new 2/25/03
Tim, would you post this to V8 for me please? Might be nice to put something other than another cam failure. Thanks. It's also posted on SHOFORUM I just C/P to here.
Ok I took the plunge a couple of weeks ago and visited the Castle of the Mad Genius. One of the items on the Agenda was the installation of his VAK system on my 97. First, it's important that for those that don't frequent V8List, must understand that I park in the Mechanically Handicapped Zone.
For a long time I was considering UDP's. Down side was, in my estimation, not worth questionable gain, not to mention a penchant for occasionally breaking when you lest expect. Did I mention cost prohibitive for power potentially produced??
After much conversation and deep reflection, ok it wasn't deep, it was simple math. If I can gain virtually the same HP AT THE WHEELS, with out the expense, and have a fail safe system, the VAK made cents (oops) sense to me.
It's principal appears simple enough. Control parasitic HP loss through the engine vacuum to electronically "turn off" all the power draining devices under full acceleration mode. Simple enough.
I have been running over two weeks now and of course just like UDP's I can't tell you in "seat of the Pants" terms that I am significantly faster than before. However, unlike UDP's I instantly know when it's working thanks to a brief flash of the battery indicator, telling me that the alternator is being managed by the VAK. This also tells me that all other electrical drain is being managed by the VAK and the power that is released should translate to the pavement. (ohh for a real trans!!)
So far, for the money, I feel it's a far better deal than UDP's. The best news of all....If for any reason the VAK feels like taking a crap, the entire system defaults to factory operation. I like that as opposed to my choices with UDP's if they decide to go south.
Again, understanding that I do not possess perhaps a 10th of the mechanical knowledge of most people who populate this site, I can do simple math.
It just made more cents (darn did it again) than UDP's
IMHO.
As usual, other than that, I have no opinion.
Larry E
97 Red
Mods
Welds
VAK ~ Vacuum Accessory Kill?
Disables the alternator, power steering, and A/C under wide open throttle, I assume?
Buford