Hugely Disappointed

plev72

Registered User
Ran my car for the first (6 ;-) time tonight. I'm incredibly disappointed with the results. The temperature was somewhere around 60 degrees, maybe a few degrees colder. Here are the times I turned:

# R/T 60 1/8 MPH 1000 1/4 MPH
1 1.190 2.902 10.591 72.45 13.469 15.875 94.43
2 1.199 2.338 9.552 72.65 12.584 15.352 78.38
3 1.202 2.342 9.747 72.00 12.708 15.321 85.55
4 1.335 2.438 9.979 71.96 12.976 15.643 83.64
5 1.234 2.505 10.034 71.50 13.045 15.726 82.93
6 .701 4.023 12.263 69.81 15.331 17.956 86.20
7 .679 2.603 10.790 66.02 13.999 16.714 83.52

For the 6th run I somehow ended up in neutral in between 1st and 2nd... oops.

The problem I was having was that the boost gauge was pegging at 15+ which worked ok for a bit and then either something started leaking, or the computer decided to retard the spark because the engine backed way off and I had no way to get it back... didn't matter if I up shifted or not.

Needless to say, I'm a bit disappointed. Keeping in mind it was my first time out, I'm still quite certain that I should be running mid-14s at worst ... maybe I'll try it with the stock SC pulley back in??

Paul
 
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What have you done to your car, if anything?

I dyno'ed my car that was basically stock except for a 5% pulley and some exhaust work (nothing fancy, resonator removed) and I was hitting up against the knock sensor retarding timing.

That could be a sign of bad spark plugs, or restricted exhaust, or weak fuel pressure (leaning out) from even a fuel filter.
 
I've got the following mods:

3" custom mandrel IC tubes
Custom mandrel intake with K&N
76mm C&L MAF
3/4" spacer
10% SC Pulley
ASP Underdrive Pulleys
NGK Iridium Plugs (with less than 2k miles)
Magnacore Wires (with less than 2k miles)

Also:

B&M Ripper Shifter
Sub-Frame Connectors

Tires: Firestone SZ50s

Front: 225/55-16 @ 40lbs
Rear: 255/50-16 @ 27 and then 20 lbs

I'm fairly certain the problem is one of the following:

1) Detonation
2) Bad seal for the IC tubes
3) Stock Supercharger with 88k miles is a bit tired
4) Intake seal came lose where the intake connects to the
throttle body, causing the engine to shut down (only because
came totally loose on the expressway on the way home and
the car shut itself down - but the nice policeman had a
screwdriver! ;-)
 
As stated before, you MPH are low, except for the first one. Have you checked you fuel pressure? Also not counting your 1 or 6th run you average short time was 2.445. Unless you have tons of power, you really need to be down in the 2.teens or lower to run in the 14's. I would first try to find out why your mph is so low then worry about you tractions. Let us know how everything is going.
 
I think I've got two quick explanations. I think the 60 times are very low because of water on the track from the folks with slicks.

I think that my tubing where it connects from the air filter assembly (after market) to the Throttle body was not sealing properly and that might explain the low MPH?
 
I think you are hitting your knock sensor....you are running a small pulley (10%) and you are not cooling the incoming air enough...If it takes off from the line hard but then falls flat on its face while going down the track that is what it is...try that.
 
My cars completely stock and im runnin the same 60 ft. times you are (2.39) but your cars got .4 to .6 tenths on me on the top end. Could that be becuase of exhuasts?
 
Remember that 10% on your 94 is like having about a 13% pulley, I'd suggest getting that off the car as a start. Especially if you don't have any exhaust mods ... my 95 pulls close to 15 lbs. with a stock 1990 pulley, with a decent exh. system.


cheers
Ed Nicholson
SCCoO
 
Pretty sure that the consensus on the pulleys was that for a '94 supercharger, they went:

early model pulley 3%

5% = 7 or 8%

10%= too much :)
 
Couple of things I noticed. Your mph dropped off big time after your first run. Did you cool it down completely after each pass? Good for an easy .25. Your driving got a little better as time went by but you should be in 2.teens for your short time. Also a hint, if you see green you lost, hit it in between the second and third yellow, won't help your et but it will get you out of those 1.000's. I don't think changing the pulley will do to much for your time but if you can run some high octane fuel, not leaded if you have cats, you will definately notice a change in power with the smaller pulley. Also pay attention to the elevation of the track when you compare yourself to anyone else, the higher the elevation the slower you go. Shift points are also a huge factor for times, try to really pay attention to where your shifting, each car is different. I used to shift at like 5200 for my best times, I have an auto though and manuals are a little beefier. Oh and if you want a big boost for not to much money, get a good exhaust system, or at least have res cut off so you don't blow your head gaskets.
 
Thanks Aaron. Got the trick about starting on yellow after my first few runs from one of the guys at the track. I actually had had a few mods done prior to running the car... 3rd cat and resonator delete included, and was running around 93 or 94 octane mix of 91 and 100 both unleaded. I think after the first run the connection to the throttle body from the intake may have come loose and that was part of the problem. Other problem was that the 10% pulley was just too much with that setup and the computer was seriously retarding the spark. Unfortunately, too late in regards to the head gaskets (and most like the rods and pistons - although it hasn't been taken apart yet), failed to fully retighten the screw holding on the upper radiator hose radiator end clamp... resulting in loss of coolant, resulting in loss of engine. <sigh> Just had an epiphany ... don't actually have the money to repair the car at this point. Looks like I'll be turning mid-11s for a while ... maybe even better... but only on two wheels ;-)

Paul
 
I've had my car at the track twice and the first time out I had the 10% pully on my 94 SC and the best time I could get was a 14.95. I made one change the next time I went to the track and that was take off the 10% pully and put on a stock 90 SC pully. I got a best run that day of 14.6 I could actulay hear the car knocking some when I had the OD pully on so I know the car had to be pulling timming out. I'm gonna try and run a 5% pully and see if I can get a little more out of it but, as it is now I can still peg the boost gauge and that is with a manifold back custom exhaust on the car.
 
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