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Haven't updated lately. Rebuilt engine is in the car. Changing it over to a later computer (yay for '98's... ), so have to re-pin for it. But it's there waiting with a base tune loaded, then off to dyno when that's done. Hoping like hell ot make the SCCA Time Trial @ Summit Point March 10/11 with this thing, haven't gotten to drive it since last July.
Nice choice on the heads, are those higher ratio rockers? I've looked at rewiring for a 411 PCM but I didn't feel the few gains were worth the inconveniences.
I still don't see how I'm going to make it significantly below 3350 curb weight and keep my daily driver amenities. Maybe if I could find good aftermarket front seats that maintained most of the adjustment features of the stock ones and lost 10-20lbs each. Oh, tell them boys over at Forgestar to hurry up with my wheels, wouldja Don't want them rushed, though.
Forgestar is going as fast as they can. But their sales resulted in a LOT of orders and backorders.
The rockers are 1.7's. I just wanted this done and done the best it could be and I heard a lot of bitching about the 98 computer and being hard to tune, or even bricking. So we pulled the trigger.
Not sure how I've missed this thread until now but I always enjoy seeing build progress especially from Sam. Ill be following closely from now on.
I have a 98 also and asked Brian at @dynotune if I was leaving any power on the table at my level with the 98 pcm and he said not really its just a pain to tune.
A little progress today. Going to put some break in miles on this week and then hope to get it dyno'ed and fine tuned next week by Domin8 Tuning. Jake actually really helped out by coming to my shop today to get it running much better so I could get break in miles on it.
It sounds, quite healthy. And don't worry when I finally see how it really runs I will probably let the cam specs out of jail.
It was strange to drive it, not only because it's been since last July since I have, but because it was snowing quite hard when I did today. Like totally covered roads. The BFG Comp 2 A/S aren't winter tires, but we made about 10 miles. And when Jake left since I needed bay space in my shop I drove the car home too.
Playing around with some changes I wanted made to front shock length that are more to my liking to limit compression travel a bit more and allow me to better tune wheel rate with different bump rubbers. But with the weather it was hard to tell if I got what I wanted. Should find out in the next two weeks though with the tuning being done, weather clearing, and two days at Summit Point slated for 3/10-11.
Talked to you on the phone about it, but can't remember why 18 x 11 for 295's you said F14's. Or that is how I remember it. But, seeing the CF5 Deep wheels makes that my choice on style. Can those happen and how more would that set be over the $1500ish?
I've also thought about it more and I'd rather have equal offsets on all 4 so I can rotate tires if needed. Is there and offset that will work on back and front with a watts link?
Update: 415 miles on the rebuilt engine/new heads and cam. Took the car down to Domin8 Tuning north of Pittsburgh tonight, by next week I should have the answer on how it actually and truly runs.
I was pleased to see a C5 there that put 430+ to the wheels with a little bigger header, but smaller cam, same intake. Not sure what heads but I am sure less than what I have on my Camaro. Hoping for good things.
The last week included more goodies installed that I carry. Pertronix LS3 coils and a Borla exhaust system.
Oh, cool. I'll do some more measurements when I get it up for the start of my replacement exhaust in 1.5 weeks and get a list together to order soon. Thanks for all the help.
Anyway, the Camaro update. It made 425/404 at the wheels. But was crabby as hell doing so. Turns out a swap back to the SLP lid which was forced by the change to the DeWitts Aluminum Radiator really helped the driveability, and I think the power too because it has a much stronger top end than it did before. I suspect the intake was just causing turbulence issues, someday I'll retune it to see what's what.
Currently rebuilding the axle, all the way through with a TrueTrac and new Motive gears. Yes, someday I'll likely do an 8.8, but for now this will have to do as I have events coming up soon, and a lot of other things I need to deal with like selling my Z06 and setting up the Z07 Grand Sport I just snagged for National autocross and development work.
A set of AFR 230's and a pretty big custom cam from Comp. It has a top end pull that is strong which is what I wanted. The tuning just needs to be cleaned up. And the the previous wasn't a lid, it was a full intake from Volant. Sure seems happier with the SLP lid back on, but have not re dynoed or tuned to confirm.
Okay... so it's been a while. More than a few happenings to update on.
Start with the tuning issues. It wasn't clean, running really rich down low and I'm in an area where tuners aren't common. So I grabbed up an HP Tuners (one of the zillion things we sell here) and headed on a crazy trip to Norfolk, VA and back last Tuesday. 1000 miles, 6 hours of messing around on the dyno in barely more than 24 hours. Still not great, but better driveability and more power than when I got there. Understanding that not all dyno's read the same and this was 85 and humid vs. 50 and dry the last time 'round. But limited time and a new version of HP Tuners that does not yet integrate the wideband meant some creative things. I probably really need to just dump the LS6 intake, BBK 85mm TB and MAF but those are things for down the road.
Backing up, I took the car to UMI's event and beat the crap out of it for 3 days. I must have given 100 rides, some to new folks, some to locals, and better yet... some to customers (and hopefully some new customers). And I was pretty much the fastest thing around that course. The only 3 things close were UMI's LeMans when I drove it (and it makes 580 whp), Brian Finch's Camaro which has a Kurt Urban LS7, and Joe Gregory's C6Z which he told me made 570 something at the wheels. Remember, I was in a 4th gen. And I had passengers the entire time. So when you guys want to discuss how an F-body can handle, that's one thing to remember, because there were two big digs on that course, from the low 30's to about 65 and then close to 80 mph. So for me to run those times, that was pure handling.
After getting back from Virginia I headed almost straight to the NE Musclecar Challenge @ PittRace, an event I won last year in my C6Z06. Not shockingly I was not as quick on the road course, given the Camaro weighs more, and has less power. Stlll @ 1:05.1 I was faster than a lot of other bigger badder and newer cars, and I didn't get all sessions in because of rain, and I was making changes as the day went on. Then we headed to the autocross. And this, again, is telling about how the Camaro handles, and what Strano Performance Parts can do for your car. I didn't win either Autocross, but I was 2nd to Paul Curley. Now, a few things. Paul can drive. Paul has a stroked LS3 in his C5 that makes about 600 whp, and for comparison Paul ran 58.xxx on the track to my 1:05.1. But on autox, we were tight...trading the lead often and at the first event I ended up about .020 short. The second event was a bigger gap. But it also had a 25-70 straight where I just got left, and I later took Paul for a ride as he's a friend, a customer, and has a 4th gen as well.
Okay... so it's been a while. More than a few happenings to update on.
Start with the tuning issues. It wasn't clean, running really rich down low and I'm in an area where tuners aren't common. So I grabbed up an HP Tuners (one of the zillion things we sell here) and headed on a crazy trip to Norfolk, VA and back last Tuesday. I probably really need to just dump the LS6 intake, BBK 85mm TB and MAF.
So what were you doing in Norfolk? Wish I would've known I would've liked to check out the new ride! Also why do you need to ditch the ls6 intake, tb & maf? And also there is a good tuner in Richmond if you ever need one in VA. Steve Williams aka Frost. Also in Newport News Horsepower Solutions is supposed to be really good but I've never been there.
A friend of mine is a tuner and has access to a Dyno, though he doesn't do LS stuff (yet, I am working on him). Mostly we could put our heads together and play around.
My car has pretty big heads and cam in it, and I think looking at how it makes power, and where, that there is a big of a cork in the system. But I can't confirm until I get to play around more with a wideband, recal the MAF, and such to make sure I'm getting all I can out of what's there.
Oh i see, you're probably in the Fast 102 area, but makes sense to check it out rather than throw money at it. I bet that heads/cam make it a handful on the autox!
02-05-2018, 12:01 AM
), so have to re-pin for it. But it's there waiting with a base tune loaded, then off to dyno when that's done. Hoping like hell ot make the SCCA Time Trial @ Summit Point March 10/11 with this thing, haven't gotten to drive it since last July.
Don't want them rushed, though. 
..... also what lid were you using that caused driveability issues? 
