My '09 LSX shootout story
10-28-2009, 06:16 PM
#1
My '09 LSX shootout story I know the race has come and gone now, but I thought some of you would enjoy hearing about my trials and tribulations leading up to the shootout. It really starts with last years shootout.
One week before the '08 shootout, my local tuner and good friends at the Horsepower House started my 4l80e swap hoping to get it finished in good time before the shootout. I had everything needed for the swap, so I felt we would be smooth sailing. I was mistaken though. Once everything was in the car, there was a bad vibration coming from the transmission area, and it got worse with more rpm, so our collective thinking was flexplate. I buy another TCI flexplate. Same problem. We try a stock flexplate with the same results. At that point, the next step is the converter. Unfortuantely for me, I don't have the money to blow on overnighting another $1k converter, so I'm **** out of luck for the year.
After the shootout, I send Frank @ Performabult my converter. The flexplate bolts used were too long, and damaged the converter. $500 later and another converter, no more vibrating issues. New problem though. No matter what we do, we cannot get the car to shift past second gear. With the race season winding down, my friend loans me the TH350 out of his race car to make some passes with. With that tranny in place, on motor, my car went the 10.60 @ 128 listed in my signature. Then a week later, second gear in his transmission disappears while I'm cruising through town. Sweet. I bring the car to him awhile later, and we let it sit.
Fast forward to this year. I'm accumulating parts left and right, hoping to make a big splash at the shootout. It gets a cage, direct port nitrous, stand alone fuel system, K-member, Kirkeys, everything an eight second race car needs. When everything was ready for install, we were just a month away from the '09 Shootout. The first two weeks were busy, and plenty got accomplished. The two weeks preceding the race were downright insane. I went into work twice without sleeping, and there wasn't a night where work quit before 3 a.m.
A week before the shootout, everything is in place. We get it on the dyno, and what do you know, no shifting from the 4l80e again. We try and try and it will not cooperate. Finally, a loud noise erupts and continues. The tranny is done. New pump is needed, so I'm screwed again. Another year, no race once again.
The next day, we are at the shop and my friend calls one of his friends who lives about 3 hours away, who just happens to have a spare powerglide. The next day I go and pick up another borrowed tranny, and call ATI to overnight a converter, BMR to overnight a crossmember, and Summit to get me a shifter. Everything arrives next day, and within a few hours, my car has an ATI powerglide underneath it. We strap it on the dyno, and get to tuning. However, my brand new TSP 100mm MAF isn't cooperating. After about an hour of fooling around with it, we said to hell with it, it's speed density time (An added cliff note here, I noticed TSP's race car was running this MAF, but like mine, it wasn't plugged in. Could they not figure out their own product?)
A quick tune on motor yields 485/441, which is +3/+9 from the TH350 dyno with a stall that is 1500 rpm bigger. Time to start the nitrous pulls. Everyone is nervous except for me. My thinking is that surely to God, nothing else can happen. We've fought through so much, this is going to go nice and smooth. The 175 shot yields 700 rwhp. I am absolutely excited now. First pull with the 300 jets, 787 rwhp. Victory is mine!
We play with the tune a little bit but the car doesn't like the changes, so we stick with what we've got. However, when I raise the hood, we notice the dipstick has blown out.
We compression test it, which turned out good, so we load it up and head out. All the tuning occured the night before we left for those wondering. We get to Memphis Friday morning instead of the planned Thursday night, but that's the least of my worries. Time for qualifying, and time for me to get licensed as well. My first 4 passes are motor passes. After the first ***, as I'm coasting through the traps I look down. At 1k rpm, my car is now making 10 psi of oil pressure. I know my new TSP oil pump can't be at fault, so it's probably time for main bearings. I make my next 3 motor passes, with my transbrake giving me a hell of a way to go. Upon pressing the button, the car will roll 1-2 feet and then lock in. That's very fun for staging.
At this point, I'm ready to hang it up and turn into a spectator once again. With a little encouragement, I decide to run the index class and see what happens. I dial in 11.0 because I just didn't think the car would go a 10.50. So first qualifying pass, I get it to stage decently, leave good, shift a bit early (purposely) and then let off at the 1000' mark. The result: 10.8 @ 110. Woo, I've got to slow it down a lot.
1st round, I'm lined up with a C6 dialed in at 12.0, exactly what I wanted. I launch and catch up to him by the 330' I let out of it, let him catch up, get back in it and take the win. Maybe this weekend will turn out okay?
2nd round, I line up with a 12.0 GTO, exactly what I wanted again. I get pre-staged, get on the brake and let the car roll, and it stops fully staged. I hold the go go pedal down and the car jumps. The deep stage bulbs are flickering and I go red by .003. What a finish to the weekend.
And even with all of that happening, I still had a great time. Saw some awesome cars, met some great people, and enjoyed the **** out of it. Like they always say, there's always next year!
One week before the '08 shootout, my local tuner and good friends at the Horsepower House started my 4l80e swap hoping to get it finished in good time before the shootout. I had everything needed for the swap, so I felt we would be smooth sailing. I was mistaken though. Once everything was in the car, there was a bad vibration coming from the transmission area, and it got worse with more rpm, so our collective thinking was flexplate. I buy another TCI flexplate. Same problem. We try a stock flexplate with the same results. At that point, the next step is the converter. Unfortuantely for me, I don't have the money to blow on overnighting another $1k converter, so I'm **** out of luck for the year.
After the shootout, I send Frank @ Performabult my converter. The flexplate bolts used were too long, and damaged the converter. $500 later and another converter, no more vibrating issues. New problem though. No matter what we do, we cannot get the car to shift past second gear. With the race season winding down, my friend loans me the TH350 out of his race car to make some passes with. With that tranny in place, on motor, my car went the 10.60 @ 128 listed in my signature. Then a week later, second gear in his transmission disappears while I'm cruising through town. Sweet. I bring the car to him awhile later, and we let it sit.
Fast forward to this year. I'm accumulating parts left and right, hoping to make a big splash at the shootout. It gets a cage, direct port nitrous, stand alone fuel system, K-member, Kirkeys, everything an eight second race car needs. When everything was ready for install, we were just a month away from the '09 Shootout. The first two weeks were busy, and plenty got accomplished. The two weeks preceding the race were downright insane. I went into work twice without sleeping, and there wasn't a night where work quit before 3 a.m.
A week before the shootout, everything is in place. We get it on the dyno, and what do you know, no shifting from the 4l80e again. We try and try and it will not cooperate. Finally, a loud noise erupts and continues. The tranny is done. New pump is needed, so I'm screwed again. Another year, no race once again.
The next day, we are at the shop and my friend calls one of his friends who lives about 3 hours away, who just happens to have a spare powerglide. The next day I go and pick up another borrowed tranny, and call ATI to overnight a converter, BMR to overnight a crossmember, and Summit to get me a shifter. Everything arrives next day, and within a few hours, my car has an ATI powerglide underneath it. We strap it on the dyno, and get to tuning. However, my brand new TSP 100mm MAF isn't cooperating. After about an hour of fooling around with it, we said to hell with it, it's speed density time (An added cliff note here, I noticed TSP's race car was running this MAF, but like mine, it wasn't plugged in. Could they not figure out their own product?)
A quick tune on motor yields 485/441, which is +3/+9 from the TH350 dyno with a stall that is 1500 rpm bigger. Time to start the nitrous pulls. Everyone is nervous except for me. My thinking is that surely to God, nothing else can happen. We've fought through so much, this is going to go nice and smooth. The 175 shot yields 700 rwhp. I am absolutely excited now. First pull with the 300 jets, 787 rwhp. Victory is mine!
We play with the tune a little bit but the car doesn't like the changes, so we stick with what we've got. However, when I raise the hood, we notice the dipstick has blown out.
We compression test it, which turned out good, so we load it up and head out. All the tuning occured the night before we left for those wondering. We get to Memphis Friday morning instead of the planned Thursday night, but that's the least of my worries. Time for qualifying, and time for me to get licensed as well. My first 4 passes are motor passes. After the first ***, as I'm coasting through the traps I look down. At 1k rpm, my car is now making 10 psi of oil pressure. I know my new TSP oil pump can't be at fault, so it's probably time for main bearings. I make my next 3 motor passes, with my transbrake giving me a hell of a way to go. Upon pressing the button, the car will roll 1-2 feet and then lock in. That's very fun for staging.At this point, I'm ready to hang it up and turn into a spectator once again. With a little encouragement, I decide to run the index class and see what happens. I dial in 11.0 because I just didn't think the car would go a 10.50. So first qualifying pass, I get it to stage decently, leave good, shift a bit early (purposely) and then let off at the 1000' mark. The result: 10.8 @ 110. Woo, I've got to slow it down a lot.
1st round, I'm lined up with a C6 dialed in at 12.0, exactly what I wanted. I launch and catch up to him by the 330' I let out of it, let him catch up, get back in it and take the win. Maybe this weekend will turn out okay?
2nd round, I line up with a 12.0 GTO, exactly what I wanted again. I get pre-staged, get on the brake and let the car roll, and it stops fully staged. I hold the go go pedal down and the car jumps. The deep stage bulbs are flickering and I go red by .003. What a finish to the weekend.
And even with all of that happening, I still had a great time. Saw some awesome cars, met some great people, and enjoyed the **** out of it. Like they always say, there's always next year!
10-29-2009, 01:37 AM
#6
Thanks for the compliment man, I always take pride in everything I write, whether on a forum, in school, or even a text message. I left out some of the less important things, but I'm sure you could imagine how long it would've been if I included every single thing. I would love to have the opportunity to do something like you mentioned someday, we'll see if it's in the cards for me someday.
10-29-2009, 10:13 AM
#7
Damn man atleast youve got good enough friends that let you barrow transmissions, haha.
Might wanna look into that dip stick ordeal though, thats not going to be good if it blows out going 130mph. Either checking the rings out and possibly changing them or adding a vacuum pump would help you a lot.
Good luck to you for next year.
Might wanna look into that dip stick ordeal though, thats not going to be good if it blows out going 130mph. Either checking the rings out and possibly changing them or adding a vacuum pump would help you a lot.
Good luck to you for next year.
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10-29-2009, 10:57 AM
#8
Glad you were able to make the race though. I know from experience that it's not fun watching everyone else having all the fun! Let us know if the MAF is still giving you fits on the tune and we can probably help you get it dialed in. It really takes an experienced tuner to get it lined out. We're always here to help.
Jon
10-30-2009, 12:18 AM
#9
Actually our motor made more power in SD on the engine dyno so that's what we decided to run with. However, since the motor actually went in the car and fired Wednesday at lunch and we left for Memphis Wednesday night, we didn't have time to order the necessary couplers to connect the lid to the TB.
Glad you were able to make the race though. I know from experience that it's not fun watching everyone else having all the fun! Let us know if the MAF is still giving you fits on the tune and we can probably help you get it dialed in. It really takes an experienced tuner to get it lined out. We're always here to help.
Jon
Glad you were able to make the race though. I know from experience that it's not fun watching everyone else having all the fun! Let us know if the MAF is still giving you fits on the tune and we can probably help you get it dialed in. It really takes an experienced tuner to get it lined out. We're always here to help.
Jon
