88gunmetalgta

iTrader: (1)

The car did well this past weekend!

Had a blast cruising around BIR and running some much bigger cars than mine! I was surprised to see a 502 powered 2nd gen beat me by only one length!

During the actual drag racing, I only got to make 2 runs, and beat a 300C SRT-8, and a new Saleen S281.

I finished the weekend without any major problems, but my brand new Weiand aluminum water pump is now making noise. I'm gonna exchange it for an Edelbrock one from Summit.

My brother got one video, but it was from the top of the stands at the big end of the track, with a smartphone, so not much to see lol.

The mobile dyno didn't make it, so no power numbers...

gbayfisher

Sounds like you had a lot of fun, and the car is running strong! Good job

brando54009

any video?

gbayfisher

Matt,
Are you using a drag radial? What size tire, and how was the traction?

88gunmetalgta

iTrader: (1)

I'm running bias ply ET Streets. They hook. At powercruise, burnouts weren't allowed (supposedly to simulate street racing) so the first launch broke loose, but just making the pass warmed them up enough to hook for the next pass. Your TPI torque and gears may need a few psi less, but I run them at 17psi.

They are 26x 11.5"

gbayfisher

Do you run them on the street?

Looks like you have 15's? I like the available options in the 15 inch sizes, but was thinking of a stock rim with 255 50r16 MT ET Street drag radials.

88gunmetalgta

iTrader: (1)

I don't know if a 255 would stick well enough for ya. A 275 would prolly work well enough. Selection for 16" rims pretty much sucks, so yeah I went with 15s. More used tires available as well. I got mine for $100.

I haven't taken them off since I got them, but I still have my street tires. On the track, even at low speeds, I can feel the sidewall flexing around the corners. I wouldn't recommend trying to do too much corner carving on them. Then again, the radial shouldn't be as bad in that area.

gbayfisher

Lol, thus the issue with a street machine, trying to find good balance.
I think 275's are a perfect compromise in the 16 inch range, but i cant find one! M/T's go from 255 and jump to 295.

88gunmetalgta

iTrader: (1)

295 is just a little bit wider than 11.5. I bet it would fit!

gbayfisher

It would be sooooo close to the inner fender, I measured only about one inch from exisiting sidewall to inside fender, so add almost 2 inch to existing, one per side, and its very tight.
I ordered a set of 255 /50, should see them for monday/tues, they will fit a factory rim fine, give me 5 inches of sidewall, and i think provide more than enough traction for my combo. We'll see!

88gunmetalgta

iTrader: (1)

^Well hurry up and get some track times!

I've spent the past two nights fighting with my torque arm bushing, and I'm still not done yet. I'm thinking it would have been easier to just pull the tranny to replace it! Nothing but problems from the start... Well tonight I finally have the torque arm secured in its bushing, and all 4 bolts started. I'm thinking torquing them down will be another hour yet , followed by 20 minutes to put the trans bushing back in and get it back on 4 wheels.
/rant

gbayfisher

I've heard others rag about this bushing...... i installed the UMI T/A relocation kit for mine, solves two issues at once! lol

88gunmetalgta

iTrader: (1)

Case in point. This was just too perfect not to get a picture of:



Note the box end of my wrench pinned up between the torque arm and the bolt...

I finally did get buttoned up and back on the ground though!

brando54009

done times too many times lol. i do it on welders changing out gas lol

88gunmetalgta

iTrader: (1)

St. Croix Falls, huh? I'm just up the road!

brando54009

i get to talkin to someone about something and next thing i know im like "aw ****... f' it"

like how far? you should hit me up, im gonna need all the help i can get.

whats your name btw?

88gunmetalgta

iTrader: (1)

Grantsburg.

Lol let me know if you need an extra wrench. I'm getting tired of workin on my own ****!


-Matt

88gunmetalgta

iTrader: (1)

12.68 @ 110, this weekend at Rock Falls, new personal best.

Still couldn't 60' even with the slicks. Best of 2.04. Need more stall and gear.

I was fighting a couple issues all day, and I think I was just starting to get it figured out when my water pump gasket blew out. My new water pump came with some thick felt-like gaskets, and I didn't think to re-torque them after a couple weeks.

I ran 110 octane, and was still getting knock counts, so I'm absolutely certain they are false. There's no way I'm getting detonation at my compression level with 110 octane and 34* of timing on aluminum heads. EST is now disabled in PE mode.

I also learned that leaded fuel kills O2 sensors. Mine still seems to read right, but who knows. Its probably due for replacement anyway.

gbayfisher

Congrats on the times! Still more room for improvement with your 60 ft.
Surprised you couldn't get traction. Did you keep dropping the tire pressure?

I wouldn't doubt that you are getting false knock counts, seems to be a very common issue, but its hard to say. I get counts by the hundreds on "throttle taps" i gave up chasing them and turned off the est, I don't hear any pinging, so I take it as false, also confirmed with plug reading which show no signs of pinging so far.
From my little experience and from talking with a few well known tuners, 34* might be a little too much timing on some setups, and could be causing some detonation. Have you tried pulling the timing back to 28*? I think you would be surprised how well it runs there. Only need 'enough' advance, anymore is a waste, and damaging. Dyno Tune???? lol.

Last time i had mine on the dyno it was breaking up with anymore than 28* advance, could be ignition issue on my end, don't know yet. We kept giving it what it wanted, and kept making more power as we dropped the timing. Power peaked at 24* who knows why, but I think i need a cam with more overlap since cranking pressure is getting kind of high at (190-200psi).

Just some food for thought...

88gunmetalgta

iTrader: (1)

I was hooking just fine. Just wasn't building rpm fast enough out of the hole.

MPH dropped off at 32*. It broke up a little worse at 36*, so I think 34 is good, just gotta figure out the ignition issues.

gbayfisher

Got you on the timing. How is your cap? are you running an after market coil setup?

How quick do you have your full advance come in? You might just need more stall and gear like you said, definitely get more benefit with your setup.

88gunmetalgta

iTrader: (1)

I will be going through my ignition system soon. I thought I put my hypertech coil back in, but in reality it could have been the stocker. They look almost identical. I will swap back to my MSD and see if it helps. Full advance is in just after my converter stalls at around 2800 rpm. I actually had to bring it in that early or it would stumble at part throttle around 3000 rpm.

dfarr67

iTrader: (2)

I know this is old- did you ever find out the valve train/engine noise?

88gunmetalgta

iTrader: (1)

Yeah, it just needed a few miles to wear in. Also switching to rotella t6 5w-40 helped quiet it down even more. It's still a little noisy, but it's aggressive ramp rate on the cam and full roller valvetrain so that's to be expected.

dfarr67

iTrader: (2)

I was under the impression that you had an intermittant noise as I do- I can hear it all the time and if I remove the pass valve cover it is very obvious. Like a clacking sound comes and goes. I have full roller too, tried many times different adjustments but the cam manufacturer admitted the lobes are a noisier profile. I even had the GM LS style lifter retainer and changed it out to the old dog bone style as perhaps the plastic was allowing one lifter to rotate- changed to LS7 lifters seems to be no change. So perhaps a clogged oil path- I don't know- I do know 1 or 2 rockers lose alignment when pushed in rpm's when the others are fine. Irritating....

88gunmetalgta

iTrader: (1)

Nope, it was a pretty steady noise, with some valves sounding louder than others. I never had problems with alignment or anything like that.