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It's also worth keeping an eye on intake temperatures and overall engine health, as pushing a stock turbo to its limits can quickly expose weak points elsewhere in the setup. A well-balanced combination of supporting mods and a conservative tune will usually make for a faster and more reliable car than simply chasing the highest boost number.

Sounds more like you've got two separate issues going on here: a questionable transmission tune and a fault that only shows up once everything gets hot. If it drives fine in Tiptronic but starts throwing gearbox faults in D after 30 minutes, I'd be checking logs before touching the tune. Could be slip values, converter lockup control, line pressure, temp-related sensor issues, or even torque reduction settings not playing nicely with the Haltech. A lot of built ZFs end up with aggressive custom tunes that feel terrible on the street. The hunting around 40 km/h definitely sounds like the converter locking/unlocking repeatedly. That's usually tune-related, but if the gearbox is already seeing excessive slip it can trigger faults once temps come up. At 700+ rwkw I'd want someone experienced with ZF 6HP calibrations to look at both the TCM and the Haltech setup together. No point loading another tune until you know what's actually causing the fault. A healthy ZF can drive almost like stock in D even at that power level if the calibration is done properly. I'd start by scanning the TCM for codes and checking gearbox temps and slip values when the fault occurs. The fault code itself will probably point you in the right direction

Sounds more like the tune needs sorting out than a hard gearbox issue. If it drives fine in tiptronic but throws faults and hunts for gears in D, I'd be looking closely at the ZF calibration, torque reduction settings and how the Haltech is communicating with the TCU. A properly tuned ZF shouldn't be bucking around at 40 km/h or refusing to downshift on the highway, even at 700+ rwkw. I'd get the fault codes scanned first though, otherwise you're tuning blind.

Also, don't get too caught up in buying every available upgrade at once. A lot of people end up spending money on parts they don't actually need for their target power level. A good tuner can help you build the car in stages and avoid wasting money on things that won't make a noticeable difference with the stock turbo.

You're definitely on the right track. If you're aiming to max out the factory turbo, a fuel pump is usually high on the list along with injectors and a good tune. Depending on your power goals, it might also be worth looking at a stronger valve spring setup, upgraded spark plugs, and making sure the exhaust system isn't becoming a restriction. I'd chat with your tuner before buying too much more—they'll know exactly where the factory turbo and fuel system start to become the limiting factors.

Sounds like you’ve probably got another wiring short somewhere, especially since it only happens when the brakes are applied. I’d be checking around the brake pedal switch, ABS module wiring, and anywhere the loom could move under braking or engine movement. Since you already had rubbed-through wires before, I wouldn’t be surprised if another section of the harness is chafing somewhere. The fact it only blows the ignition fuse at low speed or stationary makes me think something is grounding out when voltage/load changes from the brake circuit. Definitely worth tracing the loom carefully before throwing more parts at it.

Yeah, I ran into the same confusion when putting mine back together. Haynes says one thing, but the harness length tells a different story. On my car the Red/Blue wires naturally reached the exhaust side, and that ended up being correct. A lot of people online have it wired that way too

It sounds like a short circuit in a circuit that’s triggered when you press the brakes—most commonly the brake light wiring or a shared ignition feed that’s rubbing through and grounding out under load. Given your previous issue near the strut tower, I’d start by re-checking the wiring loom around the ECU, the brake light switch, and the rear light circuits, because it really sounds like an insulation or chafing problem has come back somewhere in the harness.

Since the pan was off for a while and you already had burnt-smelling fluid with some glitter, I’d first suspect either loss of torque converter charge, a weak/air-affected pump, or internal seal leakage (pump seal / converter hub / bridge seal area). These ZF units are very sensitive to correct oil level and pressure. A couple of questions: what exact gearbox model is it (ZF 6HP / 8HP or something else), and do you have access to live data like line pressure or clutch slip readings?

Does anyone see any issues with this method of lifting the car, especially using the front of the K-frame as a jack point? Also, is there a better way to avoid damaging the surface while still safely getting both jack stands onto the proper hard points?

Modern head units like a Kayhan Audio head unit can behave oddly when voltage dips, even if the car still cranks normally. A weak battery or unstable supply can definitely cause strange resets, module dropouts, or feature failures without obvious warning. Testing it directly from the battery is a good isolation step. If it behaves normally when hard-wired, you’ve effectively ruled out both the unit itself and software issues, and you’re left with supply wiring, grounding, or voltage stability under load.

Have you already checked the battery voltage under load, not just at rest? And have you tried a direct battery feed to the Kayhan unit to see if the issue disappears completely?