Just Moved to Northern Cali

R

Racer X

New member
Okay guys, you have never let me down before. Here's the story.

I just moved to Oakland, CA from Detroit, Michigan. I left my Ty back in Michigan but I was having problems getting it dialed in back there. My truck has a list of mods, including 44 turbo, alky, intercooler, 50lbs injectors, exhaust, fuel pump etc (no heads or cam). My problems are:

1. Passing California emissions...seems like it is going to be a pain
2. Finding "real" gas...all I see is 91 octane
3. Finding Methanol...it seems to be the only thing my truck likes in the alky setup
4. Finding someone to tune it. I currently have Phil's chip in it and it works good, but I'm sure a custom chip would really wake it up...it's still very slow.

I'm toying with leaving the truck in Michigan--I will probably only be in CA for 2 years--I'm finding it's just too damn expensive to live here or selling the truck and finding one out here. Thoughts?
 
TYPHOOL7

TYPHOOL7

Post Hawk
Re: Just Moved to Northern Cali

1. Passing California emissions...seems like it is going to be a pain
A- pay for it
B- Know someone who will overlook the silly hoses everywhere :roll:
2. Finding "real" gas...all I see is 91 octane
A-your going to have to mix or something, some GSs sell 100 octane to bump it up.
B- Retune for 91 and rely on the alchy more often.
3. Finding Methanol...it seems to be the only thing my truck likes in the alky setup
-Doable
4. Finding someone to tune it. I currently have Phil's chip in it and it works good, but I'm sure a custom chip would really wake it up...it's still very slow.
-Thats the same as question 2 :p
www.raceprovenmotors.com may be the closest SyTy specific place to talk to about tuning*
 
HighPerformanceTrucks

HighPerformanceTrucks

Lift & Shift Specialist
Welcome to Oaktown!

I grew up in Oakland. I don't think there are any bragging rights here other than I graduated from the same high school as Tom Hanks, Skyline HS.

You need to find a smog shop with patience that will abort the smog test if it appears you are going to fail. You don't want to be tagged as a gross polution vechicle. If that happens you will have to go to a state smog inspection station and this could be a expensive and a major PITA. Make sure you are running a cat con and at least a 195 degree thermostat. Turn your fuel pressure down as low as you can. I noticed the biggest problem passing the smog check was the hydrocarbons. If the truck stumbles at idle or your idle is low then you may run into some issues there. I've been living in Reno the past 5 years, so I don't remember the name of the shop that smogged my truck, but it was somewhere near Hegenberger in East Oakland.

I fairly sure you can buy higher octance pump gas in San Jose, other wise you can find quality race fuels and methanol from ERC Fuels in San Leandro.

Richard Milford's wife was selling her Syclone sometime back and I don't know if it has been sold, but you can contact them by looking up RWM Sales in Orinda, CA if you are interested in a CA Syclone.
 
Don W.

Don W.

Stab it and steer it
Re: Just Moved to Northern Cali

Oakland? :roll:

Racer X said:
Okay guys, you have never let me down before. Here's the story.

My problems are:

1. Passing California emissions...seems like it is going to be a pain
A: If you bring the truck out PM me, I can check with someone. (60 miles up the road in Santa Rosa) My (stock at the time) truck passed just fine. Most stockers seem to but that doesn't help you any.

2. Finding "real" gas...all I see is 91 octane
A: You can try some TORCO Not sure what it does for smog though

I'm toying with leaving the truck in Michigan--I will probably only be in CA for 2 years--I'm finding it's just too damn expensive to live here or selling the truck and finding one out here. Thoughts?
Click to expand...

We'd like you AND the truck out here. But you're welcome anyhow!!
 
mrweelr

mrweelr

New member
Re: Just Moved to Northern Cali

Just keep your boost no higher than 17-18psi on straight 91 and then mix with 5-gals of Xylene when you want to run it harder. That's what I do, but not all trucks are the same so you should datalog to see what you can get away with. The alky spray definitely helps with the straight 91 as well.
 
chelo

chelo

filthy sy
Re: Just Moved to Northern Cali

just keep your truck in storage. Avoid the side shows and stay away from streetracing in alameda. You will lose your truck for at least 30 days.
 
ghettosled

ghettosled

SYTY SUPERSTORE
Re: Just Moved to Northern Cali

cambell automotive is up there in norcal.. i hear they do nice work and know the sytys..
 
R

Racer X

New member
Re: Just Moved to Northern Cali

Thanks a million guys. I greatly appreciate the replies.

I think I'm suffering from a bit of homesickness and frustration over not knowing many of the guys in the SyTy community. I will PM those of you in the area and I look forward to enjoying the Bay area...at least it's not snowing.

Thanks again.
 
gjp

gjp

another post whore
Re: Just Moved to Northern Cali

I am in san jose. Just got a sy 2 weeks ago. It passed smog. Mostly stock. I used to know a gas station that sold high octane gas in san jose but I have yet to see if its still there. I want to get the alky injection to help with the crapy CA gas we have here.

Welcome to the Bay area. Yeah its expensive out here. Took me 10 years to get a Sy. But where else can you buy a house for 250K and 6 years later its worth 800k.LOL

We all have to get together. I could use some tune up info on these trucks.
 
mrweelr

mrweelr

New member
Re: Just Moved to Northern Cali

Union 76 at Almaden and Foxworthy has 100 octane at the pump for $5 per gallon...if you must.
 
N

Nor Cal Terror

Member
Re: Just Moved to Northern Cali

Welcome to the Nor Cal ST/TY community. My name is Tom Dowd and I own a 93 wht/wht TY. I live in San Jose and know the guys at Campbell Auto very well. Mike Lee at RPM is the best but Campbell will take care of you. Please feel free to give me a call anytime at 408-439-6469. I'd be more than happy to meet you and then introduce you to the group at Campbell.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Tom
V8EATER
 
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