New Worst Times!

[turbojimmy]

In my frustrating downward sprial of performance I ran my worst MPH since 2004. It seems the more I spend on performance and/or repairs the slower the car gets.

My best ET and MPH was the same day at the end of October last year:
11.363 @ 115.44 (7.18 @ 95.05 1/8th)
11.372 @ 117.47 (7.24 @ 96.07 1/8th)

Was running about 24 PSI and a 110 Octane Turbo Tweak chip. This year I got a FMIC, new transmission (old one broke) and a Vigilante lockup TC. First time out with the new combo (in September) wasn't bad but not great either. Best times that day were:
11.683 @ 116.77 (7.43 @ 92.34 1/8th)
11.884 @ 116.15 (7.65 @ 92.26 1/8th)

I was running the same chip and the same boost, but my 1/8th mile is off 3-4 MPH. But it was hot out and my best times were run in the cool October air. The good news is that I picked up lots of MPH between the 1/8th and 1/4 versus last year.

So today I head to the track. It's nice and cool, great weather. I invested in a 114 Octane Turbo Tweak chip and left everything else the same. Here are the only 2 runs I got:
12.04 @ 112.84 (7.72 @ 90.92 1/8th)
11.68 @ 112.30 (7.35 @ 91.25 1/8th)

On the first run I had turned the timing and boost back a little because I was unfamiliar with the chip. On the second run I put the timing back to 27/26 (chip settings) and turned the boost back up to 23-24 PSI. So the car gets slower every time I go out. I guess I need to stop driving it before it becomes a 14-second car again.

I guess the good news is that I ran my best 60' time - 1.53 and it felt GOOD.

I don't have any DS recordings. I really just wanted to whine.

Jim

 

[turbot2496]

I don't have any DS recordings. I really just wanted to whine

You need some logs man.... so you can see wtf is going on:tongue:

 

[darkred87T]

He didn't record any of his runs because I had his Direct Scan recording my own runs. I offered to give it up though.

We should go out there one more time before the season is out Jim. Record some runs with the DS and so you can get it ironed out before next season.

 

[turbojimmy]

We should go out there one more time before the season is out Jim. Record some runs with the DS and so you can get it ironed out before next season.

No way - I'm done with Sundays. Run once, stand there for an hour-and-a-half, run again. Lather, rinse, repeat. No thanks. I'll wait 'til next year and go on the secret non-crowded day

I forgot to mention that my torque converter is not locking any more. It's only a couple of months old, as is the transmission. I need to figure out what's happened there. I figure the lock-up is good for about 3 MPH, which would still put me a couple of MPH under my best.

I also had no knock whatsoever and EGTs of very low 1600s (1610 was the peak). I think I can get away with more boost.

Jim

 

[turbot2496]

That had the secret non-crowded day friday night at Tulsa. Nobody was there and a friend was able to run back to back all night log. Track only got oiled once. He could have gotten 20 runs in if he'd wanted them. A nice 50 degree night and his car was running good.

 

[turbojimmy]

That had the secret non-crowded day friday night at Tulsa. Nobody was there and a friend was able to run back to back all night log. Track only got oiled once. He could have gotten 20 runs in if he'd wanted them. A nice 50 degree night and his car was running good.

We were talking to a kid tonight who got 12 runs in back-to-back. He got there at 8PM and the track closes at 10PM. That's the kind of test-n-tune I need.

Jim

 

[darkred87T]

I got nine in last time I was there from 7PM-9PM. I just went round n' round.

 

[turbojimmy]

Okay - the bright side is that one thing I did works. I put 50/50 shocks on the back and that helped with the 60' time. Even though the 60' on my first run was only a 1.75, it launched hard enough to wrinkle up the radials before it spun. Plus the wheel well lip was digging into the rear tires over every bump. They don't do that anymore - might have something to do with the 1987 date stamp that was on the shocks I took off the car.

The other thing I noticed is that my chip says "25+ PSI". I was only 22-23 PSI. I'm thinking maybe I didn't have enough boost to match the fuel map of the chip? Dunno, didn't have enough time because the track was jammed.

I'll have to try again in the spring!

Jim