1st time at the track with the bonnie!

[Boosted_GR33K]

I gotta admit, with all the work Ive had done to the SSEI, I was kinda expecting a better run or two...

Best E/T was a 15.7 @ 90MPH with a 2.32 60ft time. Slowest pass (Im assuming it was getting slower and slower due to heat soak) was a 16.05@87MPH with a 2.44 60ft time. Mods to the car are:
ZZPerformance VS cam
105# Valve springs
LS7 Lifters
1.7 Yella Terra Aluminum Roller Rockers
3.4 Pulley
Hi volume oil pump
4IN Cold Air Intake
Power Log
ZZPerformance 1.0 PCM
MSD Coils
Taylor 8.5mm wires
ZZPerformance Downpipe to a custom 2.5in Dynomax Super Turbo muffler with twin LT1 tips
All new sensors, connectors, fuel pump, etc.

I was hoping with a couple gallons of 100oct Id have been able to at least be somewhere in the 14s, but I feel like I need to switch over to a quicker gear ratio, intercooler, suspension mods.... what do you guys think? -Ben

[haro1225]

That seems kinda slow, hopefully it was the heat that caused it to be down on power. My old 96 SSEi did a 15.1 and all I had was a homemade downpipe and an Intense FWI. Also the MSD coils are not necessary, the stock coils are plenty.

[Boosted_GR33K]

That seems kinda slow, hopefully it was the heat that caused it to be down on power. My old 96 SSEi did a 15.1 and all I had was a homemade downpipe and an Intense FWI. Also the MSD coils are not necessary, the stock coils are plenty.

:( I Believe the 15.7 E/T was what the 97 SSEI ran from the factory? Whats a FWI? The MSD coils were on the car when I bought it - just running them till they puke then back to the stockers.

[Backhoe]

Doesn't look right for your mods, considering I pulled a 16.9 ET in my stock '89 LE at Woodburn at WCBF11! Woohoo!

[haro1225]

A FWI is a fender well intake, where the filter is in the fender well, rather than in the hot engine bay. I ran a 14.3 with my GTP with the mods that are currently in my sig, and I think it might be around the same weight as a Bonneville. Your trap speed looks right for low 15's territory though.

[Boosted_GR33K]

Judging from the responses, my SSEI is a turd. Soooo I need to break down and have someone go through the car and run a nicer tune on it.... does ZZPerformance tune? Or...maybe someone closer to the 46516 area? -Ben

[haro1225]

Do you have a way to scan for knock? KR can reduce power if you are getting a lot of knock. Did you do all the mods yourself or did it come with these mods?

[nos4blood70]

First off, your 60 fts are awful. So that's one thing. Not sure if track/tires/driver mod, etc.

Did you add race gas without changing the tune? If so you were running very lean....

Do you have any way to scan the car?

[Boosted_GR33K]

Do you have a way to scan for knock? KR can reduce power if you are getting a lot of knock. Did you do all the mods yourself or did it come with these mods?

Had the mods done by various shops around town. I dont have a scan tool for the newer 3.8 stuff like this, so no real way of knowing.... I had added 2 1/2 gallons of 100oct to my tank before going to the track so it shouldve been plenty safe? New to the whole supercharged 3.8 thing - used to the 3.8s that came in the GNs/Ttypes....

[2003 SSEi]

First off, your 60 fts are awful. So that's one thing. Not sure if track/tires/driver mod, etc.

Did you add race gas without changing the tune? If so you were running very lean....

Do you have any way to scan the car?

actually the 60' wasn't that bad. Even with a 2.0 he would have been at 15.1. The bigger thing that worrys me is the trap speed. its VERY low for the mods

Race Gas does not lean the car out from my experience. The octane has nothing to do with the AFR.

[crash93ssei]

Definitely something going on here, 15.7 is around where you should be bone stock if not quicker then that stock.

[nos4blood70]

In that case, are we looking at a tuning issue?

[xxdabroxx]

If he is running the stock computer with all those mods I can only assume that the ECM is completely lost and has no idea whats going on under the hood. Thats a lot of changes on a stock tune.


You can get a bluetooth scan tool from amazon and the torque app on your phone for around 20 bucks total. It will scan for knock retard. Pretty handy app.

[nos4blood70]

He says he has the ZZP 1.0 PCM.

[Boosted_GR33K]

If he is running the stock computer with all those mods I can only assume that the ECM is completely lost and has no idea whats going on under the hood. Thats a lot of changes on a stock tune.


You can get a bluetooth scan tool from amazon and the torque app on your phone for around 20 bucks total. It will scan for knock retard. Pretty handy app.

I dont own a smart phone so the app thing is out. was thinking about getting the Scanmaster from Full Throttle Speed and giving that a whirl. Had one awhile back in my GN and it worked out pretty good. The ECM is ZZPerformances 1.0 ECM upgrade thats programmed with the cam, stock injectors, etc. The 15.7@90 pass I felt was a pretty weak E/T - MPH I thought was okay? in a few weeks I'll get the scanmaster in there and see if there is any knock... any other things I should be looking for/adjusting?

[crash93ssei]

Both ET and MPH are very weak for the mods, how hot was it outside?

My '03 ran a 14.42 @ 94 basically bone stock with over 130,000 miles on the clock.

[MattStrike]

You definitely need to get a scanner on that. The PCM might be pulling timing.

Your trap speed should be above 93mph, which in the bonneville should be a 14.5-14.7 with driver mod.

[Boosted_GR33K]

Both ET and MPH are very weak for the mods, how hot was it outside?

My '03 ran a 14.42 @ 94 basically bone stock with over 130,000 miles on the clock.

My dash's outside temp display read 99* outside - not sure how accurate those temp gauges are, but it was pretty hot. Granted, Im still re-learning how to launch a wrong wheel drive car, but it definitely needs SOMETHING more to get it going - 1st and 2nd gears felt like an eternity to get through. Im going to change the Plugs to either AutoLite 104s or NGK TR8s and order a set of those 10.5MM wires this weekend, get that false knock elimination kit and scanmaster. Hopefully that'll eliminate any chance of false knock being detected and help me out a bit. I will keep you guys/gals posted... -Ben

[crash93ssei]

99 degrees would definitely have a negative effect on power, but I don't think it should be that drastic. The 10.5mm wires will be a waste of money, just get some good quality stock replacement wires or realistically if you aren't getting any misfires as is then you're current wires are perfectly fine.

[Boosted_GR33K]

Maybe not so much the wires, but the AC Delco OEM plugs may be burning too hot and cause a bit of knock? They are in need of change anyhow, so Im going to grab a set of the TR8 plugs and give those a whirl. Dyna matting the trans in a few minutes followed by a good bath - having track numbers on my car still today is embarassing with 15.7@90mph ringing in the back of my head.... >_>