The new Hot Rod

[MR P-BODY]

Well of course not! All that stuff DF says about the "biggest collection of cars that weren't running twenty-four hours ago" isn't just hyperbole.

I didn't even own the kit a week before DW '12 (I only got the invite off the waiting list about the first of September) . . . it wasn't even all the way on the car at tech inspection on Sunday.

A "plug-n-play" baby shot of giggle gas . . . How hard could it be?

If you really wanted to run spray and seen it wasnt gonna work with all the
fancy electronics I would have ran a hot lead to the solenoids to a push button...
but thats just me..... or just said to hell with the spray.. I only fight with stuff
so much before I go back with the KISS system

[BBR]

BBR's Twitter-length attention span is well-known. Probably a result of all that MASSIVE, WHEELSTANDING, EARTH-MOVING, GROUND-SHAKING BIG-BLOCK FORD TORQUE jarring the old grey matter.

Good thing you've got a little "pea-shooter" mill in that Buick to protect your brain.

And the fact I have kids. haha

[BBR]

Lot's of BS peeps.

Casey!

[wacky mick]

just my luck

Been to auto sport show in birmingham england (uk mini pri show today .Lots of people stopped and talked, that normally don,t give me time of day fame is great HA HA .then got home to new hotrod just reading for 3rd time , thought would tell you all .loved it and helps me put faces and names to you all. BUT!! you lot have to have the new one ,not bloody fare .I just got feb 2012 to day . only got prizes for dragweek on tuesday friend brought them from LA to auto sport show no room in van ! so good week and still a book to look forward too.LIFE IS GOOD..

[38P]

If you really wanted to run spray and seen it wasnt gonna work with all the
fancy electronics I would have ran a hot lead to the solenoids to a push button...
but thats just me..... or just said to hell with the spray.. I only fight with stuff
so much before I go back with the KISS system

OH LIKE NOBODY SUGGESTED THAT!

The first thing everyone (Monte, Finnegan, KJ, Mick . . .) said was "RUN A BUTTON." And Monte even GAVE ME A FREE BUTTON!

But the Zex folks said that a button WOULDN'T EVER WORK with the "PLUG-N-PLAY" sealed black box crap (all the solenoids and the mystery circuit that "reads" throttle position resistance is in a sealed box) The box reads resistance and if you don't send it a signal that it likes . . . .

[38P]

Of course when nitrous started fogging out of the corners of the black box in a freezing cloud before the Tulsa "overtime," the whole Button thing was kind of moot . . . .

Here's how I recall it went (excluding all of the juking around like a "little girl" that apparently only eagle-eyed Swede4 noticed):

Me (after an interminable wait on the Zex tech line Saturday and some introductory banter): "The problem is that nitrous is spraying out of the corners of the box and the solenoids are "fluttering" . . . going buzz, buzz, buzz .. . .when I try to test the new throttle position calibration."

Zex: "Uh . . . okay . . . well . . . can you hold?"

Me: "Yeah well I'm at Hot Rod Drag Week . . . on the last day . . . I've got to make a pass soon . . . so . . . yeah, I guess."

Zex (after a really long wait): "There isn't a Zex technician in today, but . . . the nitrous management unit would appear to be defective."

Me: "Really? How can I fix it?"

Zex: "You can call back and get a warranty return authorization number . . . ."

Me: "No, how can I fix it now?"

Zex: "You can't. There are no user serviceable parts inside . . . ."

Me: "I've been trying to get this thing to work for a week. I did exactly what the Zex techs in Memphis said to do . . . I'm at HOT ROD DRAG WEEK! I'm in the pits at Tulsa! I'm trying to make the 32-Car eliminator! How am I going to send it back to Memphis and run it today?"

Zex: "We're sorry. You'll need to call back to get a warranty return authorization . . . ."

[MR P-BODY]

Of course when nitrous started fogging out of the corners of the black box in a freezing cloud before the Tulsa "overtime," the whole Button thing was kind of moot . . . .

Here's how I recall it went (excluding all of the juking around like a "little girl" that apparently only eagle-eyed Swede4 noticed):

Me (after an interminable wait on the Zex tech line Saturday and some introductory banter): "The problem is that nitrous is spraying out of the corners of the box and the solenoids are "fluttering" . . . going buzz, buzz, buzz .. . .when I try to test the new throttle position calibration."

Zex: "Uh . . . okay . . . well . . . can you hold?"

Me: "Yeah well I'm at Hot Rod Drag Week . . . on the last day . . . I've got to make a pass soon . . . so . . . yeah, I guess."

Zex (after a really long wait): "There isn't a Zex technician in today, but . . . the nitrous management unit would appear to be defective."

Me: "Really? How can I fix it?"

Zex: "You can call back and get a warranty return authorization number . . . ."

Me: "No, how can I fix it now?"

Zex: "You can't. There are no user serviceable parts inside . . . ."

Me: "I've been trying to get this thing to work for a week. I did exactly what the Zex techs in Memphis said to do . . . I'm at HOT ROD DRAG WEEK! I'm in the pits at Tulsa! I'm trying to make the 32-Car eliminator! How am I going to sent it back to Memphis and run it today?"

Zex: "We're sorry. You'll need to call back to get a warranty return authorization . . . ."

The solenoids were mounted inside the box?.... did this box mount on the intake?

[Dino98T/A]

Of course when nitrous started fogging out of the corners of the black box in a freezing cloud before the Tulsa "overtime," the whole Button thing was kind of moot . . . .

Here's how I recall it went (excluding all of the juking around like a "little gir"l that apparently only eagle-eyed Swede4 noticed):

Me (after an interminable wait on the Zex tech line Saturday and some introductory banter): "The problem is that nitrous is spraying out of the corners of the box and the solenoids are "fluttering" . . . going buzz, buzz, buzz .. . .when I try to test the new throttle position calibration."

Zex: "Uh . . . okay . . . well . . . can you hold?"

Me: "Yeah well I'm at Hot Rod Drag Week . . . on the last day . . . I've got to make a pass soon . . . so . . . yeah, I guess."

Zex (after a really long wait): "There isn't a Zex technician in today, but . . . the nitrous management unit would appear to be defective."

Me: "Really? How can I fix it?"

Zex: "You can call back and get a warranty return authorization number . . . ."

Me: "No, how can I fix it now?"

Zex: "You can't. There are no user serviceable parts inside . . . ."

Me: "I've been trying to get this thing to work for a week. I did exactly what the Zex techs in Memphis said to do . . . I'm at HOT ROD DRAG WEEK! I'm in the pits at Tulsa! I'm trying to make the 32-Car eliminator! How am I going to sent it back to Memphis and run it today?"

Zex: "We're sorry. You'll need to call back to get a warranty return authorization . . . ."

I always wondered about the Zex nitrous systems. I will be sure to stay away from them. Sucks that you got jerked around like that. Maybe one of those "Big Dogs" from Zex will make things right with you, I believe its the LEAST they could do.

COME ON ZEX!!!!!!!!! DO THE RIGHT THING HERE AND TAKE CARE OF THIS GUY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[38P]

P-Body . . . that's a whole 'nother can of worms I don't have time to go into now (i.e. the too-short braided lines, the fogger nozzle with the plastic retaining nut that won't stay tight, the AN fittings that aren't the same size that NOS and apparently everyone else uses . . . .)

[38P]

I always wondered about the Zex nitrous systems. I will be sure to stay away from them. Sucks that you got jerked around like that. Maybe one of those "Big Dogs" from Zex will make things right with you, I believe its the LEAST they could do.

COME ON ZEX!!!!!!!!! DO THE RIGHT THING HERE AND TAKE CARE OF THIS GUY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My point is not to "dog" Zex. Sure, I'm kind of mad at them because I spent ~ $700 on a 00 shot and the omission on how to set the throttle position resistance was inexcusable. But I suspect their lower-tech kits are just fine. A fairly new kit on a new-tech car is a recipe for frustration.

However, I'm not a big fan of the "sealed box" approach to Nitrous (as aren't a well-known journo who spoke to me on condition of anonymity).

[Dino98T/A]

The solenoids were mounted inside the box?.... did this box mount on the intake?

"Brain box"

[Dino98T/A]

And I'd like to thank the Zex techs who appeared at Memphis at the very end of the day . . . after smoozing all day with the DW stars . . . to advise me that everything we'd tried would never work . . . because they left something absolutely critical out of the instructions and didn't correct them because they'd printed "a thousand copies."

^^^^^

[MR P-BODY]

However, I'm not a big fan of the "sealed box" approach to Nitrous (as aren't a well-known journo who spoke to me on condition of anonymity).[/QUOTE]

No doubt.... any of the big nitrous guys have the solenoids out where you
can get at them (even to test them)..... the little magic box is cute through

[prostreet34]

So did Zex take care of you, refund, working replacement unit or exchange for low tech kit? I'm not a spray guy, but I always like to hear about custormer service.

Jason

[prostreet34]

Congrats to the top 32 that got coverage. I think Hot Rod did a great job doing a short write up on each car and driver. I only got to meet some of you, so it's great to hear more DW stories.

Jason