A smoke test for one pipe and 3 couplers that are all very visible? :ugh2:

What these guys said. If R/T tuning is close to you, dump your current mechanic and take it to Vince.

From what I read it is much more than 3 couplers and one pipe. It could leak from those areas yes, but also from manifold, fuel injectors, bpv, and...I recall the install of a T for the breather/pvc or something like that...plus perhaps other hoses to/from plenum and TB which were't subject to positive pressures of up to 8 and now they are...I'm not a mechanice and know only what i learned from this experience so dont flame me for saying something stupid ;-)

Once weather is nice Im getting to R/T and will probably go Ecutek.

/Z/

Ok. I can see that. I wasn't thinking past TB's. With the god awful way the manifold goes on with blind bolts, that is probably the Hot spot.

Status up date: Nice weather recently allowed me to grt my car in for a smoke test. Took off the stillen filter Y-tube and connected the smoke tester there at the intake. Found two leaks, one leak at the hose that goes from SC intake boot to the PVC T. The other tiny leak at the back throttle body connection.
Didn't make any difference with the cars performance... still only see 7.4 boost in 3rd gear at 7k rpm...and when driving normal (not WOT) I still have a drop out at (goes lean) at 3250 RPM no matter what gear I'm in.
Weak test hit "20 thousandths"...so 0.02

Never had boost on the z (yet....bp kit this summer hopefully).... but same as any car or any big mod, crappy tune the mod won't perform right!! Tune time

Status update: Stillen said I had an old tune and will get me an updated and improved tune. I don't understand why they gave me an old tune in the first place. Anyway, I am anxiously awaiting the new tune! I asked them about the Uprev Advanced Racing Capability license for $100...but they said if I get that then I would have to take it to a tuner and get a whole new tune. Won't be going to a tuner unless Stillen's new turns out to be a turd...and then I will dump Uprev too. Do you think Stillen may be hurting Uprev!?

Dude, go get a custom tune or you'll continue to have problems. The new stillen tune isn't going to be much better. There's a reason everyone dumps their tune asap.

This.

Status update:
Ok a lot went on since the last time. Took a long time to get an updated rom from Stillen (about a month). The way it sounds the old roms were from Stillen and now they are from Uprev as the software update (ROM Editor) software need to be updated and the license which now says Upreve rather than Stillen. Anyway I installed the new tune about two weeks ago and it was running great in the cool weather. Great shifts, much much much smoother, and it really got up and took off.
Yesterday took it out for a drive in warmer weather (dash said 85)...went to test the boost in 3rd gear up to 7k and I thought I heard something odd. Slowed down and every time I go to give it even a little bit of gas it starts knocking like crazy. Needless to say I limped and coasted home and garaged it...afraid to tell the SO I did something to the engine. I'm hoping if I let it sit for a few days it will fix itself ;-) I know I read a thread on here about a guy that a crazy knocking...I will have to see if I can find that thread and what was wrong with his Z.

Will keep everyone posted as to what I find out.

:-(
/Z/

And this is why we told you to get a custom tune. The tunes provided from Stillen kill motors. It would suck to find that out the hard way, but you would be far from the first to have to go shortblock shopping because of the drawbacks of the kit as it ships and the garbage tunes they provide. Get the car fixed, and go to a good local tuner.

@Chuck...crap you have me really scared that I might need a new engine...that is not an option with the SO. I checked the DTC...says "P006A - Manifold absolute pressure - mass air flow correlation". I don't know what that means but it is something to go on. YES, if I can figure out that my engine is not ruined and it is fixable...I WILL BE GETTING IT TUNED BY A PRO TUNER. Otherwise, I will be selling and my Z days will be over :-(

/Z/

:iagree:
Tune is THE MOST IMPORTANT PART of the build. That's why so many people spend weeks remote tuning with specialty Z if they dont have a proven local guy.

Drove the car around the block this morning (65 degrees outside) and it seemed ok! I recorded a bunch of data on my drive, will be analyzing the data for anomolies.

Cannot be emphasized enough.