Anyone else getting whomped lately?

[JustABuick]

So my car has been running since September of 2014, but it has come a long way in a short amount of time. It's my first turbo Buick, so I've been going slow, trying to learn as much as I can before I beat on it like a rented mule. It ran okay last fall, I put it away for the winter, and brought it out this spring at our local track for the opening day of T&T. On the stock trans and converter, I had a best of 13.2 @108, having the unfortunate luck of lining up next to dragsters and GT500s along the way. Needless to say, the stock trans went out, so after an EA Stage 2 and 3500 converter, I was able to shave that down to a 12.3@108 at the GS Nats this year. Out of the dozen or so 1/4 mile passes, I've probably won 3, 1 of which was a stock Silverado.... On the street, I haven't been able to get any tuners to bite, which is surprising. My only street "race" was a stoplight to stoplight victory against a Marauder, but I think he was just going along with it for fun.

At 7:30 in is my best pass to date (far lane in the blue T) and I am very pleased with the car overall, just surprised as to how many times I've had the smackvdown laid to me.

Kelly

 

[Pronto]

Put the alky back on, slowly turn up the boost while tuning. You should be able to run low 11s with what you got. You won't be beat as often then...

 

[bison]

A mid to low 12 sec car on a drag strip is likely low 13's on the street. Heads, cam, Intercooler, turbo, open exhaust, alky injection and the car will have 10 sec potential and will be capable of low 11's on the street. That's about 2 seconds and 15-20mph faster than the current combo if dialed in by someone familiar with these cars. You can't bring a knife to a gun fight. Many newer cars will run faster than your best drag strip times 100% stock.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[JustABuick]

I've thought about that, but I've also been researching the E85 switch. I already have new 80#s. Decisions, decisions....

 

[JustABuick]

A mid to low 12 sec car on a drag strip is likely low 13's on the street. Heads, cam, Intercooler, turbo, open exhaust, alky injection and the car will have 10 sec potential and will be capable of low 11's on the street. That's about 2 seconds and 15-20mph faster than the current combo if dialed in by someone familiar with these cars. You can't bring a knife to a gun fight. Many newer cars will run faster than your best drag strip times 100% stock.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I'd love to get new heads and internals for it, but I can't justify spending that right now. Further down the line when the engine goes, I probably will. But I didn't buy the car to be a dedicated race car, just a fun street car. I'd love to have a tune for it from somebody who knows them inside and out.

 

[bison]

I'd love to get new heads and internals for it, but I can't justify spending that right now.

Then you should leave your car close to stock and be happy with it. To take 1.5-2 secs off the cars time it will take several thousand $ and a lot of seat time. $10-15k for solid mid 10 sec power depending on a which path you take.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[JustABuick]

Then you should leave your car close to stock and be happy with it. To take 1.5-2 secs off the cars time it will take several thousand $ and a lot of seat time. $10-15k for solid mid 10 sec power depending on a which path you take.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I'm very pleased with the car, it drove round trip from Ohio to Bowling Green and made 4 or 5 solid passes without any issues. I have a Camaro that needs a total resto that I might get crazy with, hehe. I'm just surprised I keep lining up against so many heavy hitter cars, when there are so many ho-hum ones around

 

[Pronto]

You're only running 18psi. There's more left to what you have.

 

[JustABuick]

It was a 50/50 mix of 110 and 93, I wanted 20 or 22 psi, but the boost kept spiking to 25, and since I was driving round trip, I didn't want to blow it up down there. I had a heck of a time adjusting it and getting it to stay where I wanted.

 

[Pronto]

Straighten out that spike and get that alky going again. You'll like that higher boost

 

[JustABuick]

Straighten out that spike and get that alky going again. You'll like that higher boost

Hahaha, I'm between either that or the e85 conversion. Plenty to keep me busy this winter!

 

[Mr.Spool]

turn the boost up,as stated you will need octane.there is another 10 mph and nearly a second et drop i would expect if it were mine or i was driving the car.

 

[JustABuick]

hahaha, I plan on it next summer. A more seasoned racer probably would have easily cracked into the 11's, I think my 60' time was a 1.7 on that pass

 

[Mr.Spool]

don't beat yourself up think your doing good for 18 psito 60ft better you need to be able to lay down more power its not just about traction.

 

[toomanymodz]

Your boost spike may be caused by shortening the waste-gate rod too much. Not sure what method you are using for boost control, but I run the little RJC boost controller and I use it to set my boost, and I didn't shorten the waste-gate rod at all. Tons left on the table for your combo. 108 MPH is actually pretty good on your low boost.

 

[JustABuick]

don't beat yourself up think your doing good for 18 psito 60ft better you need to be able to lay down more power its not just about traction.

Thanks! Yeah, some day in the future, I'd like to go with forged internals and be able to lay down some more power!

Your boost spike may be caused by shortening the waste-gate rod too much. Not sure what method you are using for boost control, but I run the little RJC boost controller and I use it to set my boost, and I didn't shorten the waste-gate rod at all. Tons left on the table for your combo. 108 MPH is actually pretty good on your low boost.

It's just the rod for now. I was going to order a boost controller from Brian Lorenz, but wanted to make sure that was the issue. Thanks, i'm sure a tune from a guru would help the combo out a little. I've also heard if you port the puck, that might help with boost spikes.

 

[toomanymodz]

I would get the RJC boost controller. That will fix the boost spike issue. Porting the puck is when you have boost creep, where boost goes higher and higher under WOT.

 

[JustABuick]

I would get the RJC boost controller. That will fix the boost spike issue. Porting the puck is when you have boost creep, where boost goes higher and higher under WOT.

Ahhh, my rookie status shows through. I may have both issues. I went from 16 psi with 4 turns to hit 20 psi...it just spiked up to 22, then 25 psi under WOT. There didn't seem to be any consistency with how the boost was adjusted with the rod

 

[toomanymodz]

Try porting the WG hole to about 1 inch diameter. I put a small radius on the inside corners to aid flow.

 

[JimP]

You mentioned a marauder, I have one as well as an 87 gn, the Marauder has a procharger at 9psi, it made 440 at the wheels with torque just shy of 400 ftlbs, with 4.10's and a 3,000 stall converter it went 12.5x @ 110 it's no slouch but your Buick should walk it, turn up the boost!