Haven't taken the Camaro out since the first week of August because of work and Hurricane Harvey. (I did run my stock M6 GTO last weekend and ran a new best of 12.81.) Still need to have the tune tweaked and found out my driver's front tire was rubbing on the plastic inner fender and also the front calipers were both dragging. Also had a lot of rear diff fluid in the driveway -- pinion bearing. So I called MWC and ordered their Fab 9(gulp):

$2999 Rear End Package
Stock Width
Short Arm C/B Crossmember
$150 Backbrace
$175 Pro Nodular Case
Spool
$75 3.89 US Gear
35SPL Axles
$20 1/2 Studs + 5/8 Hole
ABS Delete
$150 Black Powder Coating
$150 Assemble
$30 Transverse Mounts
$40 Fill Cap
$50 Tow Loop
$560 Strange Race Brake Kit
$325 Strange C/M Driveshaft
$32.50 Combination U-Joint
$75 Residential Lift Gate Fee (Free S/H Is Included Unless Goes Over Due To Location)
1/2 PHB Bushing To Use W/ MWC PHB & Fabricated Housing

$4831.50 Grand Total

 

What are the winter plans for the camaro ?

 

My plans were to race a little but neither 1/4 tracks in Houston are open until March. So I'll miss the good Houston winter air this year. I'll try to get my mail order tune fixed up. It's hitting the rev limiter on the 2 - 3 shift and I want to get that fixed before beating on it. I mailed my tuner Saturday with some data logs. Then get the 9 inch in. I work hard from January through April so the car sits most of that time. Hopefully I'll be able to get it back to the track in May, or maybe hit the 1/8 mile track this winter if things fall into line. Might even wash it. Thanks for asking.

 

Weird question, but how long ago was the trans built, how long has it been zinging the limiter on the 2-3, and are you sure that it's only the tune causing it? I only ask because every single 4L60E that I've toasted have started showing signs on the 2-3 WOT shift first. Those frictions always go out first due to the load placed on them whenever someone makes WOT blasts on the highway often where the trans is downshifted to 2nd.

 

Trans is a new Performabuilt Level 2 4L60E with FTI 4000 converter, lines, big cooler and temp gauge. It's been in since July with two trips to the track and very little street driving. It has not gone over 200 degrees and I've checked the trans fluid many times. I hope it's the shift points and not the trans.

 

Probably the tune then. When was that done?

 

Tune's not finished yet. It's email tuning and I'm waiting to hear back from my datalogs. I took a three month hiatus from the car for Harvey in the middle of going back and forth. Computer tuning is a mystery to me. I still can't get my timing light to work on this LS1 and I can't find the fuel jets.

 

Fuel jets are right near the nitrous plate/nozzles lol

 

Truth!

 

Now ya see what happened here, is clearly you ordered the wrong balancer if your timing light isn't working! Needs them fancy degree marks! Now remember, since you don't have a distributor to rotate to advance or retard timing, you have to slightly unbolt, then rotate each individual coil pack individually! I know it's gonna take more time to do it right, but you'll see the advance show up in your datalog sometime in the next 3 months!

 

hahaha

 

LSX Power Tuning is now helping me with email tuning. They have been really responsive. Haven’t received my fab 9” yet. No changes since the last time out other than a new base tune and fixing the dragging brakes.

Lonestar Motorsports Park was open today and it was busy. I got 2 runs in 3 hours but the D/A was great – between negative 900 and 1,000. Both runs were N/A for data logging. First was a 12.37 at 108.1 on a 1.69 60’. Best 60’ yet and best N/A pass yet. 3.5 tenths and 3.5 mph better than my best n/a pass last Summer. D/A makes a huge difference. Some of this is also due to fixing sticking brakes. Second pass was 12.39 at 108.2 on a 1.70 60’.

Plan is to get the n/a tune finished, the rear end in and hit the track again in late-April or May. I opted for 3.89 rear gears but now I think that may be a little too much gear with 26’ tires and a 6,000 redline. We’ll see.

 

Timeslip

 

video

 

MWC fab 9" arrived

 

I bought a pair of used Weld Prostar 15x3.5 with Nankang tires, lugnuts and spacers for $150. Without center caps. They weigh 27.2 lbs each. By comparison GTO spares and MH bias ply front runners weigh 25.6 lbs each. I'll weigh the stockers when I swap them out.

Per other posts on this forum the Prostars weigh 10.5 lbs each so the Nankang's weight about 16.7 lbs each. Per other postings on this forum Moroso front runners weigh 12.3 lbs each. The Moroso's would save 8.8 lbs total.

 

The MWC fab9 is in and broken in. I also added their LCA's and drag bar. No bushings -- all heim joints. It is a bumpy ride for sure and the gears are loud, especially with the body mounted torque arm and gutted interior. But that's ok and what I expected. Everything from the flywheel on back is now upgraded for the strip.

I had it dyno tuned this morning by subone and it made 285 hp at 5,700 after the tune. I don't care about the numbers but the shift points, converter lock, etc. are important.

The track opens back up on January 11 so we'll see how it runs. Here's the dyno sheet. Hopefully it's readable.

 

Any updates?

 

Yes, but not as I hoped. 12.506 @105.97 on a 1.697 60' with D/A around 200. Here's the video:

 

Not the best night at the track last night. I knew it was going to be busy so I try to get there early. Didn't happen and I got there around 7:30. Typical busy night with one car after the other breaking. I got one run at 8:30 and waited in line until 9:30 when it started to sprinkle and left.

I was hoping for 12.3x or better at 108 or so and a low 1.6x 60' with the 3.89 gears and new drag radials and updated tune. Also switched to regular stock spark plugs for n/a. I had two 12.3x passes at 108 last year with the 2.73's and kissing the limiter on the 2-3 shift but the D/A was 1,000 ft lower.

Laptop battery was dead (Doh!) so I couldn't log. You can see in the video my burn out was pathetic. Line lock wouldn't work and there was water well past the block because of the 4 wheel drive truck in front of me and a green track crew. Because of very little smoke I actually thought something had broke so I let out. I really wanted a good long burnout on the brand new tires. Then I missed the groove at the starting line. The result was some wheel spin which killed my desired 60'.

I also had an SES light but couldn't read it because of the dead laptop. I did have a loose radiator cap though that I fixed before the run (Doh!). Guess there is some work to do.

Oh and I tweaked my back loading the car on the trailer so it's been fun walking around like and old robot. But I still wouldn't trade it for much else. Can't wait to get back out again.