Under performing car? need changes?
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 49
Likes: 0
From: New York
Under performing car? need changes?
My car has tons of mods in it. It is a 93 LT1 but built up to the LT4 Hot Cam kit. It now has a 58mm TB, 32 lb, injectors, Edelbrock LT4 intake, Hooker Shorties, Borla catbacks, chipped, K&N air filter, 3:42 gears, 10.8:1 compression and it is a 6M. I took out the catalytic convertors too. Was that a mistake? It pops now when I let off the gas. It had been dynoed at well over 340 HP at the rear wheel prior to the cats being removed.
I was on the highway yesterday and a new SHO got momentum on me before I went for it. He stuck with me and was way too close. Somebody said it was because his turbos were both going at 60 MPH and if it was from a dead stop, it wouldn't have even been a contest. I also made the mistake of putting 89 octane in the car two days before. Another person said it was time to change to change the plugs and tune the car. Should a race from 60 MPH with a 2011 SHo even be close, even if the turbos were going? Any suggestions? Was it the gas? Thanks in advance.
I was on the highway yesterday and a new SHO got momentum on me before I went for it. He stuck with me and was way too close. Somebody said it was because his turbos were both going at 60 MPH and if it was from a dead stop, it wouldn't have even been a contest. I also made the mistake of putting 89 octane in the car two days before. Another person said it was time to change to change the plugs and tune the car. Should a race from 60 MPH with a 2011 SHo even be close, even if the turbos were going? Any suggestions? Was it the gas? Thanks in advance.
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 81,241
Likes: 3,063
From: altered state
St. Jude Donor '05
Those cars move out from 0-60 too
Time to get some heads and maybe some more cam.
Welcome to competing with new technolgy. They will only get faster..
What is a 6m?
The foundation of the all-new Taurus SHO is a 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged EcoBoost V6 engine, which delivers 365 horsepower at 5,500 rpm and 350 pound-feet of torque at 3,500 rpm
Welcome to competing with new technolgy. They will only get faster..
What is a 6m?
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 1,916
Likes: 48
From: Angier nc
6m= six speed.Take im to the drag strip and you will know who is faster.
58mm TB is overkill for you but tune it up and run some premium.Get it on a chassis dyno to see where your a/f ratio really is and go from there.
Technology marches on.New cars are leaps and bounds ahead of 20 y.o. technology.It is hard keeping up with the Joneses.
58mm TB is overkill for you but tune it up and run some premium.Get it on a chassis dyno to see where your a/f ratio really is and go from there.
Technology marches on.New cars are leaps and bounds ahead of 20 y.o. technology.It is hard keeping up with the Joneses.
Last edited by 96 lt-4; Mar 12, 2011 at 10:28 AM.
Drifting
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 1,509
Likes: 3
From: Hazel Park MI
IBTL possibly? Our older cars are much more fun with more power, no doubt. I personally don't have to be a total speed demon, I can handle some new cars being a lot faster than mine. It wasn't a stock taurus....
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 81,241
Likes: 3,063
From: altered state
St. Jude Donor '05
Did some googling...
It could have been stock..the shos have always run good for what they were.
Motor trend articles have it somewhere in the 13.00-13.3 range, others say it was 14.0 stock which will give a stock LT1 a run for its money. Throw some more boost at it and watch out
Regardless they run pretty strong it seems.
Keep modding the Vette...
It could have been stock..the shos have always run good for what they were.
Motor trend articles have it somewhere in the 13.00-13.3 range, others say it was 14.0 stock which will give a stock LT1 a run for its money. Throw some more boost at it and watch out
Regardless they run pretty strong it seems.
Keep modding the Vette...
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 995
Likes: 1
From: Naples Campania
The SHO isn't as much of a joke as people tend to think they are. They are EXTREMELY heavy, but the turbo is insanely fast to spool. I would guess that his turbo was probably at least 85% boost when at 60, especially if he had it in the right gear.
Don't run 89 octane, and make sure the proper matainance is done (spark plugs, cables, ECT.). I have an L98 and that thing bogs to hell if the sparks aren't producing the perfect spark.
Overall, my mecanic that I used has a saying.
"There ain't no replacement for displacement...
but NOS doesn't hurt"
Don't run 89 octane, and make sure the proper matainance is done (spark plugs, cables, ECT.). I have an L98 and that thing bogs to hell if the sparks aren't producing the perfect spark.
Overall, my mecanic that I used has a saying.
"There ain't no replacement for displacement...
but NOS doesn't hurt"
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Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 773
Likes: 2
From: Minneapolis MN
Should've taken our advice when we told you to go a different route than the Lt4 package.But too late now
I knew you would want more power.If I was you I would install long tube headers,have those heads ported & have a custom cam grind,then you will be where you want powerwise.For the money spent,you could've got alot more power.Keep us posted on what you do.I read all your posts here & on Lt1/Ls1
I knew you would want more power.If I was you I would install long tube headers,have those heads ported & have a custom cam grind,then you will be where you want powerwise.For the money spent,you could've got alot more power.Keep us posted on what you do.I read all your posts here & on Lt1/Ls1
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 49
Likes: 0
From: New York
Spoke to a close friend. Asked me when I changed th plugs last. Haven't done that recently and when we pulled one plug, you could see it was fouled. 89 octane was a mistake too but I needed gas and the station was out of 91 or 93. The car maybe 18 years old and nowhere near the technology of today's cars but it has beaten '10 V8 Camaros and Jeep SRT's. My next question, and thanks for the input already, is what type of plug do you suggest? The car has 358 RWHP when dynoed last year so a 365 HP 3900 pound TAurus should have been a piece of cake. What are no fouler plugs? I went with simple plugs from AutoZone even though somebody said Platinum. @94VetteLover, I am over all happy with the build but wanted to see where I messed up recently. Thanks again :-)
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 49
Likes: 0
From: New York
Ironically I was looking for a set of 4:11's forever based upon great advice last year and after I started this thread, decided to take another look to see if there are any around. I actually found a 4:11 rack & pinion Dana 44. I was told that it would light up the mods I made and make a HUGE difference in performance. And yes, fouled plugs equal bad tune and dumb driver. LOL
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 49
Likes: 0
From: New York
Quick question. How long does it take to swap out just the gear, ring and pinion on the Vette? The mechanic who I was going to use said it takes 8 hours, in and out for the whole thing. Another guy said it takes 3-4 hours to just remove the cover and swap gears. It is beyond unaffordable @ 8 hours labor. Please let me know. Thank you
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 995
Likes: 1
From: Naples Campania
Very true. I had this very problem when I did some bolt-ons and didn't re-tune the ECM. With the non-flashable cars (the entire C4 and previous eras) if you swap out parts, even more efficient parts, the ECM starts to panic. It changes your duty cycle of the fuel injectors. This means that it sprays faster and longer. It does this because if you run lean, the engine blows up. The engine is actually protecting itself because it senses a problem. Dumping more fuel means your run way rich. Way rich means that you cannot burn all the fuel because there isn't enough air to make the correct ratio. That means your burn less of the overall mixture. Which, finally, means loss of lots of horsepower, then fouled plugs, and more loss of horsepower.
Platinums are cool, but they are better on small aluminum engines. I honestly don't know why, but they don't work as well with larger displacement, and sure as hell don't work on cast iron....for some reason.
Stick with your standard Bosch single prong high performance but non-platinum plugs.
Good luck!
Platinums are cool, but they are better on small aluminum engines. I honestly don't know why, but they don't work as well with larger displacement, and sure as hell don't work on cast iron....for some reason.
Stick with your standard Bosch single prong high performance but non-platinum plugs.
Good luck!
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,477
Likes: 80
From: Hawaii
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 12,261
Likes: 85
From: O'Fallon Missouri
I am a big 4.10 gears fan. But, they are going to help very little doing 60 mph runs on the highway. Now from a dig, that's a different story.
Eight years ago I paid $300 for my Dana OEM 4.10's and $350 for the complete install.
Eight years ago I paid $300 for my Dana OEM 4.10's and $350 for the complete install.
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 49
Likes: 0
From: New York
Ring and pinion set? $371. Bearing set? $195 but for the two, I would get a deal. I was told that it takes 7-8 hours to swap gears and the guy would then send the casing out to "his differential guy". The rear swapper quoted me a price of $560 for labor plus whatever it costs for the differential guy to cgange gears. Seem like besides the rear in my car being changed, my rear is going to get some work too. LOL Hey, thanks for help. First things first. New plugs. Problem with me is I go to 10 people and they all have different ideas and opinions. Too old for this...hahahaha.
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 12,261
Likes: 85
From: O'Fallon Missouri
At the time my car only had 15,000 miles on the odo, so I reused the bearings. Three hundred dollars was just for the ring and pinion. I found a local 4X4 shop that was doing frequent gear swaps, spoke to the installer and was confident/hoping he could do the job in a C4 (this was his first). He did a great job, the 4.10's are quieter than the factory 3.45's.
I like NGK TR55 plugs for our cars, they are cheap and work well.
I like NGK TR55 plugs for our cars, they are cheap and work well.
Last edited by STL94LT1; Mar 12, 2011 at 08:40 AM.
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 1,916
Likes: 48
From: Angier nc
I like NGK TR55 plugs for our cars, they are cheap and work well.
^ I agree with this.I still say you need to get it on a chassis dyno and find out where your tune is.Mail order tunes are a guess at best.Some are better than others at GUESSING.You won't ever know until you get some real time numbers.
Gears are fun but unless you race at the track a lot the constant shifting gets old.
^ I agree with this.I still say you need to get it on a chassis dyno and find out where your tune is.Mail order tunes are a guess at best.Some are better than others at GUESSING.You won't ever know until you get some real time numbers.
Gears are fun but unless you race at the track a lot the constant shifting gets old.