UPDATE Oct 6th - got Pics & Video!

[khan0165]

Re: UPDATE Oct 5th - Another Trip to the Strip

ok, sorry for the suspense, this post is a GoodNews/BadNews scenerio...

bad news first:
my friend forgot to bring his motion camera, so we caught very little footage. My brother captured some shots on his photo camera, but nothing special. I wanted to wait till I got those pics before posting, but here goes.

ok, so if you went thru this thread you'll see that my car has spent the better half of last 2 years getting slower and slower. I was starting to get frustrated and feel hopeless. The

last weekend of Sep, the Ottawa Buick group (who we are getting to know well) invited us to join them at a track day. No'way we'd pass this up, and I also thought it'd be a good time to try some tricks to make my car quick again...
... that weekend ended up being shitty with rain, and the Buick guys canceled. This past weekend was the last day of the season at the track, and my friends and I made it out.

here's what I wanted to try on my car:
- line lock: I've had one laying around and I wanted to get it in, so I can do proper burnouts on my slicks
- driveshaft loop: JBreu gave me his (what a nice guy eh?), so I was gonna mod it to 3" setback for my 700r4 trans
- carb tuning: the car felt slow on top end, so I was planning to jet up on the secondaries
- timing: hadn't checked timing in a long time, so maybe it slipped
- suspension: thought I'd pull off the front swaybar for load transfer to rear wheels for launch
- weight: pull out the interior, hood, etc...

Spent 3 days on the line lock, the stupid thing wouldn't seal. Driveshaft loop never got done cuz I couldn't get access to a welder. Got too lazy, never took off that sway bar...

BUT! when I was installing the linelock, I couldn't figure out the wiring the last owner used, so I called him up and he offered to help me install it. Went to him, and he missed his car so much, he spent the day helping me tune and time the thing! Awesome!
He also told me EVERYTHING about the car, the whole history, and all the techniques he used when he raced it. He also said if I pull off the exhaust, it'll really help the motor breath.

So this Saturday shows up, and I haven't done half the things I had planned to... Sure we tuned it, but I didn't jet it up, and I didn't get a chance to pull off the exhaust. So considering all this, and the incredibly cold weather, there was no way I'd break mid 13s.

I decided to do the first run on tires, to get a feel of the track and see if I could pull a decent MPH thru the traps. Half throttle launch, roasting thru 1st, shift, roasting thru 2nd, shift, 3/4 throttle, still spinning in 3rd... 14.7 @ 101... beat a 2004 mustang with a blower.

okay... not bad! back into the 100s mph... throw on the slicks, go out again.

did about 4 more runs, working from 25psi in the slicks down to 17psi... The damn thing couldn't hook, spun in 1st and into 2nd! Ran 13.7s, 14.1, 13.5, back to 13.7, then a 14.2... all about 100 to 101 mph. It was all over the place.

Then I took the slicks down to 15psi. I never pulled off the exhaust, so to compensate I pulled off the hood for better weight transfer. went out, spun in 1st, squak into 2nd, squak into 3rd, ran 13.7, but 103 mph! my personal fastest at this track. So the hood didn't help traction, but it let the motor breath a little and pulled a better MPH.

so after that MPH, I got excited and decided to give it another try. I took the slicks down to 12psi! (no tubes! iffy sh*t). I got my brother to stage me and help with the burnout. Completely fried the ruber (still have some on my roof!). Went out, 13.297 @ 104.4 mph!

the last owner said he'd never hit anything quicker than a 13.2 at this track... The 12.9 was run at a good track about 4 hours outside the city. So I was content and decided to call it a day.

Just when I started packing up, a buddy of mine showed up, and I decided to stay. The 13.29 was run with a little spin, so I wanted to see if I could improve my technique and get it to a 13.2 flat.

I ran the car on 3 hot laps, no stop, just clean off the slicks before staging...

13.261 @ 103.610 (quicker, but slower), then 13.211 @ 104.075 (getting better, how about one more?), 3rd times a charm! 13.139 @ 104.228! WOW!

here's the full slip:
60': 2.002
330': 5.791
1/8: 8.435
mph: 84.235
E.T.: 13.139
mph: 104.228

I decided not to tempt faith, and called a quits there. I'm pretty happy considering the last owner never ran anything quicker than 13.2... and the best I'd hoped for was a 13.6, aim'd for a 13.4.

That 60ft is terrible... it should be closer to 1.7 or 1.8sec. Next year I've got some ideas to improve traction. I'm gonna pull off the front sway bar and see if I can get some skinnies in the front. My posi is slipping, so I'm gonna get clutches replaced, and I'm gonna look into some relocation control arms.

I never once had full traction in 1st, and most times I spun the slicks going into 2nd... even at 12psi and a massive burnout. I think with better traction, I can hit 1.8 60ft, and 13 flat at this track,

maybe 12.8 at a better track.

... now I know some of you will flash the

but, I promise to throw the few pics my brother caught, and the one crappy video, on here as soon as I get it!

thanks for reading, please comment & give advise/tips!

 

[85Supreme]

Re: UPDATE Oct 5th - Another Trip to the Strip

pretty good times, considering you went faster that you expected and the previous owner ever had!
im still curious to see what it would have ran without the exhaust, i wonder if it really would have made a big difference.

get those pics and vid posted

 

[khan0165]

Re: UPDATE Oct 5th - Another Trip to the Strip

I forgot to mention...

I ended up getting stuck at the track for a few hours into the evening, cuz my friends took off with the tools while I was racing, and my hood was still off. So while I was waiting for them to come back, I decided to do a few runs to pass the time.

... I had everything packed up, except the hood. Slicks were sitting on my back seats, 80lb jack in the turnk, with a 25L jerry can. Running tires on a track at 2 deg celcius (35 deg F)... no burnout, spinning thru 1st, 2nd, and 3rd thru the 330ft... I ran my best time ever on street tires.

60': 2.358
330': 6.358
1/8th: n/a
mph: n/a
E.T: 13.744
mph: 101.921

There were only a few ricers with 17sec Civics left by this time, looking like :shock:

man I've got an awesome car! 8)


PS: DON'T run with junk in your trunk (or slicks on your back seat), cuz when you stomp on the brakes, guess what's flying at your head!

by 85Supreme on Mon Oct 04, 2010 8:48 pm

pretty good times, considering you went faster that you expected and the previous owner ever had!
im still curious to see what it would have ran without the exhaust, i wonder if it really would have made a big difference.

get those pics and vid posted

I'm curious too... considering L98 heads have very restrictive exhaust ports, even with the extensive work on mine... I think running open exhaust will really help the motor breath and free up some HP. Looking forward to trying it out next year,

Yep, gonna get those photos up asap!

 

[JBreu]

Re: UPDATE Oct 5th - Another Trip to the Strip

Impressive...Sounds like your on the right track...........What rpm are you launching at???? If you get your 60' times in the 1.8 area you will be in the highg 12's.............When I ran the 12.67 @108 mph my 60' time was a 1.84. Next year I'm getting a higher stall converetr from PTC and hopefully I'll see the low 12's. Great Job...The suspense was killin me 😀

 

[axisg]

Re: UPDATE Oct 5th - Another Trip to the Strip

wow, that's some tune the P/O helped you with to shave that much time off. I hope you at least bought a box of beer and some pizza for the guy ! 🙂

 

[khan0165]

Re: UPDATE Oct 5th - Another Trip to the Strip

wow, that's some tune the P/O helped you with to shave that much time off. I hope you at least bought a box of beer and some pizza for the guy ! 🙂

I let him take it for a drive. He drove around town, even took it to his Mom/Dads to show them their old car.
afterwards, I offered to pay for his time, but he said "Nope, don't worry about it... the drive was payment enough." Awesome.

Yeah, I think the tune really helped... but really, we didn't do much. We just adjusted the primaries to get rid of the bogg at launch, and we reset timing. I didn't have a jetting kit with me at the time, so we couldn't play with that. We worked alot on technique instead. Turns out, I was also running the car WAY too cool, the rings weren't seating and I wasn't getting full combustion... I think I gained a few ponies back with the timing, and the cool temp at the track really helped. Plus, there was also no head wind this time!

all in all, I think the little things added up to a big improvement. And I think there's a little more to be gained in some bigger secondary jets and suspension work. If I can get it to hook right out of the hole, I think I can shave down to a 1.8 60' and 13.0 ET.

while you're waiting for the new photos, here's some shots from Sep:

this is a 14sec Skylark, 12.3??? Ha ha, the tower messed up the time, but Mike went home with a really sweet time slip

this is Paul's 69, an absolute monster. He claimes it's a 400 with a cam and stock heads... yeah right. On this day he was in the middle of body work, but showed up anyways. Car runs low 12s all day on "stock" trim.

Paul's 69 decimating a semi-pro beaumont

me sideways on launch

killing tires

my brother's stock 71 with 350, and friend's stock 305 FireTurd. My brother expected 19sec, ended up running high 16s by the end of the day.

my buddy's 455 4spd Cutlass leading my brother's 71 by full car length before 60ft

more tire carnage

and more

this past weekend pics coming today!

 

[1badbu]

Re: UPDATE Oct 5th - Another Trip to the Strip

Maybe I missed it in one of your posts,but what converter are you using ?

Do you think the converter might be too high ? Or slipping a little as it's going down the track ?
I had a sprag break loose inside a TCI 3500 converter once and it caused me all kinds of problems.And a converter that's too big 10 inch compared to a 8 inch will hurt some cars.The extra weight of the fluid will actually make the cars 60 ft times slow.

Last time I was at the track with my 79' Malibu (1996) my brand new converter and trans just wouldn't work at all.It was suppose to sthal at 3500,but wouldn't sthal at all ! I had to leave at a dead idle (around 900 rpm) and with the 292 lift cam, 2500-6800 rpm range,it was like leaving in 2nd or 3rd gear in a standard.It bogged the motor till it was about 100+ ft off the starting line.I was expecting 1:50 or 1:60,60 ft times but instaed had 2:20's :x .Heck I had those type of 60 fts. with an all stock 350 with 2:29 gear.
But I still mustered an 8:60 at 84 mph in the 1/8th with the car bogging..

Just my opinion

 

[khan0165]

Re: UPDATE Oct 5th - Another Trip to the Strip

Maybe I missed it in one of your posts,but what converter are you using ?

Do you think the converter might be too high ? Or slipping a little as it's going down the track ?
I had a sprag break loose inside a TCI 3500 converter once and it caused me all kinds of problems.And a converter that's too big 10 inch compared to a 8 inch will hurt some cars.The extra weight of the fluid will actually make the cars 60 ft times slow.

it's a 3000rpm stall, not sure what size, but guessing 8inch. Right now, I can't stall it very high... to compensate for no linelock, I've dialed down the proportioning valve on the rear to take some stress off the brakes. So right now, my front brakes struggle to hold it much past 1500rpm. When I get my linelock in, I'll dial the rear brakes back up and I'm sure it'll hold until 2000rpm.
I think the converter is well matched for the motor, that's not my concern. I'm sure the cold weather and lack of traction had more to do with my terrible 60' times...

 

[mickey-d]

Re: UPDATE Oct 5th - Another Trip to the Strip

What are you running for slicks? You should not be overpowering the slicks. You also need to get down around ten pounds of air, if you have to, put tubes in them. Maybe I'm just used to my car, Its got a trans brake and big slicks. But still, you should not be overpowering the rear tires. ............mickey-d :lol:

 

[khan0165]

Re: UPDATE Oct 5th - Another Trip to the Strip

What are you running for slicks? You should not be overpowering the slicks. You also need to get down around ten pounds of air, if you have to, put tubes in them. Maybe I'm just used to my car, Its got a trans brake and big slicks. But still, you should not be overpowering the rear tires. ............mickey-d :lol:

if anything, my slicks are too big... Hoosier 27x10.5-15s... actual dimensions measure at 27.5x13-15 after inflation. I can't afford tubes, otherwise I'd even run 8psi... but 12psi was pushing it with no tubes.

They might be too tall also, last owner ran 26s to pull a good trap speed. And I've got fitment issues at 13" wide... If I buy slicks again, I'll go 27x8-15.

I've got no trans brake, I'll be hooking up the linelock soon. With my rear brakes turned up, I'm hoping to load the stall to 2000rpm before launch. Even loaded, I never launch full throttle... I feather the trottle between 1/2 and 3/4 throttle till she gets traction. When it hooks, I floor it.