sleeperstyle

iTrader: (4)

the car is a 98 formula a4- 2.73 gears
modifications are..

-160* t-stat w/ fan switch
-de-screen maf
-egr neck cut off
-new stock ac-delco plugs @ .52
-synthetic oil
-fast toys ram-air
-whisper lid
-holley filter

bone stock the car ran 13.8@ 101mph (crappy hot conditions and hot coolant temps).

last night i ran it with these modifications- temp was around 70-73*. with a 2.0 60ft i ran 13.4 @ 104mph and backed that up with another 13.4 @ 104mph. it just seems to me that the trap speed is pretty low and most STOCK ls1 cars run this stock. i also don't think the car can do any better with anybody else driving it- it hooks good just flashing the converter with my long *** 2.73's, this is with the crappy goodyears on it right now.

the ONLY thing i can think of is the gears are killing me- i have a ssf3500 with cooler and shift kit going in soon, + i think im gonna step up to 3.42's and get some nitto's-- but why the bad trap speed? i run 93 octane gas but i have concidered the possibility of knock retard..

thanks and any opinions are appreciated.

natronathon

i think its just the 2.73's. because of em' you are taking longer to accelerate from a dig.
Not a bad 60' time for 2.73's though!

Kurt D

iTrader: (2)

Looks about average for a `98 stock converter car with 2.73s and little to no power mods.

DRACO911

Don't feel bad I ran almost those exact same numbers with 3.23 gears. But I just got the Kooks and TCI3500 last week. I'll let you know how I did.

luvmeZ28

iTrader: (3)

my stock times were in the 13.90s with 2.2 and 2.3 60ft times. my traps were only 101 and 102 mph. i have 3.23 gears and i thought my traps were low.

sleeperstyle

iTrader: (4)

well- i KNOW no all ls1 cars are gonna run as good as the "select few" that pull low 13's high/12's stock, but i guess im just pissed that i didn't get a factory freak.. .

blueformula- definetly pm me on how the converter/ headers affected your times. i've heard .5 sec or more from a 'verter and good tires but i aim low so i hope to get a 13.2-13.0 @ 106-108mph with the ssf3500, 3.42's, and stock shityear tires- in the 12's with nitto's is the plan.

as for my 2.0 60ft's- 24psi in the rear tires, go around the water box and a small burnout to clean the tires off and get some of the traction compound on the tires (if the said track uses the compound, some do some skimp on it). then just punch it from idle. my tires would chirp/spin a little bit, head gets snapped into the seat- then the inevitable bogginess till my powerband, shift to bogginess and then power band again, then shift and it's over...

anybody switch from 2.73's to 3.42's care to tell me their gains if any? i know the car may FEEL faster with the gears but most people say it isn't much of a gain in the 1/4 mile- only one way to tell but if somebody cares to share thier experience...

Gloveperson

iTrader: (9)

If you get gears, get 3.73's for an auto. Those will most definatly make a difference with a good stall and nittos. Never changed the gears in my own car so I cannot tell you exact numbers, just going on what other people say.

sleeperstyle

iTrader: (4)

i want 3.42's because i this car is great on the highway and i don't want to completly kill my highway fun (i like to drive pretty fast for extended periods of time, like say on the 2 hour ride to the track on the turnpike...)

also 3.73's are weaker but im pretty much set on which gears to get..

nuzee

iTrader: (2)

I posted some track times going from 2.73s to 3.42s in this thread:
https://ls1tech.com/forums/drag-racing-tech/161044-2-73-3-42-how-much-faster.html

I had good results from opening up the exhaust with a cut-out. A good catback might also serve you well. The stock TA & Z28 muffler is restrictive. I'm surprised that nobody suggested that to you yet. Good luck!

Nocturnal SS

The barometer; temp;and humidity all play a major factor in how fast you will go.If it was around 50 degrees with a barometer of 30.32 or higher;and low humidity your trap speed would be at least 106 to 107 MPH. I see that you are from the Philadelphia area. Judgeing by what you said it sounds like you are racing at Englishtown.Go to Atco instead.Faster track.Because it is closer to Sea level.Iam there every Tuesday night except when its too hot out.

MNR-0

I get 13.0 with a stock converter, shitty 18" stock bridestones, 3.46 and exhaust and tune. My car weighs around 3900lbs incl. driver so I dont see why you need a 3500 converter to get you there. You have good 60". Check your transmission shift points. Going from 2.73 to 3.42 will gain you a few tenths.

sleeperstyle

iTrader: (4)

yes it was at e-town, atco was running 20k$ gambler's race this weekend and i was antsy to run. it was 71* out, humidity 55, barometer 29.XX. pretty good conditions over all- not perfect but good. i should be at atco next wed/thurs (i forget which night they run) with my buddies wrx- it should go 12.5-12.2.. i guess it wouldn't hurt for me to try and run again..


i already bought the ssf3500 so i guess stick with 2.73's? i've now read that 3.42's give me like no improvment over my gears with a stall. i might just get the gears anyhow because of how the car drives/feels..

also with the trans shift points- sometimes it does tend to shift a little early in 1-2,maybe like 5700 rpms. this could be due to the maf screen removal i've read or something else. im just gonna wait though till i get gears and/or a tune to make sure it is shifting at the right rpms..

DRACO911

I'll let you know. I go either this wednesday or next week. Depending on the FL weather.

jaberwaki

ok...(sweet lord there is alot of bad info out there)

first off there is nothing at all wronge with your stock times.
second 3500 stall is a solid choice.
third your gears are crap. there will be a night and day differance going to 3.42 or 3.73.
forth there is NO reason to fear 3.73 anymore then 3.42 there is not much differance in the 2. (but you can find 3.42 dirt cheap from any m6 guy stepping up to 4.10)

fith 2.0 60' in an auto sucks anyone that tells you differant cant drive. 1.9 60's in a m6 is good driving(stock tires stock car) you should be pulling 1.8 stock and that only gets better with the stall and gears.

with good drag radials, verter, gears, there is no reason you cant run high 12's all day long (in good air)

Tiger2o69

iTrader: (16)

1.8 60's with stock tires and verter???? What 60's are people pulling with around 3000 stalls and drags as the only mods?

I would say if you are going w/ a stall the gears wont help to much at all but it will hurt your gas milage.

jaberwaki

when i say 1.8 i mean 1.84-1.86

with verter and drags
low 1.7's no prob

read again he has 2.73 gears. those things are junk. no a gear swap on your 02 that came stock with good gears would not notice much. but 2.73s will slow him down all thru the run.
2.73 means he's gonna drop out of his powerband every shift. thats WHY people swap those junk gears.
the stall will help him off the line. the gears will help him the whole run.

Tiger2o69

iTrader: (16)

I agree 2.73s are crap and changing to 3.42s would help. I wouldnt go all the way up to 3.73s tho. However stalls dont only help you off the line but also keep you in the powerband during the run right?

jaberwaki

yes and no.
if you have a 4400+ stall then yes your stall would keep you right in your powerband (which is about 4300 rpms-6500 rpms)
but if your stall is 3500 then it will not help you until your revs are dropping south of 3500 and that puts you 800 rpm outa your band. even the ls1's great mid tq curve wont make up for that. but with 3.42's or 3.73's he will never shift lower then 4500+
keeping him right where he wants to be

Tiger2o69

iTrader: (16)

ok, i see. So its a good thing I changed out my 3.23s for 3.42s because with a stall I will always be in my powerband. But there will be only a small difference between the 3.42s and the 3.73s if you have a stall right?

jaberwaki

in truth there is little differance in 3.23's and 3.42's (if you had 2.73's then you would have felt a big differance)and your right. there would be little benifit moving up to 3.73(but there would be alittle)

if you could find a set of 3.73's for the same price that you would sell your 3.42's and you where gonna do the work yourself. then i would say go for it.never hurts and you'd be changing your dif fluid at the same time.

your call there... i say dont spend no $$ on the swap or dont do it..
but if you have to get them installed then its not worth the swap...