Fan Values

[ArmyVette]

Joe,


I've finally got an appointment to have my tuning finished tomorrow evening. (Don't get me started on John Sealock's tuning. [X-(] [X-(] [X-(] )

In addition to the AFR, A4 shift points, and other changes to the PCM, I'm looking at having the fan values changed. However, I've heard conflicting information.

My engine temp normally runs between 193 and 198. I've heard that a cooler running engine is better but I've also heard that the LS1 likes temps at 200 degrees or so. Which is correct?

Here's the fan values I'm planning to have programmed into the PCM:

High Fan: On at 195, Off at 185
Low Fan: On at 185, Off at 175.

Your comments, Oh Wise One? [:D]

[Woods977]

Hey you put it out there. Whats wrong with John Sealock, He tuned my 96 Grand Sport with great results. 383 with 407 RWHP!!!

[joe1968]

The fan temp. setting is going to be up to what kind of tuning that is being installed. The more radical the tuning the fan temp. may have to be set lower. It's all up to the tuner and the readings that he/she (pc) get from the dyno runs.

Joe

[ArmyVette]

I hope I'm not going to bash a friend of yours but here is my recent experience.

****************************************
Hmmm, what went wrong with Sealock....how's this?

Talked to John Sealock on May 6, 2004, to determine what Sealock could and could not do to a 2004 Corvette coupe.

John's mission: Install a 3.42 rear diff and a new torque converter. Perform a complete dyno-tuning of the car to include AFR, shift points, etc.

No problem, he says. Should take only a couple of days. "I do them all the time." (UNQUOTE) Sealock estimated the cost for installation and tuning at $700. (Not the cheapest price I was quoted but at least I didn't have to buy the tuning software -- or so I thought. Read on.....)

Agreed upon start date: May 22, 2004

1. On May 20th (two days before the agreed upon start date), Sealock calls to say he doesn't have the software to tune the vehicle. I have to buy the software. My cost: $450. (2 business day delivery from LS1 Edit.) Sealock has no open time for the next couple of weeks and changes the vehicle drop-off date to June 5th. Because of a last minute scheduling conflict, I drop the car off with Sealock on June 3 (earlier than agreed upon) with an anticipate 12 June pick-up date.

2. Sealock calls me on June 10th to tell me he can't install the rear differential or the torque converter. He needs some sort of "adapter" to his tranny lift to brace the rear part of the tranny. (Neither Koons Chevy, Pallone Chevy, or my local Vette garage know what the heck this "adapter" is.) I retrieve the car on the 11th and have my local Vette garage install the components (with a one-day turn around on the car [:)] ). Cost: $450 (I actually think is was more than this but don't have the receipt with me.)

So, to this point, Sealock has done NOTHING with the car.

3. Take the car back to Sealock on June 19th with a pick up date of June 26th. Didn't hear from Sealock at all during this week. I called on Wednesday afternoon and confirmed the early Saturday morning pickup for the car. Drove down to pick the car up and, only at arrival, did I learn that John had blown the rear differential seal during the dyno tune. I had to drive the car back to Springfield to my local garage to get it repaired -- with a blown rear diff seal. (The garage did the repair for free -- they agreed that an O-ring must have been damaged during installation.) Cost for 3 dyno pulls and an incomplete tune: $320 (full price even though Sealock himself said the tune wasn't complete).

So, to this point, Sealock has done 3 dyno pulls and an incomplete tune on the car.

Estimates going in: $700.00 and one week

Actual: $1600.00 and over six weeks!!

I took the car to Altered Atmosphere Motorworks in Gaithersburg this past Wednesday night. They confirmed the tuning wasn't completed. AFR was WAY off, no shift point changes were made, no fan changes, etc., etc., etc. Cost to dyno and tune: $380.

So, to recap:

1. Sealock could do NOTHING he agreed to do: he couldn't tune the car (he had the wrong software) nor could he install the components (no tranny lift "adapter") Remember, he said he had everything he needed to do the job and worked on C5s "all the time."

2. Sealock failed to notify me until I arrived at his shop to pick up the car that the diffential seal had blown. I should have brought a tow truck to retrieve the car! I had to drive the car back with a blown seal.

3. Sealock charged me full price for an incomplete tune.

4. This debacle required two additional, completely needless trips to his shop which is 20 miles east of Stafford. It also caused me to miss days from work, Laurie to reschedule business appointments (she's a home appraiser and LIVES by her appointment book), plus have the additional expense of gas for two cars to make two needless 50-mile round trips (total of 200 miles per car).

BTW, Laurie was present for most of these events. My mechanic also called and talked to Sealock about the blown rear diff seal.

I'm sure Sealock is very competent with Mustangs and C4s; he had a few parked out in front of his garage. However, I guess you can say I am LESS THAN SATISFIED with John Sealock's performance with what he promised he could do for me.

Again, I hope this is not preceived as bashing Sealock. I'm simply recounting my recent experiences with Woodbridge Dynotech.

[jbeaupre]

Pretty clear what the problems with Sealock! Whew!

[Woods977]

WOW, Sorry you had such a bad experience. I don't want to Bash you since I don't even know you. But I would like to address some of what you said:

1. Sealock could do NOTHING he agreed to do: he couldn't tune the car (he had the wrong software) nor could he install the components (no tranny lift "adapter") Remember, he said he had everything he needed to do the job and worked on C5s "all the time."

I would guess the 04 Vette needs different software than the other LS1 and LS6's.

With regards to the Trans lift adapter, John runs a SOLO shop with no one else to help lift the trans out. I've gone out to help him on my cars because of this. But then I enjoy working on my cars

2. Sealock failed to notify me until I arrived at his shop to pick up the car that the diffential seal had blown. I should have brought a tow truck to retrieve the car! I had to drive the car back with a blown seal.

With regards to the Diff seal, I wouldn't continue to tune your car if it was leaking any fluid either.

3. Sealock charged me full price for an incomplete tune. You stated earlier that it cost you $320.00 for an incomplete tune.

I know John uses wide band 02's and he has to weld Stainless steel bungs in the exhaust, which he charged me about $130, I sure he base lined it which is 3 pulls normally $75.00 and then you stated an incomplete tune $$. I would think the incomplete tune was because of the above Diff problem. Maybe I'm way off base

4. This debacle required two additional, completely needless trips to his shop which is 20 miles east of Stafford. It also caused me to miss days from work, Laurie to reschedule business appointments (she's a home appraiser and LIVES by her appointment book), plus have the additional expense of gas for two cars to make two needless 50-mile round trips (total of 200 miles per car).

The guy that did you Converter and Diff is to blame on that not John.

In closing John works on my Z06 and Grand Sport. He knows about C1's, C2's, C3's, C4's and C5's but maybe not C5 automatics.

Sorry to here about your experience

[ArmyVette]

...I would like to address some of what you said:

1. Sealock could do NOTHING he agreed to do: he couldn't tune the car (he had the wrong software) nor could he install the components (no tranny lift "adapter") Remember, he said he had everything he needed to do the job and worked on C5s "all the time."

I would guess the 04 Vette needs different software than the other LS1 and LS6's.

LS1 Edit is specific to a VIN. There is also a multi-VIN license. Sealock's software version did not include 2003 or 2004. Which means he hasn't had to tune those model years. If someone else had brought their 03 or 04 in, Sealock would have already known his software was outdated.

With regards to the Trans lift adapter, John runs a SOLO shop with no one else to help lift the trans out. I've gone out to help him on my cars because of this. But then I enjoy working on my cars

Sorry Sealock runs a solo shop but he said he could do this work. Note the timeline. There was a month between our first discussion of what needed to be done and him contacting me to say he couldn't do it.

2. Sealock failed to notify me until I arrived at his shop to pick up the car that the diffential seal had blown. I should have brought a tow truck to retrieve the car! I had to drive the car back with a blown seal.

With regards to the Diff seal, I wouldn't continue to tune your car if it was leaking any fluid either.

Don't you think he should have called? He had my cell, home, and business numbers. He also had my email address. If there is a problem, would you want to find out about it when you got to pick up your car?

3. Sealock charged me full price for an incomplete tune. You stated earlier that it cost you $320.00 for an incomplete tune.

I know John uses wide band 02's and he has to weld Stainless steel bungs in the exhaust, which he charged me about $130, I sure he base lined it which is 3 pulls normally $75.00 and then you stated an incomplete tune $$. I would think the incomplete tune was because of the above Diff problem. Maybe I'm way off base

Sealock did no welding of any type. If this is a requirement for his system, then we have a BIG problem. I was there when John did the first baseline dyno pull before the mods were installed. He definitely DID NOT weld anything to the car. BTW, the baseline dyno was 1, and only 1, pull. I still have the file because he had to use my laptop computer to record the info.

4. This debacle required two additional, completely needless trips to his shop which is 20 miles east of Stafford. It also caused me to miss days from work, Laurie to reschedule business appointments (she's a home appraiser and LIVES by her appointment book), plus have the additional expense of gas for two cars to make two needless 50-mile round trips (total of 200 miles per car).

The guy that did you Converter and Diff is to blame on that not John.

Remember, Sealock had the car when he called to say he couldn't pull the tranny. Sealock gets blamed for one; the garage gets blamed for the other.

In closing John works on my Z06 and Grand Sport. He knows about C1's, C2's, C3's, C4's and C5's but maybe not C5 automatics.

Sorry to here about your experience

The Mustang crowd (yeah, I have friends over there too!) were the folks that recommended Sealock. When I spoke to him on the phone, he convinced me he was the guy to come to. Said he would have no problems doing what I needed to have done. The truth did not bear that out. First, he didn't have the software. Second, he couldn't pull the tranny (for whatever reason). Could he have completed the tune? Maybe. We'll never know for sure.

Sounds like Sealock is a friend of yours. I'm not out to "bash" your friend, just to state my own experience with this tuner.

Note: I'm not calling Sealock a bunch of dirty names here. First, that's not my style. Secondly, I'm sure he's a very nice guy.

He just did not provide the service he said he could provide.

This is enough said on this topic. The mods are done and the car is finally tuned. The situation is over. Let's move on.