BUILD THREAD 86 GP 2+2~Blown 6.0
- Thread starter 81cutlass
- Start date
Recovered from my trans horror on the Rainier from last week and decided to look/fix the clutch issues on the 2+2.
As I suspected the synchros in the trans aren't out (maybe they are) but the main problem was the clutch not fully releasing. It made the trans really hard to put in reverse and semi challenging in 1st.
I found the TOB only has ~0.550" of travel and 0.230" was being used with the clutch not pressed. I was bottoming out the TOB and the clutch pedal was going down maybe 80% of usual before it hit the bottom.
I got the trans pulling process down pretty good and got it done in under 4 hrs. Put about 0.200" of shim in and the clutch is back to feeling ok.
Looked at the flywheel with the trans off and there isn't any obvious significant heat spots so I'm not putting to much heat into the clutch slipping it (yet).
Probably get another week or two or driving out of it and put it in storage to swap the Cutlass soon.
I wouldn't mind making another try at the drag strip to see how deep in the 11's I can get but I don't see that happening with all the tracks pretty much being shut down for the season.
As I suspected the synchros in the trans aren't out (maybe they are) but the main problem was the clutch not fully releasing. It made the trans really hard to put in reverse and semi challenging in 1st.
I found the TOB only has ~0.550" of travel and 0.230" was being used with the clutch not pressed. I was bottoming out the TOB and the clutch pedal was going down maybe 80% of usual before it hit the bottom.
I got the trans pulling process down pretty good and got it done in under 4 hrs. Put about 0.200" of shim in and the clutch is back to feeling ok.
Looked at the flywheel with the trans off and there isn't any obvious significant heat spots so I'm not putting to much heat into the clutch slipping it (yet).
Probably get another week or two or driving out of it and put it in storage to swap the Cutlass soon.
I wouldn't mind making another try at the drag strip to see how deep in the 11's I can get but I don't see that happening with all the tracks pretty much being shut down for the season.
Is the shimming process normal operating/adjusting procedure?
Friday evening my wife asked why I was so eager to get to the track yesterday. I told her that this is probably getting close to the end at the local track (65 miles away). After that it's, head south.
Seize the opportunity if it arises.
In total factory setups probably not, but in my setup it's normal according to the Howe TOB manual. The shims are included and it describes the procedure to set the shim distance. I should have done it when I swapped the clutch but I assumed it would be fine.
Took the car for a cruise today and the new clutch shim setting is 10X better. Goes into reverse really well and the in-between gear shifts are better too. I didn't have a ton of street miles where I could be normal (mean) on the clutch before today as it wasn't fully broke in before drag weekend and I baby the car in between tracks since I don't want to break and the car had 750lbs of crap in the trunk and hanging off the hitch.
I was leaving the hardware store parking lot today and I started the car. A little girl standing across the aisle with her dad (maybe 5) turned around quick and I saw she pointed at my car in my rear view mirror. My wife was walking back to the car from the cart dropoff and she heard the girl say "Dad, woah, look, a Monte Carlo!" (very excitedly) To which the dad replied "Close, but that is a Grand Prix".
I DIED laughing when my wife told me that when she got in the car. I was just shocked that the 5 year old knew what a Monte Carlo is, let along that the Dad knew it was a GP. Someone out there is a good parent 😉
In other news I did some math and chatted with my cousin and I determined I need to swap rear gears. I am convinced the 3.73's are holding me back. My cousin had a 3500lb t56 centrifugal blower LT1 TA 15 years ago and swears up and down 4.30's are the cats meow on a high 10 second, blower, heavy, stick car. He took the car from 11.60 to 10.35 going from the 3.73 to 4.30's. The gear change was a night and day difference and he had a lot of the same issues I have now before he changed gear ratio.
4.30's will put the engine at 6500rpm through the traps vs. 5400 where I am now and should allow me to quicken my clutch clamp time up and try to get rid of some of my 'bog' I encounter at 50-70ft. Should get the car deep into the 1.50's according to him. The gears are pretty affordable ($200) and I need to do SOMETHING else to get the car into the 10's since I don't think it will in its current state. Not going to get any data on new gears before the end of the drag racing season as next Saturday is the last opportunity. So probably a winter project. He is a bit concerned that I will rip the teeth off the pinion with my power and weight but it's worth a shot.
I was leaving the hardware store parking lot today and I started the car. A little girl standing across the aisle with her dad (maybe 5) turned around quick and I saw she pointed at my car in my rear view mirror. My wife was walking back to the car from the cart dropoff and she heard the girl say "Dad, woah, look, a Monte Carlo!" (very excitedly) To which the dad replied "Close, but that is a Grand Prix".
I DIED laughing when my wife told me that when she got in the car. I was just shocked that the 5 year old knew what a Monte Carlo is, let along that the Dad knew it was a GP. Someone out there is a good parent 😉
In other news I did some math and chatted with my cousin and I determined I need to swap rear gears. I am convinced the 3.73's are holding me back. My cousin had a 3500lb t56 centrifugal blower LT1 TA 15 years ago and swears up and down 4.30's are the cats meow on a high 10 second, blower, heavy, stick car. He took the car from 11.60 to 10.35 going from the 3.73 to 4.30's. The gear change was a night and day difference and he had a lot of the same issues I have now before he changed gear ratio.
4.30's will put the engine at 6500rpm through the traps vs. 5400 where I am now and should allow me to quicken my clutch clamp time up and try to get rid of some of my 'bog' I encounter at 50-70ft. Should get the car deep into the 1.50's according to him. The gears are pretty affordable ($200) and I need to do SOMETHING else to get the car into the 10's since I don't think it will in its current state. Not going to get any data on new gears before the end of the drag racing season as next Saturday is the last opportunity. So probably a winter project. He is a bit concerned that I will rip the teeth off the pinion with my power and weight but it's worth a shot.
I coulda swore I said change the gears a long time ago... or was that in my pig of a Hellcat? And the wagon?
Either way:
And you want 4.56s with a 28"+ tall tires.
I coulda swore I said change the gears a long time ago... or was that in my pig of a Hellcat? And the wagon?
Either way:
And you want 4.56s with a 28"+ tall tires.
First I've heard or considered a gear change actually. Probably you in your head of yours 😛
4.56's would be easy (4.30's are harder to find actually) but with a 28" tire if I want to run through the traps at 128mph I gotta spin 7000 RPM which I really don't want to. I'm a wimp. Low and slow lol.
It's going to be spring before I get to this anyways.
You won't trap 7000. There are too many things working against you mechanically and physics wise.
Hell, if it even gets close you can go to a 29x9 slick.
Sure would be nice to get it on a dyno and figure out what rpm range it shines, and then use gears to put it in that range.
