Ok so here is some news form my racing experience this past weekend. I'm not very happy with the results but I'm going to work on it and see what I can do to improve.
First of all I'll start with my time: 14.5 @ 95 mph (Which btw is about a 1.5 second increase from what I ran after installing all my dead weight). Vehicle weight is 2910 (thanks to my heavy ass system and it looks like the blower added a good 40 lbs to the bag as well). My 0-60 is 5.5 seconds now.
So here is my experience. First of all I am desprately going to need some serious work on my launches. I'm experiencing 2.2 - 2.3 second 60' times. I'm having real trouble getting the car to launch on these horrible tires. I tried lowering the pressure down to 18 psi in the front and I think it is to low because the rim is spinning inside the tire and then you can feel I lose a lot of power on the top end. So next time I'm going to try upping it to about 22 psi and see what happens. It will be a ltitle game until I figure it out. Plus I'm going to try putting some more air in the rear tires. I was only on 32 psi in the back maybe I'll try 38 psi next time.
Second of all these brakes are no good for these speeds and my weight. I'm having serious trouble attempting to stop in time. I can obviously make it by the last exit. The second exit is difficult to make but sometimes can pull it off. I have to use engine braking plus the breaks to slow me down and you can feel the car pulling hard because it isn't enough to stop me.
I have three things that I need to do as well:
- Most importantly I need to get the aftercooler hooked up. I talked to a guy with a GTP and he informed me that with out his after cooler working it affected his time by almost one full second. Now I don't expect it to gain me a full second but I'm sure it will help keep my times more steady plus keep the car more reliable. adf
- I need to hook up a boost gauge. There are two things on my mind right now. First of all if you calculate out the change in horsepower based on weight, mph, distance, and time my car comes out to be approximately 210 hp at the crank, and then if you calculate that into a blower gain it because only about 7 or 8 psi. The other thing that is on my mind which fits more likely to what I am experiencing behind the wheel. You can hear the supercharger when the car is pulling. But I am experiencing the sound for a brief moment through second gear then it dies out, and in third and fourth gear there is nothing it just feels stock. So I wonder if the bypass valve for some reason is preventing me from boosting. Which if that is true people at the track showed me some tricks to reduce how often the bypass valve kicks in. But I don't want to mess with it until I have a boost gauge and know for a fact what is going on here.
- Finally and this is just a little thing. The car was pulling extremely hard when I first picked it up. I had used a mixture of half a tank of regular, Some Octane booster that increases by like 6 octane or something like that, and a half a tank of Premium. Plus it also helped that it as 25 degrees outside. At this time when I was running all of this I was next to a WS6 and it may have been fake badged, but even a standard firebird I never should have been able to pull away from him so strongly. By the sound though it definatly was not a V6. So one of the things that was suggested to me was to change the gas that I use. I was told to start using Sunoco 94 and that people heard rumors of gas stations mixing their gas to make more of a profit. Well yesterday I got in contact with my Uncle who has a friend that can actually seperate the fuel and determine true octane and if anything else is in it. Well we pulled some fuel from my tank. Shocking I found there was water mixture in there and he said it also wasn't 93 octane that it was closer to 91 octane. So I'm not sure how much of a difference fuel can make but that was a thought to change out my fuel.
I'm a bit upset right now because the advertisement and all the write up is that this is supposed to be an 11 psi kit, and I'm not experiencing 11 psi increases. But the boost gauge will prove this or not. The other reason why I'm upset was because I gave strict instructions while the dealer had my car to make sure the aftercooler was installed. After closer inspection and the wonderful temperatures we have had lately I noticed it was just plugged and never actually hooked up.
The only plus side that is preventing me from losing my mind is that I never realized how many cars came to the track and didn't run 14.5 or better so at least I felt good beating out a bunch of cars. But as of right now for how much this kit costs I can not validate it's cost vs performance gain.
Wish me luck the next time I go to the track which won't be until April.
That time, with the additinal weight, is actually very close to what Airtonics was runnin in his last time at the track. he was running about a 14.1, in the same temperatires, but with a car weighing about 200 lbs less, experience with the launch, and knowing his car.
Also unles you supplied the dealership with the stuff for the aftercooler, they aren't going to hook it up. That is also something they will not do as it isn't part of your kit. So buy the parts and plan on doing it yourself.
Overall it is about where you should be with regards to your launch issue, 60' times, and overall weight. I would consider that a good first time out.
(Now to get mine done)
Well I knew that the aftercooler was not included in the kit. But when I ordered it I specifically placed the order with those parts and paid for the install. It is even in my receipt that it is paid for so I am rather pissed about it. I mean the times aren't horrible but that is not what I would expect from 11 psi. And I'm not happy with the supercharger shutting off so often (which i can't prove until I have the gauge). But if this is all i have to work with then I guess that's that.
correct me if i'm wrong but the kit isn't running 11psi out of the box is it??
It is running 11 psi when it is that cold out!!! Colder air = denser air. So those would be good number out of the box.
Econator, let me know the dealership as I looked into ordering the additional parts, and it wasn't value oriented for what i could buy them after market.
Also lose the extra stereo weight. Airtonics is running full interior LS Sport and with my rear in the car was weighing only 2750 or so.
You will find the biggest gains in your launch however, His launches were much better than that, and the tenths on the 60' turn into bigger returns on the other end.
Overall it is good, go with it, and have fun.....
Have you considered that your belt is slipping in 3rd and 4th gears? How's the tension on it? There's room to improve for sure, but I wouldn't be real upset with the results for the 1st time out with the kit.
Any pics of the kit on the car?
15.3 @ 89.97mph, 14's on the way?
oh and the system will not go. I thought about maybe making it easier to have the speaker and the built up floor and all come in and out quicker. But I'm not sure yet. It's a shame how I went from a stock 2600 lbs to 2900 lbs. I didn't think I ate that much for dinner the night before.
welcome to my world 210hp at the crank, @!#$ty launches, good audio, and way too damn much weight
1989 Turbo Trans Am #82, 2007 Cobalt SS G85
What was your 0-60 time before the s/c? You said it's now 5.5 but you only lost 1.5 off your 1/4 mile. Does this mean it actually slowed down from 60+?
My only 0-60 was about 8 seconds I think. I would have to go back and look at my time slips again. It's definitly much stronger on the bottom end than it is on the top. You can wip through 1st gear and 2nd gear is pretty quick too. It's third and fourth that you don't even feel like you are boosting in.
well im gonna your times are 90% driver , relax and take a deep breath
with the s/c you need a COMPLETE relearn on how to drive it
give it time , and im sure youll knock n some low 14's , once you get used to the car
you have the stock air box , which is fairly restrictive
keep in mind airtonics went 14.1 in his , intercooled , but with the stock exhaust
and most 2.4's with the s/c are still running mid 14's with a 5spd
as far as the intercooler stuff , the cores are in the manifold , and you need the coolant pump , and some 5/8" hose and the fill neck and cap , the heat exchanger core from the cobalt/redline will not fit our cars from what i can tell , the coolant hoses go into their heat exchanger on the botton of the core , and for it to work on our cars , would sit the heat exchanger to low , and would end up as road kill
get some better tires , and take some time to learn the car at the track
if you cant remove the system for track use try pulling out any extra weight that you can , and go to the track with only 1/4 tank or less , if a gas station is very far from the track carry a extra gas can with some gas so you can get to 1
keep in mind im not saying your a crappy driver or anything , but saying you just added alot of power to your car , and for track use , its a whole new game that you entered
Brian, that octane booster crap doesn't work, you should know that. Unless you throw in a few gallons of toluene, there's really nothing you can do to significantly increase the octane rating of pump gas.
14.5 @ 95 was about what I used to run on the K03 turbo at 20 psi before switching to the K03S and before i had a 7200 rpm redline, and before i had really started doing any weight reduction (although your car fully loaded is what my car weighs stripped with me in it). Its still a very respectable time, all things considered. First off, that audio stuff in the rear is REALLY hurting you, even on your 60' time. Weight in the rear is just more weight to help the ass squat and lift the front wheels, making it really hard to hook up. If you're that set on keeping the audio in there, then maybe some gravana adjustable coils would help somewhat. You don't have the cooler, that will be pretty big gains, you don't have a header, again, probably will be a significant gain, and if you want, i'll help you with a solution to keeping a stock airbox but making it actually flow.
Arrival Blue 04 LS Sport
Eco
Turbo
Megasquirt
'Nuff said
Am I the only one who thinks that going from running 15.3's to a 14.5 with only the addition of the S/C is pretty damn good....especially for the first time out? Beside the S/C..it's damn near a stock car.
You could easily be on the brink of 13's with more practice. I would be happy if I were you.
RE Audio
Not to mention you picked up 8 mph in the trap!!!
RE Audio
I guess the only reason I'm upset is because I felt a major power difference from one week to the next. And by the time I got to the track I felt I could have done better.
Your times are similiar to what I started with after I had a decent tune in warmer weather. The bash was a terrible exception, very hot temps and almost no tune.
My last run in cooler temps was as Marchi said 14.1@99 My car is not 200lbs lighter. It was 2856 with driver but with the jack, spare and rear seat (upper) removed. Highest trap was 100.64
What are your 60 ft times? Last time I went I finally had a feel for the car. I launch lightly and short shift second a bit. Although I was on the stock RSA tires and wheels at the time.
With my larger tires and lighter wheels I think I could have taken a bit more time off and been more agressive with the throttle at lower speeds. I'll know in a month when I return to the track.
I only see 10psi with the stock pulley, maybe 11 when it's really cold out. You might see more than be because you lack the intercooler setup, (cooler air is more dense) boost is only a measure of resistance.
Regardless nice job for your first time out. I wouldn't expect much of a difference with the intercooler setup with the temps relatively cool out. Once summer comes it should make a decent difference though.
12.770 @ 111.99 Intercooled Eaton M62
i thought he did good for his first time out with the s/c
i just think he is being to hard on himself and the car , and needs to relax , and go through a relearn curve
i know of turbo eco's that are barely running faster than the time in my sig
and hell i ran alot of low 15's before i got the car down to a 14.38 , it took me a while to figure out what worked for the car , and once i got it figured out , ive ran alot better and more constantly
You said it doesnt pull in 3rd and 4th, is it whining at during those gears?
as others have said... with practice you are in the low 14s... which I consider pretty good for having just the s/c...
15.574 @ 89 mph stock
Good time keep up the good work man.
As most have said your times are really good. Be very happy with those. I want to make sure I understand you correctly did you mean you have gotten 1.5 seconds faster, or slower? If it is faster, then the charger made a heck of a difference. Also how are you figuring your 0-60 times? 5.5 0-60 times seem a little too fast for your set up to me. Also you mentioned your brakes, for your MPH at the track you should not have any problems slowing down. I'm only a couple MPH behind you and I have to watch my self oor I slow down too quickly. Unless you have boiled your brake fluid then you should not have any problems. I'm thinking you are expecting way tooo much out of your car.
Again practice learn the car and have fun.
FU Tuning
Dave Dunsmoor wrote:You said it doesnt pull in 3rd and 4th, is it whining at during those gears?
I was actually in the car, as he went through all the gears, the supercharger BARELY whines ...
thats the stock intake for you , my friends redline was the same way
tell he put aintake on it with a open air filter
yeah id be really happy with those times. But to be totally honest i was kinda expect a little bit more. With my Ld9 and smaller M45 with alot less boost, i went from 16.1 to 14.7 with just the charger. I dropped 1.4 seconds and gained almost 10 MPH in the trap. I just really thought the ecotec with the GM supercharger and reflash would be more of a very low 14 second car. But im sure with practice and a few mods you will be there.
2006 Black Cobalt SS Supercharged G85
13.91@102.77
