Has anyone received a Stage I yet?

[Dalite]

Subject says it all. Has anyone received their order for a Stage I upgrade for the PT GT?

Seems like the SRT-4 Crowd is over-run with them and some have already taken theirs back off and put them up for sale...

Same question on the BOV Conversion Plate kit... Anyone received theirs yet, or have a confirmation of shipping?

[COP TZER]

i'm pretty sure he's gettin the info from www.srtforums.com . It's wicked site, if you can deal with ALOT of kids and their typical BS. But it's good for staying ahead of the usual GT world.

[PK Cruiser]

quote:Originally posted by COP TZER

i'm pretty sure he's gettin the info from www.srtforums.com . It's wicked site, if you can deal with ALOT of kids and their typical BS. But it's good for staying ahead of the usual GT world.

and they have posted a picture of uniqtwin...the MOPAR employee ...she is very helpful to the SRT owners on that site...

[DTs_PTGT]

Try this link: http://www.srtforums.com/forums/show...&postid=113562
It's a stickied thread in the Performance Modifications forum.

[Dalite]

quote:Originally posted by ptgtcb

Thanks for the info, great site. I still could not find any posts that these SRT 4 owners were removing their stage 1 mods? Most posts as of 7-21 mentioned they still are waiting and a few had just received them, let alone "some" removing them? Again if they are, could someone explain WHY?

Thanks,ptgtcb

The one in particular that I have seen posted for sale was due to a loss of performance when it was installed. Others are finding out that the Stage I is optimized for installation on a stock vehicle. The more "performance" add-ons the car has been modded with, the worse the Stage I performs. Some have complained about little gains. One forum member decided to sell his car and wanted to sell the Stage I separate, but had to withdraw the offer due to a question of the dealer not being able to change the VIN. There seems to be a lot of questions about that issue, and it is a 50/50 chance that your dealer will say yes or no.

The Stage I is mostly a revamped PCM with wider range parameters and the ability to deliver more fuel through larger injectors. It still requires absolute control of the engine for it to do it's designed job. When it has to deal with the mechanical add-ons (MBC, Wastegate Spring Mod, Different Intake, Different Exhaust - Etc..) it receives data outside it's range of operating conditions and either decreases performance, or can't deliver the full performance potential. It is the nature of the beast for a Speed Density system.

At the end of the day, the Stage I is the best performance increase for the money on a STOCK configuration. The more the configuration deviates from stock the more likely the Stage I upgrade will not be able to deliver the gains claimed. This is most likely the reason Mopar dropped it's CAI weeks from it's release, and now advises against any intake or exhaust changes.

FWIW, the Proposed Stage II will no longer include a new turbo, and will milk 260 hp out of the stock engine with the addition of larger injectors, new PCM and more elaborate electronic turbo management. It is also projected to include a new surge actuator, Inter-cooler spray system and an optional tuned Cat-Back exhaust system.

There is plenty of power locked away in the 2.4L turbo engine. However, getting permission to access it is strictly a "pay to play" relationship.

[Kirby]

Pardon my ignorance, I am totally baffled as to how a cat back could decrease performance since it is really after any sensory device. On the other hand I have read the posts on how boost controllers interfered directly and that going beyond the new pcm limits did cause worse performance.

(Do you want to buy some apples, I'm not sure if their edible, but there are no returns!)

[tthrift]

as of 7-22 there has been no pt stg i kits shipped , the auto kit should start to ship this week. this is the latest info i have had sent to me.

thanks tommy

[COP TZER]

i am going to wait till the PCM is "cracked" or a "chip" is put out by a good aftermarket company. The stock turbo can't handle any more than we're boosting with MBC/EBCs now anyways.

[PVO PT]

Good luck on that one COP! It will be a LONG time before anyone makes a chip for the GT. Would be better off getting S! or S@ when it comes out.

[Dalite]

quote:Originally posted by COP TZER

i am going to wait till the PCM is "cracked" or a "chip" is put out by a good aftermarket company. The stock turbo can't handle any more than we're boosting with MBC/EBCs now anyways.

Let me preface this reply by saying that I am not a Moppar/PVO/DCX cheerleader. I have been very vocal about what I think about their policies on the GT and upgrades for it. Having said that, I will add these observations.

The new Prototype Stage II system makes 260 hp using the stock turbo. Both Stage I and Stage II will add an internal PCM controlled EBC that is matched for the turbo and engine.

The Stage II Prototype has a 4 position dial a boost that talks to the PCM and internal EBC, as well as an intercooler spray system and switch for selecting pump or race fuel. These all talk to and get their marching orders from the PCM and take advantage of the stock items such as the turbo and turbo management components that come stock on the car.

Larger injectors and a different surge actuator are the only mechanical items that are added.

There is the possibility of an optional Cat Back exhaust that is tuned for the Stage II upgrade.

Any deviation from the stock configuration that is not included in the staged upgrades will limit the available performance potential of the ugrade.

This is a total locked up, jam up , jelly tight, closed loop mod path. I don't really relish that conclusion, but it is the way it is at present, and the way it looks to be as long as DCX can keep the confusion level high around turbo 2.4L powertrain. (So far, they haven't missed a chance to further cloud the waters).

Since the dealers can't even keep up with DCX's changes in data link connector, communication protocol or OBDxx level, don't count on the aftermarket to jump in there until the dust settles.

At present, it is looking like 3 different combinations of diagnostic standards, connector pinouts, communication protocols in as many years. The aftermarket hasn't tracked past the 1st half of the 2002 model year.

None of the data logging/code scanning laptop software/comm cable producers have anything that can fully read the 2003 PCM, and the 2004s are already hitting the dealerships.

The 2004s (and the Stage I) PCMs use a combination of diagnostic standards, connector pinouts, communication protocols that are a further deviation from the 2002 models. The dealerships don't anticipate having the diagnostic gear capable of fully communicating with the 2004 model PCMs until later this year in December.

The MBCs, surge actuator spring mods and other "performance" add-ons are the single most limiting factor in obtaining the performance that is inherit in the engine design, when installing one of the staged upgrades. They are received equally as poorly by the stock PCM as far as getting repeatable and consistent performance and PCM reaction after their installation. The PCM will continue to derate performance once this type of add-on hampers it's ability to manage the engine, until the performance level is at or below the level at which the add on started to take away it's ability to completely manage the system. If you don't mind removing the negative cable every 200 miles or so to put the PCM back into the "learn" mode, they will show temporary gains. As some are already learning, higher boost is actually slowing the 1/4 mile speeds and times. The SRT-4 crowd is rapidly learning that the Stage I performance is downgraded proportionally to the ammount of deviation from the stock configurqation..

The only way to reliably unlock the performance designed in this system will be to buy it from DCX/Team PVO/ Mopar Performance; one upgrade at a time.

You will get a lot more out of the engine by changing the way the PCM crunches numbers than by turning wrenches or incr