So I have a few bolt ons on my 350 GTA. It is in serious need of a tune! It idles like Sh*t. Anyway, I wanted to take it to the track so I went tonight. This was my first drag race experience ever.My first run I had a R/T of .115 and ran a 15.6 because I smoked this civic and let off at the end. Next run R/T of .329 and ran a 15.2. Third try I had an R/T of 1.63 and ran 15. I was happy that I was getting better, but wanted a 14 something. Last pass I had an R/T of .236 and ran a 14.8. I was very happy! Although, since it was test and tune night there were some odd match ups. i lost to a turbo PT cruiser by .6 and a turbo civic by 3.8 (and that was on my best run!)

Welcome to the addiction!

R/T has nothing to do with your ET. You can have a 10 minute R/T, and it won't matter at all.

Post up your 60ft times. Those will tell us alot more.

Also post up your trap speeds. A 14.8 isn't too shabby from a car in need of a tune. Get it running nice and drop a few tenths right there.

60' 2.243, 9.6 in the 1/8, 15.6 1/4 at 67.69 MPH
60' 2.230, 9.7 in the 1/8, 15.23 1/4 at 84.45 MPH
60' 2.203, 9.6 in the 1/8, 15.003 1/4 at 92.04 MPH
60' 2.207, 9.545 in the 1/8, 14.89 1/4 at 92.17
The temp was also 95 degrees when we started and was 90 when we finished

What mods do you have? Anything above 80* is nasty for performance. I'm not sure what altititude you are at, but if you can race when it's below 1000ft, that would be best.

When bracket racing, does RT factor in?

I know when driving your kinda pace yourself off the other car. So if you have way different RT's, your "pace" may be thrown off. Thats not the situation in this guys case. But that would partly explain his faster time when up against a faster car.

Do you mind me asking what bolt ons you have? My 1/8 times are just a hair faster then yours.

Hi, thanks for the replies. My bolt ons are headers(1 5/8), 3" all the way back into a Pypes Violater, electric cut out right after the headers, accel header plugs, MSD 8mm wires, accel rotor and cap, hypertech 160 degree thermostat and chip, K&N filter, Accel runners, Air Foil, TB coolant bypass. I ran brand new BFG tires with out heating them up. I was hooking good with no slippage. I couldn't launch hard because my breaks are going bad and they won't hold any acceleration. I am at sea level if that matters. I ran every pass with the cut out open. I ran the first three passes with the stock chip and then threw the hypertech in for my last run.

I think it does, but I don't go to race other people at that track. So for me, RT is pointless. Besides, it does nothing against the ET or trap. You can lose a race based on distance, but win because you had the faster time. I always end up racing 11 second cars, anyway, so i just go for myself.

Is the car just idling rough? What is your timing set at? Do you have access to a scanner? Do you have 3.27s or 3.23s?

If you are at sea level and with the 90-95* temps, its more like 1500 -2000 DA I bet. Did you hot lap (back to back) those runs?

I'd say for your next go at the track, don't do any more mods, just get it tuned up right, make sure it's a nice brisk night, 70* or less would be great, and get some Drag radials. I bought a set a couple years ago, and won't ever go to the track without them again. They are that good for times and more importantly, consistency. Those will help get your 60fts below 2.0. For every tenth you knock of your 60ft, you will knock off 2 tenths in the 1/4 mile. Think about it like this, Fastest you got was a 14.8 with a 2.2. Lets say you got a 1.8 or 1.9 60ft, you'd be looking at a 14 flat with a shitty tuned, hot night run. Not too shabby.

I have 3.23's and a posi. The runs were hot laps, no shutting down in between, just popped the hood for a few seconds while in the staging lanes. I am not sure what my timing is, and no I don't have access to a scanner. What would you suggest timing to be at? It seems to run just fine at WOT but just idling it sounds like a have a huge cam. I do want drag radials and a torque converter, maybe 2300-2500? The next night I can run is a month from today, so it should be cooler. I was also thinking I might need an AFPR. I have a BBK 255lph fuel pump and brand new Delco filter. I really want to hit the 13's or get as low into the 14's and still look stock under the hood.

Stock is 6*, I have mine set at 8*. If it's at ZERO*, that might explain your rough idle. Maybe when you were doing the distributor cap, you didn't set the timing right? It will make a big difference going from 0,2* to 6 or 8*.

Try letting the car cool down for a couple hours with the hood up and a bag of ice on the tpi before the last run of the night. Might knock off a couple tenths right there.

For a stall, I'd do 2500 minimum. I'm personally doing a 3k stall. Its higher than most would go on stock TPI, but I don't plan on keeping it stock for long, and honestly, 3k was perfectly driveable in my LT1.

I will check the timing tomorrow. I am going to open up the air intake box a little this weekend too. Maybe try to pipe in some cooler air from the bottom or side by the wheel well. I looked at a couple TC today and might go with a 2800, to keep it fairly streetable. I am proud of my 14.8 even though it is alot higher than I want to be. Any more tips are greatly appreciated!

You have very similar mods as me. But I have a custom chip on mine rather then an OTC chip. Give it a good tune up and I think you'll be in mid/low 14's.

I was running basic street tires and having to use some goop in a bottle to give me traction. That alone knocked .7 off my 1/8 time. But if you werent slipping, that doesnt matter.

High 13's should be possible w/o much more work.

Heres mine.
350/810 swirl heads
unknown cam
Large port runners
custom OBD2 tune
Air foil
gutted air box
Change gap on the plugs
3.23 gears
T5 trans.
headers
3" exhaust
185 tstat
87 oct gas

What kind of goo did you use on your tires? I didn't spin out. but the tires did slip a little. Just a bit at launch. I really want to get a ustom chip programmed, but I am completely computer illiterate! I am in need of a cam too, just soo many to choose from. I would love to knock down my 1/8 times.

I dont know what the goop was. The people I went with had it, and said I was spinning the whole track (I didnt know, cant hear well). Used it and wha-la!!

All we have here is 1/8 also, or Id be using 1/4 times.


Something else I didnt think of. Weight. Make sure everything is out. Spare, floor mats, cd's, etc. Maybe even backseat if you plan in advance. Also, try and find a 82-84 bird in the junkyard, and snatch the "metal" front bumper. Some are aluminum and weights about 1/2 what your factory does. On my camaro it required some slight mods to get it on. Dunno how it works on birds.

Yea, having all that stuff out would make a difference. I also had about half a tank of gas. Guess I could have run it with a quarter tank or less. Have you ever tried one of those bottles of booster, like Outlaw brand or the pour in tank NOS? I wonder if any of that stuff actually works. Do you think it would run better with the cutout open or closed? I know I lost some bottom end torque with the new exhaust on.

I'm located at Fort Bragg NC, not sure what the altititude is over here but I know for a fact that my 89 350tpi auto trans with 2.77 9 bolt i was doing 14.6 at about 92 ( i honestly can not remember but once I get back from this deployment I will go to the track and get a slip) anyway my 60 ft was 2.12xxx i remember that much. the only mod i had was a muffler. this is also a t-top car.....