How much does cold weather help?

[talstar]

Just wondering at what temp. does it stop being any help for you?

 

[salvageV6]

Right when my atoms stop moving.


Almost that cold up here now.

 

[TR Custom Parts]

Drove my GN to the new house on Saturday and it was so cold the Scanmaster couldn't even register the temperature! It was reading around 18 degrees and then it just had dashes for a reading. The butt dyno sure seemed like it had a lot more horsepower at that air temp but then I haven't driven it in a couple of months.

 

[d0n_3d]

back when i used to drive my GN in the winter...i remember it being INSANELY powerful with the stock turbo when the air temp was like 0 degrees...seemed like the colder it got the more power i could make...then it warmed up to 60 degrees a month later and it felt like a dog

 

[Terbro]

My butt dyno shows a variation of 50 hp between an 90 deg. day and 40. Hmmm....that would be ~ 1 hp/deg. The problem is now that my Nitto DR's do NOT like cold weather. They tighen up and the chilly road surface...she don't help. So lots more hp and lots less traction...ce ne pas bon.

SalvageV6 - are you talkin' 0 deg. Kelvin...absolute zero? Otherwise known as super turbo ultra mother butt f'n chilly.

Terry

 

[bishir]

I ran my car pure stock with street tires at the local 1/8 mile track with the temps somewhere in the 80s.... It ran a best of 8.9@78mph.


A week later the temps were in the lower 50s and it ran a 8.69@81 mph with lots of traction problems at the exact same track. Elevation: about 5 feet.

Yes, I feel temerature has a lot to do with it!

James

 

[BoostKillsStres]

Think I've read its something like 1% for every 10 degrees but it feels like more than that.

 

[Terbro]

Originally posted by BoostKillsStres
Think I've read its something like 1% for every 10 degrees but it feels like more than that.

That sounds about right for non-intercooled cars. For ours, I'd guestimate 3%.

T

 

[Not Avg 6]

Drove mine a couple of weeks ago. Outside temperture was 25 degrees. Adjusted my waste gate rod all the way out and still had 22 lbs. of boost. Traction was hard to get, luckily I still had some race gas in the tank from the summer.

 

[BlackBeauty]

I dislike the cold weather. My motor is knockin' more than ever. I can't get it tuned again ever since this damn cold.

 

[strikeeagle]

If you must drive your car in the dead of winter, best not to beat on it. There are plenty of stories (and a trail of popped head gaskets) to support the fact that it doesn't like the cold any more than you do...

 

[Turbojorge]

I can't tune my car either for this weather (50-55*). I won't even bother since I know chances are it will be hot again in a couple days.

 

[V8KILLR]

I like mid to high 40s!!!! If it is colder, yes I get more power, but can't hook for $hit. If it is hotter, then I start losing power.

Jason

 

[Turbo Dog]

I ordered the Buick video tape from the GSCA. There is a review on the GN, done by Car and Driver, I think. Anyway, they said the 1987 GN was faster than the corvette, but only for 6 months when the weather is cold. They didn't actually say at what temp the GN surpassed the vette.

 

[Pitbozz]

I haven't g-teched my GN enough to notice any performance difference, but when I had my 98 Z28, it went from 13.80's to 13.40's when the temp went from 90's to 40's.

 

[TType84]

Originally posted by Turbo Dog
I ordered the Buick video tape from the GSCA. There is a review on the GN, done by Car and Driver, I think. Anyway, they said the 1987 GN was faster than the corvette, but only for 6 months when the weather is cold. They didn't actually say at what temp the GN surpassed the vette.

haha im not seeing that.

 

[Swt_86]

They LOVE it!

I have a lot of experience with these cars and cold weather. It has been my experience that these cars absolutely LOVE cold weather. The colder the better down to about -15 F. Colder than than you don't seem to gain much and traction is such an issue all bets are off. Other than a weird up-and-down idle when warming up, there are no issues driving these cars in the cold (stock.)

 

[d0n_3d]

Originally posted by Turbo Dog
I ordered the Buick video tape from the GSCA. There is a review on the GN, done by Car and Driver, I think. Anyway, they said the 1987 GN was faster than the corvette, but only for 6 months when the weather is cold. They didn't actually say at what temp the GN surpassed the vette.

heh? the GN was quicker than the 87 vette in ALL temperatures!

 

[Turbo Dog]

Originally posted by d0n_3d
heh? the GN was quicker than the 87 vette in ALL temperatures!

Nope! Sorry! Here's what they said (taken from MotorWeek): At 85 degrees, GN went 15 seconds in the 1/4 at 90 mph. The 0-60 time was 7 seconds. But at 32 degrees, the GN covered the 1/4 mile in 14.2 seconds at 95 mph, and 0-60 in 5.4 seconds. This made it the fastest production car in the USA, but only for northern climates and only for half a year (when its cold out). I know these numbers don't compare with what people on this board are accomplishing, but that's what they said. Motor Week also pointed out that they put a 1985 Vette through the 1/4 mile in 13.9 seconds on a 70 degree day.