TOPIC: 2007 Buick Rendezvous 3.5litre V6

First off, my bits:



The short one, and above it the sleeve it came in, is the largest diameter and the one I used that didn't cut through the bore wall

Next, rest position:






I'm about to re-fill and re-cut with biz card placement.

So here is the TB with 1st groove filled and Plate positioned with a business card.

Not as pretty, but you can see with the plate held closed the distance between groove 1 and this one.





Gonna re-install and do the re-condition and see what happens.

First off, I was able to get my OBD-II dongle to work with my app and read the codes from the other night. I can only assume they occurred because the groove was incorrectly placed. I was able to clear them and get rid of the dreaded Check Engine Light and resultant limp mode.

Then I did the ECU reprogram.

A nice long drive: short city route to country roads to highway, at the mentioned speeds with the requisite stops and engine restarts.

Getting up to highway speed has NEVER been as easy. And on the way home on the highway, "driving it like it was stolen" and risking significant fines, license suspension and impoundment, I had it up to 140 kph/85+ mph. And I sat there for a good 15 miles. It still had power to spare.

Time will tell as the system settles if it will save me $ on gas, and I smelled the tailpipe which remains hot moist air since the PCV reroute was implemented. I'm optimistic my fuel bill will drop - especially after a tune-up, including a spark plug gap increase - and am increasingly certain my emissions have dropped significantly.

For now, I say GROOVE SUCCESS!!

One other thing I forgot to mention is the brake feel - they're firm and solid, so that's an indicator of increased manifold vacuum. Groove is working!
My OBD-II app indicates at hot idle/closed loop the throttle angle is 1.57%, another indicator of success.

Back to mileage and re-learn: I've already mentioned a tune-up is upcoming, with increased plug gaps, but I'm also going to spring for those sexy Granatelli Zero Ohm wires and a hotter coil to go with the fine wire iridium plugs I have. Another thing that will improve mileage is replacing the wheel bearings - I mentioned this before that the front ones need replacing; surely they're presenting a drain on powertrain efficiency. And while I'm in the wheels, I'm going to do front brakes as well, because one of the discs is warped.

so yeah, as it stands now, rough, ballpark, horseshoes and handgrenades guesstimate numbers for improvements in mileage as I can recall them: when I first got this vehicle, it was all I could do to get a readout on the dash from the computer that said 10L/100km cruising around town and 12-13 on the highway with a lighter foot. The PCV re-route and switching to 89-octane E5 gasoline took those numbers down to 5.5-6L/100km in town and 8.5-9L/100km in the highway. Now, with the groove added, the city numbers haven't changed (yet, I hope), but at the speed limit on the highway (without the Cruise control engaged), the dash readout says about 7.0L/100km. If you remember from earlier in this thread I posted the published Gov't ratings from the window sticker when Gradndad bought the thing 10 years ago, I should be seeing consumption of 12.6L/100km in the city and 8.5 on the highway...needless to say, this package of mods, a change in fuelling and a less aggressive driving style has brought about gains somewhere in the range of ~50% on average, and I'm looking to push that somewhat farther with some vehicle repairs/overdue maintenance.

The Groove WORKS, friends, if you follow the directions.

Stay tuned for further improvements in the near future. I'm looking to take this vehicle on a 400-ish mile highway trip in a few weeks after this is all done. That will give a super indication of what's really going on.

A Round of Applause for Greg's Success with his first Grooved automotive throttle body!

I'd like to point out, that Greg has told me today on the phone, that this Buick TB represents Gadgetman Groove's number two and three for Greg! No practice Grooves on junk TB's at all.

I'd call Greg's success a vindication of what Ron Hatton said all along about the Personal License Program.
The idea being that one could buy the Pl kit and have success right out of the gate--IF one studied this concept and applied it with concentration.

Greg certainly has, just like Martin (Ystervark) in South Africa. As well as many others have in the past.

Greg, you have contributed much to this cause, I'm very glad for your success with your Buick. It was a lot to learn esp. w/ a DBW TB to boot!.

So, 15 minutes at 85 MPH...!? Stones, my friend, ya got's Stones! I bet you grinned the whole way too! Good for you all the way round!. I can only guess how far the Buick will get to in your care, Herr Doktor!

Stay tuned, folks, and... Pay attention to what Greg Kusiak does here!

Tracy G

Thanks Tracy.
(15 miles, not minutes...the miles fly by faster than minutes at 85. It wasn't a grin I was wearing, it was my serious face, as in "I hope Smoky isn't up around that bend or over the hill with his laser beam pointed at me!")

So this morning, more verification of the Groove's effectiveness: right after I turned it over, I immediately went to sniff the tailpipe, literally within 5 seconds. It was cold, the moist air (!!!) that was coming out, but it smelled sweet rather than over-rich. Also, it seems to idle down faster, and by the time I get to the main road (200 ish yards), the temp gauge is at where it sits when the engine is in closed loop. I'd say increased engine efficiency from better fuel burn is what's happening. Also, the exhaust note has gotten a bit deeper, as I expect it will again after up-gapping some new spark plugs.

next up, chasing parasitic losses: can I get my fuel consumption down below 5L/100km (or mileage UP to 47 MPG) consistently? watch me try!

Mileage update: The computer is continuing to learn.
I had to do some running around town just a while ago. At city traffic speeds, my dashboard readout is consistently recording between 5.1 and 5.5 Litres per 100 km (43-46 MPG), but there was a stretch of level road that has been recently re-surfaced with fresh blacktop that I was seeing 3.8-4.5 (52-62 MPG)!!!!

Remember the Factory sticker with Government-tested ratings of 22 MPG in town? The Groove has DOUBLED it!

Take that, big oil! There ya go mother earth and mama nature...

GET GROOVY!

At the present rate the Buick is improving, with the tuneup and other work, I think there is a good chance you may beat my Subaru's all time high of 71 MPG, in the Orange test!

way to go!

Tracy G

I'll be happy if I can achieve 40MPG on the highway, but any gain in mileage is good for everyone.

Just a quick update to say the Computer is STILL learning. I can tell that fuel economy is UP (or consumption is DOWN), and still going in that direction: while running around earlier today, there was a straight, flat stretch of road where my dashboard mileage readout was alternating 3.8-4.2 L/100 km...that's 58-62 MPG, friends, at 50 kph/30mph. this lasted maybe half a mile, and then went back up into the 4.5-5 range, which is still more than respectable.

Unfortunately, I'm going to have to re-start this re-learn procedure all over again: I've just ordered the Zero resistance spark plug wires from Granatelli (call them direct for a good deal if you're patient/in no rush - saved me a nice chunk rather than getting what Summit said would work from what they have in stock), so a tune-up w/ these new wires and up-gapped plugs is going to be happening as soon as I've got them, PLUS my new Wheel hub/bearing assemblies came today, and the new brakes should be in tomorrow, so lower rolling resistance and lighter weight plus fatter spark should bring me some extra MPG. The 400 mile trip I've got planned in a couple of weeks should give some solid numbers; pre-mods, that's how much I got out of a tank, combined city/highway in a typical week.

Do the Mods! Save the planet and keep your money in your wallet!

Your next round of planned work will show gains as well, just a question of how much.

You are going to have one Sweet running and driving Buick there, Greg! Those Granetelli wires are the bomb in plug wires. Mine have zero Ohms resistance, w/ a stainless wire conductor. The ferrite rings act as noise chokes, and your Buick will be an excellent test of Granetelli's claims for them.

When you're done w/ this next round of work, I think you will likely see 60+ MPG in real time readout once the ECU gets re-adapted. At least on nice flat stretches of road.

Tracy G