Taking GN to shop... Any way of tuning it down?

M

MAK507

Active Member
Joined
Mar 29, 2013
Hey guys, I'm taking the GN to a body&paint shop on Tuesday and they're keeping it until Saturday. I have a TurboTweak 5.7 chip and I know many will say I should've had the Extender chip so I can activate Valet mode.

Is there any way I can dumb the throttle down on the car? Maybe loosen throttle cable? I just want to feel safe that if they stomp on the gas the car won't move [emoji23]. I can turn the boost all the way down but I'm sure they can just (obviously unsafely) turn it back up with the manual boost controller knob.



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If you have an adjustable wastegate rod you can remove the end that hooks on. I had mine too loose and it wouldn't build any boost.

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Yeah I've read of that one. Couldn't find any other ideas. [emoji17]


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I second the waste gate idea. Or bring it someplace that you trust.

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Depending on how far the shop is from you. You could disable the car so it won't start and have it hauled there or you could drive it there then disable it. That way they would have to push it, in and out or around the shop. ;)

At least you would know they couldn't drive it. :)
 
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Body Shops hate cars that dont run. Try to avoid that. Remove the wastegate rod tip. They dont need that. Trusted or not. That new kid will say the pedal got stuck and you will be offered a jaspers long block to replace your knocking engine along with rubber coated tailpipes. Play it safe.
 
I have never left my keys with any shop where I have left my car. I will stay with it while they work on it. If I do have to leave it I explain to the owner that I don't trust anyone with it. Make a firm appointment time. Park it where they need it to be and if it needs to be moved have them call you. I have only had to leave my car 1 time when the tranny was being upgraded. They called me when it was ready to test drive and I went straight over. I'm retired so it works for me. Good luck


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jasjamz said:
Body Shops hate cars that dont run. Try to avoid that. Remove the wastegate rod tip. They dont need that. Trusted or not. That new kid will say the pedal got stuck and you will be offered a jaspers long block to replace your knocking engine along with rubber coated tailpipes. Play it safe.
Click to expand...

Who cares what they hate. It's only going to be there 4 days. They shouldn't have to move it more than twice during that time.
+
 
Then they should charge him extra for the time the owner needs to stop two other guys from working to move it around. Its a car that was purposely disabled. Not a wreck that needs repair to run. Protect it from abuse not normal use. Push it the wrong spot and there could be a cracked header spoiler part.
This does not need to be so complicated.
 
As a body shop owner the car will be moved many times in the shop during its repair.
 
A body/paint shop does not need to drive the car, let them push it. Body and paint work is already too damn expensive and if 50ft is too far then find another shop. It is your money and you make the rules...not the shop.
 
needforspeed150 said:
Ha ! If he is like me he doesn't trust any shop not to take it for a spin.
Click to expand...

I don't trust anyone with the GN. not even my wife [emoji23]

The place is reputable, but all it takes is one jackass to get his panties wet by seeing a Grand National and just wanting to "quickly see" what it can do. That's my only fear.

I was thinking fully weakening the throttle cable so that even if you stick the pedal to the floor board it won't go much more than a simple cruise to move it around.


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Anytime i have to drop mine off, I tell them my scanmaster records all boost lvls an mph.so ill know if they hotrod it.plus pulling the wastegate tip only 2 people I trust they aint one of them.
 
Make a steel or aluminum plate to fit between the inlet bell and the turbo.

You can use the bell to trace around for the the pattern and put
1 half inch size hole in the middle...this restrictor plate
combined with removing the wastgate rod will effectively neuter your GN.

Its only 3 holes you have to drill and about an hours time to make and 5 minutes to install.

You could make a set of hose couplers for the up pipe that you put some good size
razor slits in the area between the up pipe and throttle body and the inner cooler
making a massive boost leak if they try to drive it.

Good plan on your part to protect your car.
 
How can you possibly trust them to do a good job for you painting if you cant trust them to move your car around the shop. I just had my car painted last month, told the guy take it down the road, he said he would never do that with someone else's car, grand national or not. Get another shop or become less paranoid. If i were a paint shop owner i wouldn't even work on a car if the owner wouldnt even trust me enough to move the thing around the shop.
 
Gene Van Horn said:
How can you possibly trust them to do a good job for you painting if you cant trust them to move your car around the shop. I just had my car painted last month, told the guy take it down the road, he said he would never do that with someone else's car, grand national or not. Get another shop or become less paranoid. If i were a paint shop owner i wouldn't even work on a car if the owner wouldnt even trust me enough to move the thing around the shop.
Click to expand...

I think It would be a wise move on the OP's part to take precaution even if he did feel
he could trust the shop. Its not only the owner its the employees and whoever else that
may hang around the shop and the owner of the shop likely is not able to be there 100%
of the time to know and see everything.

I just cant understand everyone in this thread that is giving the op grief for his choice of shop
and wanting to take some precautions. SMH
 
I understand the whole "if you can't trust them to move your car............." comment but sometimes you just have to try, as much as you can in advance, to prevent people from being stupid. I do the same as the OP. I try to remove stupidity, temptation and carelessness out of the equation.

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