What to look for and what to do first thing to a used 2012 V coupe

2440 Views 32 Replies 14 Participants Last post by BlueCoupeV, 6 d ago

Ablackcts

Discussion Starter · 2 mo ago

Hey guys, so I got my V 2 weeks ago. 2012 CTS-V (duh) coupe, A/T without Recaro seats, it has a smaller pulley, Diablo tuner, headers, cat and resonator delete, Corsa exhaust, and a Momentum GT CAI. It had the nasty elbow fuel leak, I used the writeup on switching it over to AN fittings and it was fantastic fix! I still need to make the sheet metal cover but for right now I have a temporary one in place. This got me thinking, with 130K on the ODO, what else should I watch out for or try to repair preemptively? Its a DD so I am trying to watch down time. I am going to put a catch can on it this weekend. So far I noticed a what seems to be a rear main leak, and a pinion leak. My 07 escalade has a rear main leak (again), so I am sure that is common on these cars as well. I am going to delete the CEL for the rear O2 sensors with HPtuners since it does not have any, I plan on doing full fluid flush and changes, any recommendations there?
I know the sunshade is screwed so that is on the list. I have searched the forums somewhat but given your experiences, please let me know recommendations on what to check. Thank you!

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MrSurly

· #2 · 2 mo ago

You have the basics, so good start there.
I would suggest that you consider having it tuned using HPTuners and get rid of the Diablo.
Make note of your hot idle oil pressure. With high mileage, the LSA main bearings are known to slowly get a bit sloppy.
Look at the MagRide struts for leaks.
Look at the motor mounts, we can fairly assume they are shot. They were liquid-filled and they leak a brownish fluid that will make obvious trails.
Upper control arm bushings (easy to swap entire new upper arms for cheap). Flush the brake fluid and replace the diff fluid. (use fluid containing, or add the friction modifier)
Front lower arm bushings are likely toast.
I love the car, but it is old, does have a buncha miles and it's well worth refreshing.

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MrSurly

· #3 · 2 mo ago

Also: it's probably NOT a good idea to read my build thread.

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Rekkr

· #4 · 2 mo ago

I agree about getting rid of the Diablo tuner. Have a reputable tuner tune it on HP

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KMP259

· #5 · 2 mo ago

Send a oil sample to Blackstone labs...to establish a base line....

Ablackcts

Discussion Starter · #6 · 2 mo ago

Rekkr said:
I agree about getting rid of the Diablo tuner. Have a reputable tuner tune it on HP

I do plan on that for sure. I dont like things blocking my field of view but can I ask what is wrong with the diablo?

KMP259 said:
Send a oil sample to Blackstone labs...to establish a base line....

I requested my test kit last night! Good idea.

MrSurly said:
Also: it's probably NOT a good idea to read my build thread.

HAHA! Well.... I started reading it. I noticed my pinion seal (I am assuming) is leaking, so I will need to change that. Should I do factory replacements on everything or is there something aftermarket I should look into?
On my CTS, the oil pressure was on the dash where the boost gauge is, how are you monitoring the oil pressure?

What about the auto trans on these cars? I am going to assume mine has never been changed.

Is there a recommended brake fluid?

Side note, how TF do you get Plastidip off of a chrome grill without hurting the grill? WD-40, PB blaster, Purple Power all do NOT work.

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MrSurly

· #7 · 2 mo ago

You can display oil pressure in the DIC, just cycle through the choices using the buttons on the dash.
You can log oil pressure in HPT and you can use an aftermarket gauge (I use a Banks iData) to display oil pressure or any parameter live.
Pinion seal: I don't know which thread, but *SOME*where around here, I posted a part number for the pinion seal that was a suitable replacement and was about twelve bux ordered through Autozone. (Ordered by the number, NOT by application) For some reason the OEM seal is almost a hundred dollars.
It is possible that your pinion bearings need replacement, but the seal is well worth trying first.
The AT fluid should definitely be changed.
Yes, there is a recommended brake fluid. It's DOT 3, nothing exotic is required. HowEVER, some will recommend upping to Dot 4 or 5 as they have better boil resistance. The simple fact is, though, that there's nothing wrong with DOT 3 as long as it's clean and reasonably fresh.
Plastidip removal. I dunno. I've often heard WD40 but never tried it.

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ersatz36

· #8 · 2 mo ago

In the same vein, if you're going to replace the AT fluid, dropping the pan and replacing the filter is also a good idea. There is actually a dip remover specifically for plastidip. Its more expensive than WD but works pretty well.

Rekkr

· #9 · 2 mo ago

I’m basing my remark on Diablo from past personal experience. I say this all with a disclaimer as it’s been years since I’ve dealt with one. My experience was that it couldn’t do a lot of the things hp could at the time for the application I needed it to. It felt way more “piggy back” of the piggy back controllers. The guy to ask would be @Lt1z as he tunes these things successfully all the time.

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BlueCoupeV

· #10 · 2 mo ago

All good advice here. I think HP is just a better software too, more options/manipulation etc.

I'm doing something similar to my 12 coupe at the moment as well. In addition to the brake fluid and what not, im having them replace all the belts. Mine only has 90k on it but its just as old, TX heat too.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

Ablackcts

Discussion Starter · #11 · 2 mo ago

MrSurly said:
I would suggest that you consider having it tuned using HPTuners and get rid of the Diablo.
Make note of your hot idle oil pressure. With high mileage, the LSA main bearings are known to slowly get a bit sloppy.

My hot oil pressure is 25-28 @ idle (600rpm), temp 210. All normal?

Should I drop a lower T-stat in it?

Is there a decent thread to begin with HPT on these cars? Something to get me close to the Diablo tune I currently have or better so I can ditch this thing?

MrSurly

· #12 · 2 mo ago

1.That’s great oil pressure.
2. There’s no advantage to a lower thermostat. (someone change my mind)
3. There’s an entire forum section on tuning plus a ton of YT videos out there, I don’t have specific links.

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Ablackcts

Discussion Starter · #13 · 2 mo ago

Any recomendations on a wideband? Id prefer not to have gauge pods everywhere...

ersatz36

· #14 · 2 mo ago

Ablackcts said:
Any recomendations on a wideband? Id prefer not to have gauge pods everywhere...

Aeroforce interceptor is a pretty good choice, replaces your dash clock.

MrSurly

· #15 · 2 mo ago

I wanted to retain my clock, so I put an AEM wideband plus a Banks iData gauge in a defroster vent-mount dual pod from OEMprovements (@BlueCoupeV ).

I really like the Banks gauge (really versatile) for everything else, but it won’t do wideband.

Speedometer Light Tachometer Trip computer Plant

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Jim

· #16 · 2 mo ago

I've got the AEM 30-0334 wideband mounted in the same position as Mr. Surly above but in a single pod. Looks factory and interfaces with the OBD/CAN system so logging in HP Tuners is really simple.

With HP Tuners, you have a lot more capabilities than the Diablo. I think of the Diablo as a "canned" tune but have never used it. I've been using HP Tuners for 10 years now and feel pretty comfortable making adjustments on my own now. I used Pat Guerra for my initial tunes as he came highly recommended and had my setup dialed in within 3 revisions and since then, the minor upgrades I've done recently have been adjusted by myself which means that it's not difficult to do.... HP Tuners is a great tool to have and get familiar with and has great support.

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Sbchris

· #17 · 2 mo ago

Not all wide bands are the same, ask Dave at DSX that question he will give you an earful. I’d only trust the AFX2 from NTK if you are using it for tuning.

I hid the display in the cig lighter cubby. Out of prying eyes when not needed.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

BLVCKPRL

· #18 · 2 mo ago

Just stoppin in to say hi to another high mileage V 🤣 120k over here

MrSurly

· #19 · 2 mo ago

Mine will turn 150k in a few days. Of course it’s all fresh parts, now.

jcmgt

· #20 · 2 mo ago

Sbchris said:
Not all wide bands are the same, ask Dave at DSX that question he will give you an earful. I’d only trust the AFX2 from NTK if you are using it for tuning.

I hid the display in the cig lighter cubby. Out of prying eyes when not needed.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Ballenger Motorsports - High Performance Electronics

www.bmotorsports.com

Prior ngk afr updated with can interface

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