My Buick is slow. Need to know why.

[BMR]

Here is a Christmas eve update. I sourced an unopened BRF D5 back during the summer and finally put it in today. Nice 70° day here in Alabama. Anyway, after the last outing, I found the clutches to be shot in the limited slip. It's no surprise really, it had countless mid-low 10 second passes on it when it was in my Malibu. Anyway, it seems better with the real D5. I can tell a difference in the part throttle gear changes. It stalls up much better now as well.

 

[Turbo6Smackdown]

Put that stock converter on the shelf for a "back to stock car show" event 30 years from now, and get a good modern converter that bison suggests for your set up, and either rebuild that stock rear or get a more modern unit and see what happens. I'm still not convinced that car won't blow your socks off if properly set up. Yea I know our cars are money pits, but when they're finally done they're just awesome. There's nothing like 'em man.

 

[BMR]

Bison said a stock unopened D5. I'm not putting a loose race converter in it, because that's not what I'm after. Besides that, Bison said a real D5 will run low 11s in a properly setup car. This is not a race car, and I didn't buy it to be one. If I want to do 80 mph rolling burnouts I will get in the Malibu. The Buick is not going to blow my socks off without a ton of money being spent on it. The Malibu is a low 9 second 150mph street car. I just want the Buick to run like it was meant to.

 

[Turbo6Smackdown]

Oh I know it wasn't set up to be a race car but was just giving advice to allow it to at least utilize it's full potential of what's already there. If Bison says that stock D5 will run it then it will run it. But other than that, you're about at your limit with a stock intercooler. If all the numbers check out as far as operating temps, AFR, compression, fuel pressure, boost and short/long term fuel trims, then you're good to go. You may be all done

 

[1986 Buick GX1]

The PTC 2800 stall acts almost like a stock converter, but spools the TE44 really quick.

 

[BMR]

I think too many cars have had reman Mcss and the like D5 converters. My other D5 was a reman, and would do the normal 21-2200@0". This one does the same, but it multiplies the torque different. I have a caprice dual 12" booster, and with the other converter I could not get past 0" before it would spin the street tires. Last night I saw 10psi on the foot brake, on the stock turbo. Remember this is vaccum assist brakes. Not a hydro or power monster. 0" and smack the throttle and it just kills the street tires. This thing finally runs like it should. I will be sticking the TE44 back on soon and I'm expecting good results from it as well. So there it is. Everyone with a car with "lackluster performance" as bison so elegantly put it, that has a reman D5 may want to take a hard look at the torque converter first.

 

[1986 Buick GX1]

Im glad its running better and thank you for posting results.
I'm the original owner, and with my stock D5 couldn't launch with more the 2 psi at the track on 295/50-15 Hoosier quick times without roasting them off the line even after a good warm up.
I have stock brakes w/ Monte SS vac brake set up and SSB rear disc kit and it doesn't help w/ ATR performance springs and HUGE sway bars for the autocross.