Overwhelmed....

D

D&Gbuick

These cars did'nt seem this complicated 30yrs ago
Joined
Mar 10, 2014
Any input, suggestions or advice appreciated!

Proud owner of an 87GN for about the last 6yrs. All stock car to this point, had a ton of fun just enjoying the stock ride. Trans began giving issues, so I decided on a rebuild.. Now looking at a stall, and some more mods to make it MORE fun to drive. This car will rarely see track time, but I'm looking at injectors, fuel upgrades to accommodate.. Turbo, and chip to fit all the above? All the turbo #s give me headaches.. Lol. Ta44,. 49, 6565, s trim, I'm stressing out! And injectors??? #36, #42.. Low impedance, high..Etc! Like I said.. I have read a ton of threads, and had a ton of ideas. All this info is incredible, but I need some direction. I would love to break the 12sec mark.. Just for fun, but I don't want to stop cruising to work on sunny days even my wife enjoys driving the car. Help!
 
I have an old Red's XP pump and chip, TA 49 turbo, 009(42 lb) injectors, rebuilt trans w/2800 stall converter, and some old BFG drag radials. W/a 1.8 sixty foot time, I've clocked mid twelves@108 mph. Still drives like stock but alot more fun ! Hope this helps. All this is 20 yr old tech now. Original MAF by the way.
 
Thanks a lot. I know the best of both worlds may be hard to come by.. (steetable, and better performance) but I'm hoping. All info is appreciated!
 
I will make this process VERY simple for you:
1-You have to do spring cleaning, I don't have the link. Consider a new fuel pump (DW or Walbro), MAF Translator and MAF.
2-Consider if you want alky or race gas or E85
3-Contact Turbo Tweak-for chip & (minimum) 60lb injectors
4-Contact Dave Husek at TurboBuick Performance for your tranny and convertor needs
5-Contact Bison if you need or want a turbo. He will guide you.
6-Slap on a set of drag radials or slicks
Low/Sub 12's. Done.
 
Thanks . I saved the spring cleaning sticky.. In the process of that now. I will be contacting Bison regarding a turbo. Thanks for the info.
 
Do the spring cleaning. You said all stock so here's my 2 cents:

Scanmaster, boost gauge, fuel pressure gauge and wideband o2 sensor. You need to know what the car is doing before you start modifying it blind or you'll blow shit up. ~$400 for it all.

Upgraded fuel pump and Hotwire kit. Run a new ground wire from the pump to the battery when you install the Hotwire kit. Walbro 340 or DW301, either is cheap enough and works with stock lines. Replace all the rubber sections of fuel line while you're at it. Around $200 for everything.

Get some 4 gauge ground wires with terminals from Walmart, about $2 a piece. Add extra grounds- engine to chassis, battery to chassis, etc. You want the electrical system to work as good as possible. Total cost about $6.

Turbotweak 5.7 chip (~$120) and 60 or 80 lb injectors if you need them, especially if you have e85 available. Use it.

Standard MAF translator and LS1 MAF. The car will drive better and you'll get a more accurate airflow reading. About $250 for both.

RJC boost valve to adjust boost. ~$30

All in that's around $1000-$1500 depending on what you do. This will make for a good running car that can probably run 12's and be a blast cruising on the street. A bigger turbo without any supporting mods will most likely make the car slower and less enjoyable.
 
Def wouldn't consider bigger turbo without mods to support. Thanks for the info!
 
I would go with Bosch 42# injectors, 3 in. down pipe with a free flowing exhaust system, TT 5.7 chip, upgraded fuel pump with hotwire. A lot of people would recommend 60# injectors but if you are staying with stock heads the 60's are too big and affect drivability a little bit. Been there done that. The 42's are more responsive. If your going to go ported heads then 60's is the way to go. I would do these mods first and see how you like it. Hold off on a bigger turbo until you start doing more mods.
 
I am not disrespecting or detracting from your experience, but I believe that you are an anomaly. My first hand experience, I don't have any MAJOR engine mods and I am out of 36 lb blue top injector at around 16 PSI. Most people on this board regret going with a smaller injector because the need for speed bug hits and they have to upgrade. According to TurboTweak website the 60's have "Very good street manners, almost like stock".
 
Progressive alky injection, cheap boost controller, power plate,60lb injectors, tt adjustable chip and powerlogger to tune it. Stock maf is fine.

Low 12's, possibly high 11's on sticky tires and a lot of fun on the street.
 
WE4REAL said:
I have an old Red's XP pump and chip, TA 49 turbo, 009(42 lb) injectors, rebuilt trans w/2800 stall converter, and some old BFG drag radials. W/a 1.8 sixty foot time, I've clocked mid twelves@108 mph. Still drives like stock but alot more fun ! Hope this helps. All this is 20 yr old tech now. Original MAF by the way.
Click to expand...
 
I have an old Red's XP pump and chip, TA 49 turbo, 009(42 lb) injectors, rebuilt trans w/2800 stall converter, and some old BFG drag radials. W/a 1.8 sixty foot time, I've clocked mid twelves@108 mph. Still drives like stock but alot more fun ! Hope this helps. All this is 20 yr old tech now. Original MAF by the way.
Click to expand...

Great build and works good. Disadvantage is that you will have to run race gas at the track with the Red's chip most likely. Have to switch chip to run pump gas back on street. Alky or e85, you can be set to kill all the time with one tune.
 
D&Gbuick said:
would love to break the 12sec mark..
Click to expand...
This is so easy with these cars.octane in the form of any fuel greater than 93,solid fuel pressure,20 psi on the stock stuff.drag radials scan master with mv in the 780/800 range depending on fuel and even with low timing with a decent hook the car should run 12s.since you have the trans done even less worries
 
Mr.Spool said:
No your not.my friends car went 11.09 at 119mph on that same injector.
Click to expand...
36s have been in the 11s around here. They were one of Grumpys favs. I ran them to mid 12s no problem.
 
36's, 42's,50's, 60's.... Doesn't really make that big a difference for what your wanting to do. Haven't priced them in awhile but whatever should work. Get the 60's if the price is similar otherwise save a buck if you want. Chip will be programmed for whatever injector you decide and TT can make them all street good. 50's on my car and it's more injector than it will ever need and drives good. Alky injection will also add some fueling so the stock injectors can take you a long way. Figure your wanting to change them though since they are 30 years old.

Now if e85, probably go with 80's.
 
Your first issue is transmission,mine first issue was transmission too.so your overwhelmed consider NL over LU.
Lonnie Diers at Extreme Automatics’s did my trans and converter, he just dose transmission and has converter built for him.
I ran a 2800 LU for a long time street driving with almost all stock setup.I got the bug and started racing mine a lot.Lonnie recamended NL right off even though I wasn’t going to race it much.
Just switched to EA spec.NL from Lonnie and it drives really good,wish I had done that when I got my first transmission and converter like he recommended.
It’s a 2800 NL behind a car tuned for 11.5 ET,held back by just turbo a chip.I think turbo and chip will go low 11 high 10.
I live where I’m never on the highway and slowing down and speeding up all the time,I become annoyed with converter locking and unlocking at 45 mph 40 times in a 50 mile trip.
I started with a 5.7 TT chip, 42’s ,scanmaster,fuel pump and Hotwire,that chip was reburned 3 times as I added more bolt ones.Im sure I have been no help.We want to help so you do it one and get it right the first time, I sure didn’t.
A good stage 1 transmission and 2800 LU will take stock to the high 11’s.Stage 2 transmission and 9.5 2800 will take you stock to mid 10’s.
My new saying shoot for 11’s build for 10’s
My wife and adopted daughter drive It from time to time,wife needs no supervision.daughter needs to be watched.
Is E85 a option for you?
 
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