I ran my GN tonight at englishtown.. looks like i'll be doing some work this winter

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pvtpilot

2LT USAF
Joined
Oct 16, 2002
well I picked up my car about a month ago and have been itching to run it so I finally got it down to englishtown tonght. This was my first time out racing anything on the track (it shows in my r/t). I got to take 2 runs tonight at englishtown and heres how they turned out:
1 2
r/t 1.235 1.235
60 2.389 2.160
330 6.362 6.034
1/8 9.729 9.363
mph 71.86 72.50
1000 12.688 12.314
1/4 15.185 14.807
mph 90.22 90.48

I guess they were okay for a mostly stock 87GN w/170,000+ weighing in w/me at 3746 lbs. Seems to flatten out in the big end though. I'll be installing my hooker exhaust tomorrow but won't be able to run again to next season. :( I plan on a rebuild over the winter so we'll see what I can come up with next season. ;) Time to put some kick back into my engine only looking for low low 12s though. Any comments?
 
P.S. get yourself some decent rear tires. You're loosing an easy .3 tenths of a second just in your 60' times.
 
Flattening out on the big end is likely valvesprings and/or exhaust backpressure. It shouldn't take too much to wake the car up.
 
You have zero top end for sure. Get some good gas and race chip and you will gain a lot on top end. With very basic tuneup and mods you should be able to get 10 more mph easy, and high 13's
 
What have you done to the car so far? Any mods done before you bought it?

Stay out of the block unless it NEEDS a rebuild, esp with such an easily attainable ET goal!!! Here is what I'm recommending:

Spring Cleaning from www.gnttype.org

New timing chain & valve springs, these will help that engine live for another 170K & will really wake up the car's top end power

Fuel pump (walbro 340), adj fuel pressure regualtor, fuel pump hot wire kit AND a fuel pressure gauge that you can see while driving.

Scan Tool, this will help with keeping the car in prime tune and save a bunch of money in broken parts!!! Check out www.turbo-link.com for a good comparison of the available systems.

With the above items you should be able to run solid mid 13's in "pure" street trim. Then check out the performance recipes at gnttype.org (I like Chuck Strader's "Staged" Recipe) for the low down on what it'll take to reach that low 12 goal. :)

Doug C.
 
The car is stock except a K&n airfilter and solid MAF tube. I will be putting in a hooker exhuast system today and removing the cat. a little more about my runs: When I launched on the first run i started at idle and punched it. The second run I left just below where I start making boost and it chirped and hopped about 5 times then went. It doesn't seem like I have anymore left to get out of the hole any quicker. I was just thinking about a rebuild becuase of the 170k miles on the car. I not thinking about going crazy more or less: .10 over new pistons bearings valve springs cam lifters and anything else that I find wrong inside. Basically just to freshen up the engine. That along with the typical outside of the engine mods like fuel pump hotwire etc. I do want to run low 12s in street trim (on drag radials) and want to have the potential ready if/when I want to hit the 11s.;)
 
Do a compression or leakdown test on the motor. Chances are, you won't need to open it up. As already mentioned, if you do ANYTHING to the motor at least do valve springs and timing chain.

Come on up to Englishtown tomorrow for the Buick vs. Mustang shootout!

-Banning.
 
Definately rebuild it.With that kind of mileage,all sorts of internal parts could be on the edge of failing.Bearings,head gaskets,cam,etc.
You don't want to find out a bearing was marginal after it eats the crank.
Build a fast engine from the inside out,not the outside in.
You can upgrade the oiling system,do some head work,put your good pistons in it,etc.
I found out the hard way.
Don't be a dummy like me.:D
I was running Mobil 1 when my first engine let go[timing chain at 5,000+ rpm:eek: ]
It is a performance engine and hasn't led the pedesterian life of a carbed V-6.
 
Just figured I'd give you an update... took off the cat and threw on a hooker exhaust system tonight. Sounds pretty good but seemed to open up a new world of issues. (I only did exhaust first because of a big exhaust leak) It seemed to free up a lot more boost which threw in a lot more knock then before. Definately time to spend the money for a scanmaster so I can keep an eye on everything and time to re-tune and do the whole fuel delivery routine. Over all, two thumbs up for the Hooker exhaust system (I won't be able to run it before next season to get a comparison before I work other aspects of the car but it definately freed up some potential :D ) Thanks for the input. I'm going to run a compression test when I do the plugs and wire but I may still rebuild to give my engine a fresh set of bearings etc. (espcially valve springs!!) If you have any other suggestions keep em coming I'll stay tuned.
 
Walbro 340 fuel pump, hotwire, new fuel filter, and adjustable FP regulator should be among the first things you do! If your seeing knock now, it will only get worse without adequate fuel supply!

A set of slicks or drag radials should also be in your plans. You can't fine tune your combo if you can't launch consistantly.

Good luck, and most importantly, have fun;)
 
Well, here's some consolation. My 1/8 mile times with the cat. converter, 160,000 miles were:
~9.2 ET
~75 MPH
Removed the cat:
~8.8 ET
~79 MPH
Stock boost with RA93 chip.
Good luck.
 
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