Just Picked up an 87 GN..first problem

[Vader GN]

I finally got my dream car from when I was a h.s. senior back in 1987-88..an 87 GN! I remeber a few lucky kids who got theirs that year and I'll never forget my first ride in one. Anyway after 18 years and a slew of f-bodies, here I am.

I'm going to be picking all your brains to figure out which mods will get me in the high 12's. Its basically stock except for a TA-49 turbo upgrade and a built trans with Art Carr tq converter.

After I brought it home today, I discovered my first problem. I locked the drivers door with the power lock switched and closed it. Later when I used the key to unlock it, the lock knob went up, but the door wont open. It feels like something is disconnected or the lock isnt fully releasing. The lock cylinder itself turns fine. Any ideas?

Thanks in advance

 

[FastRegalWE2]

the rod that connects them may have fallen out, take off the door panel and get a flashlight and look and make sure all the rods are still connected

 

[TurboBuckeye]

You may already own a high 12 second street car.

 

[kh440]

sounds like either a rod has come loose or one of the plasttic retainers for said rods have broken. if the knob itself went up pay particular attention to the connection at the latch.

 

[Tom Tom Turbo]

look at my sig. with 18# of boost that combo is running 12.68

get some alky and you'll be there no problem. Traction will be your downfall

 

[2QUIK6]

My driver side lock does the same thing sometimes....inside lock goes up, but not quite enough to unlock...usually a few more turns of the key locking and unlocking it finally gets it loose....or go to the passenger side...once its lifted up all the way, it works fine for a few more cycles...I think its a plastic retainer clip on the lock rod is loose...just haven't taken the door apart to find out since I rarely drive the car its not a big deal.

Congrats on the getting the car...I too admired these in HS back in 86-87....but no kids in my class had any new...seems like all the kids that their parents could afford them were into BMWs, Audi, and Porsche back then. I got mine back in '91 and will never part with it.

You should be well into the 12's with that turbo. I'd get a free flowing DP and alky and low 12's should be easy with the proper tuning.....with that said, learning to tune these cars is very important so you don't toast the motor. Get a Scan tool before making any WOT blasts, Scan Master if you don't have a laptop...if you do, then Direct Scan or Turbo Link. I like DS because of the 18 f/sec update rate....TL is only about 1 frame per 1.3 seconds... Also get a Knock gauge that is easily visiable while driving.

 

[Vader GN]

Originally posted by 2QUIK6
My driver side lock does the same thing sometimes....inside lock goes up, but not quite enough to unlock...usually a few more turns of the key locking and unlocking it finally gets it loose....or go to the passenger side...once its lifted up all the way, it works fine for a few more cycles...I think its a plastic retainer clip on the lock rod is loose...just haven't taken the door apart to find out since I rarely drive the car its not a big deal.

Congrats on the getting the car...I too admired these in HS back in 86-87....but no kids in my class had any new...seems like all the kids that their parents could afford them were into BMWs, Audi, and Porsche back then. I got mine back in '91 and will never part with it.

You should be well into the 12's with that turbo. I'd get a free flowing DP and alky and low 12's should be easy with the proper tuning.....with that said, learning to tune these cars is very important so you don't toast the motor. Get a Scan tool before making any WOT blasts, Scan Master if you don't have a laptop...if you do, then Direct Scan or Turbo Link. I like DS because of the 18 f/sec update rate....TL is only about 1 frame per 1.3 seconds... Also get a Knock gauge that is easily visiable while driving.

Wow, thanks for all the confidence guys! Do I have more boost than stock just by virtue of having a bigger turbo? Or do I need an adj. wastegate or chip to benefit from it? I'm assuming I should use bigger injectors and an adj. regulator too. Is the stock fuel pump adequate?

As far as the d/s door goes, no matter how much I pull up on the lock knob, turn the key, or ram my shoulder against the door, it wont open! How can I take the panel off if I cant open the door? I'm start to feel like Bo Duke!

 

[Tom Tom Turbo]

stock fuel pump and injectors are not adequate at all!!!! Get a Red's XP or Racetronix 340 fuel pump and 50# injectors, then have Turbo Tweak burn you a chip, install adjustable wastegate, mount up some slicks.....and hold on while you run the 1/4 in the low 12's

 

[2QUIK6]

Yes, upgrade the fp and injectors before running much more boost than stock...in fact I would not even go WOT if you are not sure what pump is in the tank.

As far as the door....it will not even open from the inside?
Is it that its locked and will not unlock.....or the door handle from inside and outside will not release the catch to pull the door open?
May have to get a locksmith to come and at least open the door, they have all kinds of shims (slim jims) to open it from beside the glass.....that is if you can't see down in there with the window down and find something to latch onto the rod and unlock it or open it from there.

As far as the the adj. WG, is the rod going to the DP puck adj now? (Hard to beleive someone put on a bigger turbo without an adj rod) Making the rod shorter will increase boost, but without a scan tool and/or knock guage you're asking for trouble.
With 93 pump gas, the most boost it will tolerate is about 16# with stock IC.

 

[Vader GN]

Originally posted by 2QUIK6
Yes, upgrade the fp and injectors before running much more boost than stock...in fact I would not even go WOT if you are not sure what pump is in the tank.

As far as the door....it will not even open from the inside?
Is it that its locked and will not unlock.....or the door handle from inside and outside will not release the catch to pull the door open?
May have to get a locksmith to come and at least open the door, they have all kinds of shims (slim jims) to open it from beside the glass.....that is if you can't see down in there with the window down and find something to latch onto the rod and unlock it or open it from there.

As far as the the adj. WG, is the rod going to the DP puck adj now? (Hard to beleive someone put on a bigger turbo without an adj rod) Making the rod shorter will increase boost, but without a scan tool and/or knock guage you're asking for trouble.
With 93 pump gas, the most boost it will tolerate is about 16# with stock IC.

OK, so just by having a bigger turbo, I'm putting out more boost? I'm definitely doing the pump/injectors when funds become available. Right now it has the stock pump in the tank. I wont be driving it for a while anyway, until I sell a 97 Formula I have now.

I dont really know what to look for as far as the WG being adjustable. I'm assuming its stock because the seller said everything was.

The door wont open from the inside or out. I cant tell if its because the lock isnt releasing or that the handle just isnt working. The handle seemed to be working fine befroe we locked it. The lock knob goes up when I turn the key or hit the button, but thats as much as I know. Man I was hoping I wouldnt need a locksmith.

 

[2QUIK6]

Originally posted by Vader GN
OK, so just by having a bigger turbo, I'm putting out more boost?

The door wont open from the inside or out.

A bigger turbo at the same boost levels will put out more air because it should be a cooler charge due to the more efficient/bigger turbo.
So not necessarily more psi, but a cooler charge which means more air/oxygen which means more hp if the fuel mix is correct and not knocking.
Look at the WG rod that is just below the turbo (it connects from the actuator to the puck swing arm in the DP. Does it have a threaded long nut on it so that it can be removed from the WG puck arm and screwed in or out??
If its a solid rod with no threaded nuts on it, then it is stock.

As far as the door, if you have some thin strips of metal, you make be able to poke around in the door with the window down and flip the lock mechanism or try to release the door latch by pushing / pulling on the rod in various directions...should be a simple up or down movement to release it. Otherwise there is no way to get the door panel off with the door closed.

 

[Vader GN]

Originally posted by 2QUIK6
A bigger turbo at the same boost levels will put out more air because it should be a cooler charge due to the more efficient/bigger turbo.
So not necessarily more psi, but a cooler charge which means more air/oxygen which means more hp if the fuel mix is correct and not knocking.
Look at the WG rod that is just below the turbo (it connects from the actuator to the puck swing arm in the DP. Does it have a threaded long nut on it so that it can be removed from the WG puck arm and screwed in or out??
If its a solid rod with no threaded nuts on it, then it is stock.

As far as the door, if you have some thin strips of metal, you make be able to poke around in the door with the window down and flip the lock mechanism or try to release the door latch by pushing / pulling on the rod in various directions...should be a simple up or down movement to release it. Otherwise there is no way to get the door panel off with the door closed.

Thanks Rob, I'll try that.