Curious how many of you out there are happy with your trucks in stock or mildly modded form? No disrespect but kinda seems like a bit of a jaded community just curious if anyone has a trouble free truck that puts a smile on your face everytime you get in it.. had a ty several years ago it was a fun little buggy but had some trouble with it, looking into a stock Sy now just curious if it's even possible to have a good running truck at this point? I'd imagine avoiding boost launches & wot helps ..
Does ANYBODYS truck run good?
- Thread starter Dan B
- Start date
DaveP's Ghost
Well-known member
In 1997 my associate and I bought a 93 with 64.000 on it, it's been across country and back 3 times without opening the hood. It's my little game with it. I look under it for leaks at every stop, but don't open the hood for anything else. I check the oil before I leave, and on the other side before the return trip. 23 years and 100,000+ miles of virtually trouble-free enjoyment. I'm accustomed to the unlimited traction of AWD. I get in my Corvettes (especially the 90 ZR-1) and get in trouble with wheel-spin. The Ty just goes. My day is made if I can be first car at a red light. My game is to be across the intersection before the car behind me gets to the intersection.
My secret? Ask anybody here that's been around long enough that knows me. I advocate bone-stock, change nothing, leave it the fuck alone. I have had stock PROMS and calibrations in all (7) of my SyTy. Don't even work on it if you don't have to. Leave the hood closed. Drive it stock, and it will be reliable. I drive the crap out of my SyTy's and they run damn well and don't break. The secret is stock engine calibrations, keeping up with the leaks and fussy maintenance (I just put the third heater core in my Ty), and be careful with the cladding. Don't bump into shit with it, be careful where you park it so it doesn't get backed into, all to keep the cladding from being damaged. Replacement cladding is now a real issue.
Find and purchase a nice un-dorked with Ty, if it has a "chip" take it out, fix the leaks, and generally leave it stock. You won't "run 12's all day long" (nobody that has a 12 second street Ty does for long, it blows the fuck up), but you'll have an enjoyable ownership experience with a 14-second street Ty, (which is still a formidable performer). I have.
EDIT/ADD: You mentioned a Sy. I wrote about Tys. Sys are a little quicker, and IMO more prone to theft. I'll park my Ty anywhere, even overnight in a motel parking lot. I wouldn't think of doing that with a Sy. Especially a nice one. It'll get stolen and VIN-swapped, or shipped overseas. Sys are almost too desirable to leave unattended any more. Owning a high-theft vehicle and having to worry about "keeping it" detracts from a positive ownership experience.
My secret? Ask anybody here that's been around long enough that knows me. I advocate bone-stock, change nothing, leave it the fuck alone. I have had stock PROMS and calibrations in all (7) of my SyTy. Don't even work on it if you don't have to. Leave the hood closed. Drive it stock, and it will be reliable. I drive the crap out of my SyTy's and they run damn well and don't break. The secret is stock engine calibrations, keeping up with the leaks and fussy maintenance (I just put the third heater core in my Ty), and be careful with the cladding. Don't bump into shit with it, be careful where you park it so it doesn't get backed into, all to keep the cladding from being damaged. Replacement cladding is now a real issue.
Find and purchase a nice un-dorked with Ty, if it has a "chip" take it out, fix the leaks, and generally leave it stock. You won't "run 12's all day long" (nobody that has a 12 second street Ty does for long, it blows the fuck up), but you'll have an enjoyable ownership experience with a 14-second street Ty, (which is still a formidable performer). I have.
EDIT/ADD: You mentioned a Sy. I wrote about Tys. Sys are a little quicker, and IMO more prone to theft. I'll park my Ty anywhere, even overnight in a motel parking lot. I wouldn't think of doing that with a Sy. Especially a nice one. It'll get stolen and VIN-swapped, or shipped overseas. Sys are almost too desirable to leave unattended any more. Owning a high-theft vehicle and having to worry about "keeping it" detracts from a positive ownership experience.
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GREAT post much appreciated.. would like to think the theft issue could be countered with technology.. gps etc
Mikeysy15
Donating Member
My Truck runs good but yes I’ve had many little issues, mainly ignition problems . The last one was a brand new 6AL MSD ignition that was going bad once it got hot. I installed just to get a better spark and it ended up being worse . Plugged the stock ignition back in and problem solved . The Rest of the problems just came from making more power and breaking stuff but I knew it was coming . I e ran 25-30 psi through This motor many times ans nothing has happened . I do run Rotella or Dello Diesel engine oil and add Lucas oil stabilizer on every oil change though . Stock block , stock crank , with mahle pistons and arp rods and 2 bolt main caps. The truck is also very light which is easier on parts .
WyoSyclone
Active member
Mine runs awesome.... best its ever run. I have bigger turbo, injectors, improved W2A intercooler, true cold-air kit.... and running Code59.
Your advice is well received however as an uneducated non-owner I do have a question.. in the turbobuick world there are a handful of "must do" mods with almost zero downside they are fuel pump with upgraded wiring, 42 lb (for stock replacement) injectors with matching turbotweak chip, scanmaster & boost gauge. Would these mods be an exception to the rule in the syty world of "leave it the fuk alone" ?
DaveP's Ghost
Well-known member
These are not Buicks. I've watched countless GN owners come in here and do the the things they did to their Buick and find out how much it costs for similar performance gains, and how unreliable the SyTy becomes when "what works on a Buick" doesn't on a Syty.
EDIT: [I don't like my posts being copied, so I removed three paragraphs.]
You asked if anyone had a "reliable" SyTy that didn't need constant attention and repairs. I have and do for 23 years, and the secret has been a stock PROM, work on it as little as possible, and drive it responsibly without beating on it. If you leave the hood closed and don't constantly try to fix things that aren't broken, it will reward you with a positive ownership experience.
EDIT: [I don't like my posts being copied, so I removed three paragraphs.]
You asked if anyone had a "reliable" SyTy that didn't need constant attention and repairs. I have and do for 23 years, and the secret has been a stock PROM, work on it as little as possible, and drive it responsibly without beating on it. If you leave the hood closed and don't constantly try to fix things that aren't broken, it will reward you with a positive ownership experience.
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graham1524
Well-known member
Mine is super reliable, I don't hesitate to drive it anywhere. Drove it to Chicago, Pennsylvania for trucks nats, countless shorter trips, all from NC. I have about 7k miles on it this year and it is my weekend car 90% of the time. It's highly modified and I even had it on the dyno recently.
graham1524
Well-known member
I commented a few posts up, running the Holley dominator and there's hardly anything left stock on the truck. I don't hesitate to drive it anywhere, and have taken it on many road trips this year
graham1524
Well-known member
They can all be reliable, it's just quicker to dial in a tune with the dominator over say code59, also the dominator allows me transmission control on the 80e, flex fuel so I can run e85 and have the sensor adjust the tune, and a lot of other nice features and controls. For power, I made 425/437 at the wheels on a dyno last year.
DGM33
New member
This post makes me happy. A good reminder to keep my bone stock Syclone in the condition it's in.
What was ground-breaking performace 30 years ago certainly isn't now. The E93 M3 I sold to buy the Sy was a much better high-performance vehicle. But the sheer fun and cool-factor of the Sy just can't be beat. I'll keep it stock and park it where I can see it and not worry too much. Thanks everyone, especially DaveP's Ghost!
What was ground-breaking performace 30 years ago certainly isn't now. The E93 M3 I sold to buy the Sy was a much better high-performance vehicle. But the sheer fun and cool-factor of the Sy just can't be beat. I'll keep it stock and park it where I can see it and not worry too much. Thanks everyone, especially DaveP's Ghost!
syclone3
Member
If you have two trucks. One of each or two of the same. Its fun to leave one all stock. You can project vehicle the other one all you want. The stock one might not be the fastest on the street anymore. But it sure beats working on it all the time. I have a Sy and Ty all stock. Another with IC pump and heat exchanger and fuel pump. Its smooth and consistent as well as quiet. Another with a 20g and IC setup. Runs on 91/e85. Stock engine. So much fun. And a Ty similar setup. Nobody knows or notices it driving. None are cut up. Ac and and all factory options work. Original stereos. Wheels. All the items that make a SYTY what it was new. Do have one Sy I bought that had the whole ATR catalog on it. I don't mind working on it. Been through the whole drivetrain. No idea what it makes for power. Runs on 100 /e85. The big turbo, etc. It makes me appreicate the stock and stockish trucks.