Car: 89 Formula 350

22k on Jasper reman engine.

Ok, when I got the car and took it down the dragstrip, it came up with a very dissapointing time of 16.0 @86. No matter what, I couldnt cut a 60ft better than 2.3. 16 is nearly 1.5 seconds from where it should be. Since then I put on headers, y-pipe, cutout, removed AC and smog, cat delete, and SFC's. I also got better tires, but still street tires. Anyway, this last day at the track I managed a 15.52 @88 with a 2.2 60ft. Better, but still not where it should be.

I am starting to run out of ideas, but what I have checked so far. I replaced plugs, wires, PVC, and completely cleaned my IAC and TB. Timing is set right, but I havent checked my TPS. The car will bog down and not go anywhere if I floor it, and it seems to hang up in gear between the 2-3 shifts. There are no vacuum leaks anywhere. I do have a ticking lifter, but I still hold good oil pressure. I had a very weak alternator (only putting out 10 A) which I replaced. I am completely at wits end. This car should be alot faster than this. You guys have any ideas.

 

There should be only minor hesitation (if any) at throttle tip-in. Cleaning the IAC and TB are good starting points. You now should complete the procedure by adjusting the throttle minimum air position and finally the TPS (in that order). Only after that can you be sure the problem is not in the TB/TPS.

You might also want to complete the ignition tune up by opening the cap and inspecting it and the rotor, checking for distributor shaft play, and inspecting the pickup coil, reluctor, and connections.

Fuel pressure adequate?

Your times are partially affected by the launch. A good launch will take 5/10ths off your ET, and get you back in the range of a good stock L98/auto.

 

Fuel pressure is 43 PSI all times, even under full throttle.

I dont have a way to make sure my idle rpm is what it says it is, since I am almost positive that my factory tach is off (my volt gauge is)

I am a pretty good driver, as I took an 17.5 second RS to 16 flat mostly through driving. I do need to work on my launch, especially at my track cause traction sucks for everyone running street tires.

I do have the cap, rotor, and coil sitting in my garage, just havent put them on because I have to modify the factory coil bracket since the new one didnt come with one.

 

What pistons, heads, & cam?

No, "stock" isn't good enough to go by. "Stock" covers the full range of engines from 375 HP 70 LT1 to the 165 HP smoggers of the 70s. Casting numbers, part numbers, etc. are needed. Without that, it'd be about impossible to figure out why it's underpowered.

 

its a shortblock 350 w/ factory heads and cam. I would assume the jasper uses factory spec pistons.

 

Its just a factory L98 shortblock.

 

Excellent example of typical perfectly inadequate answers that I was trying to avoid: exactly what I was hoping to get something better than.

Are the pistons dished, domed, flat-tops? What's the deck clearance? What casting number are the heads? What part # is the cam? Is it a roller or not?

Can't do anything with "factory" "stock", "assume", etc. Gotta have details. Reason is, those are probably the very things that are keeping it from running right. Well, some of the things, anyway.

 

Ok, the motor was in it when I got the car, so I dont have the exact specs. I would assume that they are comparable to what came standard in the 89 L98's. i am going to contact Jasper to see if I can get specs on their motors.

 

Here is what I know so far:

It is a roller block. Block casting numbers are 14079278, 14088548, 14093638, 14100209, 14101148(not sure which one. I am going to try and find it on my block) Crank casting * 14088526
Head casting # 14102193 14102191 10110810. Not sure which one.

 

None of those are the stock L98 heads. They are swirl-port TBI heads; that alone would account for a significant reduction in HP from the already limited L98.

The block casting number isn't as important, since that doesn't affect power output the same way as head castings do. It's also not so important whether the block is a "roller" block, as whether it actually has a roller cam in it. Rebuilders very commonly put a generic flat-tappet cam such as the 929 (the 70s smogger cam) in ALL small blocks that they rebuild, unless otherwise specified at purchase time.

The reason for needing to know what pistons it has, is that those, in conjunction with the heads, determine the compression. Again, typical "rebuilder" pistons sacrifice performance in favor of cost and problem-free operation. They are always deep-dished, and are set up lower in the block at TDC than stock besides (since losing a little compression is ALOT LESS of a warranty problem than pistons that crash into heads in case the block had to be decked to repair damage). The combination of those 2 things can take you from the mid 9s of compression, what the L98 had stock, to 8:1 or less. Lower than the anemic smogger motors of the 70s.

None of those ACTUALLY IMPORTANT things are very easy to determine from outside the engine, that is, without tearing it down; but most likely, they are where your answer lies. If your motor is built out of inferior components (froma performance standpoint), then NOTHING you can do from outside of it, will overcome its built-in limitations.

 

You have to get into the motor. The head casting number will be under the v/c. You can try and determine if you have flat tops with a pick through the plug hole, but it isn't easy. A scope would do it.

The cam is typically a flat tappet crapper. Think $75 special. Then compare that to a $300 roller. Then add lifters. See why they'd opt for a flat tappet?

I'm not so sure I agree with the Barcalounger Landhold. If you have crappy heads you can swap them, same with the cam and lifters. Intake etc. If you have a 122cc dish piston on the other hand and they are in the hole by 20 you will have to be very selective in your head choice.

 

I am still waiting back for an answer from jasper. Their website isnt quite as informative as I would have liked.

 

Ok, I got some more info. My head casting number 14102193. Still not sure about the cam yet.

 

As Sofa has so eloquently expressed, the person who put that engine in thinking it was a stock L98 replacement got taken. And you did, too, when you bought the car thinking it had a freshened L98 in it.

It ain't a L98, it's at best a LO5 with TPI on it. It will probably run slightly better than what it has with a lot of work, but if you really want it to get it running like it is capable, you'll have to get rid of those heads and put a known cam in it. And that may only be the beginning, depending upon what you find once the heads are off.