Yesterday I regapped my plugs to 0.050 and I noticed a little more pull. So tonight after filling it up to the top with 92 octane I felt like booting around a bit. I got a break in traffic and this guy in a new Honda Prelude changes lanes to pass me and right as he's about to overtake I floor it and get a car length ahead then he slowly passes me. We're going about 80mph before we shut it down for a light. I look over at him and point out that my tank is full At the green I accelerate ahead of him quite easily (I'm assuming our v6's have more torque). Then around 40mph he starts moving ahead of me just as I did to him off the line. A little more booting around and I head home.

On the way home I tryed to get an IROC to go but to no avail. I've never seen one that wanted to show me anything.. maybe because they know I have a little 6 because I have no ground effects :P.

So I'm thinking of just not letting this "driving a nice sports car" mentallity get to me and just enjoy the mpg that I can get without using full throttle. To be honest my girlfriend's '88 Beretta has a bit better acceleration than mine. She has the same 2.8 MFI but of course her car is lighter and even though its FWD its both tires turning. I dont think I want to compete with grocery getters or guys driving their parent's car, because thats the only thing I can beat.

Maybe I'll just throw on some flowmasters and casually rumble around.. and it'll still be good for an 8 if I decide to put that in later. After I'm out of college that Ramjet 350 (350hp/400tq) crate motor looks quite nice.

Lots of people check out my camaro because its got good white paint, a bra (to cover up chips and cracks on the bumper ), an IROC hood and t-tops.. but when I rev up my engine and I'm not accelerating that fast its like I'm removing the impression of a fast car to one of a slow camaro. Any feedback is welcome. Thanks for hearing my thoughts.

------------------
87 Camaro Sport Coupe
MSD Coil, Accel 8.8mm wires, Rapidfires
K&N Filters, No Air Baffles
Z28 Hood and Rims

 

Why would u put them at 0.050 when stock 0.045, is it supposed to be better??

------------------
89 RS

Looking For:
87 IROC-Z28 350 TPI

 

Yeah apparently the 0.045 is a conservative gap especially if you have an aftermarket coil.

 

You've done stating it pretty well.

But hopped up ignition, yea, you can try open plugs more.
Seek more fresh air, too.

------------------
Chat Soon,
KED85
Karl
1985 Firebird 2.8 to 3.4 swap project for Smog Happy LA, CA

 

For Matlock-

I liked the description, very nice.
I'm not a big camaro fan myself, I like
the prettier details that make the firebird
different, but either way, if you want to whiz by those lousy imports and the like,
spend the time and a little more money to make that 2.8 a nice little sleeper.
At least a new exhaust and a chip.
Just a thot. ..

 

I think I will bother with my V6. You can make anything fast, but it cost $$$$$$$ and lots of it.
An easy way is to drop a health V8 in, but if you want to make it a sleeper keep the V6.

------------------
89 Trans Am Turbo 3.8L All stock 43,000 miles #1053 of 1555

Past Thirdgen:
86 Trans Am w/ built 355TPI with SLP goodies and too much other stuff to List. One sweet *** car, wish I would have had a good enough Job to pay insurance on three cars so I could keep it, but for a 89 Turbo Trans Am w/ Low miles, I think I made the right choice!

 

Why not a Dynomax catback and high flow converter. That should help your Pull and then I would consider some K&N drops ins and a chip. All in all for about 250 you can get it all...

 

I like my 85 SE better than my 88 305 Formula, Im actually thinking of selling the formula cause I think that I can get the V6 to run like it or even better, mind you its a TBI formula so surpassing stock power won't be a super challenge. Anyways this dude just made me an offer I can't refuse for the Formula $$$$$$. Anyways thanks to gas, my crappy job, college, and my high maintenance GF I dont have money to own two cars so Im keeping the one with power everything .

 

well I have a high maintenace GF and see knows very well that my money goes to me, my house, then the cars yes 2 of them and both 3rd gens. 91 rs T top 305 and 92 3.1. Anything left gets split between her and the dog...And she knows where she can go if shes not happy with the arrangement I have...I think its limp biskit? My way or the highway.

 

but personally I have surprissed my self with this little 6er of mine...keeping the RPMS high it performs pretty well....

 

Yea, even before my 1.6 rockers i held my own pretty well...now all i need is my car back and running and ill see. From what i see, its fast. Camaro hunter, today i chirped the 2-3 shift on a test drive...i was messing around with a civic Si *with no MAF or anything plugged in since it wouldnt idle with it* and when i chirped the 2-3 shift he backed off and turned

------------------
1989 Firebird
2.8 v6, t5 swapped in

Ram Hi-po clutch, Cold Air, 1.6 rockers,Lakewood LCA's, Lakewood Lift bars, Wonder Bar, 3" y-pipe, Random Tech Cat, 3" I-pipe, Flowmasters, MSd 6a, MSD Coil (Fireball in future) Accel 8.8 wires, MSD Ignition Module, Auto Meter Gauges (Water, Clock (needed one) Fuel Pressure, and 5" monster tach) 4th Gen Seats
--For Sale--
(Who says drumsets are cheap? selling my car to get a new one..) EMAIL ME!

" I'd rather run last in a full out race, than to NOT run at all ".

 

Today I raced an older bmw. I cant say what model it was.. but a young guy was driving it. He saw me take off ahead of the crowd from a light and I saw him in my rear view mirror speeding up and changing lanes to catch up to me. The light ahead turns yellow and I've got a smile on my face (hehe). At the red light for what seemed like an eternity he's just figiting a bit and stairing straight forward. I decide to manually shift my A4. My car pulls ahead quite nicely.. and I can see him out of the corner of my eye about a half a car length back. I kept accelerating till I was a bit more than a car length ahead at about 70mph and then I showed my brake lights. When nearing the next red light. He pulls in behind me as I assume as a concent. And that was that.

Yesterday I hurry to a red light because I see a white camaro with ground effects thinking its an iroc hoping to see what he's got.. I see the RS badges (cool lets see if I can win). Well he looks over and knows I'm going to go. I accelerate quite easily to a car length ahead of him.. then we proceed around a bend then to a steep hill. As we're going I can see him behind trying to keep up but I just cruise right up the steep hill. He had the same motor as me, but I think mine was more freshly tuned.. gotta thank the help from these boards.

I like my v6. But from a competition point of view it seems like we're dumping money out to catch up with the big guys. I know 180hp with our 2.8's and 3.1's is a great achievement and requires a lot of work. I think I can live with my sport coupe for a while and be happy.. but is it smarter to save up for a heart transplant over fixing up something that doesnt have a lot of potential?

------------------
87 Camaro Sport Coupe
MSD Coil, Accel 8.8mm wires, Rapidfires
K&N Filters, No Air Baffles
Z28 Hood and Rims

[This message has been edited by matlock (edited May 30, 2001).]

 

Matlock, was the BMW really loud?

If so, you probably just raced a buddy of mine!

 

Haha it did kind of have a diesel sound to it. I'm not educated about my bmw's though.. it looked like the shape of an older jaguar. It was down King George right in front of Surrey Place Mall. Kinda heaty around there but I couldnt resist.

[This message has been edited by matlock (edited May 31, 2001).]

 

good job greame I said I did it and that the mysterious 3rd chirp can be done...LOL the ***** backed off after that what a funny guy...

 

You can bracket race and end up doing very well with our little 6's.. This winter I plan to run mine for a season bracket racing...

 

Matlock, YES you should bother! Meet me at Mission Raceway (www.missionraceway.com) Friday night, they have the Street Legals there. It opens at 4:30 I think, and you need to have your card by 7:00.

I'm going for the first time this Friday (June 1), and I'm stoked. I don't have my V6 anymore, otherwise I would like to see how it will do.

I'll be in a white Formula, it has Formula 350 decals on the doors. If you're around, come by and say hi!

Alex

 

"I'm not accelerating that fast its like I'm removing the impression of a fast car to one of a slow camaro."

switch that thought to an 89bird and I know what you mean. I've had a couple of stangs pull up to me when I'm at a light(as I do have a bit of a rumble at idel) and just watch and laugh at the fuel they burn when they take of like a bat out of hell.

 

AlexJH: I so want to make one of those races at mission. Unfortunately theres no way I'd be able to make it out there by 7:00 tommorow. So you're going to race your formula? Sounds like a blast, email me how your results go. It probably wasnt you last week but I was driving down the eastwest connector towards Surrey on the way home from work and I saw a nice white Formula 350 like you described take off in front of me, then I flew past him. Dont see too many of those around.

F-BOY: Yeah I guess I'll just not even try against guys like that. Whats the point of losing Will save my gas and pride.

 

matlock, it might have been me, I take the 99 to the 91, then the New West exit. I remember seeing a white Camaro, but I don't think it had a bra... next time I'll wave

Looks like it's raining today so I probably won't go to Mission. Sucks.

PS: Do you read the Cascade Crew board? There's lots of guys from the Vancouver area on there.

 

Depends on what you're after. If you want the fastest & best, then forget about the V6, whether normally-aspirated, OR turbo'd, OR supercharged. If you want to make the most out of what you've got, work on the V6.

I want to squeeze the most out of my V6, and I'm proud of all I've done. I'm learning a lot as I go along, and having more fun. Sure, I could've saved all the money I put into my car, and put a V8 in, but then, I'd be driving for all these years with nothing done to my car! Screw that! Plus, some parts (rear axle, transmission, suspension, ignition) will transfer to a V8 powered F-body. Also, all the techniques are the same! Tuneups, intake, exhaust, porting, valvetrain, etc- as we work on the V6's, we learn more. That's not to say we wouldn't learn on a V8,

Will I personally stick with a V6 f-body all my life? No, of course not; eventually, I'll buy a V8 one, and work it up just like I've done to my '86. I'll still keep my '86 around though. I'll never swap engines in my '86 Firebird, it's not worth it. I'll start over with a car that originally had a V8 in it, and go from there.


------------------
-Tom P (Hot rodded 1986 Firebird 2.8l) from http://www.f-body.net/mailbag/3rd/3rd_mailbag.html message boards
---Think your car could be pic of the week? Visit http://www.f-body.net for details!

 

AlexJH: I was thinking about going down to Mission to spectate, but they said chance of showers so maybe next week. I just checked out the Cascade Crew board.. whats the main discussion there? Seems like mostly WA guys.

TomP: Yeah, I agree that its more worthwhile to just start with a V8 car in the first place. Around here though the V8's are worth about double that of a V6 3rd gen. What I know about myself though is that every mod just craves for another one. Say I do some of the initial mods like exhaust and pullies, then I'll be itching to open up the engine and put a Compucam 2030 in it, then gears and so forth. Isnt that what happens? I'm just concerned about money/results for the most part, although I do find it enjoyable working on my car. But at least we're not paying even more money to have someone do the mods we do on our cars eh?

------------------
87 Camaro Sport Coupe
2.8L Auto, MSD Coil, Crane Cams 8.0mm wires, AC Rapidfires, K&N Filters, Perfect Brakes
Z28 Hood and Rims

 

Hey matlock, yeah it seems right now alot of people are posting from WA, but you should hook up with a couple of us. There is atlest 3 0r 4 just from langley, and depending what part of surrey your from it might only be a few minutes away

 

I think the smaller engines are more fun to build up cause you have to me more ingenuitive with it. The standard 8 thinking goes away. And you can surprise yourself with some things on it as well, thinking it might not do that much and it do more...

 

i think that if you want to build up a v-6,Go for it! v-6 f-bodys are sport cars too,And i think that modifying them as well as v-8 cars will insuree the longevity of our 3rd gens.

------------------
82 firebird with 305H.O.,Block bored .30 over,Keith black hyperutectic flat top pistons for 10 to 1 compression,Turned crank,Magnafluxed connecting rods,Melling H.V. oil pump,and double roller timeing chain,Ported and shaved heads w/3angle valve job,Z-28springs,Summit push rods and comp cams magnum roller rockers,Ported Edelbrock performer r.p.m.intake,Carter 625 afbcarb,Accell spark plugs,wires,and H.E.I.super coil,Heavy duty cap and rotor,Clevite performance cam with 450-460 inches of lift,Comp cams lifters,700r-4 tranny rebuilt with trans-go rebuild kit,corvette servo,New torQue converter,Flowtech headers,Flowmaster muffler,3.73limited slip rear end,Energy suspension bushings from front to rear,Energy suspension tranny mount,New center link,ball joints,trans-am steering box,ASP power pully.

 

Actually I've been pretty happy with my camaro lately. Yesterday I did a checkup on my timing and it was at 4. Distributor must've been a bit loose. I decided to do it right this time and grabbed a universal joint for my socket set like TomP described. Now my car has a lot more torque. I can do burnouts from a stop at will with 3/4 throttle without using the brakes. It still has the same pull when it gets into the upper revs. I noticed before I adjusted it, that when I accelerated there was a point where my car went from lagging to pulling nicely. Now it pulls good and consistently throughout the rpms. Just some food for thought. Btw I set it to 12.

------------------
87 Camaro Sport Coupe
2.8L Auto, MSD Coil, Crane Cams 8.0mm wires, AC Rapidfires, K&N Filters, Brakes 100%
Z28 Hood and Rims

 

yeah in the beginning, I was the only way to go, but now after driving my lil' 6 for about a year now, the 6 can have its fun as well. Plus it seem everyone,(well where I live) has a import, or has a hopped up v8. Also with being a young age, I don't get bothered with the cops this way. sure 8's make lots of power, cheap to build,but isn't the part of modding are cars to be different(and not in a rice way). I 've got a friend who says I'm crazy for even thinking of dropping any money into a six.

That's why I haven't sunk much money into my little 6. I'd rather wait and decided for sure and not decide after I've sunk money into the 6 or getting an 8

 

I recommend basic mods as part of the tune up for our cars:

Dynomax cat back
Catco High Flow Converter

Not only will you get better sound nad performance the mileage will go up if your not doggin on it.

 

That timing's a pain, eh? I'm probably going to 12 advance this summer, too. Right now I'm running at 10 adv with the ADS superchip; the chip's coming out and I'm going up to 12.


------------------
-Tom P (Hot rodded 1986 Firebird 2.8l) from http://www.f-body.net/mailbag/3rd/3rd_mailbag.html message boards
---Think your car could be pic of the week? Visit http://www.f-body.net for details!