Charlie Robinson's '99 Riv

I'd say we had a pretty successful day! Can't wait to get mine ready to smoke you!

Ummm....you give up on polishing that thing? Or were you going for the "brushed" look?

matt270avian wrote:

Dangit Charlie, I'm trying to keep up with you on mods and you go and do this. So not cool (just kidding).
I wish there were some Rivi fans down here around me.....

Come on!

stan wrote:

Damn, Charlie.....that chrome charger looks awesome in there.Only thing is you need a chrome radiator cap.... hahaha.

Good point. Didnt even notice that until you said something. I will get one.

Sir Psycho Sexy wrote:

I'd say we had a pretty successful day! Can't wait to get mine ready to smoke you!

I know you will and I am ok with that.

Abaddon wrote:

Ummm....you give up on polishing that thing? Or were you going for the "brushed" look?

Kind of. I learned a lot about the process and definitely would do it different if I did it again but I dont want to ever do it again.
It's not perfect like yours but I am satisfied with the results.

Right! I "told you so" applies now, don't you think?

Still brightens up the engine bay.

Yeah, engine bay definitely looks sweet now.
Today I saw my LTFT is pegged back to 16.4 at idle and decel. Looks like I have a vacuum leak to uncover.

charlieRobinson wrote:

Today I saw my LTFT is pegged back to 16.4 at idle and decel. Looks like I have a vacuum leak to uncover.

I have a couple guesses lol

Sir Psycho Sexy wrote:

charlieRobinson wrote:

Today I saw my LTFT is pegged back to 16.4 at idle and decel. Looks like I have a vacuum leak to uncover.

I have a couple guesses lol

I will check those hill billy solutions with a stethoscope and carb spray tonight.

Gotta run up to ann arbor after work to grab this lil gem


1 step closer to full black interior conversion.

Looks really good Charlie!

I don't know if anyone call tell from the picture, but before Charlie blows something up, we ran the line from the evap to the vacuum tee thing on top of the blower. That Should be cool, right?

Sir Psycho Sexy wrote:

I don't know if anyone call tell from the picture, but before Charlie blows something up, we ran the line from the evap to the vacuum tee thing on top of the blower. That Should be cool, right?

I was looking for info on this last night but couldnt really find anything.

Senior members, please advise! The logic was... evap is purging fumes from fuel tank so it makes sense that it needs to be hooked up to a vacuum to be brought back into the intake..??

turtleman wrote:

Looks really good Charlie!

Thank you and thanks for your help!

charlieRobinson wrote:

Sir Psycho Sexy wrote:

I don't know if anyone call tell from the picture, but before Charlie blows something up, we ran the line from the evap to the vacuum tee thing on top of the blower. That Should be cool, right?

I was looking for info on this last night but couldnt really find anything.

Senior members, please advise! The logic was... evap is purging fumes from fuel tank so it makes sense that it needs to be hooked up to a vacuum to be brought back into the intake..??

http://www.grandprixforums.net/threads/49039-The-Eaton-Gen-V-supercharger-faq-swap-thread!!-%28genv-gen-five-gen-5%29

You should be able to find an answer in that thread or in one of the threads it links to.

matt270avian wrote:

charlieRobinson wrote:

Sir Psycho Sexy wrote:

I don't know if anyone call tell from the picture, but before Charlie blows something up, we ran the line from the evap to the vacuum tee thing on top of the blower. That Should be cool, right?

I was looking for info on this last night but couldnt really find anything.

Senior members, please advise! The logic was... evap is purging fumes from fuel tank so it makes sense that it needs to be hooked up to a vacuum to be brought back into the intake..??

http://www.grandprixforums.net/threads/49039-The-Eaton-Gen-V-supercharger-faq-swap-thread!!-%28genv-gen-five-gen-5%29

You should be able to find an answer in that thread or in one of the threads it links to.

From what I read before swap and after is that L67 evap goes to L67 throttle body so it can enter the intake.

I dont think it would make a difference if it goes in before or after the throttle body as long as it gets into the intake???

The way you have it is fine. It's designed to be connected to a manifold vacuum-only source (behind the throttle blade).

turtleman wrote:

The way you have it is fine. It's designed to be connected to a manifold vacuum-only source (behind the throttle blade).

Thanks, Cody.

So it turns out, even though from my past experience I thought a pegged 16.4 LTFT was indicative of a vac leak, my (LQ4 from the net somewhere) MAF table was just too low at the bottom.

I bumped the values in the range I was seeing the leanness and sure enough, my fuel trims are looking great right now. The 16.4 has disappeared.

Going to keep working on interior stuff and tuning.

Thanks, everyone, for your ongoing support in helping a noob like me make a fat ass buick go fast-er.

Well if it works it works. So your maf table is pretty good at moderate to wild open throttle then? You get that wideband set up or not yet?

Would you be willing to take some close pictures all around your alternator/belt tensioner assembly/heater hose outlets (coming out of the tensioner) and stuff for me? I wanna see how your 99 stuff looks if it's the same as like the 99+ w-bodys and whatnot

turtleman wrote:

Well if it works it works. So your maf table is pretty good at moderate to wild open throttle then? You get that wideband set up or not yet?

Would you be willing to take some close pictures all around your alternator/belt tensioner assembly/heater hose outlets (coming out of the tensioner) and stuff for me? I wanna see how your 99 stuff looks if it's the same as like the 99+ w-bodys and whatnot

I really havent had a lot of time to get that far yet but trims look great at moderate throttle and lock in a 0 at WOT. I have been most concerned with trims at idle and 0 throttle applications. Wideband is not yet connected to HPT but will be shortly.

Stereo receiver is good to go, just working on my switch board where the ash tray used to be and then the center console is going back in with everything hooked up ready for some real tuning.

I will get you some pics asap.

Working on Nexus 7 dash mount. The tablet will be mounted behind the dash panel where the double din area is. aux out to the relocated stereo. using on the go usb cable to keep it charged and have 4 usb expansion ports.

I might have missed it, but whats your plan for powering it on and off? or just keeping it always on and charged? are you planning to have the power button on the side accessible? I've got an old nexus 7 as well, and it actually fits in the 95 dash better than the 96+ Been thinking of something similar.

Karma wrote:

I might have missed it, but whats your plan for powering it on and off? or just keeping it always on and charged? are you planning to have the power button on the side accessible?   I've got an old nexus 7 as well, and it actually fits in the 95 dash better than the 96+  Been thinking of something similar.

There are several different ROMs that were made specifically for dash-mounting. They will turn power auto on/auto off when it receives power (plug charger into key-on power source).

Sir Psycho Sexy wrote:

Karma wrote:

I might have missed it, but whats your plan for powering it on and off? or just keeping it always on and charged? are you planning to have the power button on the side accessible?   I've got an old nexus 7 as well, and it actually fits in the 95 dash better than the 96+  Been thinking of something similar.

There are several different ROMs that were made specifically for dash-mounting. They will turn power auto on/auto off when it receives power (plug charger into key-on power source).

I had it hooked up to key on switch for a while to test. I didnt like it. I now have it wired to switch on a constant power line so it can be charged when the car is off.

I am using an app called tasker to detect power on and off and run a bunch of functions for each state.

I love it and it's been a fun project. Here's a pic of a recent amazon gift box that went into the dash. I will try and suppress my add and get some more pics before i bolt everything down. Still need to paint stuff before that happens.


I use my phone as wireless hotspot (unlimited data plan w00t) so i have net on the tablet. it rocks. google maps, net radio, netflix, whatever.



Here's some stuff from the gen V swap

Thank you scott n cody for advising me to mill out the wall in the LIM. I had no idea this was a thing. I know it's a hack job but most of the work on my Riv is. Dont tell anybody tho, ok?

and here's how the LIM coolant was blocked.
machinist friend tapped em and cut a bolt down to make the block screws. thread locked for ever.

How do I get the EGR post off the LIM? Does it need to be hacked or does it pull/screw off? Thank you.

The egr pipe is pressed in so I'd just take some vice grips or something and try to work that thing out. I don't know exactly how tough it is to get but I'd be surprised if you can't do it with hand tools and some anger.

eh, no one will see under the LIM end cap. Long as it flows! Tapping in plugs is for sure the way to go for coolant ports. You can also use gas boiler plugs, they tap right in .

Karma wrote:

eh, no one will see under the LIM end cap. Long as it flows!  Tapping in plugs is for sure the way to go for coolant ports. You can also use gas boiler plugs, they tap right in .

I'm about to lay a phenolic spacer over the LIM that has no EGR or coolant ports. The post will need to go!

charlieRobinson wrote:

Karma wrote:

eh, no one will see under the LIM end cap. Long as it flows!  Tapping in plugs is for sure the way to go for coolant ports. You can also use gas boiler plugs, they tap right in .

I'm about to lay a phenolic spacer over the LIM that has no EGR or coolant ports. The post will need to go!

Yup, so vicegrips and pull it out.

Karma wrote:

charlieRobinson wrote:

Karma wrote:

eh, no one will see under the LIM end cap. Long as it flows!  Tapping in plugs is for sure the way to go for coolant ports. You can also use gas boiler plugs, they tap right in .

I'm about to lay a phenolic spacer over the LIM that has no EGR or coolant ports. The post will need to go!

Yup, so vicegrips and pull it out.

Good to know. Thank you! Will pick up some vicegrips after work today.

Might start the job tonight but prolly tomorrow morning.