What should this combination be able to run?

[fredh]

Hello all,

I've had a couple GNs years ago and am thinking about getting one of my old cars back. One of the reasons I sold it was frustration with not getting the ET & MPH that I thought I should be running. And pushing head gaskets -- twice -- on the street. So I will list the combo and please let me know where the missing link(s) are to run mid-11's or faster.
1986 GN, 100K miles, TE44, CAS V4 intercooler, 42# injectors, race timing 108 chip, C16 fuel 50/50 with 93, THDP & test pipe, CAI, locked converter -- best run was 12.2 at 113 mph with 22 lbs boost. I think it was a mid-1.8 sixty-foot on 26" street tires. Some knock detected during shifts and at the end of the quarter (scanmaster & Turbolink). This was at a southern Ohio track with a DA probably around 1000'.

I keep remembering the "old guys" of Turbo Buick community claiming to run 10's on TA49s and stock long blocks back in the late 80's. How in the world did they do it? Shouldn't this combination be able to run mid-11's? Is it as simple as running straight C16, turning the boost up to 25+ psi, and running a 28"+ tall slick? Are there better chips out there now? Or is the only way to run "car magazine" and "legendary old guy" numbers is to have a FAST system and magical dyno tuning with unconventional timing and fuel maps?

Thanks,

Fred

 

[fredh]

Maybe I should have put a different title...forgot these type of questions are annoying to the frequent users. I'll change the title to "How should I tune this combination for best ET / MPH" if someone could let me know how to edit the title.

Thanks,

Fred

 

[TT/Ameasap]

Not gonna get there without ported heads and a good tune. I ran 26-27 psi with the stock stuff and had a best of 11.34 in 2003 or so with a 49 turbo.
I got out for a couple years and when I came back, we had a technology boom in cams,turbo's, chips, and converters.
Not to mention the power logger for data logging.

 

[turbo89]

Hello all,

I've had a couple GNs years ago and am thinking about getting one of my old cars back. One of the reasons I sold it was frustration with not getting the ET & MPH that I thought I should be running. And pushing head gaskets -- twice -- on the street. So I will list the combo and please let me know where the missing link(s) are to run mid-11's or faster.
1986 GN, 100K miles, TE44, CAS V4 intercooler, 42# injectors, race timing 108 chip, C16 fuel 50/50 with 93, THDP & test pipe, CAI, locked converter -- best run was 12.2 at 113 mph with 22 lbs boost. I think it was a mid-1.8 sixty-foot on 26" street tires. Some knock detected during shifts and at the end of the quarter (scanmaster & Turbolink). This was at a southern Ohio track with a DA probably around 1000'.

I keep remembering the "old guys" of Turbo Buick community claiming to run 10's on TA49s and stock long blocks back in the late 80's. How in the world did they do it? Shouldn't this combination be able to run mid-11's? Is it as simple as running straight C16, turning the boost up to 25+ psi, and running a 28"+ tall slick? Are there better chips out there now? Or is the only way to run "car magazine" and "legendary old guy" numbers is to have a FAST system and magical dyno tuning with unconventional timing and fuel maps?

Thanks,

Fred

You have everything you need to run mid 11's .. Few things I see that can help ... Valve springs .. Fuel pump hotwired
Stop mixing 50/50 pump fuel .. .either run straight race fuel ( 108 is all you would need) or run E85 and never look back.

If you want to drive the car and run 93 .. get a Alky Control kit and run that..
update to a newer Tturbo Tweak Chip.. learn to tune

Drop some time off your 60 ft ... its killing you ET wise

you don't need to get in the motor at all to run mid 11's ..

 

[fredh]

Thanks for the replies!

Although 11's are nice to run, the combination had the mph to do it with slicks. I am really wondering whether the power developed is maxed out? 3800 lb car and driver, 113 mph in the quarter mile = 410 hp. It is about 10 hp per 1 psi of boost so if running alcohol is better at suppressing knock than race gas the manifold pressure could be increased a few psi. Maybe 430 hp for that combination of parts...which is mainly the TE44 turbo, better stock-location intercooler, and free-flowing exhaust and CAI.

How much more hp could be gained by installing a RJC front mount IC? Then if I really open the wallet up I could get aluminum GN1 heads and a roller cam. Would those three elements add 100hp? Would those additions produce a 115 mph trap speed (440 hp) in a full weight GN with 93 octane fuel? That is what I am really after.