# Danny5 builds a Diesel Cruze



## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

*October 28th, 2013*

Not even 16hrs later, she is in the shop for window tint. 5% on all windows (except the windshield of course :th_coolio









Lots of reflective glare, almost impossible to see the Tan interior









Rear quarter shot is better for viewing the tint. A definite improvement!









A little Carbon Fiber vinyl cleans up the front end









Rear bow-tie gets the same treatment. Also added my 12yo frame from my first turbo.


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## iKermit (Dec 13, 2010)

I see plastidip in your future.


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## trevor_geiger (Nov 29, 2012)

I agree with Kermit. I like what you've done so far. Keep us updated. 


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## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

iKermit said:


> I see plastidip in your future.


I don't disagree. I will probably dip the wheels until I find one I like


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## Aussie (Sep 16, 2012)

Some Holden Cruze Diesel badges as in my signature would look nice, there is a thread that shoes where you can get them.


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## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

*October 29th, 2013*

Installed Ultra-Gauge. Interesting to note, the Ultra-Gauge has to be calibrated to give you mpg, so those numbers are not accurate. Yet...


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## tecollins1 (Nov 6, 2011)

Danny5 said:


> Installed Ultra-Gauge. Interesting to note, the Ultra-Gauge has to be calibrated to give you mpg, so those numbers are not accurate. Yet...
> 
> View attachment 44705
> View attachment 44713


Yes be sure to down load the manual to set the parameters correctly.


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## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

*November 4th, 2013*

Plasti-dipped the wheels today. I used the standard black, followed by the glossifier.




























Lug nuts are Muteki black open end from Rally Sport Direct


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## RoadRage (May 19, 2012)

Danny..it made a huge difference. .how about dipping the chrome surround around the grill and window trim.

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## ChevyAllDay (Jul 24, 2013)

awesome job so far! and ive always wondered what a black bow tie would look like on a CR Cruze.... now i know, and now i can make it happen!

looking forward to your future mods!


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## cdb09007 (Aug 7, 2013)

I blacked out all the chrome (bar, bowtie, grill, rear bumper piece, window trim, foglights) on my CRT 13 Cruze. Adds so much bad***ness. Looks real clean so far man, keep it up and keep popping up pics.


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## Invierno (Nov 23, 2012)

Subscribed. Looking forward to some performance upgrades!


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## Devilz (May 16, 2012)

so far so good


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## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

*November 12th, 2013*

Ah yes, 11/12/13. A bunch of minor updates all weekend long. They weren't really post worthy until I got them all done.









K&N Panel Filter









Factory Floor mats. Makes a big difference!









LED Interior bulbs from iJDMToy


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## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

*November 15th, 2013*

Went to Performance Muffler to have all my mufflers/resonators removed. Turns out the Diesel doesn't have any of those. Who knew?

So I just had them add an exhaust tip...


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## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

One more at eye level


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## Mattwa (May 24, 2013)

Question, it looks like you have an additional light that comes on when you open the door, between the map lights. If so, was it like that from the factory? I'd really like to add something like that to my 2012 ECO, as it does not have that, nor have I seen it on other cruzes for that matter.


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## revjpeterson (Oct 2, 2013)

I don't know much about the other years, but the standard configuration for the 2014 is 3 lights. The 2 outside map lights operate individually from their switches, and the center light is tied in with the dome light.


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## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

*December 14th, 2013*

It's been quite a while since I've updated this thread. I've been busy for the last month ordering LED lights and installing them. So far I have install Switchbacks and resistors, reverse lights, front and rear markers, and driving lights on the trunk. I have brake lights and turn signals on order.

Today I installed LED strips in the fog light location, and hooked them up to the fuse box. I was able to order the fog light switch through Amazon for a very reasonable price.










I am very happy with the way it looks, and looks amazing at night. :th_dblthumb2:


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## Mick (Dec 31, 2011)

It's looking good Danny. You got pics on the install of the fogs to the fuse box?

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## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

I used this thread from the How-To forums

http://www.cruzetalk.com/forum/57-h...ruze-fog-light-install-warning-lots-pics.html

Pretty much the exact same, except I couldn't separate the fuse panel enough to pull it out. I ended up tapping the fuse from the top. If you do this, you want to tap the fuse on the side closest to the front of the car so that you still have a fused connection.


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## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

Every external light, except my headlights, are now LEDs. Took some quick night pictures for the record


















Use the flash on this one


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## trevor_geiger (Nov 29, 2012)

It looks good, I like it!


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## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

*December 24th, 2013*

Just a teaser. Received Eibach Pro-Kit springs today!!!










1.75" drop front, 1.25" drop rear. Sitting at 25.75 front, 26.75 rear. Will keep track to see if it settles anymore.


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## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

*December 25th, 2013*

Lots of presents for the car today. The big visual upgrade... An E&G chrome mesh grill!!!


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## Heftyhank (Nov 10, 2013)

Moar pics of the car with the spings on it was the kit specificly made for the diesel or was it a universal kit did it go lower than expected cause of the extra weight up front


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## Merc6 (Jun 8, 2013)

Mattwa said:


> Question, it looks like you have an additional light that comes on when you open the door, between the map lights. If so, was it like that from the factory? I'd really like to add something like that to my 2012 ECO, as it does not have that, nor have I seen it on other cruzes for that matter.


 Can't see the pics at work but 2013 and up have dirent front dome lighting than previous years. I just got wind of similar one in the Verano but with ambient lighting led built in.


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## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

Heftyhank said:


> Moar pics of the car with the spings on it was the kit specificly made for the diesel or was it a universal kit did it go lower than expected cause of the extra weight up front


Eibach pro-kit, probably made for Cruze LT or RS. The springs fit in the Diesel locations no problemo. And yes, it did go lower than expected, by about half an inch. I am digging it for now. :th_dblthumb2:



















Next mod - amp & subwoofer!


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## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

Final present for the car, Clarion XH5210 install with 4 gauge wire. Took 7 hours, but wanted to make sure we did a quality install. We used up a roll of solder, but I think the final product looks amazing!


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## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

I disconnected the fog switch and used the HID relay to fire the LED driving lights. I am much happier now!


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## Chevyderek72 (May 16, 2011)

Looking good! Can't wait to see it in person, really curious about the diesel.

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## BradHerr (Sep 29, 2013)

I wonder if lowering the car will direct more air/wind over the car, keeping it from going under the car and result in increased fuel mileage. 
It looks great, would love to hear a review after you get some miles on the springs! 


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## alhorse1 (Jan 3, 2014)

I want to buy the new Chevy Cruze diesel and convert it from B20 diesel to B100 biodiesel. However, I am not mechanically inclined. Can anyone on this forum do it for me?


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## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

alhorse1 said:


> I want to buy the new Chevy Cruze diesel and convert it from B20 diesel to B100 biodiesel. However, I am not mechanically inclined. Can anyone on this forum do it for me?


Hitting out of the park on your first post eh?

B100 is simply not recommended in any newer diesel engine.

http://www.cruzetalk.com/forum/64-c...ing-bio-diesel-your-diesel-huh-well-read.html


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## fastduo (Dec 24, 2013)

Sub'n. Lookin good!


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## Action Hank (Jan 9, 2013)

Danny5 said:


> Eibach pro-kit, probably made for Cruze LT or RS. The springs fit in the Diesel locations no problemo. And yes, it did go lower than expected, by about half an inch. I am digging it for now. :th_dblthumb2:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I wasn't sure about the chrome grille at first but these pictures made me a believer =P Cruze is looking good man!
If you like the look of the shark fin antenna, i'd throw it on too, made my cruze different, even if just a little xD


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## Diesel14 (Sep 25, 2013)

Can you do us a favor and list the part numbers for the replacement LED's you purchased, and where you purchased them....Thanks


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## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

Diesel14 said:


> Can you do us a favor and list the part numbers for the replacement LED's you purchased, and where you purchased them....Thanks


Oh man, zero problems there! Everything I bought was from iJDMToy, but I bought some of the bulbs from Amazon, eBay, or direct from iJDMToy.

I'll list the bulbs in order of what I bought:

Super Bright LED Car Interior Lights Package For Chevy Cruze
This was interior bulbs, and license plate bulbs. No bulb for the trunk yet...

Chevrolet Chevy Cruze High Power LED Daytime Running Light Kit
These are the running lamps that go in the stock fog light location. I get a lot of compliments on these.

5-SMD 168 194 LED Bulbs For Car Interior Lights, License Plate Lights
3 sets at 6.99 each gets you 6 bulbs. 2 for the front markers, 1 for the trunk, and 2 for the rear markers. 1 left over. spare maybe?

High Power 7443 7444 Switchback LED Bulbs For Turn Signal Light Bulbs
I originally bought these for my front switchbacks. The front turn signals enter the assembly from the side, so you really need a 360 view bulb. I moved these to the rear turn signals where they face straight back. VERY bright!

7443 7444 T20 Dual Color Switchback LED Bulbs For Turn Signal Lights
These are what I replaced the front switchbacks with. LOVE these! They light up white until you signal, then blink only amber. Switch back to white when the signal is off.

Amazon.com: 2 X 3157 68 SMD White LED Bulbs Turn Signal Corner Lamp Side Marker Reverse Back Up Light: Automotive
Tail lamps I went to Amazon. These are prime and I ordered 2 sets. One for the inner brake lamps, and one for the outer.

Amazon.com: iJDMTOY Extremely Bright 7.5W High Power 912 921 LED Reverse Light Bulbs, Xenon White: Automotive
I messed around with a TON of different reverse lights, but in the end I wanted usable lights. Easily the brightest LEDs I own.

Amazon.com: Kensun HID Xenon Conversion Kit "All Bulb Sizes and Colors" with "Slim" Digital Ballasts - H13 (9008) Bi-Xenon - 6000k: Automotive
And to tie it all together, Kensun 6k HID bi-xenon bulbs.

Any more questions, I am happy to help!


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## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

*January 21st, 2014*

Something special came today!!!









A box from Fleece Performance, wonder what's inside???









A Koozie and some cables???









Oh my! An EFI-Live tuner!!!










No instructions came with this thing. A quick check on Fleece's website and I have drivers and the program downloaded to my computer. Its ALL Greek to me.









I take a chance and hook it up to the car. It's alive!!!









I select the 40hp program, and hit ok. The unit pairs itself to my ecu (mated to my car for life now) and then begins uploading. The process is FAST! I am used to the Trifecta program which is so slow. Within a minute, the unit tells me to turn off my car, and then makes me wait 40 seconds. It's done!!!

I went out for a quick spin. More power at all RPM levels. I did a launch in an abandoned parking lot, and the car roasted the tires through first and into second. God, this how the car should have come from the factory. So happy right now. More impressions as I continue to drive it. 

There is a test and tune at the drag strip this weekend... Hmmm....


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## Heftyhank (Nov 10, 2013)

Omg ive been soooo waiting for somebody to get one lol did it come with a way to revert it back to stock? And im curious about the mpg when tuned and driving it nice cant wait for updates


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## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

It has 4 tunes. Stock, +30, +40, and +50. I have a feeling I won't see any real mpg numbers for the next couple of tanks!


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## SportBilly (Nov 25, 2013)

very nice bro...!! i like it..

what about the ecu when you go to the dealer for warranty stuff??
can you go back to stock without "marks" of the tune???


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## DieselMan33 (Oct 13, 2013)

Brayden (Fleece) did pop his head in on this forum a little while ago. It would be nice for him to come back and give us some more info on the progress of his build.


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## SportBilly (Nov 25, 2013)

im looking for gas builds and how much power can the auto trans hold and i haven't find anything yet..


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## Epickphale (Jan 30, 2013)

Stock trans will hold for a good 250ish or something like that, no worries there. Gas builds with performance in mind will go Trifecta or VTuner, some form of intake be it Injen or K&N among other things. Throw some meth in there if you're a crazy person


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## SportBilly (Nov 25, 2013)

had an opel corsa gsi before forced internals and k04 hubrid turbo made 260whp but it was manual and had no issues..
if the auto can hold the 250whp then im fine. probably going for it soon after i finish up with some dealer isues (maybe something is wrong cause i have realy bad mpg) and ill see from there. thanks.. 

ps.if there is a topic of another built please let me know i haven't found something yet..

why do i think the vtunner is better??
never had before experience whith plug and play maps. did once from a shop and then only custom..


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## Scott M. (Apr 23, 2013)

I am also glad to see people making and installing performance mods. Just be careful because the DPF and SCR are still in place with this mod. Resist the urge to stomp on the pedal everywhere you go.

*The 50hp tune may cause accelerated diesel particulate accumulation with repeated full throttle launches. This may cause more frequent regeneration and possibly require a manual regeneration that must be performed using a GM service tool. Fleece Performance is not responsible for expenses incurred due to the use of this tuner.
With great power comes great responsibility.


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## prince_bigd (Jul 16, 2013)

Do some quick searches on here and youll find tons of builds and info on tuning the 1.4 turbo. Quick rundown though. 

Trifecta tuning uses a downloadable program and a OBDII to USB cable to flash the tune to your car. they offer a budget tune which is basically a canned tune, meaning you cant add more mods and get them to retune for you. Trifecta dual tune or premium tune is the main one and it has the nifty feature of letting you switch between a stock/eco mode where boost is around factory level just with some timing A/F and trans tuning and a high boost mode. in autos this is done by tapping over to the select a shift mode. in manuals it uses the cruise control toggle. trifecta pushes between 21-23 lbs of boost on most cars and makes tons of torque. figure 160/190 to the wheels 

Vtuner or vermont tuning is done via an efilive style handheld programmer. vermonts tuning tends to use slightly lower peak boost figures but they offer several levels of tune and with the upper tunes coming with a ported intake manifold and even a super14gt turbo upgrade. from what ive gathered Vtuner makes more top end power with the intake mani porting however i only have personal experience from trifecta. 

both offer datalogging and updates as you add or change things. 

Other good mods are the obvious, intake/exhaust/downpipe Forge BPV, Bosch 42 lb injectors, FMIC, water/meth kit
if your talking major money you could look into new cams,pistons/ maybe some headwork. 
with basic bolt ons and a tune you should be able to reach 200/240. add water/meth turbo upgrade and ported intake manifold and maybe hit 240/270 I think thats around the highest ive seen claimed. Also if you start cranking up boost look into a Big Three kit and some better spark plugs(NGK BKR7e or autolite 3923) and check your gaps.

Look in the vendors section Jerry at BNR offers tons of parts for our car. Xtreme here is an Amsoil rep(one who i need to get up with about Amsoil also) start pushing big boost need good oil to keep those pistons and heads happy... ZZP also builds a ton of stuff for our car. 

PS... I just have a K&N typhoon intake with a giant AFE dry pro S filter, Forge BPV, Collins Big Three Kit, NRG EPac3 stabilizer, autolite 3923 coppers, and a trifecta tune and according to my last datalog im pushing 213lbft by GM PID. Thats at the engine but ive heard and thought that GMs PID is much closer to wheel hp/tq than standard drivetrain loss estimates.


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## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

prince_bigd said:


> if your talking major money you could look into new cams,pistons/ maybe some headwork.
> with basic bolt ons and a tune you should be able to reach 200/240.


I'm at 200/340 now! I love my Diesel!!! :wavetowel2:


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## diesel (Jun 8, 2013)

Danny5 said:


> I'm at 200/340 now! I love my Diesel!!! :wavetowel2:


Do you by any chance have any acceleration videos?


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## diesel (Jun 8, 2013)

alhorse1 said:


> I want to buy the new Chevy Cruze diesel and convert it from B20 diesel to B100 biodiesel. However, I am not mechanically inclined. Can anyone on this forum do it for me?


I'll do it for $2,800,000


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## prince_bigd (Jul 16, 2013)

Danny5 said:


> I'm at 200/340 now! I love my Diesel!!! :wavetowel2:


 Very jealous and Im a huge diesel fan. If I could have waited on getting rid of my HHR last year i would have gotten a diesel this year. Now im still upside down from taking a hit on my HHR. However I still have enough torque to pull hills in 6th that most V6s and smaller V8s have to downshift for so Im happy for now. 

Since you have your deisel tuned we want Dyno time now!!!!!!! lol Im curious to see what itll do on the dyno and do you plan any further mods?


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## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

diesel said:


> Do you by any chance have any acceleration videos?


Acceleration video, ah check... I have a great video setup I can use, but I warn you that I suck at launching an Auto with LRR tires! 



prince_bigd said:


> Since you have your deisel tuned we want Dyno time now!!!!!!! lol Im curious to see what itll do on the dyno and do you plan any further mods?


Of course there are more mods planned! I think I am doing pretty good for only owning her 3 months :lol:

The hard part is waiting for someone to release something. I like custom setups as much as the next guy, but I am not that rich 

And I am itching to get on a dyno. Just have to find a dyno day when its "affordable"


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## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

*1/25/2014*

So they just reopened the drag strip in Phoenix. I was fortunate enough to have just received my tune, and I was able to squeeze in a couple runs on the 25th. 

A couple Caveats. I am not good at launching a car, especially one with Low Rolling Resistance tires. And there were plenty of issues that prevented me from getting in more than 2 runs. This will have to do until I can get back and try again! 





40hp Tune


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## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

50hp Tune


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## Heftyhank (Nov 10, 2013)

Cant watch cause im at work! what times? lol


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## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

Heftyhank said:


> Cant watch cause im at work! what times? lol


1st run 16.5 @ 87
2nd run 16.4 @ 84


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## Heftyhank (Nov 10, 2013)

Hmm a lil lower than i was hopeing but i bet with practice 15's are there and with sticky tires who knows cant wait to watch the vids


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## Mick (Dec 31, 2011)

Nice vids man. Probably could have done 14's without all that stuff in the trunk lol

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## ChrisWorldPeace (Jun 24, 2013)

Sick man more updates on that tune tho!!!!!!!


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## plasticplant (Mar 26, 2013)

Danny5 said:


> Installed Ultra-Gauge. Interesting to note, the Ultra-Gauge has to be calibrated to give you mpg, so those numbers are not accurate. Yet...
> 
> View attachment 44705
> View attachment 44713


Might be a dumb questions as I don't even see torque on your "main page" of the guage, but did you happen to set your torque spec? If so, did you set it to 264, or did you go with the overboost of 280?


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## Heftyhank (Nov 10, 2013)

Hmm something seems off did the tune up your boost at all? cause mine will hit 22 on a regular basis and just doesn't seems different from my untuned cruze


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## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

Mine also regularly hits 23psi, but I've never seen more than that. Tune or no tune.


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## Suns_PSD (Feb 16, 2013)

Heftyhank said:


> Hmm a lil lower than i was hopeing but i bet with practice 15's are there and with sticky tires who knows cant wait to watch the vids


The gains at peak power which is utilized the most on the 1/4 mile track are pretty minor. But the gains at lower rpm makes the Cruze-D pull like a V8, where it counts. Right in the midrange. 

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## Southpaw1456 (Jul 20, 2013)

Sick diesel!

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## vwgtiglx (Jun 13, 2013)

Danny5 said:


> Mine also regularly hits 23psi, but I've never seen more than that. Tune or no tune.


Niki from Duramax Tuner.com got 31 psi on the Dyno with his tuner kit. See it on the video on the EFI Live Tuning thread on the Cruze Diesel Group.


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## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

*February 20th, 2014*

Started saving money for a house. I really want a garage where I can use my air tools.

So, using an old part I had laying around, installed a catch can in the car:









I posted a howto here:
http://www.cruzetalk.com/forum/129-engine-transmission/53889-how-add-catch-can-your-2-0-ctd.html


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## Mick (Dec 31, 2011)

You and your air tools are always welcome at my house.


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## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

Why would I set up shop in your house. How about you are always welcome to come use my air tools at my house :lol:


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## RascalMafia (Jan 27, 2014)

Looks good Danny! Would you mind taking a couple of side shots with the wheels straight?

EFILive is definitely money well spent!


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## vlcmstnaz (Feb 6, 2014)

Curious to know, has the ride quality decreased since the lowing springs were installed? I like the look, but don't want to sacrifice comfort (too much).


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## Suns_PSD (Feb 16, 2013)

I'm curious to know, if there's any fuel economy improvement with the program.

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## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

RascalMafia said:


> Looks good Danny! Would you mind taking a couple of side shots with the wheels straight?
> 
> EFILive is definitely money well spent!


Took some shots for you.









Artsy


Closer shot. Made this one clickable so you can see it.



vlcmstnaz said:


> Curious to know, has the ride quality decreased since the lowing springs were installed? I like the look, but don't want to sacrifice comfort (too much).


Lowering almost always is a compromise to ride quality. I find it acceptable, really not much different from stock besides the reduced front travel. She'll bounce off the bump stops every now and then, but I've never bottomed out (scraped)



Suns_PSD said:


> I'm curious to know, if there's any fuel economy improvement with the program.
> 
> Sent from AutoGuide.com App


Everybody curious! lol I too, would like to know if there is any fuel economy improvement. I really can't keep my foot out of it enough at the moment to get more than my standard 37-38 mixed mpg. At 72mph, on flat freeway, I see 50-60mpg.


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## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

So quick update on the tune...

Averaged mixed 39mpg on my last tank. That is up 2mpg from without the tune. Take with a grain of salt.

Second, found out that Fleece did not alter boost levels. So overboost and stock boost are still there. The 1/4 mile runs are without any overboost since I was idling at temp for long periods of time before I would run. So figure an easy high 15? low 16 with overboost? Food for thought.


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## fj40intow (Nov 4, 2013)

Danny5 said:


> Started saving money for a house. I really want a garage where I can use my air tools.
> 
> So, using an old part I had laying around, installed a catch can in the car:
> 
> ...


Wife picked out the last house.I told her it had to have a nice garage and a pool in the back yard.


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## Blue Angel (Feb 18, 2011)

fj40intow said:


> Wife picked out the last house.I told her it had to have a nice garage and a pool in the back yard.


I liked your wife's white C7!


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## pro439 (Mar 14, 2014)

Fleece has a disclaimer about the aftertreatment system life will be shortened w/ their 50hp tune.I've been working on aftertreatment systems for quite awhile now and know that w/o more air the engine is going to make more smoke-more smoke means more regens the longer you run it.Have you noticed anything like this yet?I know the cost of a filter is 3-5 thousand dollars.And I haven't looked at the system but I'll bet it's not cleanable and has to be replaced.The system contains a catalyst,particulate filter and a ammonia catalyst,temp sensors,and oxygen sensors.Just wondering


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## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

I run the 40hp tune. I have noticed maybe an extra regen or two. Mileage on this tank at 41mpg, so its not impacting fuel usage. I've only run the 50hp tune once, and it was to do the one 1/4 mile run.


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## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

*March 15th, 2014*

Probably one of the cheapest mods I have made at a whopping $2.48 shipped to my door.









What's the big deal Dan? I don't see anything different! But that's the idea. Note my bowtie is black. But at night...









Bam! Reflective black tape!!! 3" x 9" sheet off ebay has replaced my normal black vinyl.


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## money_man (Feb 25, 2014)

How did you cut it out to make it fit so well?


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## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

Stick the vinyl on your bowtie, and press it in real good. There is a very small gap between the gold plastic and the chrome. If you follow this indent with a very sharp exacto, you get a perfect fit everytime.

I've done it almost a dozen times now. Its so easy with Chevy's!


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## money_man (Feb 25, 2014)

did you notice anything at all by switching to the K&N filter?


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## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

There was a noticeable sound increase. I wouldn't venture with butt dyno results, but there is peace of mind.


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## cdb09007 (Aug 7, 2013)

money_man said:


> did you notice anything at all by switching to the K&N filter?


There is a life long debate if i actually adds "a few mpg and a few horses". But what it definitely does add is the sound of the spool and a BOV. Especially on cool mornings, mmmmmmmm.


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## Blue Angel (Feb 18, 2011)

cdb09007 said:


> There is a life long debate if i actually adds "a few mpg and a few horses".


No need for a debate. A free flowing air filter adds ZERO MPG. K&N themselves even state this:

_"*Fuel Economy
*Fuel economy testing and mileage claims are a tricky business... ...A lot of exaggerated claims are made in the marketplace by products claiming to improve gas mileage. K&N makes no general fuel economy claims, however we encourage you to try our air filter for yourself. Keeping air filter restriction as low as possible can be an important tool, among others, for maintaining high mileage."

__K&N High Performance Aftermarket Air Filters Replaces Your Stock Air Filter_

If there was ANY way at all for K&N (or any filter/intake company) to legitimately claim a mileage increase with their products they would do so. There isn't, so they don't.

As for power, they do help as they offer less restriction at a given air flow rate, however gains are usually small on otherwise stock applications. A simple panel filter swap in a stock intake system on a stock engine can offer gains so small that run-to-run variation in dyno testing is usually greater than the power gain from the filter upgrade. This makes it impossible to accurately measure the increase. Taking an average of several runs before and after the filter upgrade is then necessary to quantify the difference... those are tiny gains.

If your engine is modified and flowing significantly more air (power) than it was when stock (like +20% or more), a panel filter upgrade likely makes sense since the stock air filter will usually become a restriction soon after stock power levels are exceeded.  If your car is stock and you intend to keep it that way you're not going to get much bang for your buck with an upgraded filter. You will be letting more debris into your engine (high flow filters don't filter as efficiently as your OEM filter does, regardless of untested claims) and getting little if any significant power gain.


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## Blue Angel (Feb 18, 2011)

cdb09007 said:


> _A successful man is one who makes more money than his wife can spend._


BTW, love the sig! I guess there aren't too many _truly successful _men in this world...


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## UlyssesSG (Apr 5, 2011)

*Oh, Ain't She Sweet*



Danny5 said:


> October 27th, 2013: My latest addition to the family is a 2014 Cruze Diesel in Red Tintcoat.


_*Danny5,*_
I may be late to the dance, but now that I've arrived permit me to congratulate and compliment you on your new Cruze. Simply lovely in that colour, and the factory wheels are gorgeous. You lucky dog.


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## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

*March 22nd, 2014*

Painted Calipers Red with dupli-color brush on kit:

















Installed Technostalgia tails!









http://www.cruzetalk.com/forum/145-...-how-tear-apart-your-trunk-picture-heavy.html


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## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

*March 30th, 2014*

What an exciting weekend!!!

First, I want to finally post my 1/4 mile time slips. Yes sir, I finally got off my lazy ass and scanned them in!



Second, to prove I suck at drag racing, I went ahead and put the Cruze on a dyno. Copperhead Diesel Performance hosted a dyno day, so I got the opportunity to put a few runs down on a Dynocom with my Fleece 50hp tune loaded. I put down 220whp with 377lb/ft of torque. I believe my poor Aisin was begging for me to be nice! 


Click on the picture to see it bigger!

So yah, ignore the first run. Those numbers were obviously not correct 






I am very pleased with the performance of the car, and its really nice to have the tune validated.


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## Blue Angel (Feb 18, 2011)

Something's not adding up... sub-90 MPH trap speeds and 220 WHP doesn't make any sense. A 50 HP tune should have you looking at in the neighborhood of 170 WHP... ?


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## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

Well, the 3 second 60' doesn't help. Also, if you look at the torque curve, I should be shifting at 4000, maybe 4200 rpm, and not winding the motor out to its redline of 5000. There are lots of reasons I didn't hit a good trap speed, I don't think the 2 match up at all. And that should be blamed on me, not the car...


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## Cruze2.0TD (Feb 12, 2014)

Wow.....that almost never happens. A performance part gave substantially more power than advertised!!!!! 220 whp assuming a 15% drivetrain loss puts you at almost 260 crank horsepower. 377ft/lbs of torque with the same 15% drivetrain loss puts you at 443ft/lbs of torque. That's insane!!!! Do you think the Aisin transmission is tough enough to withstand 377ft/lbs of torque at the wheels for any extended period of time? I'd really like to see how the tune improved passing power. You should find a nice empty stretch of road and take a 60-100 mph video on a stock tune and then flash it to the Fleece tune to see the difference. Starting from a roll is good because driver error plays very little into performance 

I am truly amazed with the dyno results. They are so good that I do have to ask, do you think that they are accurate?


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## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

Well, the truck after me put down 1070hp and 1700lb/ft of torque. He runs a 10.6 in the 1/4. I assume the numbers for my tiny motor are accurate


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## Blue Angel (Feb 18, 2011)

Danny5 said:


> I assume the numbers for my tiny motor are accurate


I wouldn't assume anything... send an email to Fleece and see what they say. My guess is, if they are advertising a 50 HP increase that's all you're getting. Your dyno numbers suggest you got more like a 100 HP increase.

If your car was making 220 HP at the wheels you would have much higher trap speeds. A crappy launch usually has very little affect on trap speeds, it mostly affects ET.


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## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

Sorry Blue Angel. I just went through all the numbers, and the dyno is very accurate. I know you want to find a smoking gun, but here is what is known.

Car weighs 3500lbs. Add driver, stereo equipment, accessories, full tank of diesel, and I conservatively weight the vehicle at 3900lbs.

Video clearly shows that overboost wasn't working for my 1/4 mile runs, and that IC was heat soaked on my 2 runs. HP calculator at 87mph shows the car is making 205hp. Which is about 50hp over stock.

However, stock numbers don't include overboost. So what is the effect of adding 20lb/ft of torque to a car on hp numbers? I don't know, I didn't do a stock pull. I was getting heat soaked numbers by my 3rd pull on the dyno anyways, as evidenced by the drop to 214hp. Everything here lines up.

But you made me scratch my head and doubt myself. But once I ran the formulas, I am pretty amazed the car ran 87mph in the trap anyways. Running a reverse from the dyno run, 220hp * 0.83 (19psi/23psi) = 83.5mph.

Anyways, just bench racing now


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## money_man (Feb 25, 2014)

Can you feel when over boost kicks in? I've yet to notice it on my car.


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## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

I can tell more when it *doesn't* kick in.

But I have a boost gauge, so I can see when it's on and when it's off.


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## money_man (Feb 25, 2014)

So what are the parameters to get it to kick in? Pedal to the floor and only over a certain rpm? I haven't installed a boost gauge


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## Blue Angel (Feb 18, 2011)

Danny5 said:


> Anyways, just bench racing now


Ain't bench racing fun? 

Have a look at this calculator, it's the first one I found that specifies power at the wheels:

http://www.nitrousexpress.com/oldwebdocs/hpcalculators.htm

When I put in your numbers (3900 lbs and 87 MPH) this is what I get:









Never mind the flywheel number, they're only giving about 9% drivetrain loss which is unrealistic. At 220 WHP that calculator estimates your trap speed at 94 MPH. I entered known data from two of my cars I've had both to the track and to the dyno, and that calculator is very close.

I would shoot a quick email to Fleece and see what they say. Having created the tune they will tell you straight up how much you should see at the wheels.

On a side note, I keep forgetting how heavy the diesel is... an extra ~460 lbs compared to an Eco MT, like taking three friends everywhere I go!


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## Invierno (Nov 23, 2012)

How the gas mileage with the addition of all your tuning, etc?

I often times wish I would have gotten the diesel, as my daily highway commute round trip is 120 miles, and the best I've managed going slow is 45mpg, on a good day


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## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

Blue Angel said:


> Ain't bench racing fun?
> 
> Have a look at this calculator, it's the first one I found that specifies power at the wheels:
> 
> ...


Ok Blue. This is the last time I am going to discuss this. People see what they want to see, and you obviously want to see lower numbers. Maybe I want to see higher numbers, it doesn't matter. I checked the Nitrous Express website, and their numbers are consistently low. I used the Wallace Racing website and their numbers completely validated what I saw on the dyno.

Even if I go back to actually doing math, the numbers don't match the garbage I found at Nitrous Express

HP = (((MPH / 234)^3) * Weight)

This shows 201hp at the wheels. Still validating what I saw on the dyno since I got OVERBOOST on the dyno, and I did not at the track. I don't think a 20hp difference between the track and the dyno is fishy either, especially when I was putting down an extra 4psi.

I am done with this, either you believe, or you don't. Drive a Diesel for 10k miles like I have, and maybe you'll be a believer.




Invierno said:


> How the gas mileage with the addition of all your tuning, etc?
> 
> I often times wish I would have gotten the diesel, as my daily highway commute round trip is 120 miles, and the best I've managed going slow is 45mpg, on a good day


This is probably the most common question I get. I run the mid level tune, about 40 extra hp. I have never seen lower numbers after my tune tank per tank. My last tank was 39mpg mixed. My tank before that was 41 mixed. My best hwy mpg is 53mpg at a steady 70mph. Before I tuned, my numbers were consistently 2mpg less. But that could be anything! That could be me pushing the go pedal more to get better acceleration.


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## Cruze2.0TD (Feb 12, 2014)

I'm inclined to believe the numbers. I had a 2004 Monte Carlo with the 3.8L Supercharged V6 (240 horsepower 280ft/lbs of torque at the crank), full weight it was probably 3700lbs. I think my fastest trap speed ever was 90 mph. 240 at the crank would be probably just under 200 at the wheels. So when you factor in that it is a bit lighter than a Cruze diesel and that those runs in the Cruze probably weren't showing what it was truly capable of, I think it all adds up. I also think a Cruze is a bit underrated from the factory. I can't remember where it was I saw this, but they dynoed Cruze diesel that was stock and I think it put 137 whp down.


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## Ger8mm (Mar 13, 2014)

> Ok Blue. This is the last time I am going to discuss this. People see what they want to see, and you obviously want to see lower numbers. Maybe I want to see higher numbers, it doesn't matter. I checked the Nitrous Express website, and their numbers are consistently low. I used the Wallace Racing website and their numbers completely validated what I saw on the dyno.
> 
> Even if I go back to actually doing math, the numbers don't match the garbage I found at Nitrous Express
> 
> ...


Actually I think you need to check your numbers again :laugh:


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## RascalMafia (Jan 27, 2014)

Danny5 said:


> Ok Blue. This is the last time I am going to discuss this. People see what they want to see, and you obviously want to see lower numbers. Maybe I want to see higher numbers, it doesn't matter. I checked the Nitrous Express website, and their numbers are consistently low. I used the Wallace Racing website and their numbers completely validated what I saw on the dyno.
> 
> Even if I go back to actually doing math, the numbers don't match the garbage I found at Nitrous Express
> 
> ...





i consistently get 38.5-40 mixed driving as well on the 40hp tune. Been tuned for 7k miles now. 
You may have already said this, are you dyno numbers corrected or uncorrected?


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## money_man (Feb 25, 2014)

These are american mpg correct? Highest I've gotten to 50L so far is 650km. Mind you the light wasn't on but it was at 1/16th of a tank. 1/8th of a tank tops


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## Suns_PSD (Feb 16, 2013)

I couldn't care less about 1/4 Mile times.

Can you describe the driving dynamics with the tune? Is it a VERY noticeable difference? Any downsides that you can see? 


Sent from AutoGuide.com App


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## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

So Blue Angel wants to discredit everything we've learned so far. He's a moderator, so I am going to bow down and just lay this all on the table.



Fleece dyno runs show 166hp at the wheels with their 50hp tune. Not sure 136 +50 = 166, but whatever. Apparently, this is the holy grail, and the end of all numbers.
My car ran 87mph in the 1/4 mile. Weighing 3900lbs, this puts hp at 205, without overboost
My car ran 214 and 220hp on the dyno with overboost working
DuramaxTuner dynos their CTD and posts 1/4 mile times? Not sure how that works. They get 15.1 @ 91.33. Using their weight of 3500lbs, this equates to 211hp
2 tanks of driving with the ECU reporting torque shows a maxium of 300lb/ft being generated on my mid-level tune.

Now, lots of numbers to crunch through. Everyone can draw whatever conclusions they want. I have submitted everything I know, and now I am going to move forward into furthur testing, customizing, and racing. Good luck to you all!!!

:th_salute:


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## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

Suns_PSD said:


> I couldn't care less about 1/4 Mile times.
> 
> Can you describe the driving dynamics with the tune? Is it a VERY noticeable difference? Any downsides that you can see?
> 
> ...


I sure as **** can! The car isn't a ton different from normal, but it has power. The midrange pickup in this car is serious. If I get behind someone doing 5 under, I can zip around them at part throttle and be doing 20 over in a blink of an eye. The torque, and thrust is addicting. 

The other issues are particular to Diesel cars in general, like slow throttle response from idle. You are going to notice that with the stock car anyways. 

Turn off traction control, brake check the car to 18psi, and let off the brake. You will spin through both first and second gear. If I decided to start down the pocket rocket path, then it will need high grip tires.

But honestly, the more I drive it, the more its a long distance cruiser. Bags may be in my future


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## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

RascalMafia said:


> i consistently get 38.5-40 mixed driving as well on the 40hp tune. Been tuned for 7k miles now.
> You may have already said this, are you dyno numbers corrected or uncorrected?


They are corrected. But if you look at the sheet, conditions were pretty darn close to ideal. Correction factor was only 1.04


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## RascalMafia (Jan 27, 2014)

Suns_PSD said:


> I couldn't care less about 1/4 Mile times.
> 
> Can you describe the driving dynamics with the tune? Is it a VERY noticeable difference? Any downsides that you can see?
> 
> ...


See this thread: 

http://www.cruzetalk.com/forum/64-chevy-cruze-diesel-general-discussion/50057-efi-live-tuning.html


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## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

I just got an email from the dyno shop. They had calculated their roller incorrectly, and that led to a 12-15% overstatement of numbers. This puts the car at about 180 to 185 at the wheels, bringing it in line (within the standard margin of error) with what other shops have seen. So, until I get her on the dyno again, I will say 182/320. 

Apologies to Blue, who rode me like a wild stallion until something was proven bad


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## money_man (Feb 25, 2014)

Hey. Still great numbers


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## Blue Angel (Feb 18, 2011)

Danny5 said:


> Apologies to Blue, who rode me like a wild stallion until something was proven bad


No sweat man, just looking to keep things as factual as possible. 

Now keep up the build, you got a good thread going with lots of people following it!

BTW, who cares if I'm a Moderator? A debate is a debate, and my words are no more important than anyone elses. I hope I didn't come across that way, if I did it wasn't intentional and I apologize.


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## Cruze2.0TD (Feb 12, 2014)

Danny5 said:


> I just got an email from the dyno shop. They had calculated their roller incorrectly, and that led to a 12-15% overstatement of numbers. This puts the car at about 180 to 185 at the wheels, bringing it in line (within the standard margin of error) with what other shops have seen. So, until I get her on the dyno again, I will say 182/320.
> 
> Apologies to Blue, who rode me like a wild stallion until something was proven bad


So, the original dyno numbers were probably close to what it was making at the crank as opposed to what it was making at the wheel. Still some impressive numbers!!!


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## TDFDiesel (Apr 27, 2014)

Glad to see another AZ member here, I saw you run your car at Sean's dyno event. Actually kind of concreted the fact we wanted to pick one up.

Do you show up to any of the Arizona Diesel Club meets? I haven't made it to the last few unfortunately.


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## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

Well, I would if they weren't in the dirt 

The last one was a pull or mud event, and the one before that was a camping trip, and the one before that was the dyno run.

I monitor the club page all the time, so when they get together with something that is lowered car friendly, I'll be there!


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## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

Danny5 said:


> Just a teaser. Received Eibach Pro-Kit springs today!!!
> 
> 1.75" drop front, 1.25" drop rear. Sitting at 25.75 front, 26.75 rear. Will keep track to see if it settles anymore.


Car has settled. Started noticing I can't park over my parking block anymore, because I drag it out when I back out of the garage. Just measured the front, but now its 25.5"

That means, you can expect a 2" drop in the front using the Eibach Pro-Kit. Really need to source a smaller bump stop


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## MKsmn515 (Apr 12, 2014)

Awesome thread. Your diesel looks awesome!


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## pjckmen (Jun 1, 2014)

Delicious strange and beautiful.


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## money_man (Feb 25, 2014)

Any updates?


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## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

Unfortunately, when Summer hits in AZ, its just too hot to mod the car.

Today I braved the heat and re-dipped my wheels in Copper. I've added some stickers too. Enjoy!









Dipped the wheels with a Copper Metallizer









Front









Closer









Rear - Dipped the diffuser area, added coordinated stickers









Just having fun

















#teamrecall









Copper Metallizer over standard black









Interior









Trunk setup, now with 2 farad cap

Still hoping for wheels next!


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## silverbullett (Jun 20, 2014)

Very nice! I would have loved to have gotten a diesel but ya know, money. I like the team recall sticker, just orders 2 cobalt #teamrecall shirts


Sent from AutoGuide.com Free App


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## Boog8302 (Sep 6, 2013)

I just found this thread. I have to say I am loving what you are doing to the car. I have had so many ideas and you have done most of them. I have been looking into the EFI Live Tune and you have pretty solid numbers to go off of. I was also looking at the Duramax Tuner. Now I am kind of conflicted.


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## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

Boog8302 said:


> I just found this thread. I have to say I am loving what you are doing to the car. I have had so many ideas and you have done most of them. I have been looking into the EFI Live Tune and you have pretty solid numbers to go off of. I was also looking at the Duramax Tuner. Now I am kind of conflicted.


I know what you mean! I am glad there wasn't a choice when I bought my tune.


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## Cruze2.0TD (Feb 12, 2014)

Danny5 said:


> I know what you mean! I am glad there wasn't a choice when I bought my tune.


I keep reading things on the tunes and the gains people are getting and I keep thinking "oh, maybe I should buy one"....but after the fight I went through with the dealer to end up getting the 7 year bumper to bumper warranty (they originally tried to charge $4,000 for it, but that makes for a long story), anyways though, after the battle that I had regarding the warranty. I'd really rather not risk it by putting a tune on the car. By the way, Danny, when you have a chance you should post a video of the acceleration of the Cruze with the tune. I know you posted from when you took it to the drag strip, but I'd actually be more interested in what it did for passing power.


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## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

It isn't easy getting that feeling of power through a video camera. I am hoping to pick up a go-pro soon, so I don't mind taking a couple vids 

My dealer has consistently worked with me on my mildly modded 2010 Camaro SS, My mildly modded 2012 Sonic LT Turbo, and now with my Diesel. There are a few auto makers out there (like Mitsubishi) that delight at voiding entire warranties for adding a K&N panel filter, or running the 1/4 mile 1 time.

If my dealer didn't inspire confidence in Chevy's product, I probably would never touch a motor again.


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## Sunline Fan (Jul 29, 2012)

Danny5 said:


> There are a few auto makers out there (like Mitsubishi) that delight at voiding entire warranties for adding a K&N panel filter, or running the 1/4 mile 1 time.


Add Chrysler to that list now too.


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## PurpleTiger88 (Aug 22, 2014)

Very nice car you have there.

Btw Danny, I notice you're from AZ too, and your average mpg is SOOO much higher than mine. I drive a 2014 Cruze Diesel as well, but my combined is sitting at 25mpg right now. I never push my car hard, and half of my driving is either on the freeway or on Shea going 50mph. I thought maybe it was the AZ heat or the AC being used, but now I see your average and even non diesel cruzes running higher numbers than mine.


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## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

I have never seen an average that low. Something is very wrong. I just got back from a round trip to SoCal and this is what I averaged for the entire trip:


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## Chevy Customer Care (Oct 29, 2011)

Hey Danny,

Pretty slow day here in Customer Care land, and so I took some time to read your thread and love your Diesel! Feel free to let me know if you need any assistance in the future . Keep posting new pictures in the meantime :goodjob:.

Patsy G
Chevrolet Customer Care


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## PurpleTiger88 (Aug 22, 2014)

That's a great mpg on 670 mile trip. Well I don't want to continue asking questions about what's wrong with my car on your thread so can you direct me to the correct forum area for me to ask this question in? My highest 500 mile average is 43.7 and that's when I went to SoCal too.


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## MilTownSHO (Oct 9, 2013)

PurpleTiger88 said:


> I drive a 2014 Cruze Diesel as well, but my combined is sitting at 25mpg right now. .


Yep, something is definitely wrong. All city I could see that happening but combined with highway, something ain't working right.


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## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

PurpleTiger88 said:


> That's a great mpg on 670 mile trip. Well I don't want to continue asking questions about what's wrong with my car on your thread so can you direct me to the correct forum area for me to ask this question in? My highest 500 mile average is 43.7 and that's when I went to SoCal too.


Come here: Chevy Cruze Diesel Fuel Economy


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## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

Cruze2.0TD said:


> By the way, Danny, when you have a chance you should post a video of the acceleration of the Cruze with the tune. I know you posted from when you took it to the drag strip, but I'd actually be more interested in what it did for passing power.


Got my new camera and took a video today. Not sure if it conveys what I feel, but enjoy!


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## tcruze94 (Jul 4, 2014)

Couple questions:

How much did you pay for your tuner? Do you know if they ever have a sale? 

They are close to 700.00 and I can only assume that they are worth every penny. I have never stomped on mine and don't know that I would need another 40 or 50 hp. I guess I am asking if there is any reasonable estimation of a gain in efficiency with the tunes? I suppose if I can get up to speed in less time, with less throttle, then efficiency will probably improve. 

Can you post a picture of how you wired your LED? 

And how did you do your plastidip on your rims? Did you take the rims, tires, and weights off? 

Sorry for all the silly questions.


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## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

tcruze94 said:


> Couple questions:
> 
> How much did you pay for your tuner? Do you know if they ever have a sale?


I bought mine from XDP. You can save $35 by buying from a 3rd party:
Fleece Chevy Cruze Diesel Tuner



tcruze94 said:


> They are close to 700.00 and I can only assume that they are worth every penny. I have never stomped on mine and don't know that I would need another 40 or 50 hp. I guess I am asking if there is any reasonable estimation of a gain in efficiency with the tunes? I suppose if I can get up to speed in less time, with less throttle, then efficiency will probably improve.


I am not very good at conserving fuel. In my 1.4t, I was lucky to get 30mpg average. In the Diesel, I have a lifetime average of 39mpg.









This is a recent trip I did to SoCal. Cruise Control set at 80mph the whole way there and back. Maybe 20 miles of city driving where I got on it a LOT.



tcruze94 said:


> Can you post a picture of how you wired your LED?


I have no pictures of this. I followed this tutorial for installing fogs:
http://www.cruzetalk.com/forum/57-h...ruze-fog-light-install-warning-lots-pics.html



tcruze94 said:


> And how did you do your plastidip on your rims? Did you take the rims, tires, and weights off?
> 
> Sorry for all the silly questions.


Only silly if you don't ask. I took my wheels off to dip. There are no clip on weights on the Diesel wheels, so no worries there. I only taped the valve stem. Clean and spray. The dip will come off the tire in big strips and a little rubbing with a microfiber towel.


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## goinovr (May 6, 2013)

PurpleTiger88 said:


> Very nice car you have there.
> 
> Btw Danny, I notice you're from AZ too, and your average mpg is SOOO much higher than mine. I drive a 2014 Cruze Diesel as well, but my combined is sitting at 25mpg right now. I never push my car hard, and half of my driving is either on the freeway or on Shea going 50mph. I thought maybe it was the AZ heat or the AC being used, but now I see your average and even non diesel cruzes running higher numbers than mine.


wow that's what I average with city driving with my 1.4 turbo. I have genetic lead foot.


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## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

*Nov 8th, 2014*






At the start of October, Trifecta finally announced a tune for the Cruze Diesel. Rated at 50hp over the stock programming, it sound extremely similar to the Fleece tuning I was running. I was an early adopter on the Sonic platform, and always had good luck with Trifecta. 

Trifecta and Chevy go together like peas in a pod. 

Both my Trifecta tuned Sonic and my Fleece tuned Cruze had some teething issues. Both engines would regularly throw CELs, and as any owner can tell you, these are very frustrating.

My emails to Trifecta were answered promptly. Logging needed to be done on my end so that the Trifecta team could go through the data and find out what was causing issues.

My emails to Fleece were not returned... For a long time...

My logs to Trifecta resulted in an updated custom tune for me to install. This took care of 99.9% of the problem, and made the car very livable.

My email to Fleece was eventually answered. Their solution was to send me a tune file with the specific CEL code disabled.

In April Fleece promised an update was coming. I also wrote reviews for their website, and offered to help them multiple times. I have no problem running alpha or beta tunes. I love testing out new features and ideas, and have done this for Trifecta multiple times.

When Trifecta came forward with their Diesel tune, for me it was a no brainer. YMMV. Perhaps you are extremely happy with Fleece. And to tell you the truth, I think the 40hp Fleece tune is more livable than the 50hp Trifecta tune. However, Trifecta has a history of excellent customer service, and a willingness to work with the tuner community. They specialize in EcoTec engines.

And that is why I switched. Enjoy the new video!

-Danny


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## neirfin (Oct 18, 2012)

been to the track for a comparison 1/4 yet? wonder if trifecta gets you a faster time...


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## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

*12/07/2014*

I've been getting pretty disillusioned with the car. It's been stranding me places, making life a living ****. For the last few months I've been experiencing:


power steering failures
DIC memory failures
Intermittent Mylink failure
ignition won't release key
ignition won't let key turn
car intermittent won't arm alarm
Mylink shuts down when ignition turned off (supposed to stay on until driver door is opened)
high radio volume causes lights to brown out with the beat, occasionally stereo shuts down.
intermittent stabilitrack failure

At first, I figured with the brown outs, I need a 2 farad CAP, and spent an afternoon supplementing my 300watt Clarion amp. Which, right now, should be ringing all sorts of bells in the heads of any audiophiles.

The when that didn't work, I figured the CAP was backfeeding the accessory power, so I disconnected it in a rage and tossed it. Stereo back to where it was before with dash dimming to bass beat. But now I have extra holes in my trunk carpet, and lots of taped up amp wiring laying around, etc. etc. Yes, it now looks ghetto fabulous under the trunk floor. *sigh*

The problems were driving me crazy and getting worse over time. Finally it wouldn't spit out the key on power down. Kicking the dash in random areas did nothing. (Nothing loose thank god.), so I popped the hood. I am shaking the various computers, checking the battery positive terminal connections, and find nothing.

On a whim, I wiggle the ground wire to the battery and it is loose. A series of clicks and whistles indicates the car is online again. 2 minutes with a 10mm 1/4" driver, and ALL electrical gremlins fixed.

Morale of the story, check the battery ground!!! 

--------------
I now make a fun video on the idiotic things we attempt with a GoPro




--------------

Fast forward to my wife having Danny6 this last week, and after a tough 2 nights with zilch for sleep, I come out to see it is POURING rain. Not thinking anything of it, I drive to work and my doctor's appointment, all the while I am in either constant on, or some bursts of hi-level wiper work. The freeways are packed because nobody wants to go over 50mph through the spray being kicked up by every car.

12 hours later, as I pull into the garage, I notice a flickering light. Sure enough, the seals on my driver's side driving light have failed and the light is FULL of water. I remove the light and break the seals, drain water out, shoot compressed air in, and let it sit for 30 hours open.

Upon plugging it back in, the driving light is bad, worthless, bah humbug. It's time for new driving lights.









For $60 I can buy another set of driving lights, wire them in, and hope for another six months of good use.









For $65 I can buy a set of Cruze fog light assemblies. These are knock offs, but look to fit the bill. I would upgrade them with H1 HID bulbs, an additional $35 expense, and power them with the foglight switch in my cabin.









For $125 I can get Chrome fog light assemblies, already installed with HID bulbs, slim ballasts, and the necessary relays. I like the yellow overlay on these, making these ideal for inclement conditions such as fog or thick dust.

*Pros & Cons*
Option 1, I get the looks I truly admire, but a headache as they seem to burn out fast. I am going through a set every six months. Thats $11 a month to run these lights.

Option 2, I get factory reliability, in a generic price point, with blend in to the crowd looks.

Option 3, I get the blend into the crowd look shined up to the peak with chrome everywhere, and 6k HID bulbs to help blind everyone coming down the road. ****, and yellow lenses for low visibility situations and that I'm a ricer look. I would hook this all up to the fog switch (Yes, I have this already)

Thoughts?


----------



## ChrisWorldPeace (Jun 24, 2013)

River look over everything


----------



## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

ChrisWorldPeace said:


> River look over everything


que?


----------



## goinovr (May 6, 2013)

I'm starting to like the swept LED lights...











On a red car...


----------



## tcruze94 (Jul 4, 2014)

Thanks for the help. Wiring is being done tomorrow!!


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## tcruze94 (Jul 4, 2014)

You helped me out a bunch! This was the final product.


----------



## Blue Angel (Feb 18, 2011)

Danny5 said:


> I've been getting pretty disillusioned with the car. It's been stranding me places, making life a living ****. For the last few months I've been experiencing:
> 
> 
> power steering failures
> ...


LOL, thanks for posting your issues. Yeah, loose grounds are responsible for SO many issues with car electronics and they are tough to track down. Glad to see yours was the easiest to find and correct!

Oh, my vote goes for the OE style fogs... if you haven't made your mind up yet.


----------



## ProjectRedLine (Jan 16, 2014)

The key not turning is because of a steering wheel lock, just release the steering wheel with the adjusting handle on the driver side bottom of the steering column box thingy lol. No idea what that box behind the wheel is called 


2002 Malibu
2011 Cruze Eco


----------



## BradHerr (Sep 29, 2013)

Are you still running the oil catch can? Do you still get oil in your intake? I want to add one to my car, just wanted to see what kind of results you were seeing. 


-Brad


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## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year everyone!!!

I received these for Christmas courtesy of Ebay:










The price was right at about $60 shipped. The color is PERFECT and matches everything on my front end. I think their estimation of 6k is very accurate.

A couple of beefs though. One, the LEDs are aimed down in the housing, relying on the reflectors to transmit the light forward. This makes them not so bright up close. Second, the plastic for these assemblies is very rigid. This makes popping them in place and adjusting them difficult. If the piece you are installing doesn't have some flex, it makes it difficult to get it perfect. In the end, I am going to have to pop the bumper to really get these to seat right.



BradHerr said:


> Are you still running the oil catch can? Do you still get oil in your intake? I want to add one to my car, just wanted to see what kind of results you were seeing.
> 
> 
> -Brad


I am still running the catch can. The can has been successful in catching some of the suspended oil. I recommend using a much higher quality can if you really want to keep oil out of your intake. I haven't upgraded mine yet.

BTW - 2015 is the year of the Cruze! Stay tuned as I am finally going to spend some serious cash in getting this car setup the way I want. No big performace mods are planned, but I will be getting my stance and look finalized.


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## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

*January 17th, 2015*

Fedex dropped off something pretty awesome this morning:










Maxxim Maze in gloss black with red stripe. 18x7.5










One of the lighter wheels on the market at 21.4lbs each.


----------



## Cruze2.0TD (Feb 12, 2014)

Wow, those are very nice! Can't wait to see them on the car.


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## plasticplant (Mar 26, 2013)

Nice pickup. I've got the 18" ASA GT 5s in black with silver accents on my CTD and they look almost identical to these (minus the red). They should look great on your ride. You're going to love them!


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## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

*January 21st, 2015*

Just mounted tonight. Will get better shots soon!


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## TX CTD (Oct 24, 2014)

Did you end up saving any weight? Looks good.


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## Blue Angel (Feb 18, 2011)

Looks nice and clean! More pics!


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## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

TX CTD said:


> Did you end up saving any weight? Looks good.


Stock wheel:










New wheel:












Blue Angel said:


> Looks nice and clean! More pics!


I'll get some this weekend for sure!


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## TDCruze (Sep 26, 2014)

Looks real good! 

That is a pretty good weight savings considering you went from a 17" to an 18" wheel.


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## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

New pictures today!


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## money_man (Feb 25, 2014)

That looks awesome. Now I know what type of wheels I want for my cruze. Have you noticed any more get up and go with the lighter wheels or it's not enough to notice. 


Sent from the sexy electrician


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## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

My finely calibrated butt dyno says yes!


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## Doug Stern (Aug 11, 2013)

Great job ! The front end would look better if you blacked out the lower grill. I added factory fog lights on my 2014 Cruze and it looks great. Keep us posted...


----------



## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

*February 13th, 2015*

Something arrived at the house today:










Ksport Kontrol coilovers!!!










Unboxing reveals lots of pretty parts










Rear shocks, front struts, adjustable end-links, I'm in heaven!!!










Looks like Valentine's day is going to be spent with the "other" woman


----------



## ChrisWorldPeace (Jun 24, 2013)

Mail order bride?


----------



## ChrisWorldPeace (Jun 24, 2013)

Oh nmv it's coilovers


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## Blue Angel (Feb 18, 2011)

Jealous! Hmmm... I wonder how coil overs would cope with winter up here...


----------



## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

Installed my KSports today!

http://www.cruzetalk.com/forum/153-...06-ksport-coilover-install-picture-heavy.html









Before, with Eibachs

















After


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## Blue Angel (Feb 18, 2011)

Looks great! How much lower than before? Looks like a little bit in front and quite a bit in the rear.

How's the ride over large bumps? The biggest complaint I have with the Eibachs is lack of suspension travel in the front, large bumps cause it to bottom out, I didn't cut the bump stops.


----------



## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

The final ride height is about an inch lower in the front, and 1.5" lower in the rear, making the total drop about 3". The KSports ride very nice in comparison to the Eibachs. Large bumps do not cause the suspension to bottom out, giving the feel that the ride is much better. On smaller bumps and road imperfections, you can tell the suspension is harder. 

BTW - I cut my front bump stops after spending about 6 months with my Eibachs. While this did get me some travel, which is very critical in the Diesel due to its larger front drop, the resulting impact on large bumps was not worth the hassle. I do NOT recommend cutting the bump stops down.


----------



## Blue Angel (Feb 18, 2011)

Danny5 said:


> BTW - I cut my front bump stops after spending about 6 months with my Eibachs. While this did get me some travel, which is very critical in the Diesel due to its larger front drop, the resulting impact on large bumps was not worth the hassle. I do NOT recommend cutting the bump stops down.


This is what I was afraid of and why I left my bump stops alone. Thanks for the feedback!


----------



## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

Had the car aligned today. Toe is set to zero, and took me from almost 3 degrees of negative camber, to -0.3. Not too shabby!

Too low and good tire wear? I am in heaven!


----------



## Blue Angel (Feb 18, 2011)

Zero toe and 0.3 camber both front and rear? If so, what did it cost to get the rear shimmed?


----------



## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

Oh no. I only got a front end alignment. No plans to shim out of factory specs in the rear.


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## Blue Angel (Feb 18, 2011)

Do the KSports have oblong holes for camber adjustment, or did you need camber bolts?


----------



## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

Blue Angel said:


> Do the KSports have oblong holes for camber adjustment, or did you need camber bolts?





Danny5 said:


> put the new strut in place and insert the bolts. They insert from the front of the car. Orientation is important here, as there isn't a lot of room on the front side for tools. Re-install the 18mm nuts. It should be noted that KSports have an ovaled upper mount, allowing camber adjustments with the stock bolts. I chose to maximize my negative camber for the initial install until I can get an alignment.


From my install thread, just for you Blue


----------



## oilburner (Jun 13, 2013)

Danny5 your car does look good!
:goodjob:


----------



## jm91rs (Jan 7, 2015)

Danny5 said:


> Merry Christmas and Happy New Year everyone!!!
> 
> I received these for Christmas courtesy of Ebay:
> 
> ...


Well I just read every word of this thread. Took me half a day but I'm glad I stuck with it til the end as early on I was in love with your fog light replacements and now I'm not so sure. How do you feel about the new set you got? Think it will hold up any better than what you had before? I have the factory fogs and am considering just putting new bulbs in after the new concern that replacing them completely with an aftermarket set up could cause the problems you had.


----------



## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

jm91rs said:


> Well I just read every word of this thread. Took me half a day but I'm glad I stuck with it til the end as early on I was in love with your fog light replacements and now I'm not so sure. How do you feel about the new set you got? Think it will hold up any better than what you had before? I have the factory fogs and am considering just putting new bulbs in after the new concern that replacing them completely with an aftermarket set up could cause the problems you had.


No doubt about it! You hit all the nails on the head. I loved, loved, LOVED the original look of the LED strips I got from iJDMToy. I loved them so much, I bought them a second time when the first set failed.

But as they say, fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me! I can't recommend the iJDMToy driving lights at all. If I got rain related failures on both sets where it only rains a paltry 7" a year, then just about anywhere else on the planet, you'd be replacing these 3 or 4 times a year, and I just can't justify the cost no matter how good they look.

But if I said I didn't miss them, well, then I would be lieing.

If I had factory fogs, I am pretty sure I would never have done LED strips. Spyder makes a set of replacement headlights with projectors AND LED driving strips in them. I definitely would have gone that route instead.


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## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

A brief update on the build thread to keep everyone in the know...

First off, Cruze of the month for February 2015! http://www.cruzetalk.com/forum/26-cotm-motm-hall-fame/113753-february-15-cotm-winner-danny5.html Thank you everyone who voted. And not just for me, for any one on the February thread. Winning doesn't mean anything if we don't get members to the polls 

Second, I didn't choose the low life, it chose me!  With fender well rub getting worse, I had to pull the front wheels to see what the issue is. At the top of the fender well are two trim tabs holding the fender liner in place. I had ground through these (fast!) in just 2 weeks, allowing the liner to droop about ½". Obviously, steps needed to be taken.

Pulling out both fender liners, I got out my industrial scissors and cut out the middle 10 or 12". I then put these half fender liners back in place. 

If you are like anyone with a Cruze, you've probably done the snorkel delete, and now that I am not running a full fender liner, the possibility of sucking some rain into my intake was not appealing to me. But Danny, don't you life in Arizona where the annual rain fall is only 7"? 

Rain has been a problem on this Cruze, so I am not giving it another opportunity to screw me over! I wasted no time at all pulling the front bumper and reinstalling the entire snorkel back into the car. 

So low car requires I reinstall the factory air piping. I am ok with this. :happy:


----------



## Blue Angel (Feb 18, 2011)

Got any pics of the fender liner mods?

Regarding the intake snorkel, check out my vacuum gauge install on the factory air box:

http://www.cruzetalk.com/forum/10-p...take-users-stock-airbox-flow.html#post1703833

AFAIK, the diesel uses the same intake?


----------



## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

So I did bust the camera out, but never snapped any pictures. I guess this mod just wasn't interesting enough to warrant the 2 seconds it would have taken to power up the camera /facepalm

BTW - I still rub, but now its the metal under the fender liner, and not the fender liner. I am sure raising the car would take care of the rest of it, but who wants to raise the car? Not this guy!!! 

So, I like the vacuum gauge install you posted Blue, but I am not sure what this has to do with total airflow??? Since this is supposed to be measuring restriction at the filter level, is this also an indication of how well the intake flows? It's making my head hurt trying to think of this...

I am sure, also, that these gauges work on Diesels. But I am curious since my engine never operates in vacuum. How would this work?


----------



## Blue Angel (Feb 18, 2011)

Yeah, it just shows how restrictive the air filter is. If the engine is demanding more air than the filter can flow efficiently you'll see a high vacuum reading. I was just letting you know that the stock intake isn't nearly as restrictive as one might think, so don't feel bad about putting that snorkel back in... piece of mind is worth it!


----------



## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

*03-07-2015*

I'm going back to Cali, Cali, Cali
I'm going back to Cali...

Yah, I think so!


----------



## ChrisWorldPeace (Jun 24, 2013)

Bro are you even lowered?


----------



## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

Here is a sweet panorama I took at the SoCal Meet...


----------



## cdb09007 (Aug 7, 2013)

Sick pic.


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## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

*03/21/2015*










Ok, this one is a little out there, but after my trip to SoCal, I had to get them for mine. Better pics soon!


----------



## Ger8mm (Mar 13, 2014)

> Ok, this one is a little out there, but after my trip to SoCal, I had to get them for mine. Better pics soon!


For those pesky pedestrians huh?


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## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

Well duh, they're worth 100 points each!


----------



## Ger8mm (Mar 13, 2014)

> Well duh, they're worth 100 points each! :biggrin:


Will make a skateboarder think twice before falling around that car lol


----------



## cirv908 (Jan 2, 2015)

Danny5 said:


> So I did bust the camera out, but never snapped any pictures. I guess this mod just wasn't interesting enough to warrant the 2 seconds it would have taken to power up the camera /facepalm
> 
> BTW - I still rub, but now its the metal under the fender liner, and not the fender liner. I am sure raising the car would take care of the rest of it, btr3rt3ut who wants to raise the car? Not this guy!!!
> 
> ...


[ / QUOTE ] [ Ty 556
65, 3446 4254 the same time t 443


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## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

que?


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## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

*April 4th, 2015*

It's been a real PITA to keep the Cruze clean lately. I live smack dab in the Arizona farmland, so bugs are a major issue. I spent some real time cleaning up the car for these pictures, so please enjoy!

New items - Spikey lug nuts (as seen in my cell pic from March 21st) and Chrome door handle overlays.


----------



## ChrisWorldPeace (Jun 24, 2013)

Bro de badge it or I'll go down to Arizona myself and do it


----------



## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

I'm actually very proud of the fact that it's a Diesel. If anything, I want to add more badges!


----------



## iKermit (Dec 13, 2010)

Those lug nuts are beautiful!! Too bad where I live I'm too scared to remove the lock nuts... where did you get them?


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## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

Ebay. I would like you, but those links never last long. I searched for Spikey lug nuts.


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## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

Ugh. LINK you, not like you.

:lol:


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## Blue Angel (Feb 18, 2011)

Kermit, I'd like you too if it wasn't for your nuts.


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## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

Blue Angel said:


> Kermit, I'd like you too if it wasn't for your nuts.


Like if he was castrated?


----------



## Blue Angel (Feb 18, 2011)

That, and those silky smooth froggy legs... dangerous!


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## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

V

Video from the first show for the Diesel!


----------



## oilburner (Jun 13, 2013)

Danny5 car looks good....... if you had too buy a tune all over again which one would you buy?? seeing how you had both.


----------



## money_man (Feb 25, 2014)

He told me he preferred the fleece. Great power and better fuel mileage. 


Sent from the sexy electrician


----------



## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

Since you have 3 tunes to choose from, Fleece just makes more sense.

I am hopeful Trifecta will update their tune at some point.


----------



## MilTownSHO (Oct 9, 2013)

Danny5 said:


> Since you have 3 tunes to choose from, Fleece just makes more sense.
> 
> I am hopeful Trifecta will update their tune at some point.


Agreed, having had both as well I would go with Fleece. Better mileage and much smoother as far as drive-ability.


----------



## Fockewolfe (Jul 27, 2015)

Danny, I dont know if you know this but AEm has an intake for the diesel now

21-741 - AEM , AEM Cold Air Intake System Factory Direct

Also Magnaflow has exhaust int he works.


----------



## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

Nice!

I just started construction on a new house, so mods on the car may be few and far between


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## Fockewolfe (Jul 27, 2015)

I hear you man, I have my race car and this is my daily plus the house are....yea


----------



## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

*Aug 29, 2015*

So, if you've been following the thread for a long time, then you know that living in AZ means your car doesn't get worked on. 

A typical Arizona summer follows this:


Stay inside as much as possible
Be forced to do something. Maybe's it go to a job or meet up with friends. You now have to leave the confines of your nice cool house.
Dreading the 150 degree garage, you slide (That might be a generous description) into the leather seats, and start the car.
Once car is up to operating temperature, you alternate between double checking your A/C settings are as cold as they get, and staring at awe the outside temperature.
You reach destination, parking as CLOSE as possible (trees are just as likely to cause problems. Some state, park under the trees. Thanks. I know you don't give a **** about your car, but I don't like tree sap, bird ****, or the occaisional broken 500lb limb that is snapped off by Arizona's daily nature temper tantrum that we like to call a Haboob.)
Quickly, get your errand done. In some cases, its easier to wait for the sun to set before venturing to your car.
Drive back home, alternating between checking the A/C settings, and stating, "OMG, its still more than 100 degrees at 11pm?!?!?"

At no point in time is working on a car allowed, unless in the direst of emergencies. (New coilovers arrived, package of Amsoil maybe) If you do have to work in the garage, prep a water cooler, some nitrile disposable gloves, and many fans. I keep 3 in the garage. They are not adequate.

So, no mods really. Trifecta updated their tune, and I love my Diesel very very much. I also got tired of the fuel filter countdown and replaced it at 3%.

Did you know if you are really low, the chances of removing the underbody panels is pretty slim. You've been warned! 

A couple mid summer pictures. I am praying for cooler weather!


----------



## money_man (Feb 25, 2014)

Still loving that trifecta tune? 

I hear ya on the house. When I bought mine I lost all my spending money.


----------



## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

With the updates to the tune that Trifecta made, it is a much more livable tune. I am really just enjoying everything about the car lately.


----------



## BradHerr (Sep 29, 2013)

Danny5 said:


> With the updates to the tune that Trifecta made, it is a much more livable tune. I am really just enjoying everything about the car lately.


How do you get the updated trifecta tune? I am ready to go back to the stock tune. If there is an update available that may change my mind. 


-Brad


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## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

Go to wot-tuning.com and open a support case asking for the CTD update. Michael is the one that assisted me. It's almost night and day different.


----------



## BradHerr (Sep 29, 2013)

Danny5 said:


> Go to wot-tuning.com and open a support case asking for the CTD update. Michael is the one that assisted me. It's almost night and day different.


I opened a support case and Michael is having the updated tune file sent to me. Thank you for your help and advise.


----------



## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

*October 25th, 2015*

Picked up a little something inexpensive and fun for my Birthday. Enjoy!


----------



## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

*November 8th, 2015*









So the Cruze just turned 2 years old. Hurray! Notice I am averaging *almost* 37mpg. This is actually really good considering I am always in the throttle! With speed limits at 75mph on the freeway, I am usually cruising between 75 and 80, and about half of my driving is city. So, despite one of the lower averages from a Diesel based Cruze, I am pretty happy.

Now that the weather has cooled, it's time to start back up with modifications. With the exterior mostly the way I have envisioned it, its time to start finishing up the interior compartments. A real sore spot for me has been the trunk on this car. I installed an amp and subwoofer into the car a couple of years ago, but I haven't been really happy with the way it looked. 










When I had my ground cable issues, I thought the amp was drawing on the battery too much, and I butchered the trunk floor further to put in a cap...










After my ground cable recall, I switched to a new ported box, which really improved SPL. I also removed the not-needed CAP, which left a gapping hole in my trunk. Everything about my car I tried to keep it classy, but the trunk was one area I was really unhappy.










The work took longer than expected. I had to remove all the trunk panels, and bring it down to the sheet metal. I ended up mounting the amp on the passenger wall.










This frees up the floor for stage 2!


----------



## MP81 (Jul 20, 2015)

How's that tune been working out for you? Notice any change (whether positive or negative) in fuel economy?

We've been averaging mid-30s through our 50-60% city drive. Usually have two people in the vehicle for at least half the drives. 75-80 on the freeway portions as well.


----------



## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

Fuel economy did suffer. But I bet it's mostly because I summon the angry Diesel gods quite often in my driving.


----------



## MP81 (Jul 20, 2015)

Haha. I'd love the extra power in ours (though I'm not entirely convinced my wife _needs_ any more power), but if it comes at the expense of fuel economy, it's probably not worth it. That said, it gets rid of the torque-management-induced lag off a standstill, so that would be a nice thing...


----------



## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

The fuel economy choice is yours to make. Drive nice and easy, get good numbers. Drive like a sports car... Well, you'll get 36.8mpg lifetime.


----------



## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

*November 15th, 2015*










Stage 2 complete! 

I picked up a half-sheet of 5mm ply, glued a laminate floor down, and using my existing trunk mat, made a template and cut it out.

I also ripped this sheet in half so I could still get to the DEF fill.


----------



## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

Tires were worn out, ended up installing BFGoodrich Comp TA 2 AS in 225/40r18. Tried to align the car, but it was too low for the dealer to get it on the rack. They were able to measure the alignment, and I adjusted the toe manually. Looking forward to getting it checked again.

Added new stickers last night. I know its not much of a mod, but I was happy to get them during Christmas when all my money is typically going to the kids.


----------



## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

Had pictures on my phone, best use them! 

Here is the picture of the wheel well where I cut a third of the liner out for clearance. You may notice some rubbing still occurs...










and here is the BFGs getting mounted


----------



## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

Fancy!


----------



## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)




----------



## .Cody (Sep 1, 2013)

Hey Danny,

What wheels are those?


----------



## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

.Cody said:


> Hey Danny,
> 
> What wheels are those?


From earlier in the thread:



Danny5 said:


> Fedex dropped off something pretty awesome this morning:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

I just checked. They won't fit the gas Cruze.


----------



## Overspray (Jun 16, 2014)

Lookin' good!


----------



## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

*11-24-2016*

I can't believe how long it's been since I posted to this thread! The big thing is that I finally am a home owner again! We built a new house and like any self-respecting car guy, I had the floor epoxied on day one:









New house on first day of move-in. 

Check out the build video if you're interested in seeing it's construction:

https://youtu.be/ebr9f8E656Y









This is my man cave setup. Finally a place for the air-tools. And you can kinda see the professional epoxy floor...

All this work on the house really means the Cruze hasn't changed much. The only thing I've done is remove the HID's and put in some iJDMToy H13 LEDs (which are amazing!)

Some recent pics of the car:









This is at one of the California Cruze's meets. I had a blow-out and learned the importance of travelling with a spare :uhh:









Showing support for 88 at NASCAR









This one I took for Instagram. Follow me dannyaz5 :th_dblthumb2:

We just bought a new truck, so looks like I'll be rocking the Cruze for some years to come!


----------



## Rivergoer (Mar 30, 2017)

Danny, greetings from "The River". I just finished reading your Build post (24 pages worth). Great stuff here, one of the reasons I really love this forum. Very cool stuff here, learned a lot from your detailed posts.

Congrats on the "new" home and keep us posted on your latest CTD mods (maybe after you pay down the Home Depot credit card, LOL)


----------



## TheRealHip (Sep 1, 2014)

Hey I saw yer fan,, probably helped when it 120 a few days ago........


----------



## chevydmax04 (Jul 9, 2017)

Danny, I also have a 2014 Cruz Diesel, not as hot as yours but still great car! Mine shifts like a battle tank, have you had this issue and if so how did you fix it?


----------



## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

Thanks for keeping up guys! 

I just recently did some maintenance on the Diesel. I am on my third fuel filter (2nd time I've replaced it) and I just picked up some Kumho Solus TA71 225/45r18s. First impressions are alright. They aren't as grippy as my BFGs were, but with a 500 treadwear rating, I am hoping these will take me past 100k 









As far as shifting is concerned, I have a Trifecta tune which includes updated transmission shifting software. Everything seems real smooth to me, so I cannot comment. Sorry, good luck to you!


----------



## MP81 (Jul 20, 2015)

I'd be curious to hear how the Trifecta tune affects the trans. 

Granted, I need to change the fluid (we're over 60k miles, currently), but that transmission is absolutely ******* terrible.


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## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

Trifecta states their tune will improve shift logic and shift times in adverse shift patterns  All I can say is that the transmission has never given me any issues, and shifts pretty darn good if I use manual mode. Launch protection is still a PITA, but this car isn't really meant to launch off the line.

Our transmission is supposed to be a lifetime fill. I have read that the first time the fluid should be inspected is when you replace the timing belt on the car. 

Now, a couple of members have replaced the fluid with the Amsoil equivalent right around your age (60k) and they swear by it. But once again, this is not my experience so YMMV.


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## Cruze2.0TD (Feb 12, 2014)

Danny, have you considered deleting your Cruze yet? I guess it'd be fairly costly for you to do a delete. I'm not sure if you can sell your current tune or if you'd just be stuck paying for a whole new tune on top of the delete pipe and EGR blocker plate.


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## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

Good questions!

Yes, of course I have considered deleting the Diesel. What diesel loving fan wouldn't? I kick myself for trading in my Fleece for the Trifecta for this simple reason. You can't sell the Trifecta off, it's locked to your VIN, so I would have to pick up the Fleece setup again.

As you may know, I've had my share of emissions issues. I've had a manual regen, numerous CELs, a bad DEF tank, and I've broken a DEF injector. The last one, totally my fault. I am out of warranty on my emissions equipment, so if I have a BIG emissions related expense, then a delete will be high on my list of thing's to consider.


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## Cruze2.0TD (Feb 12, 2014)

Danny5 said:


> Good questions!
> 
> Yes, of course I have considered deleting the Diesel. What diesel loving fan wouldn't? I kick myself for trading in my Fleece for the Trifecta for this simple reason. You can't sell the Trifecta off, it's locked to your VIN, so I would have to pick up the Fleece setup again.
> 
> As you may know, I've had my share of emissions issues. I've had a manual regen, numerous CELs, a bad DEF tank, and I've broken a DEF injector. The last one, totally my fault. I am out of warranty on my emissions equipment, so if I have a BIG emissions related expense, then a delete will be high on my list of thing's to consider.


The option to delete makes me wish I hadn't gotten the extended warranty on mine. I know that technically, they can't void your warranty by tuning and deleting as they'd have to prove that the tune and delete caused it, but I feel if I had any issue whatsoever, my dealer would be like "you're tuned and deleted, warranty is void". And it's a lot easier for them to say the warranty is void then it is for me to fight them on it. I've got an extended bumper to bumper warranty until February 2021 or 160,000 km's. Sucks living in Canada too though with the way the dollar is at the moment. Makes the already very expensive tune and delete even more expensive. I think last time I looked, I'd be looking at close to $2500 Canadian to do mine by the time I paid shipping and with the exchange rate. Maybe by the time I'm actually ready to delete, the cost will have come down a bit. The downpipe and EGR plate are cheap, it's the $1000 for the tune that make it really expensive.

I don't even want to tune and delete for the extra power or fuel economy. To me, those are just added bonuses. I'd like to tune and delete for increased reliability and longevity.


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## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

Exactly. The emissions components are unknowns. The 14 and 15 CTDs were the test group for the new emissions components. I figure this is why they are only warrantied for 2 years. The manufacturer simply did not have a lot of confidence in the new tech


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## Cruze2.0TD (Feb 12, 2014)

Danny5 said:


> Exactly. The emissions components are unknowns. The 14 and 15 CTDs were the test group for the new emissions components. I figure this is why they are only warrantied for 2 years. The manufacturer simply did not have a lot of confidence in the new tech


And I understand their lack of confidence in it. Mine hasn't been that bad, but it has still been in for four emissions related issues. I want to say the NOx sensors have been replaced three times and the DEF tank once. Can't quite remember off the top of my head. My check engine light just came on again for P11DC (there's an entire thread about it). I'm tired of taking it in for them to replace the NOx sensor with ones that fail so quickly though, so I've decided that from here on out, if it throws an emissions related code that isn't really effecting anything, I'll just clear the code.


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## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

I thought the P11DC was a direct product of the NOx recall? Part of that recall loaded new engine management software into the ECM.

The best part of that recall was that I was able to flash the tune back in and the code hasn't come back in 7k miles. I have replaced 3 sensors on the car so far. Not sure a delete would resolve any sensor issues since they are all still required AFAIK.


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## Cruze2.0TD (Feb 12, 2014)

Danny5 said:


> I thought the P11DC was a direct product of the NOx recall? Part of that recall loaded new engine management software into the ECM.
> 
> The best part of that recall was that I was able to flash the tune back in and the code hasn't come back in 7k miles. I have replaced 3 sensors on the car so far. Not sure a delete would resolve any sensor issues since they are all still required AFAIK.


Yep, it happened shortly after my NOx recall, but since I deleted the code, it hasn't come back. So I'm just going to not worry about it for now. I realize I could go in and likely have it dealt with, but deleting the code took 30 seconds. Getting it done by the dealer will be an all day process lol. I think a delete would resolve some sensor issues. I don't think the NOx sensors really serve any purpose if the car is deleted. So I think the delete tune shuts off the NOx sensors. Not completely sure on it though.


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## Blasirl (Mar 31, 2015)

Danny5 said:


> I thought the P11DC was a direct product of the NOx recall? Part of that recall loaded new engine management software into the ECM.
> 
> The best part of that recall was that I was able to flash the tune back in and the code hasn't come back in 7k miles. I have replaced 3 sensors on the car so far. Not sure a delete would resolve any sensor issues since they are all still required AFAIK.


Just went through all 25 pages just to find a dead end. 

How is the house treating you?

Where are all the pictures by the way. The little I saw of the car looks good though.


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## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

Blasirl said:


> Just went through all 25 pages just to find a dead end.
> 
> How is the house treating you?
> 
> Where are all the pictures by the way. The little I saw of the car looks good though.


Wow, this really sucks!!! ALL my pictures from tinypic in this thread are gone. I just checked tinypic, and my images are all there. I have to wonder if this is a problem with CruzeTalk - like, was there a software upgrade and they changed their hotlinking protocol???

I keep most of my latest stuff on imgur now. Let's see how long these pictures last... (I am definitely not going back thru this thread and re-attaching hundreds of pictures!!! :angry




























btw - look for me on Instagram. I will post pics every now and then and all the latest stuff is there - DannyAZ5


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## Blasirl (Mar 31, 2015)

Danny5 said:


> Wow, this really sucks!!! ALL my pictures from tinypic in this thread are gone. I just checked tinypic, and my images are all there. I have to wonder if this is a problem with CruzeTalk - like, was there a software upgrade and they changed their hotlinking protocol???
> 
> I keep most of my latest stuff on imgur now. Let's see how long these pictures last... (I am definitely not going back thru this thread and re-attaching hundreds of pictures!!!
> 
> ...



Instawhat? I'll hop in my Tardus and see what I can find.

Looks really nice. The colors really pop. I wish I could keep my paint looking that nice. Jury is still out on the blue Bow-tie though.

I like the spikes, goes with the roof splitters theme-wise. I like the position of the clearance warning. I'm going to have to steal it. I've been sitting on mine for about a year now trying to decide where to put it.

Is the rear splitter a Sequence item? I've been looking for a dual one for about two years with no luck so far. I'll look into the picture thing. 

Oh, you should add something about the Chinese and Mexican parts in your signature just to be fair you know. 

Happy Moddin'


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## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

The rear diffuser was an Amazon add-on. It started with me plasti-dipping the center section of the stock rear bumper. Then adding universal rear bumper shark fins from Amazon. 

Looks like they don't sell them anymore, but was able to find a couple sets on ebay.


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## Blasirl (Mar 31, 2015)

Danny5 said:


> The rear diffuser was an Amazon add-on. It started with me plasti-dipping the center section of the stock rear bumper. Then adding universal rear bumper shark fins from Amazon.
> 
> Looks like they don't sell them anymore, but was able to find a couple sets on ebay.


Looks pretty good though. I actually thought about those, but then seen what I really wanted and have been looking since then.









Are these the fins?


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## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

No, those are more like an entire rear diffuser. The fins are just that - just fins.

Like this ebay listing: https://ebay.us/5qKLBj


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## Blasirl (Mar 31, 2015)

Danny5 said:


> No, those are more like an entire rear diffuser. The fins are just that - just fins.
> 
> Like this ebay listing: https://ebay.us/5qKLBj


Did you click on the fins link? They are very similar only a bit cheaper and could be a bit wider too though. No matter, I am still trying to find one of what is in the picture.

Are you going to St Louis?


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## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

Blasirl said:


> Did you click on the fins link? They are very similar only a bit cheaper and could be a bit wider too though. No matter, I am still trying to find one of what is in the picture.
> 
> Are you going to St Louis?


Holy crap, I think most people would have missed that link! :lol:

Those are the exact fins. :rock:

No plans to travel anywhere with the Cruze. Sorry!


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