TimeSlips

Dec 2001: All right, I haven't updated this section for a long long time. These times were pretty pathetic, and essentially document the stock condition of the car (when it was broken) running at 3500 feet.

These runs were made using 91 octane pump gas on a motor using: 84 block, 87 high comp head, 84 high comp pistons. The result of that combination was extremely high compression, and it was detonating all the way down the track. I also later discovered the boost problems were due to a badly leaking PCV valve. I was running it at something like 3 degrees of advance to reduce detonation.

The best time on this page is 15.426, but the car has since run a 14.7, still essentially stock with a MP computer. Remember, my goal is to have a fast "completely street" car, one that gets good mileage, is quiet enough to idle outside someone's house without their dishes rattling, and maintaining air, cruise, and other toys.

Several people have commented that these aren't exceptionally fast times, but I can say that here in Calgary, at 3500 feet altitude, this car is fast enough to beat an extremely large percentage of vehicles. If you don't think the altitude kills non-turbo cars, come up here some time and see how much even the Vipers and Vettes struggle. There doesn't seem to be a GM product that I can't beat, or at the very least, match. And the fun of soundly whooping high dollar cars like Boxsters is worth it. One guy raced me three times stoplight to stoplight with his Boxster, each time completely amazed at how much I got on him right from the start. He stopped me at the fourth light and we chatted cars for a few minutes, him in amazement. One of the very few losses on the street recently was an M5, he was literally 3 feet ahead of me at 100 mph... can you call that a loss given the difference in price? (Quote: At $73,874, including destination charges, guzzler penalties and luxury tax, it's beyond my means and maybe yours, too. - same article claims 13.5 second 1/4 mile times).

Friday August 27, 1999

Conditions: 65 degrees F, 55 % humidity, Altitude 3500 feet.

Comments: This was disappointing. Although the car was a rocket ship last week, I missed tech and didn't get it to the track. True to Murphy, it started acting up this week before getting to the track. Boost was inconsistent, only occasionally going to the normal 14 pounds (MP computer). I was running a new kind of octane boost, and increasing the advance didn't increase power.

Based on the last run, and knowing how much slower it was than last week, I'm still convinced that this car should be running below 15.0.

Friday, September 17, 1999

Conditions: 60 degrees F, 75 % humidity, Altitude 3500 feet.

Comments: Better, much better. I replaced a bad head gasket, the amount of coolant going past the O2 sensor was probably a big problem before. The last run I spun all through first and second, and lifted partway down the track... too bad, because it might have been the fastest. I was actually staged for the next run when some raindrops hit the windshield... and they chased me off the starting line and closed it down... darn :)

Again, inconsistent boost levels were a problem. Some runs it would romp up to 16 psi and drop to 14, others it wouldn't go over 12. I'm pretty sure that my blow-off valve is leaking sometimes, maybe I ought to just plug the hole and run without it until I can get a better one.