Hot rod cams and idle issues?

[notastockdohc]

Okay I installed hot rod cams a week ago I got a tune from bbr is a 93 oct tune matched with the cams. I have been have idle issues for a week now. I un-plugged the battery for 30 min ( I reloaded stock tune before doing this) let the car sit 30 min with no battery I plugged it back up, loaded my tune back on the car turned it on, let it idle for 18 min then 18 more min with ac on. I drove it after this it kept dying at red lights. It seemed to get better through out the week, it was low 90 to high 90 temps outside. As the week went on it may have died once after 4 days of driving but it would surge very bad. Today the temp is low 70 out, took the car out it died at every red light, before hand it would surge wildly. It died a total of 16 times in 30 min. Bbr told me it would get better and I do believe them. Has anyone else had idle and surging issues? I am frustrated and really considering removing the cams and going back to stock.

 

[AbdullaGT500]

You shouldn't have any idle problems, sounds like a tune issue. I don't see how it's supposed to get better, it should be fine from the beginning.

 

[ebrow21]

Good luck. You have to annoy them to get a response other than "not a problem on our side", generally.

If you're tune is unlocked (which, from bbr I would assume it is not) you can try to change the idle rpm.

You may also want to try another company's tune, for the small cost of a mail order you can more definitively say if its a tune issue.

 

[HEMI LOL]

Check your vacuum connections. Hot rods will run on the strategy tunes on the x3. Load up on of those and see what it does.

 

[notastockdohc]

I have an sct xcal 2. I checked the vacuum line all are hooked up I checked all sensor connections they are fine the car isn't throwing codes either? I just reloaded the tune again I am going to see if that helps any?

 

[HEMI LOL]

Load the stock tune up and see how it runs. Hot rods will run on the stock tune. See if the fixes your idle issue.

 

[notastockdohc]

Very good idea I will try that.

 

[BAKnBLK2010]

I have an sct xcal 2. I checked the vacuum line all are hooked up I checked all sensor connections they are fine the car isn't throwing codes either? I just reloaded the tune again I am going to see if that helps any?

You don't want to keep re loading the tune because each time you do this the car has to re learn the idle stratagies. Load the tune and leave it alone so the car can learn the new stratagies. If it doesn't get better in a week of driving then I would say you need a tune adjustment from BBR.

 

[notastockdohc]

It's so frustrating sometimes when my car dies the stupid pats theft system kicks on and won't let me do anything. It died on a off ramp the other day a trucker behind me about kicked my ass. My car feels like it's unreliable now. I never know when it's going to die or run like crap at a light or stop sign.

 

[GT E UPP]

Some Idle/driveability issues are commom with HotRod and similar Cams. Good tuner knows what to do and how to get around it with increased air mix etc. etc . I would suggest a good custom dyno tune with these ...but that's just me...!! I've had mine in for about 4 years now and all is well....!!

 

[notastockdohc]

I am sure bbr knows what they are doing but maybe it does need a dyno tune?

 

[HEMI LOL]

I'm on a BAMA tune and I gave zero issues.

 

[gmantheman]

Maybe the tune from bbr is not spot on. Just ask them to send you a new tune. Same thing happened when had my comp cams installed. The tune from Bama/AM was corrupt. The car barely ran. I received new tunes a few days later and the tunes were just right. No issues what so ever.

 

[R7r5]

I was having same issues I had to reload the tune start the car and let it idle for 15 minutes then turn on the ac let it idle another 15 minutes and it is fine they said it teaches the car how to idle again.

 

[notastockdohc]

Might try that.

 

[HG6283]

Had the same issues (random die at stoplight, idle undershoot then overshoot) as the OP.
Some combinations of lopey cams and superchargers seem to have this.
My tuner spent some quality time and test drives with my car, and is Good now.

.

 

[UltraKla$$ic]

I'm on a BAMA tune and I gave zero issues.

x1000000000000000000000000000000

NEVER had an issue with my Hotrods and I'm almost full bolt-ons short of heads. Runs like a scalded ape!!!!!


TUNE!!!!!!!!!!

 

[702GT]

I love BBR to death but I think email tunes are almost criminal. Sure there's a million people out there who run them with "no problems" but I've seen email tunes on dyno's in Vegas running 13.8 AFR on 25 degrees of spark having the car pull timing out and the owner never knew he was detonating. How is a tuner to justify what takes most people 1-2 hours on a dyno to tune a car, 10 minutes in a email tune based on how a car with "x" mods "should" respond. I pay around $400 for a dyno tune, after reading and seeing many brands email tunes, now I know why I paid more. A monkey can tune WOT, you need to see the car to tune drivability.

 

[Greg Hazlett]

Have you adjusted the idle in gear via your Xcal? You can adjust both the idle in P/N as well as in gear.

I had issues with my BBR HR cam tune as well but they took care of me.

Is the only issue with you car idleing when you are driving it or do you have issues when you start it and let it idle in your garage/driveway? If it has issues when it is in your driveway/garage unplug the MAF and see if it gets any better...if it does get better it is the tune.

Give BBR another chance to make it right but CALL them! DO NOT PM them, it take forever for them to read all PM's.

Chris Rose at AM is another great avenue for HR cam issues.

 

[HellsBells]

x1000000000000000000000000000000

NEVER had an issue with my Hotrods and I'm almost full bolt-ons short of heads. Runs like a scalded ape!!!!!


TUNE!!!!!!!!!!

You're not allowed to talk about the hot rod cams anymore, until i get mine installed and running.