C5Z06CE

Well it's finally done. Up to now no one has been able to make a throttle blip device that worked with C5 because of the 3 wires on the accelerator position sensor. One has been available for the C6 platform because it uses 2 wires. Today I am happy to announce that this mod is finally a reality for us C5 track junkies. The only other similar theottle blp feature I am aware of in a C5 is only one in where the entire ECU has been replaced with an aftermarket ECU costing upwards of $10k. This system uses the STOCK ECU. It costs $395 for the unit. The unit will function as designed but if you wish to have a custom shifter switch that I describe below that option will cost an estimated $175 additional. That price is subject to change and may go slightly up or down depending on demand and time to assemble each shifter switch.

Why do I want this device? Because as we all know when down shifting on track or performance driving in general we should be using the heel toe method to simultaneously brake with our toes/***** of our feet and blipping the throttle with the heel or side of our right foot while pushing the clutch and selecting the next lower gear. This allows for rev matching of the tranny and engine and minimizes strain on the engine while braking as well as maintains stability of the car to minimize the risk of spinning and thereby maximize cornering stability.

Recently I contacted Tractive Technology the makers of the Auto-BliP at auto-blip.com and they had said that they were working on a prototype for C5 but it had not been beta tested yet. Another forum member was supposed to beta test the unit but somehow that fell through. So I spoke with them and became the beta tester.

The unit works as designed by Tractive Tech. To be wired to the accelerator pedal, brake, and clutch. The driver sets the delay before the blip occurs whenever the brake and clutch are pressed simultaneously as well as the duration of the blip. There is no intensity of the blip setting. It is basically managed by having a longer duration blip. I was initially not fond of this design because it means that if you are braking from a loner straight you may need a longer delay before engaging the next lower gear and needing the blip. On a shorter straight you may be braking less and down shifting faster than on a longer straight. The delay setting would not accommodate this. I spoke with my mechanic Vern from Vern's Chevy Service Center at 1649 S Missouri Ave. Clearwater Fl. Phone number (727) 585-0000. He and I botH agreed that the ideal situation would be one where the blip is made as the gear is selected. As soon as that is done you let out the clutch. Timing would be more fluid and not dependent on a certain time delay after onset of braking. The only answer was to make a switch that is wired to the Shifter as well as the AutoBlip. Now when the brake and a gear are selected simultaneously there is a throttle blip. The blip intensity is still based on the duration setting ****.

Despite many saying it could not be done because of sensors and timing tables, etc interfering with the blip and resulting in a limp mode we have proven them wrong.

How well does it work? ....Very well!!. There is a seemless blip of the throttle at the exact moment you select a gear while depressing the brake. Since up shifts are never while applying the brake no blip occurs there. Currently the system is only wired to Vern's custom shifter switch and the brake wire on the Auto-Blip device. The clutch wire is not wired in. We may fool around with the clutch wiring in the future but for this beta test it is not connected. This also means there is no delay setting so that **** is not functional currently on my setup. We may try different setups in the future with that as well to experiment. The duration **** settings range from 6:30 to 5:30 being 0% to 100% max blip, respectively. When set about 10:00 it provides a blip of about 1000 RPMs and around 12:00 is about 2200 rpm blip and 5:30 is about a 3300 rpm blip. These numbers are only approximates. Some of the blip intensity is determined by the speed at which you select a gear. If you select the gear at 3000 rpm there is a slightly less blip than if selected at 4500 rpm even with the same duration setting.

The auto-blip does take some getting used to because the are 2 situations I have run across where the blip is a bit awkward and you have to learn to avoid the blip. The first is when stopped at a light. I am in neutral with foot off clutch. As the light turns green I press the clutch and select 1st gear while Right foot Is still on the brake...Auto-Blip is activated. I transition to the accelerator but the blip has just occurred and I seem a bit foolish revving my engine at the light...got a few funny looks. The work around this is of course to let my foot off the brake a split second before selecting the gear and transition earlier to the accelerator without causing a blip. The other time that I need to relearn how to accommodate the auto blip is when down shifting on a slow turn....like a clover leaf exit ramp. Here I tend to brake and coast a second or two before engaging the next lower gear. However, my foot is no longer on the brake and I am EXPECTING the blip, engage the lower gear and let foot off the clutch without a blip of the throttle that I was accustomed to doing to rev match. Now the car lurches because there is no rev match where I expected one to occur. The solution of course is do not coast in neutral or to rev match myself with a blip of the throttle, but not a true heel toe since my foot is no longer on the brake.

So far so good. I have only driven it about 20 miles with the AutoBlip on. It is easily turned off with a press of the power button if you intend to only use it on the track. It works very well except for the minor issues described above. I plan to attend an HPDE this weekend and assuming the rain stays away I will try to put the Blip to use at the track and record some videos. For now I will post the few pics and crappy cell phone video we have of the unit blipping until I can get better ones in the next few days.

Thanks,
C5Z06CE

C5Z06CE

Pic

C5Z06CE

Installed

crease-guard

Sweet, would definitely be something I would be interested in once I see how it works at the track. I have a dedicated track car so not worried about the issues you describe. However, I would think it wouldn't be too hard to disable the switch box so that if first gear is selected there is no blip.

Can't wait to see the vids of the track. I'm having a new tranny installed and torque tube rebuilt so this would be a perfect time to have this installed.

Jay

C5Z06CE

Yes I just got a new RPM tranny myself. This really installs at the level of the shifter and box assembly so tranny does not need to be involved. Install is really quick too. I have a video on my phone that is very crude but cannot seem to figure out how to post it here. Planning on better videos this weekend and will figure out how to post. As for disabling first gear it really just requires a relearning of how you drive the car. There is a very quick learning curve. Even today driving to work it was almost second nature already. Will keep those interested updated as I have more.

C5Z06CE

crease-guard

Cool. Post the vids on you tube then just link them here. Considering what the RPM tranny and diff and all the other stuff I'm having done, this little gem is a drop in the bucket.

crease-guard

So I went back and re-read the OP again. You said the clutch wire was not wired up for the beta test but you did have a custom shift switch built so that when the gear and brake are selected at the same time, you get the blip. So why couldn't you wire the brake and the clutch a the same time to get the same blip? Seems like you could wire the clutch so that just as you release the pedal, you get the blip. Further you could wire the first gear gate such that you could shut out the blip in just first gear. Or am I missing something.

the blur

Did you try learning heal/toe before going through this effort ?

In my car, I need the gas pedal closer to the brake pedal, or a tab added to either pedal. I just never bothered looking for a pedal kit.

sean.b

sounds like you could use relays to trigger it at the release?

StreetSpeed

What is this for again? Not having to learn to heel toe?

sean.b

yea, heh.

C5Z06CE

Yes I know how to heel toe. Am I a master at it?,...No. As far as effort. What effort? I made a few phone calls to a few people who knew what they were doing and paid them for a few hours labor. Most of us have spent more time deciding what our next tire will be on our Vettes. Learning curve is so easy you will feel comfortable in a day or 2, 3 days MAX. Really minimal effort.

C5Z06CE

Do you know how to heel toe? Most people blip the throttle as the shifter passes to neutral or just as it goes into gear. If you blip the throttle as the clutch is engaged its too late you will rev the engine as you engage it and the car will jerk especially at high speed. You need your rpms to be at the desired lower gear rpm when you engage the clutch not a split sec after it. If you were referring to blipping as you push the clutch then your revs are probably too early. Your revs will go up and then start to fall back down by the time engage the clutch again. Then your car lurches because your revs are not matched either.

The way it's set up it blips as you shift into gear and you almost simultaneously release the clutch pedal to engage again and you have perfect or near perfect rev match.

Here is a source that maybe can explain better than I can. Also, notice his steps 3&4 are meant to be simultaneous.

http://jeffbucknum.com/jeffs-driving-tips-video-3/

C5-vette

Hey C5Z06CE, thanks for sharing what you are doing with this.

VGLNTE1

Awesome

sean.b

make a video!

C5Z06CE

Thanks C5. I think some are viewing this as a type of "laziness" mod or something. I am anything but a lazy person and know how to heel toe but not at the level I would like or feel comfortable doing at high speeds at a track. Well here is a relatively affordable mod that in my opinion would make rev match downshifting safer, faster, more efficient. It's not for everyone and I have no skin in the game or care if anyone buys this product. I am just reporting what I was looking for and my experience so far. Most modern race cars have this built in. Many high end sports cars like the Ferraris I believe also have this. The new C7 has this!!! So, it's progress and now you too can have this for a lot less than a new sportscar.

I am certain there are others that feel the same and would find this useful.

C5Z06CE

Videos while driving to the track with my buddy this weekend. Will demonstrate all aspects as best as possible. I seriously can not do the video alone and demonstrate and drive safely all at the same time.

sean.b

i like doing new things like this, just to pioneer it and push the envelope, so i like what you're doing here. heel to toe being better or not, or cooler or not, or whatever else - this is neat. and its not like its the $1500 paddle shifters for the 4l60e. at ~$400, it's a pretty neat little add on.

VOoDOoGTX

cheeters