Red bullet VVTI seloniod

Hi ice9 Just saw you edit, 50,000 miles is a bit short considering the taxi torture test, 1 year lets your imagination run a little. The fundamental of the design is fail proof meaning if the part stops working OEM or Red Bullet the valve timing will be slow or in a fixed variable time. The below will put our unrest to sleep.

From the diagram which JimboPalmer posted earlier here and which I have used on other page to describe how the variable valve work and how the Red Bullet makes it better. The variable valves works at optimizing the valve position with very minor angle adjustment, you will still be able to drive the car if it fails regardless of OEM or Red Bullet. I guess this is what a mechanic will never tell you! unless they are your family or close relative. Let me explain why.
With a failed solenoid unable to adjust the variable positioning it just means you are driving a non-variable valve that is all. If it is stopped working at idle, you will be driving at the idle setting, if stuck at power, you will be driving in the power setting, if you are stuck in a betweener then you are there fixed none the less. Ever wonder how engines continue to rotate before they invented variable valve? I guess it must be a fixed system then just like running on a failed solenoid.

Wrong variable time is totally manageable and wont cause total engine destruction like they try to scare you at the stealership, just go and get the solenoid replaced.
I once drove my car that had one cylinder totally off time from Lublin in Poland all the way to Budapest Hungary back and forth twice I think until we figure one set of tappet was set to the wrong engine firing sequence, ran like a bloody diesel, the thing took regular, it was significantly off time in a cute fixed way. The car was adjusted correctly after and I used it for another 3 years traveling as far as France and Italy, in the end sold to very happy people. I think it is still running right now.
I think people are being scared to a extant that we do not even look at the logic and theory behind it anymore!
Caution side note here! A wrong variable time is not the same as a skipped tooth or skipped timing! Those can be very dangerous! especially on a VW zero tolerance engines!

 

Hi ice9,

I have been enjoying our discussions, really productive and on the basis of looking after the interest of vehicle owners.
If the Red Bullet or the OEM solenoid stops working, you as the driver will be notified right away! It will read as cam time position not correct on the diagnose tool. The standard procedure is to take out the old one and put in the new one and off you go, you have switched from a fixed timing engine back to a variable one. The computer reads the position of the variable valve non-stop. if it is off by a bit, it will store the code and await another few trips of the incident and let you know if the problem persists.
After you install the new one just erase the code and off you go.
Regarding the 50,000 miles, I totally agree its just a number, feel free to go over it within the year! Like I said the OEM parts warranty did not limit it to miles covered nor did we.
Do we stand behind the product from my manufacture I will say "Yes" we do just as if I was distributing for Toyota OEM! Just this is way better which I hope you would agree.

 

Last Bar #5 results are out.
OEM @ 420.6km with 25.7km/L
Red Bullet @ 445.0km with 27.1km/L
I have been using the AC and going on very short trips recently, It got really too hot to not have the AC on anymore. 35 degree plus with the interior car temp at more then 45+ was just not safe to drive anymore. Even with the windows fully down I was still sweating bullets at a red light.
I will do a fixed throttle acceleration test next. which came to mind recently.
First I will proof the concept of able to accelerate the car with a fixed throttle position, then I will find a stretch of road which will allow me to drag to 60km with half throttle or more if need be, in order to get to that speed within the distance available, All the same time making sure that the throttle position stays the same throughout the test for the Red Bullet and the OEM.
I can use a app to read and clock the time it takes to get to 60km/h and also 80 km/h.
I will post those results here.

 

I too have been noticing a throttle variance between absolute throttle and throttle position. I think it is how the ECU manages torque/power by having a degree of play to optimize it with the CVT.

 

I have a theory! If you care to try it! I will be intrigued if it will make a difference on the percentage!
Take out the carpet or liner or whatever you have on the drivers side and run again!
I was having a closer look at that area yesterday for good reasons TBD, and it seems the range of travel will be affected by the thickness of the carpet/mat/liner...
Let me know!!

 

I read you Montgomery! Race heritage! I spent a good 5 min just watching that spinning yellow beauty on the home page with my breakfast!

 

I am still watching! Going to get my 3D goggles! Guys check it out! it is really amazing!
Hang on a sec! why is the fueling port on the same side as that flame throwing exhaust?

 

Hi Montgomery,
This morning while I was watching the magnificent machine spin round and round, I suddenly had a idea! Have you ever heard about the Taiwanese and Japanese fire extinguisher bomb? Roughly the size of a volley ball, hard plastic outer shell which will pop releasing fire retardant dust cloud upon heat contact. Very effective against chemical fires! I was thinking... instead of a ball shape, maybe I can ask them to make custom molds for F1 or stock cars.

 

Hi ice9,

We found that all vehicles of Gen 3 regardless of geographic location has the engine cover issue, this is why we came up with the fix knowing it will benifit in the long run for everyone! Previous supporters who have aready installed the Red Bullet, we have not forgotten about! We will be mailing the solution to you shortly, the engine cover is isolated to only the Gen 3 due to the design of the engine cover not the engine.

Please allow me to explain.

The Prius Gen 4 has a totally different engine "cover" design, it resembles to a bit with the CT200h. The reason I bring up CT200h and also talking about the Gen 3, Gen 4 and the Prius Prime, Prius V is because they all have the same engine, the 2ZR-FXE. The components around the engine such as air box, air conditioning and cooling might be differently orientated, but they all have the same beating heart.

So as the Red Bullet was designed to work with the 2ZR-FXE you will see the stock number 15330-37010 for the solenoid associated with your vehicle if you do have a 2ZR-FXE engine and many others too will be the same, not because the manufature for the Red Bullet did it that way to have a one fits all but in reality it is a one that fits all from Toyota.

The Red Bullet for its performance has a larger body externally to achieve that! Due to the size of the solenoid body casing it was not able to clear the Gen 3 cover. It is not just in America which some will have you believe, but in fact it is all over the world.
We thought about the issue long and hard, since it is not a isolated situation with only one or a dozen vehicles, we realised cutting off all the covers like if it was a normal thing to do was just not the right way for us since there are so many Gen 3 out there.

Having a direct partnership with the manufaturer gave us the opportunity to fix the issue once and for all moving forwards.
So that owners of all 2ZR-FXE will not have to worry regardless of which car they have for installing the Red Bullet solenoid.

I hope this helps ice9!

 

So you are saying the last 3/4 inch of travel on the gas pedal does nothing on the scale for throttle input? That is interesting!
The acceleration test to be done has something to do with this, but let us work on it together to see what we can draw from this situation. I think we in a love hate relationship with leaving the mechanical throttle wire now!