the tool... i didn't see any leaks... We put the tank in the trunk because we only have the temp tank .. still waiting for HPF to send us the original tank that goes to the front by the Intake manifold.

[HPF Chris]

I heard my name being echo'd, so I figure'd I'd hop in the thread and ask a question :P.

HPF Chris, if you had to guess- What percentage of HPF M3's that you guys build (Stage 1, 2, 2.5, 3, 4... etc) experience some sort of issue (minor or major) with the kit? As minor as a "minor leak" or as major as blown motor (or nuclear holocaust).

Hoping for an honest answer ;) :dunno:!
-Chris

Very rarely have we seen a major issue. We did with the case of Scott Wheeler because a shop wired in the fuel pump backwards. The issues on this thread are not about the car not running properly on pump gas or race gas mode. They are about methanol pumps and fittings that leak and a safety device that kicks in to protect the engine. This would only occur when turning methanol on.

I would say that most of our customers may experience something at some point that changes to cause their car to not run correctly. Whether it's because they drove over a block in the middle of the road causing a boost leak, because a body shop sprayed water all over their EMS and sensors while the battery was left plugged in, or because they broke a fitting when cleaning their engine bay and replaced it with a Home Depot variety, or because they moved the wiring around and it caused one of the hundreds of wires to become disconnected, etc. We support our customers whether they created the problem themselves, whether their shop created it, or whether a part of our kit failed.


When Kennys brings the car to shop again i will check on the fittings make sure we have the gray.... We purge the methanol and checked for leaks with the tool... i didn't see any leaks... We put the tank in the trunk because we only have the temp tank .. still waiting for HPF to send us the original tank that goes to the front by the Intake manifold.


We switched companies that build our methanol tanks. The company we were using was complaining that our tooling was not allowing the material to flow freely into all of the areas of the tooling. The new company has already made some minor modifications to the tooling and is starting to build our new SMG and Methanol tanks. We'll have them ready very soon.

Chris.

[funkboy316]

Ive already been in touch with Chris K who took excellent care of me as well. I have the old white fittings and finally after a almost a year, i too have a few leaky fittings, mainly the elbow on the bottom of the tank. its leaking between the joint of the elbow. Chris K. is gonna set me up though so no worries, excellent service as always from the HPF crew! I also noticed some oil in the BOV while installing the CF intake so he is sending me the new check valve as well.

[AMG ETR]

Too good to be true :( I have another methanol leak and its with the new gray fittings :( Not sure where its coming from yet, but lost a whole tank of meth in 2 days and only used it on 2 small stints... Guess its times to pull the bumper off for time number 27 and check it when I have time...

Also had a fenderliner rip off and tear to shreds on the highway cause with this kit there is no underpannel to hold it like is should :( Wish that HPF underbrace was included in the kit, really needs it... Destroyed my air temp sensor too :(
Evan

[///M3-QTR]

Evan you're really unlucky ...:(

[HPF Chris]

Too good to be true :( I have another methanol leak and its with the new gray fittings :( Not sure where its coming from yet, but lost a whole tank of meth in 2 days and only used it on 2 small stints... Guess its times to pull the bumper off for time number 27 and check it when I have time...

Also had a fenderliner rip off and tear to shreds on the highway cause with this kit there is no underpannel to hold it like is should :( Wish that HPF underbrace was included in the kit, really needs it... Destroyed my air temp sensor too :(
Evan

The factory underpanel sits on those fender liners but doesn't hold it in place. It is very important to make sure those two bolts holding the front fender go back in securely when you pull the bumper off and put it back. If you don't, bye bye fender. I posted some pictures below of the two bolts that hold the fender in place.

For those putting in the methanol fittings... It is important you don't ovalize the methanol hose or scratch it when you cut it. Then push it in hard and make sure to put the orange clips on afterwards to lock it in. You can usually see some white residue where the connection was not made properly from the methanol leak. Find the residue and reconnect the fitting again. Be sure to prime the pump with the tool we supplied and check for leaks. Then you should be good to go.

We can certainly answer any questions you might have over the phone.

Take care,
Chris.

http://www.horsepowerfreaks.com/miscellaneous/m3turbokit/bimmerfest09/frontfender1.jpg

Here you can see where the factory under cover sits in place, but there are no clips or bolts connecting it to the front fender.

http://www.horsepowerfreaks.com/miscellaneous/m3turbokit/bimmerfest09/frontfender2.jpg

[AMG ETR]

Those 2 bolts were for sure in there good as I just put the bumper back on 2 weeks ago and tightened them down, the fender took that bottom piece with it when it went...

I'll give you guys a call once I have time to figure out where the meth leak is... Car was still fast enough to pull about 6 or 7 cars on an E92 M3 on the highway this morning without meth :D