Other Modifications...

Engine/Drivetrain

• AutoPhysics inverted cone air filter and custom air box

• TurboDyne electronically driven supercharger - the instant-on Turbopac™ 2500 supercharger produces low-end torque while eliminating constant parasitic draw of engine output and provides upwards of 3.5 psi of boost to the engine

• Delphi Automotive Systems 3.77 gram/sec E85 compatible fuel injectors - replaced 3.2 gram/sec stock injectors

• Optima Deep Cycle battery - with Spiracell technology were run in parallel and replaced the single stock battery

• Carbon composite driveshaft - provided by DANA - replaced the stock aluminum shaft and had increased torsional stiffness

• Transmission upgrades - the stock 4L60E transmission was modified to handle the increased power and torque that the modified engine produced. The upgrade included: a master rebuild kit (new gaskets, seals, sealing rings, friction plates, steel plates, front and rear bushings, lip seals, and filter), a high performance Kevlar band, a new sprag assembly, hardened pump rings, a large servo kit, and a Transgo™ shift kit specifically designed for the 4L60E transmission. These modifications increased fluid pressure and provided a stronger, firmer shift.

• Dual Perma-Cool 14" electric fans replaced the stock mechanical fan

Fuel System

• Stainless steel fuel lines replaced the stock Silverado fuel lines

• Paxton anodized aluminum fuel filter replaced the stock fuel filter

• E85-tolerant fuel pump (provided by GM) replaced the stock fuel pump

• Stock o-rings were replaced with o-rings made of Viton-B

• Flame Arrestor - was designed and fabricated by Todd Cerny (ME undergraduate) and met competition requirements

Exhaust/Emissions

• True dual exhaust with equalization pipe replaced stock single exhaust

• Dual Dynomax™ Tri-Flow mufflers replaced the single stock muffler

• Vacuum-insulated, phase-change catalytic converters - designed by the UNL emissions team leader Marc Meyer - implemented dual Emitec catalytic converter substrates with Engelhard coated catalysts, surrounded them with a phase change material, and vacuum insulated the converter and the phase change material. This process allowed the converters to stay near light-off temperature for several hours after the vehicle was driven to reduce start-up emissions

• Valeo exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) cooler - was a tube-in-shell heat exchanger that was placed between the stock EGR solenoid and the exhaust manifold and used engine coolant to cool the exhaust before it was fed back into the exhaust manifold to reduce NOx emissions

• Rapid Exhaust Port Oxidation (REPO) was also used to decrease catalytic converter light-off time.  Each port on the  stock exhaust manifolds was modified with compression fittings to hold 1/4" steel line.   This 1/4" steel line was then connected to a collector pipe that ran along the top of the exhaust manifold.  The collector pipes were then connected to the secondary air injection pump, which can be added as an option to the stock Silveado vehicle. (See picture below in the "Other Modification Pictures" table)

Cold Start

• Air inlet heater - was created by using a heating element and a 4" anodized aluminum pipe. A small electical circuit turned the air heater on when the coolant temperature was below 70°F. To prevent damage to the heater and surrounding tubing, the circuit also turned the heater off if the inlet air temperature was above 200°F or the coolant temperature was above 70°F

• Heated fuel rails - The stock Silverado fuel rails were modified to house four 100-Watt cartridge heaters.  The heaters were powered via a DC/AC inverter which provided 120 Volts of power at a peak wattage rating of 600 Watts. (See picture below in the "Other Modification Pictures" table)

Appearance

• Dupont Chromallusion paint (True Blazberry and True Fire Prizm colors) - was used to paint the two solid stripes on the vehicle along with a large Chevrolet "bowtie" on the hood and a large Husker "N" on the roof.

• The stock Silverado hood was replaced with a dual-cowled hood from Keystone Restyling Products

• The stock Silverado rims were polished by J.B's Metal Polishing

• Goodyear Wrangler tires replaced the stock Firestone Wilderness tires