Ok, I have a 1991 Pontiac Firebird 3.1 V-6 automatic that is getting an engine rebuild. My friend Mike has a 1997 Saturn SL 1.9ltr 5-speed. We have raced before and I always get him by ten feet on the take off but he wins in the long run.

My question is, what can I do to my car to beat him? I'm a good driver, so I'm talking performance mods!! He's a show off and I wan't to put him in his place!

 

I think that would be like watching the Special Olympics.

 

lol...

 

Ok obviously make sure the engine and trans are working as perfectly as possible, so if you haven't done one in a while do a tune up, you know, plugs wires cap rotor oil change fuel filter trans fluid and filter, check the timeing ect. From there go for exaust, weight reduction (have a/c and you don't really need it, ditch it). I am sure there are headers out there for the 3.1 although if you really want to pound him and you have the time and cash, swap engines, but i am sure that already occured to you.

 

1 word.
























NITROUS! and lots of it!

 

Losing to a Saturn?

 

Yeah unfortunately, of course his car has low milage and I have 170k on my Firebird. It's an old beat up car but I'm hoping this engine rebuild will make it have more power than before. So we'll see!

 

What kind of top end are we talking over 120+mph ??

if it is up to 100 I would say GEARS!!! and a shift kit, and something for exhaust and intake.

The 3.1 I have heard does not rev as high as a 2.8 but should still be good up top.

I would go full exhaust and intake work, port/polish the heads while rebuilding get it punched out to 3.2L

and ya some nitrous for insurance.

 

rotflmao

 

My girlfriend has a 1.9 SL, and let me tell you. Once you get that car revved up to 4,500 RPMS, that mother f'ker moves.

 

dont doubt the power of those saturns....

when my ex's cavalier broke down, they gave us a saturn (dont member model, ls i think), 5-speed. it was a 4 cyc, but would easily light em up , 1st - 2nd and a little from 2nd-3rd. the car had 106,000 miles on it. i had so much fun driving that car (specialy since i drive an auto). i chased down an integra and a crx that were racing an beat both of them. they had bodykits...fart cans...tachs everywhere...and got beat twice....from a dead stop...buy a stock, 98 saturn.

Josh (dE.fUsEd)

 

ROTFLMFAO

 

 

My friend has a 92 Firebird 3.1 Auto with 3.42 gears in it.
We got tore up last weekend by a Saturn.
Getting on the highway, the Saturn was right on our *** and then on the highway it would just pull away. Kinda sad I think.

 

what kinda of saturn?

if it was an L series with a V6, you can say buh bye they are pretty quick

alot quicker than V6 f-bodies

 

Not sure what kind, I just know it was a saturn.

 

2 extra cylinders. If you really are interested in racing an F-body just put a 350 in the damned thing, save time and money on mods ("There is No Replacement for Displacement", well except maybe a turbo ) So either get a V-8 or a nice power adder.

Good Luck, Garrett

 

agree'd...

 

put a good k&n cone form like 40 bucks and a lil exhaust like just the box from flowmaster or you choice for 70 bucks and you will beat him

 

Hey yall, this is Mike (using Joe's log in).

The motor is almost 70K miles, and the tranny's second gear synchro has been repaired once. The gears are close ratio, 5 speed (stock gears).

The motor is a DOHC 1.9L LLO (GM baby!), one of the unique motors GM makes. Once she hits around 4.....man, it starts moving quite a bit.

I have a lil intake I made, cost around $50ish for materials. I also have a header, which I got from a junkyard for $20. Neither of these were on when we race (read:stock). Soon, a bored out throttle body will go on, and hopefully headwork and some mild cams (only regrinds are available ).

The car is an easy 15.5 second car as is, breathing through the stock exhaust. I'm feeling a 15.4 or 15.3 (if I'm lucky), once 2.25" piping and a DynoMax Super Turbo is tossed on.


The motor in Joe's car wound up having a cracked head and two bent valves. Still....considering the torque and horses in his motor, along with the weight of the F-body, I should win.






P.S. He's not that good of a driver

 

Those 4 Gerbils at high RPM'S work pretty hard!!

 

dudes it's not how many gerbils you have but how big your gerbils are and how much mountain dew you feed them

 

my woman has a saturn, it's only an automatic, but it sure surprised me with that lil ol' 1.9L
even the auto's have a little PERFORMANCE switch, that just shifts the car at a higher RPM, but still...they ARE a blast to drive. better than my old cavalier from 92.

 

yeah, not like the saturn weighs HALF AS MUCH AS AN F-BODY or anything like that....okay, i admit i exaggerated a lil bit....just a lil though.

 

My buddy has a saturn.It has the 1.9l 5 speed in it also.


I have a 1969 chevy c-10.With a well worn 350.comp cams 270h cam,edelbrock performer RPM intake,edelbrock 1406 carb,3 speed manual trans,3:73 rear gears.


From a dead stop I can get him till about 50 mph then he rapes me.And just keeps pulling.



The sad thing is he has a exhaust that you can hear like a mile away no kidding.All stock except he replaced the muffler with a "resanator"

 

um u wanna win eh well dont get a v6 drop a v8 into it i mean seriosly v6 3rd gens blow except the tta

 

I can't even take racing Saturns seriously. It's in the same category as racing Hondas. They are NOT racing machines.

However if you are going to go through with it. Use NOS and RAPE HIM!

 

They definetly aren't little race cars. But, their power band is in the upper RPMS...where as TPI lacks..

 

Well sounds like Mike's making more mods, so there's only one thing you need.

MORE MODS

 

I really like that Special Olympics comment..
but seriously..a saturn? Don't people shoot you looks when they're watching?
Anyway, the V8 would be the way to go, no doubt.

I guess you'd have to drive one of the things to see what the big deal is..
and why you'd put headers on it?

 

What's so funny about the Special Olympics?

Anyway, you could get a 75 HP shot of nitrous for a mustang 5.0 (there's a guy in the v6 room who has installed it in his 3.1) for about $450.00 from summitracing.com the part# is NOS-05115.

btw I don't think my thirdgen V6 "blows" and I don't think these guys telling you to swap to a V8 know how hard it really is, you have to replace springs, computer, injectors, fuel pump, wiring harnesses, exhaust manifolds, changing the intake sensors (V8 Bosch hot-wire MAF vs V6 GM frequency-film MAF, or MAP/Baro sensors), etc.