Digital Horsepower PCM

billytheman1188 · 10-03-2006, 08:49 PM

Ok so i have $100 to spend and im thinkin about getting the digital horsepower pcm, butttttttt is it really necessary to fill it with premium fuel all the time, or can it go without it???? and if it can, will i notice any power gains without the premium fuel??? I probably do need to fill with good gas, but i just wanted to check with people and see what they have to say.

Thank you.

10-03-2006, 08:53 PM

well with the timing advancements and all the tweeks they do im pretty sure the premium is necessary because you may start pinging and knocking.....im not dead sure about this because i dont have the pcm and have never tried but im pretty sure i remember it being required....

alerored04 · 10-03-2006, 09:00 PM

it is a worthwhile mod. One of the better bang for the buck mods out there. I have ran 89 in mine without a problem, but that was only once when i was in the middle of nowhere and they didnt have anything better. IMO if you are too cheap to pay the extra 10c/gal you have the wrong hobby. everything has implicit costs so if you arent willing to pay dont do it. When i did put 89 in it i pretty much drove with the radio off since i was so paranoid about it causing problems i wanted to listen to it the whole time. Its not worth the couple bucks per fill to be scared for your motor the whole time. Look at it this way, 12 gal tank, the price of premium is always 10-20c more per gal than 87/89 so no matter what fuel prices are you are only paying $2.50 more per fill up if premium is 20c more. Its not that much more expensive and worth the peace of mind. Plus the DHP pcm rocks. Get it, put 91 in it, you will love it.

Just realized it was you posting about the leaking coolant and this, save your cash until you figure out where the leak is from. limg leak wouldnt enjoy a dhp on it i dont think.

mrmike · 10-03-2006, 11:07 PM

I also remember reading that the pcm requires a 180^ thermostat. If your leak is in the lower intake manifold, you can get the new thermostat put it while they have it all apart.

jabartram · 10-03-2006, 11:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrmike

I also remember reading that the pcm requires a 180^ thermostat. If your leak is in the lower intake manifold, you can get the new thermostat put it while they have it all apart.

its not required, but your fans will work overtime till you get the 180, and yes premium is highly recommended, under normal driving you won't notice much but under WOT load you will get preignition, until the pcm pulls the timing back do to KR=knock retard, when that happens you lose power.

joealmighty13 · 10-03-2006, 11:53 PM

so under normal driving you dont notice as much of a difference with the DHP, but under WOT you feel it. also whats this about KR?

jabartram · 10-04-2006, 12:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joealmighty13

so under normal driving you dont notice as much of a difference with the DHP, but under WOT you feel it. also whats this about KR?

no, under normal driving you wont have problems preignition(knock)or(ping) but under WOT you will. KR is knock retard, when the knock sensor senses knock or ping it retards the timing to help prevent engine damage.

alerored04 · 10-04-2006, 12:41 AM

why "have" someone install a tstat? its easy, do it yourself. its a $20 part why pay $100 for it. He doesnt know for sure yet if it is the limg, but yes itd work to do while its apart for that.

billytheman1188 · 10-04-2006, 10:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alerored04

it is a worthwhile mod. One of the better bang for the buck mods out there. I have ran 89 in mine without a problem, but that was only once when i was in the middle of nowhere and they didnt have anything better. IMO if you are too cheap to pay the extra 10c/gal you have the wrong hobby. everything has implicit costs so if you arent willing to pay dont do it. When i did put 89 in it i pretty much drove with the radio off since i was so paranoid about it causing problems i wanted to listen to it the whole time. Its not worth the couple bucks per fill to be scared for your motor the whole time. Look at it this way, 12 gal tank, the price of premium is always 10-20c more per gal than 87/89 so no matter what fuel prices are you are only paying $2.50 more per fill up if premium is 20c more. Its not that much more expensive and worth the peace of mind. Plus the DHP pcm rocks. Get it, put 91 in it, you will love it.

Just realized it was you posting about the leaking coolant and this, save your cash until you figure out where the leak is from. limg leak wouldnt enjoy a dhp on it i dont think.

Thanks for the info man, and maybe i will get it and fill with premium if its only $2.50 more a fill up, i never thought of it that way

But im gonna be checking the coolant every day and see if its going down. Now if it does how am i going to be able to find out what the problem is? should i take it to the dealer? (i know they charge up the ass, but if this is a serious problem i wanna take the car to someone i can trust) and around albany there isnt many garages that i trust to work on my car. But my main question is how am i going to find out what the problem is?

billytheman1188 · 10-04-2006, 10:10 AM

Oh and about the thermostat, now if i get that off www.pfyc.com. is that a good one? So if i dont get the thermostat the fans will work a lot more than they are supposed to? Sorry but i just dont understand fully why i need it with the DHP? Ive heard that getting a new thermostat can be bad for your car cause your messing with the engine temp, and it should be left at the temperature that its already at?? cause when people make the cars they have it set at temperatures where the car performs best.....sorry if this sounds messed up, lol i dont know if this is coming out right. But basically someone told me the engine performs best at the temperatures the oldsmobile makers made it(stock) and if u mess with the temp you will get a shorter engine life?

is this right or do i sound like a retardlol lol

alerored04 · 10-04-2006, 03:27 PM

that is the correct tstat, the reason you want a colder one is that the pcm advances your timing, causing the motor to run hotter. The 180* tstat will help counter act this.

jabartram · 10-04-2006, 03:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by billytheman1188

Oh and about the thermostat, now if i get that off www.pfyc.com. is that a good one? So if i dont get the thermostat the fans will work a lot more than they are supposed to? Sorry but i just dont understand fully why i need it with the DHP? Ive heard that getting a new thermostat can be bad for your car cause your messing with the engine temp, and it should be left at the temperature that its already at?? cause when people make the cars they have it set at temperatures where the car performs best.....sorry if this sounds messed up, lol i dont know if this is coming out right. But basically someone told me the engine performs best at the temperatures the oldsmobile makers made it(stock) and if u mess with the temp you will get a shorter engine life?

is this right or do i sound like a retardlol lol

when a motor runs cooler it creates more power, the fans are set for 180 degree t-stats at DHP, i ran a stock t-stat for 2 weeks after my DHP install my fans just ran ALOT.

billytheman1188 · 10-04-2006, 08:37 PM

O alright, i see now. thanks for the info! I will be ordering the DHP and Tstat in a few days. Oh and where do i install the DHP????

jackal2000 · 10-04-2006, 09:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by billytheman1188

Oh and where do i install the DHP????

OMG

in the false floor of the trunk under the spare tire.

j/k under the dash board on the driver's side. its kind of above the brake pedal.

Redog · 10-04-2006, 09:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by billytheman1188

Ok so i have $100 to spend and im thinkin about getting the digital horsepower pcm, butttttttt is it really necessary to fill it with premium fuel all the time, or can it go without it???? and if it can, will i notice any power gains without the premium fuel??? I probably do need to fill with good gas, but i just wanted to check with people and see what they have to say.

Thank you.

It's def worth the $$$. Yes get the 180* thermostat, and use 91 or better gas. I was using 93 for a while because I only used Shell gas. Since a use my Visa instead of a gas card now, I've been going to Sunoco since they have 91 octane at the pump. The car has been running much better on 91 than 93. Once I put 94 in it and it didn't like it at all.

What grade to use really depends on what your car is programed to run on. With the PCM upgrade, the car it programmed to run on 91 or better, so it's in your best interset to run 91 or better.

A guy in work got bad advice from another guy and was told "yeah you can run 87 in your Navigator" It says right on the fuel door to run premium fuel only. It ran fine for a while, then the MPG dropped dramaticly, and it ran rough. Then a day or 2 later he got an SES light. It was pinging like crazy!! I told him to run the 93 in it again, and the light went out after about 2 weeks (2 tanks)

billytheman1188 · 10-04-2006, 10:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jackal2000

OMG

in the false floor of the trunk under the spare tire.

j/k under the dash board on the driver's side. its kind of above the brake pedal.

Lmao, yea i figured it would be around there, just wanna check

And redog thanks for the info on the gas, i will probably fill with 91.
I cant wait to get this, i hope its worth the money

billytheman1188 · 10-04-2006, 10:17 PM

wtf, i was reading the installation directions on the thermostat, it seems like its a pain in the ass to install. But the directions were weird, idk, how long is this installation gonna take!? for a little thermostat!

jabartram · 10-04-2006, 11:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by billytheman1188

wtf, i was reading the installation directions on the thermostat, it seems like its a pain in the ass to install. But the directions were weird, idk, how long is this installation gonna take!? for a little thermostat!

if you have any mechanical ability at all, it will only take about an hour. its only 2 bolts and the radiator hose and a small coolant bypass tube.

Headstrong2740 · 10-05-2006, 12:10 AM

Hey....i was reading all this...... can some one tell me the link to the PCM site you were talking about. Id like to look into that as well. Sounds like it might be soemthing to keep in mind.

alerored04 · 10-05-2006, 01:48 AM

www.pfyc.com. billy the tsat is not hard at all. Right underneath the TB, and you will be very happy with it. I loved mine. More now that Germ got his hands on it. lol.