so I installed my HT Interceptor about 3 weeks ago and I installed my Volant two days ago. somehow the D doesn't feel as 'smooth' as it did with the stock intake and just the HTI.

I loved the result of the HTI. that was instantaneous smiles. now... there's something off. and I'm not sure I can quantify it. it just 'feels' different. which is one reason I wanted to do the mods separately, so I could get a feel for how each one affected the D.

all the power and kick is still there. and it does seem like it revs that much easier. like pulling for redline is easier and quicker with the Volant installed. its certainly sounds like a typhoon of air rushing into the engine at WOT.

but it just doesn't feel as smooth. it feels rougher around the edges.

I'm thinking I need to disconnect the battery and let all the nanny-state controllers reset themselves.

opinions?

 

I know disconnecting the battery cured all kinds of ills on my Dakota. I used to disconnect it every few months. Lol

 

It's probably relearning your driving style, especially if you've been on the gas more.

 

ok, I disconnected the neg battery terminal this morning for about 15 minutes to let everything reset. I decided I wanted to see if it made a difference and I hadn't actually gotten into the battery compartment under the seat before and I wanted to check it out.

after the reset I've driven about 10-12 miles. I'm convinced the CAI has altered the power characteristics of the engine. so far my thoughts are 1) the large amount of air is leaning out the mixture and the stock program plus HTI can't compensate enough or 2) the new air flow has moved the power band higher into the rev range.

the engine definitely does not have all the immediate rush that it had before the CAI.

I'm not necessarily saying its lost power. it feels pretty smooth and it revs easily and happily. it still has punch. and its still much more lively than before the HTI and CAI. and it may be more tractable, more flexible around town driving.

but it does not feel as immediate in lower revs as it did with just the HTI.

maybe this is similar to the short runner/long runner setup on the RAM version of the HEMI. maybe there's now more power in the upper range at the expense of some punch in the lower range.

but these are first impressions from just a couple hours driving over the last couple days.

I think I'm going to order a pre-filter and put it on and see if that restricts air flow any and makes any noticeable difference.

but with all the guys on here that have done the HTI and a CAI, including the Volant, how is it I haven't read anything about this before? this can't be just my engine?

 

Yup, my 2012 Crew 5.7 acted the same way after installing the Volant. It would even hesitate from a dead stop. I posted the same symptoms as you did and I got the same answers that the engine management system is relearning and that's what it turned out to be. I don't remember how long it took but it runs fine now.

 

Crankshaft57, thanks for that info. its at least running smooth at this point. I think the reset this morning helped. I'll drive it this week and see how it does. probably by that time, the pre-filter will come in and I'll see how I like that.

look at this way. we could not care about cars and drive something boring that we never monkeyed with...

that would really suck.

 

I feel like an idiot. How did you disconnect the negative on battery. I got in there and just can't figure out which bolt to unscrew and how to do???

 

no, its not like any terminal I've disconnected before. wish I had a pick, but on mine if you can imagine the neg battery terminal sticking up and the cable connector around it, off to the left on mine there was a little nut (about 10mm) that was oriented the same way as the neg terminal. meaning sticking up the same way the terminal was. you're looking right down on top of the little nut just like you're looking right down on top of the terminal.

that little nut loosens the cable connector around the terminal. just loosen it (counter clock-wise or lefty-loosey, righty-tighty -however you remember it) and once its loosened you can pull the cable connector up.

it was not real obvious when I looked at it either. but it was the only nut on there so I started with it.

 

Remember that we use a Speed Density fuel system as opposed to an Mass airflow system and it cannot make immediate changes to the fuel trim. This is why it takes much longer for modifications to yield any benefit in a hemi, where as a GM LS motor can make immediate fuel trim changes because it can measure the (new) volume of air through Temperature rather than Pressure. This is why a tune is essential on this vehicle if your really looking for power. On the flip side the hypertech, Volant , thermostat combo like mine has been great for a nice bump in drivability, reliability and I can tear it out in a few minutes. Ps leaning out the fuel trim yields MORE POWER as our fuel trim is rich from the factory.

 

so its been about a week since I reset by pulling the neg battery terminal after installing the Volant to go with the HTI. LOVE IT.

absolutely love it. if a Diablo tune is that much better than this setup, than it is worth every single penny you guys pay for it. because the HTI with a good CAI is a lot of fun to drive.

LOVE IT.