volkswagens-for-life

I've driven many, many cars in my life, and owned a handful too. My c4 4+3 has the works done to it.. not sure of the dyno yet, as its getting dyno tuned this summer... but its got to be 350+whp. Sounds like a solid low 12's car assuming good launch, no?


So i'm wondering if perhaps it just feels slower because its more linear than the turbo cars I"m used to? A turbo car has an rpm band,and once its in it and lag has been overcome the car goes like a bat out of hell. My modded c4 is feels the same the entire power band... no spikey power, no drop-off @ 5,000+ rpms, and no lag off the line.

Also, I'm wondering if the solidity of the car/chassis has something to do with the overall "feel" of the car not being fast, since its so well attached?


Anybody else feel this way about their car?

GREGGPENN

Assuming you have a ported STOCK intake on a 350, I’d disagree that it’s “got to be 350+hp”. With 36lb injectors and an AFPR, you could be richer than snot. No dyno until next year either. You are presuming way too much.

Get it tuned/dyno'd then say whether 350rwhp is slow.

volkswagens-for-life

Oh I'm sure its running rich as the dickens, dear sport.

Regardless.. a high 13 second car stock, full bolt ons (and ins)... we're talking a solid 12's contender her. I know its not slow... but it sure doesn't feel like my high 12 second 5.0 did either.

Unless you think my lack of tuning could really be hindering me that much to make it feel slow?

85corvettec4

well i can get upto 40 in about 2 seconds once she "catches" and from a good 5mph roll. and also with these cars, the seat of your pants is right infront of 2 giant wheels and your riding inches off the road. it should feel fast even if it isnt just my .02

volkswagens-for-life

Thats why I'm just wondering if perhaps driving fast turbo cars, with their insane tq/hp peaks, has got me brainwashed.


Figured the new guy cant start talking about fun cars and not post pics/vid:

Cold start:




Warm start:

85corvettec4

a 1986 corvette vs a 86.5 mk supra with the twin turbo'd 7mgte. yes the supra is going to feel much "faster" compared to the vette. its just the way those cars are designed

85corvettec4

generally if we are trying to get up and going we floor it, and those smaller turbo cars are deadly with a lead foot

volkswagens-for-life

Right... and the corvette is designed to be smooth (unless we're talking suspension ). Although everybody says the l98 is a peaky motor, my SOTP meter doesn't feel peakiness.. it just feels smooth, flat acceleration throughout the entire band.

GREGGPENN

I do. We've seen guys surprised at the significant gains tuning can provide.

I would also add that you're cam is probably way to big for a long-running intake. And, that definetly hurts you. Parts need to be well-matched for best performance. With a long-runner intake, your duration should be under 220..and possibly 215.

With as much [static] compression as you claim, I bet you have too much duration -- to avoid knocking. Or, it's certainly possible you’re ECM is pulling a TON of timing in response to KS feedback.

volkswagens-for-life

Interesting. I'll be getting a before/after dyno, so I"m very excited for summer.

As far as static comp, speed pro full float pistons and stage 2 rods will do it

To be honest here though, the gas in the tank is VERY old... proabably the better part of a year or more. This summer I will be working all of the old stuff out.

Now that I think about it, I bet thats making a huge difference in power. My 2004 2500hd 6.0 silverado that sat for a year w/ the same unstabilized gas was a complete DOG... I thought the motor was on its way out, until I ran several tanks of injector cleaner, cleaned the intake/tb, and romped on it for a few tanks. It went from a slug to a truck that will get the rear lose @ 30mph w/ a 2-1 downshift on slick roads. I'm wondering if my ancient gas is pulling major timing and has also lost a good chunk of octane

volkswagens-for-life

What are your guys thoughts of my gas being a year or more old, and losing all its octane and causing the ecu to pull massive timing in order to keep running? Could this be, combined with poor tuning, the reason for my apparent "slow feeling" car?

vetteoz

I think you are dreaming

350 at the wheels equal how much at the crank ??? 420 +
This 383 with TFS heads and a serious cam only made low 400's with long tube intakes

http://xtremecarzone.com.au/index.php?showtopic=386

As they say when the flag ,drops the BS stops.
Put your dyno numbers up so all can see what you actually have ; not what it's "gotta" be

volkswagens-for-life

:facepalm:

Still missing my point. Lets pretend its a STOCK car, with no heads, cam, intake, full exhaust, aftermarket pistons, 2,000 miles on the rebuild yadda yadda yadda. STOCK these cars can run high 13's w/ a good driver.

Going by feel, my 260hp Volkswagen feels faster. Does anybody else here agree that their cars feel slow, or am I alone in that?

93 ragtop

The only way to tell if its fast, is take it to a dragstrip and see. I seen a local SC mustang who claimed to be 700+ hp get his butt handed to him by rklessdriver running 4xx hp. Talk is talk. Run it and get back to us!!

vetteoz

Stock these cars run mid - low 14's
It took a cam and fully worked TPI with big tubes to make my '87 run 12.99

FWIW ,
my 410 RWHP (real dyno , not SOTP version ) 383 only ran 12.2 ( heads ,cam HSR,stall , tune ) and it feels scary fast on the street

85corvettec4

dump that nasty stuff out and put in some premium with a good fuel system cleaner, might have buildup in your lines/injectors/rail

GREGGPENN

I've had year-old gas in a lawnmower. It would barely cut grass. Dumped it and voila...POWER!

Unless it had stabilizer in the gas, that's the first place to start. You should have drained it and refilled before launch IMO. That's what I did after my install.

93 ragtop

getting a little off base here, but what are the details of your build, ie cam size, head size, etc? 11.5 compression seems like a lot for pump gas if its a small cam. Just my opinion.

TA

I think my 325 rwhp L98 feels fast.......especially from a dig when it hooks.

cumbercr

If your car feels slow it needs more work.