Gadgetman Groove Experience
 

I'm starting this thread to share publicly, my experience with the Gadgetman Groove.

I'm starting this thread because I've seen so many negative comments about Ron Hatton and the groove thing that I'd (for all of us) like to set the record strait and figure out whether or not this is what he really says it is. I've never met the man before, I do not know anybody that has ever "grooved" their vehicle, and I have never seen a vehicle that has been grooved.

I will be sharing my experience of this process from start to finish (on this forum thread) in chronological order so that we all can see and share in the same thing that I've experiencing. I will start with the "unboxing" or "unpackaging" video when my package arrives in the mail (hopefully today).

If This is BS, Let's Prove It!
If it's real, Let's Embrace It!

My History:
I'm not a mechanic.
I grew up in central Indiana.
I've been to nursing school.
I've worked as a Firefighter.
I work from home (sales) currently.
I currently live in South Carolina (near Charlotte, NC).
I'd like to build an open source electric vehicle (sometime).
I have a personal youtube channel that does NOT focus on auto and modding.
-- http://www.youtube.com/AWorld4Change (please be nice in the comments)
I'm a christian family man.

My car:
2005 Ford Taurus
3.0L V6 (don't believe it's a DOHC)

Here's how this will work:
I will be posting a new post to this thread every time that there is a development and/or that I make a change to the vehicle and also reviewing any interaction that I have with Ron or any other gadget person. I don't personally know of any of them so I'm kinda out on my own.

I will take as many pictures that I can and also shoot as much video as time will allow. I will upload all of the videos to my personal YouTube channel into a specific playlist. When I upload a video, I will post a new post to this thread so either subscribe to my YouTube channel or Subscribe to this thread if you want to stay up to date with the positive, negative, or any feedback. If you watch my YouTube channel, you will see that I'm fairly candid and always honest about my thoughts and feelings.

My YouTube Channel - http://www.youtube.com/AWorld4Change Please be nice on my channel (and this thread), it is not a place for negativity, only good sound discussions and quality debates.

I look forward to interacting with all of you here and you can call or email me at any time if you want to connect. 352.507.5309 cell

All the best,

Wayne, SC

subscribed

You are off to a good start. I strongly suggest that you study this thread before making any modifications: http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...ery-11445.html

Thank You JR, that's a very good thread.

I don't have any technology that I can use to test with however I will be able to monitor total fuel consumption. I also don't have any long flat roads in my area either...so this is going to have to be averaged fuel consumption based on the daily driving that we do.

That said, other variables can certainly be monitored and I will be glad to do that as well.

Wayne, SC

You'll want to get yourself a Scangauge or something similar at the very least...

Day 1 - Ordered Private License
 

On Friday, I talked to Ron and signed up and ordered the Private License program because he was running a special on it. He usually charges $500 for the program and last week he was only charging $350.00 so I decided to go ahead and give it a whirl. The package is supposed to arrive in the mail today (hopefully).

After signing up for the program, I received a "Welcome to Gadgetman Land!" email from Deb, with two attachments.

Here is the email body:

Thank you for ordering the Personal License. I have attached the Operations and Training Manuals.

Your Package will go out in the mail today and I will send the delivery confirmation number to you.

We would ask that you please pay attention to the angle of the groove in the training manual and disregard the angle on the training DVD. We have made discoveries about the angle, Ron has not had the time to make a new DVD but has all the updated information in the manual.

Please register on the site Reduce Emissions with the Gadgetman Groove if you have not already done so. That is the mass email list that Ron uses to send out updates and newsletters. It is also where the forums are that will offer information and help from the Gadgetmen. Remember after you do Modifications to go to the site and report your modification.

Also if you would like to get a head start on diagnostics go to
www. Diagnostics.GadgetmanGroove.com
Thank you,
Deb

The Gadgetman Groove Taining Manual:
Attached to the above email was this training manual. I will not copy all of the contents of the manual however, I will say that it is 54 pages long and it covers almost every question that was floating around in my mind. Below is the outline of the contents.

Introduction: Welcome to Gadgetman Land!

Part I: Tools

1. Required .................................................. ..........................................
2. Recommended....................................... .............................................
3. Usage............................................. .................................................. ...

Part II: Vehicle Operations

Combustion Process........................................... ................................
Fuel Delivery.......................................... ...........................................
a) Carburetors....................................... .........................................
b) Throttle Body Injection......................................... ....................
Sensors
c) Multi-Port Fuel Injection

Part III: Innovations

Magnetic Field
Hydrogen
Vapor Carbs
Spacers

Part IV: Theory Behind The Gadgetman Groove

The Law of Standard Temperature and Pressure
Aerodynamics
Computer Interactions
Getting your Baselines and Testing

Part V: Doing The Groove

Before you Begin

A) Carburetors
B) TBI Systems
C) Multi-Port Throttle Bodies

Preparing your Tools

BEGINNING YOUR CUT
A) Cutting The Groove
B) “Penciling”
C) Clearing the ECU
D) Your First Cut
E) Checking Your Work
F) Installation
G) ECU Conditioning

Part VI: APPENDICES

1) Mileage to L/Km Conversion
2) Modification Report Form


Gadgetman Groove Operations Manual:
Also attached to the above email was this Operations Manual. Again, I was quite impressed at the level of detail that was covered in the 20 pages of literature. Below is a table of contents of what was included.

Introduction to life as a Gadgetman

Introducing The Groove to Others
Skeptics-A Blessing in Disguise
All I want is Mileage
Power. I want POWER!
Ecology Minded.
Setting Expectations
Know when to say No.

Forms and Instructions
The Modification Report Form-Critical to your Success

Modification Process
System Requirements
The Mod Report Form
System Controls
Problem Finding and Inspection
Neglected Maintenance

After the Mod
Follow-Up Care
Referrals-The heart and soul of your business
Reporting your Mods

Diagnostics
Tools (OBD vac etc)
Checking your work
Gaskets
Grooves
Vacuum Leaks
Intake Gaskets
Valves

Enhancements
Throttle Body Spacers
EFIEs and O2 sensors
MAPs
MAFs

Appendix
Modification Report Form


Also Note: It was very clear throughout all of the reading that they want you to become a part of the community and stay active with reporting the modifications both on the website and on their forums. Multiple times throughout the literature, I've been encouraged to go to the forums and create a profile which I have done. The forums seem fairly well thought out, although not as easy to use as this site, they do have may modifications reports as well as do's and dont's.

Wayne, SC

I think you will need 3 things to test this.
A scangauge (get it now start establishing base line as soon as it comes in the mail).
A dremel tool, I think thats all you need to do the mod.
A unmoddified throttle body from the junk yard if you see a need to complete A-B-A testing.

Edit: you might want to "clear the ECU" as part of your base line too.

I would really like to go out and spend money on a scangauge and another throttle body but I don't have any extra. I already have a dremel tool and flex shaft but I don't have anything else and I can't go out and spend money on that today.

I know my average baseline because the car get driven on the same route every time it hits the road. It's a mix of city, HWY, and Interstate (very little city) driving and it's round trip of about 123 miles. I've been monitoring the vehicle MPG Performance for a very long time (by monitoring the miles and gallons at fill up) and I know it's performance. I'll get to the performance in another post.

I just can't spend the money for more things right now...that said, I'll be glad to go get a throttle body at the junk yard in the next couple of months and run a side-by-side comparison (ABA test) by swapping out the modified one with an original and then back again but it's going to have to be a couple of months out until then.

I'm planning on going ahead and modifying the current now, but can go back for testing when I have the money. I will also take you along for the ride so that you all can see in real time what I'm doing. If I get positive preliminary results, I try it out on other vehicles too so that we all can learn.

Unless somebody has an extra scanguage that I can borrow?! :)

All the best,

Wayne, SC

While i appreciate you doing this and jumping in.......

There REALLY needs to be the kind of testing that only a scangauge/device can provide.
just my opinion......

otherwise you just become another testimonial......well documented.....but not scientificly tested.

Thank You for your feedback.
I might just have to be a well documented testimonial until I can do the "scientific" testing unless somebody has a device that they want to share with me before I start modding.
If not, then I can always go back later and do it.

Is there a reliable $20 device on the market that will monitor MPG?

Thanks in advance,

Wayne, SC