Let me start by saying I got my car tuned up a few weeks ago since I didn't do the Stealth Ram swap. I still plan to but there was a glitch in my plans. Let me also say I don't know much about Charger's or what their power plants are in the SXT's, RT's, & whatever models they have. The only Charger I'm most familiar with is the SRT8 which I think has 425hp.

Anyway, I was enjoying this beautiful fall weather today & I was driving down a long stretch of highway with nobody in sight until I saw this clean black Charger. I passed it up (no intention of starting anything either) & I was probably doing about 85 or so.

About 3 miles later I spot the Charger coming up fast. She wanted to play I guess because she was coming up fast until I braked when I saw a cop had pulled someone over. I sped back up after passing the cop & I only go up to about 78 or so. I spot the Charger again but she isn't coming up as fast now. I take off at the next exit & end up behind this dirty old truck. It decides to go & I decide to blast off the exit ramp going still the same direction. There is the Charger!

I am speeding up real fast and she passed a car to get back in the right lane (this is a 2 lane country highway) as I suspected she wanted a quick race. I was right because she waved her hand out for me to come up next to her. She was giggling & she was hot as heck. She makes this face like let's go & then she says let's go & she motions with her hand to GO!

I take off (I was at around 70mph or so when we were car to car) and she starts to go and I'm watching to see how she does because I see a whole bunch of space between me/her car. I realize she gave up & I had probably hit about 110 or so. I slowed down and she came back up from the left side (I was in the right lane) and we start going down a hill racing again & I take off real quick and she did better this time but I still pulled away from her. She was a babe in that car, that is for sure.
----------------------------------------------------------------
On my way back home I'm behind this Eclipse GS. The kid in it was probably 17 or so. I didn't think much of it but when I started to go he just started taking off! I wouldn't call this a race/race but dang, I realized he wanted to play so I hit the gas pedal hard & my car freaking launched sweetly from 20mph or so. I come up on him & pass his butt real fast. I get up the road & he had slowed down. So did I.... Today was a beautiful day!

 

It's all fun and games until you lose to a girl!

 

I didn't lose to her, did you read the thread? Or was that you being funny in general?

 

The Charger was only a 250 HP V6 and the eclipse was a base model 4 cylinder.
Both easy kills in an L98, but glad you had fun though.

 

Well, considering the Charger has more horsepower out the box than my car would have if I had a completely stock system I think the kill shows just how far I've been able to take my car so far on a moderate budget. I'm not done by any means. By the way, it is a V6? Well, 250hp is a good number for a V6 and I do think most V6 engines now and days have more power out the box than our cars did factory. I think what I'm getting at is if my had been a stock L98 then I would've lost to the lady. Highway races aren't exactly the top spot for our cars, ---- Plus I needed a car to test against since I had did tuning to my car a few weeks ago. This gives me an idea about where I'm at right now.

Thanks for the comment.

 

Yes, the Charger SXT has a 3.5 (high output) V6. They are pretty porky cars though and not that fast because of it. I watched a daytona R/T Charger at the track with the 345 HP hemi in it and the best it could do was a 14.2 in the 1/4, so I'd imagine the SXT is a high 14 low 15 second car. Your car should be doing mid 14's at the minimum stock if running right.

 

Are you serious about that 345hp Charger at the track?!? Dang, that must have made the driver mad, lol.

I don't underestimate a V6 made after a certain period because I think on average they have at least 250hp stock. But I hadn't had a chance to race anyone on the highway with nobody around in quite awhile. I needed to see how good my car was going to do because I'm taking my ride to a dyno shop soon to get ran. On the track run I did one run last spring (before I started doing any work on her) & she ran a 14.0 even at 98mph in cool spring weather, no wind hardly.

Oh, and I thought the Eclipse GS had a V6 in her? I could've swore that the GS/GT both got automatic/5 speeds with a V6 180hp - 200hp motor?

 

Yep, dead serious and I have watched that particular car run more than once.

Nice times! My car only ran a 14.2 @ 96 and made 235 WHP on the dyno and that was with plenty of bolt ons including a SuperRam. It was over 85 degrees out though when I did my 1/4 mile and dyno runs and I had my fuel too rich by a bit (my AFR was running deep into the 11's range on the dyno) .

 

Nope, the GS has a 2.4L 4 cylinder with around 160 or so HP in the newer models.

 

Something is cutting your power out big time if you've got full bolt-on's, full exhaust and a SuperRam. You should be make at least 250 to 275rwhp and more than 340 ft. of torque. One thing about the colder air I like is that is helps to make more horsepower but how much more I don't know. But warmer weather/coupled with humidity doesn't help to make good times/run's on a track or highway. I prefer doing most of my test's in the cooler/colder air. Not too cold but between 42F & 65F.

I haven't taken my car back to the track for another 1/4 mile & I don't know if I will be able to now. They're probably shutting down Gateway over here where I live. There are no other race/tracks over here unless I drive hundreds of miles out of the way.

 

I went ahead and took the liberty to look up the Charger specs & the Eclipse GS specs on Google. I see the power specs, so that explains everything. Hmm.... If that GS only had an Inline 4 then he was hauling butt from me because it wasn't "slow", lol.

 

Check my mods list out on cardomain. I had everything on that list done at the time except:
Hedman headers
Hedman Y pipe
Milodon high flow water pump
March underdrive pulleys
AIR pump deleted
Cats deleted

Since I have done those mods I have not dyno'd it or ran it at the track, but I suspect I am making the numbers you recommended now easily.
I know what you mean on the track, I have to drive over 2 hours to get to the one I go to.

 

Yeah, you may even get close to 290rwhp and plenty of torque. I also recommend you advance your timing for more horsepower, and I don't mean just 2 degrees...

But as for the track stuff, well, I know it's "better" to take it to the track but I'm not driving and paying someone money for me to do a few runs and then go home. Plus I don't live close enough to justify the gas I'll suck up either. So I use my camera, common sense & a stop watch to read my times. Well, minus the stop watch I use the other 2 to get times & in picking safer spots to speed.

I am going to get a buddy of mine to ride with me & to mark a 1/4 mile on the highway for me so I can do a 1/4 mile that way. He'll use a stop watch for me too, lol.

 

I have a better idea for you than trying to get yourself killed or arrested lol: Buy a G tech or something of the like. They may not be 100% accurate, but neither is any of the methods you described really. They also have dyno apps out on smartphones that can tell you 1/4 mile and so on. I have a dyno app on my phone, but so far I haven't found a good place to go use it without people or turns in my way or cops everywhere lol.

 

Not to sound cocky but I won't get killed or arrested because the places I go to are pretty much desolate. I already decided that if I do hurt myself one day then it's my fault and I'll deal with it. From my perspective there are things worse in life than the chance of running into a pole on a highway or killing myself. If I do get killed then my wife gets a nice insurance check! I got some stories for you if you ever want to hear some.

Oh, yeah, I've seen those app's online. I asked my friend if he could get my car on his phone (he has a cellphone capable of doing the app) but it won't do it for some reason. You have to get a 'contract phone' where you have to pay alot of money for the monthly bill. I have a basic cellphone that I WISH could handle the app but they don't make them for my phone, yet. Right now I am paying $13/month for my cellphone plan.

 

Thats on you man, just be safe.
I know what you mean on the cell phone bills for sure. I pay over 250 a month for 2 droid smartphones, 1 regular cellphone for my mom and a 3G internet card for my computer all through verizon. I run an internet business though and need to have constant contact with the net is why I have mine. My wife has one just because she is spoiled rofl.

 

THAT is insane. I could never justify paying that much for a phone bill but I know you need your business and access to run smoothly.

Back to the original point of this thread, I would like to state that the V6 engine's in newer cars are getting more and more potent with V8 power while retaining V6 fuel economy, etc. I wish it wasn't like that.

 

Thats technology for you. They now have faster computers, direct injection, variable cam timing, etc. etc. and are capable of far more efficency and HP now than back in our cars days. The last I heard the 2011 Camaro 3.6 V6 is pushing 312 HP and back in 2001 the Camaro SS with LS1 V8 was ONLY pushing 325 HP. Holy crap what a difference 10 years can make lol.

 

That is true, yes sir it is. But, honestly, I prefer an older car like ours but not too much older. The older cars are so much more easier to work on & modify IMHO. Cheaper to modify in general as well. Plus a V6 will NEVER be a V8 so even if I race a V6 one day & somehow lose I won't be upset because I know I would never drive a V6.

By the way, I have an Inline 6 Jeep, not a V6, so I think that is superior to the V6's.

 

I didn't feel like reading everything so I'm not sure if it was said but a lot of these newer cars have more power then the third gens did stock, however they also have several 100's of lbs on us.

 

Sure, they do but not too much more than we do. My car with me in it weighs in around 3,400lbs (in that region). A new Camaro I think weighs in at around 3,800 lbs?

 

 

I'm not sure if you're being a smart butt or if you're just being cool but I find joy in the small things in life!

 

Til you get it to a track youll never really know what it runs, it IS worth it just to know and not worry about a coyote running out in front of you or some random car of tree jumping out in front of you..happens no matter how careful you are. I learned that one a LONG time ago and almost took out myself, a little ol lady and 2 guys ina RUF Porsche.
Have fun and be safe.

If you got a wife why even risk it, bet she wants you coming home more than a check but thats just me.

 

I wouldnt underestimate the 5.7 hemi,Ive got one and its not slow.

 

The LS1's in the 4th gens were RATED at 325 but all made around 345 HP in reality. The rating was just to make them seem slower than the vettes. Most LS1's put around 305 RWHP down bone stock which would be impossible if they only made 325 HP.

Putting a cam into an LS1 Fbody is way easier than doing a cam in a 3rd gen. All the gaskets on an LS1 are O-ring sealed so they are all re-usable. Also, you can pull the cam without removing the lifters since they stay in thier own seperate "trays." The LS1 in general is a much more simple engine than a SBC contrary to what a lot of people think. I know, I've wrenched on both.

And yea, even though V6's are getting much more HP, they sound like crap and will never be as "cool" as a V8.

The 5.7 in a big boat magnum or charger is slow. I beat a 5.7 charger RT in my rental 2008 ford taurus V6 lol.

 

/\ok obviously the person in the charger wasnt racing

 

The funny thing is I'm serious. I like dodge. I'd love to get a new challenger. I never said I didn't like dodge. I'm just saying a car with a 5.7 hemi that runs a 14.5 sec 1/4 mile is not fast. I raced the guy twice from a highway roll and pulled about a half car on him both times in my taurus.

The taurus weighs 3700 lbs and has 265 HP and a six speed auto with excellent gearing. The charger has 340 HP and a 5 speed. The race would be closer than you think. Plus the charger I raced had like 24" rims. Not the greatest for speed.....

 

I understand what you say but I brake for IED's though.

 

True,I wouldnt call it fast,but I wouldnt call it slow either.My third gen is SLOW lol

 

Haha, thats a good point! Compared to a 15 second third gen, the charger prob seems like a rocket.

 

Im sure those 24's on that charger didnt help any lol

 

srt8 is so much better then hemi......

 

You also have to remember all the electronics and **** rob power from that horsepower. And it's a big assss car. Accessories blow when you want performance. While we are heavy, all this new safety **** must rob huge ponies from any engine out today.

 

People don't realize how much a bigger/heavier wheel affects a cars speed!

SRT8's a hemi too (6.1 hemi)

 

/\ lol

Yes they do, I noticed a little difference when i went from 18' to 20's on my magnum.But I also got it tuned to compensate

 

The electronics, safety equipment, and accesories don't necesarily rob HP from the engine, they just add LOTS of weight. The engines today are more efficient and have more HP than ever before, but the cars keep getting more and more fatty along with it which doesn't help performance. Put one of those engines in our cars though and you get the best of both worlds!

 

Well, anytime a car is advertised at any type of horsepower rating such as 250hp that is just at the crank, not to the wheels. So yeah, with that weight and added crap it does make it slower in a way. But new engines are efficient and more fuel friendly, in some cars anyway.

 

True, and i'm sure it's very possible to put those engines in our cars without chopping the bay up. The only car i can really see with a true great performance rating has to be the zr1 corvette. For the money, it can't be beat. It's up to par with cars 100,000 more on the price tag. Our bodys are just way too heavy for our engines IMO. We weigh almost as much as a 69 GTO.

 

Our cars are not very heavy......almost equalling a fox body mustang GT in weight! I think the heaviest third gen ever made which would be a fully loaded GTA trans am with an auto tranny is around 3450 lbs. Compared to basically every sports car out now, thats light! Pull out the AC, put a 5 speed in, and pull out the spare/jack and you are prob almost at 3300 lbs even.

But there are lots of cars out now that have a pretty great value. The new mustang 5.0 can be bought for low $30K and is a 12 second car out of the box. A few bolt ons and a tune gets you into the 11's on the stock internals motor. Thats a bang for the buck!

 

Yeah, my fully loaded TA weighs that much. But the corvette with the same motor weights less and is faster because of those aluminum heads and such. I tried fitting in the Mustang it's kind of cramped for me, as well as the Camaro.Btw the new Camaro has huge blind spots in the right side near the trunk and in front where the two pole things connect to the rood on each side of the windshield. We have cast iron and metal parts. Our engines are hard to kill tho. I've seen so many thirdgens with well over 200,000 miles on them and still going. My father is actually looking to purchase a Challenger and they are making around 400 for the 5.7 and now the new 6.4l is making 475 hp.And i have to say it is a huge car. I've sat in it multiple times. Comfortable as hell,and smooth ride. Sometimes makes me want to give up my TA. My grandmother even offered to buy one and junk the TA but i love my thirdgen too much to give it up.

 

lol i ment the srt8 looks cooler with all the extra parts on it to make it look mean.....

 

Oooooooh, lol. Now it makes sense! Misunderstood you.