'87 GN vs. Lightning?

87gnstock

Bigger isn't better!
Joined
May 5, 2002
Could my GN take a Lightning with the mods listed below? How much psi would I need?
 
Originally posted by 87gnstock
Could my GN take a Lightning with the mods listed below? How much psi would I need?

"Bypassed wastegate solenoid"? Yeah, I'd think you could take him. How much are you boosting - 21psi? 22psi? You'd better either put in some 104 octane or unbypass that wastegate solenoid.
 
nah i am only running 10 psi. I put adjusted it to 10 because i knew it would be alot more boost. So when i want more i will just crank the ajdustable wastegate to 16 pounds the most i would run with 93 octane.
 
I'm running low boost and pump gas....

87gnstock, you need to get an SMC alky kit ASAP if you want to run more than 16lbs on 93 octane pump gas with no detonation. It'll be the best $320 you ever spend:) :D Or if you really want to take this Lightning go spend $50 on race gas, turn up the boost to about 20-22 psi and hand him his ass!!! I don't understand why somebody buys a GN and expects it to be fast on pump gas without alky injection with low boost or without race gas. If you really want to go fast on pump fuel without alky or race gas you should have bought a mustang or camaro or some kind of V8 cause this motor is only a little 231ci V6 and it needs boost to be fast and the stock boost level won't do much unless you have a good amount of mods like a bigger turbo, FMIC, bigger cam, ported heads, etc.. Sorry for the lecture, but I don't want you to be disappointed with the GN if you lose to the Lightning and with the mods you listed running around the stock boost level there will be a good chance of you losing especially if the Lightning has a couple little mods and isn't stock! The best bang for the buck mod you can buy is race gas so you can run more boost or alky injection will also help you run more boost on pump gas. The bottom line is give the GN some boost so it can perform like it should be!!!
 
Alky Injection

I'll second that on the alky.
I got my SMC single nozzle kit from Chuck Leeper a couple of weeks ago. I used to run Sunoco 94, and sometimes a combo of Sunoco 94/Sunoco 100 unleaded, with a street chip and a ragged-edge 17psi of boost. :eek:

Now I have the race chip in it, 21psi and the alky, and it feels like a completely different car. Some transitional KR but once the alky kicks in it's goodbye KR. Frikkin thing pulls like a freight train. :cool: Radial tires are completely useless now. :D

I wish I had bought the alky kit when I bought the car. Best bang for the buck and no need for $$$ race gas. :)

Steve
 
Some advice

Yeah, you probably could, but don't. Not until you get into the high 12's just to be sure, I don't want to read some dweeb's post over on the SVT website about how he beat you. I'm almost ready to go Lightning hunting myself, but not quite yet. - BB:)
 
YES, racegas and avgas will make your o2 sensor go bad....due to the lead in those gases.....most people use the ras gas at the track , i for instance have run approximately 20 gallons of racefuel in the last year and my 02 sensor is still ok. now as far as running more than 16 psi on pump gas, there are several chips out there that allow for up to 20 psi on pump gas with no knock, its all about low low timing....i run 19-20 psi all the time on the street with 0-2 degrees knock....93 octane gas....i use jim testa's chips....customized to my car...
and yes if you want to make real power....you need alky/race gas to get the best performance possible.

dan
 
Originally posted by 86brick
I don't understand why somebody buys a GN and expects it to be fast on pump gas without alky injection with low boost or without race gas.

I can tell you why. Because race fuel is expensive. My car spends more time on the street than it does at the track. I would much rather pay $1.35/gal. for 93 octane than $3.50/gal for Sunoco 100.

Now if I go to the strip, turn up the boost, put on slicks, etc... and run well into the 12s, that's one thing. But on street tires, 93 octane and 14-16psi of boost I cna only get high 13s. On the street, those 12-second ETs mean nothing.


Originally posted by 87gnstock
doesn't race gas or (avgas) where i live kill your o2 sensors?

I think you can get unleaded race gas as high as 108 octane. There's a station where I live that sells 100 octane unleaded.
 
Originally posted by 87gnstock
Could my GN take a Lightning with the mods listed below? How much psi would I need?

I don't know about you, but I could take him with your mods. probably around 16 psi would be enough.
 
I agree with lyonsd, about the pump gas thing. The low 12s numbers at the track mean nothing when you get beat by an LS1 or something on the street, because you were running low boost on 93 octane. You can tune a car to run well on pump gas. And with the right mods you can run a high 12 in street trim, which is more than enough, for most cars on the street. And these cars can be fast on pump gas, you just have to tune them right. Alky is a great option that everybody should look into, but if your modded GN can't take a stock or lightly modded lighting in full street trim, then something is definately wrong, and you need to get it right on 93 octane before you dump in the good stuff.
 
Originally posted by 87gnstock
Could my GN take a Lightning with the mods listed below? How much psi would I need?

That will be a drivers race. I ran one at the track. He had exhaust, filter, maybe a pulley. He seemed somewhat "quiet" about mods so he may be rather strong compared to other lightnings.?? I beat him only because he was asleep at the wheel (my .589 to his .906). He was chasing me down, but I won by .027 ! in the 1/8. He would have killed me in the 1/4. My car looks to be similar to yours. Don't expect a miracle unless you do some tricks to get the boost up. Alky here I come!!
 
your mods+ race gas/alchy and 16+lbs of boost and TRACTION


you hook, and you get him.
 
Try to prepare for a worse case scenario when racing someone

Stack the odds in your favor. Don't race him unless you have race gas, xylene or alky. Also some drag radials or soft compound recaps. Even after you get your fuel and tires in order I would do a test and tune at the track before running him. I assume you have access to a scan tool.
 
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