The Black Pearl goes Racing.....

[DaBlackPearl]

Gateway Intl. Raceway had their Test and Tunes today. I decided to go as I had some time this morning and see some cars race and see what the Bonnie would do.

94 SSEi
Series 1 1.8 Rockers
Stock cam
2.5" pulley on factory SC
60'....2.282
1/8 mile.....9.826@71.90
1/4 mile....15.253@90.29

That wasn't bad for the first time ever taking the car to the track.
I was not ready for the Pro Tree either. On that tree the ligh just goes green, there is no yellow lights to get you ready to launch to.

I brake torqued the car at the line and the tires broke loose when I let them go. That cost me getting into the 14's plus my reaction time is horrible. I read other post here on how to launch, but being at the tree with a quick light made me jumpy and I hammered it without feathering the gas a little first.

350 cars showed up today and it took 3 hours to go thru the loop one time. So I got one run in and did not have the time to wait to run again. There is one more test and tune on the 15th of Nov. so maybe if the weather holds I will go try again.

I have yet to get the PCM tuned and I think that would help also. All and all it was a fun day as there was plenty of eye candy with all the cars there.(the girls weren't bad looking either! LOL)

I was hoping for a 14.5 and closer to 97+mph. Oh well, reality is humbling

[radomirthegreat]

Wow, good luck getting into the 14s. That would be awesome. That's a great time in and of itself. Great job!

[DaBlackPearl]

I am positive if I had time for 2 more runs I would of hit the 14's.
For one my reaction time was nuts...0.589, if I cut that in half that would help.
Then, I need to come off the line solid and not spin out. That cost me some too.

I also have to get the PCM tuned to all the mods and see if that helps.(It should)
I wonder if I should of come off the line brake free or if I should of brake torqued like I did?

Ultimately I am seriously considering a Series II motor swap with the trans and transaxles, harness and PCM. Dave at Triple Edge Performance in Fort Wayne, IN. says he can get'r done! I like my body style more than the 98'.

Here is something that gets me, Why is the 0-70mph good but the next 20mph took 6+ seconds? There is just no power on the top side!

[firebuick]

For one my reaction time was nuts...0.589, if I cut that in half that would help

reaction time does nothing to improve youre ET or 60 foot time youte time start only after the first staging light come off

[GoldenBullet]

For one my reaction time was nuts...0.589, if I cut that in half that would help

reaction time does nothing to improve youre ET or 60 foot time youte time start only after the first staging light come off

correct, the timer doesnt start until you cross the line. not when the light turns green.

[DaBlackPearl]

So your saying a faster reaction time is just driver vs. driver and has nothing to do with the final ET number?

Still, I believe the tune on the PCM and more practice launching would make a better ET.
I was really hoping for a 14.5 but it is what it is. LOL
15 seconds makes for a long drive down the track, especially when the other guy is heading back from the end of the track!

[Allmachtige]

Reaction time is important when bracket racing. Otherwise you can just sit there for days on a green light if you wish.

[00Beast]

Here is something that gets me, Why is the 0-70mph good but the next 20mph took 6+ seconds? There is just no power on the top side!

The Series 1 makes incredible low end torque, but the Series 2 has that torque higher up, giving us better top end, while sacrificing a little low-end, IIRC.

[radomirthegreat]

Here is something that gets me, Why is the 0-70mph good but the next 20mph took 6+ seconds? There is just no power on the top side!

The Series 1 makes incredible low end torque, but the Series 2 has that torque higher up, giving us better top end, while sacrificing a little low-end, IIRC.

I rode in three Series 1 supercharged cars, a 1995 Riviera back in 1999, my 1994 from 2006 until now, and another member's 1993 in 2008, From riding in several Series II L67 powered cars from random manufacturing dates and in various years, I firmly believe that a Series II L67 does not sacrifice any low end power you can notice, but it continues to have power later on in the higher RPM range. If there is any low end torque lost from moving from Series I to II, I don't care for it because I can't tell, and the Series II can be built to have so much more power overall than the Series I that it doesn't even matter. I do love my 94, but riding in 1337ssei's 97 is like night and day. Series II swap!

[1994se]

WOW. Very impressive. If you kept at it i think 14's are possible, maybe another mod or two.

[olblueeyesbonne]

WOW. Very impressive. If you kept at it i think 14's are possible, maybe another mod or two.

I very much agree.
I had a 1995 Bonneville SLE SC and with only a couple easy mods was pushing 14.9's. After some more modding I still could only manage to copy the 14.9's. Oh how I'd would've loved to have had rockers.

[DaBlackPearl]

I took it out last night on a back road and did some practicing.(old paved farm road)

There is more to the story at the track as my head was a mess when racing. No focus!
I had a ride along all the way to the line and then the track official said he had to get out.(right before burn out), That delayed the line while the other lane car was ready to go. The officials were hurrying me to the line and then the Pro tree really thru me off as I was expecting the lights to drop.
Anyway, I busted the tires loose and let up a little and then hammered it back down and that thru the 1st gear lock out to redline(which hits the rev limiter until it shifts to 2nd), then I shifted from second to OD and did not lockout 2nd to 6K and then lockout 3rd. Instead I just let it shift on its own. I was sightseeing much more than racing as I have never ran on that track before and was taking everything in instead. I was hoping to have time to hang out for a second run but the wifey called and I had to go. So, all in all it was a bad run.

On the farm road I measured a 1/4 and marked it with a reflector/stake. I ran it last night 3 times before the engine got hot. I locked the gears out and shifted to the rpms just under 6K to avoid hitting the rev limiter. Each time I passed the marker at 97mph according to the HUD. I am pretty positive after I get the tune on the PCM I will hit a 14.5 in the 1/4.
I will have a better game plan and more practice. I don't want to race the car everyday or anything like that, but I do want to go back and see what I can pull before the season ends.

[Boss455]

Great work Pearl! I hope to use you as a blueprint for my car. Now that I put on a set of gold crosslaces, we're really twins now! Keep up the great work and hope to see more modding!

[DaBlackPearl]

http://www.racingperspectives.com/cgi-b ... 01_201.jpg

Here is a link to a pic...

[2003 SSEi]

you obviously didnt do the ELC trick

[freneticburn]

Here is something that gets me, Why is the 0-70mph good but the next 20mph took 6+ seconds? There is just no power on the top side!

The Series 1 makes incredible low end torque, but the Series 2 has that torque higher up, giving us better top end, while sacrificing a little low-end, IIRC.

I rode in three Series 1 supercharged cars, a 1995 Riviera back in 1999, my 1994 from 2006 until now, and another member's 1993 in 2008, From riding in several Series II L67 powered cars from random manufacturing dates and in various years, I firmly believe that a Series II L67 does not sacrifice any low end power you can notice, but it continues to have power later on in the higher RPM range. If there is any low end torque lost from moving from Series I to II, I don't care for it because I can't tell, and the Series II can be built to have so much more power overall than the Series I that it doesn't even matter. I do love my 94, but riding in 1337ssei's 97 is like night and day. Series II swap!

The supercharged versions might be like that but on the NA engines there seems to be a huge difference in low end torque in my experience comparing my 98 Bonne and my buddy's 98 LeSabre (with series 2 NA) to my sisters Oldsmobile and my buddy's Oldsmobile both with a series 1. Of course other variables may come into play as well. The series 1 has great pull right from the start but loses it quickly like it just hits a wall whereas with the series 2 you can actually feel it building up and for the most part doesn't feel like it really hits a brick wall as far as pull goes, it just changes gear then. Part of it might be the transmissions though.

[LeSabre in Buffalo]

Electronic control of shifting likely better than vacuum control.

Nice time, though!

[DaBlackPearl]

I rode in three Series 1 supercharged cars, a 1995 Riviera back in 1999, my 1994 from 2006 until now, and another member's 1993 in 2008, From riding in several Series II L67 powered cars from random manufacturing dates and in various years, I firmly believe that a Series II L67 does not sacrifice any low end power you can notice, but it continues to have power later on in the higher RPM range. If there is any low end torque lost from moving from Series I to II, I don't care for it because I can't tell, and the Series II can be built to have so much more power overall than the Series I that it doesn't even matter. I do love my 94, but riding in 1337ssei's 97 is like night and day. Series II swap!

The supercharged versions might be like that but on the NA engines there seems to be a huge difference in low end torque in my experience comparing my 98 Bonne and my buddy's 98 LeSabre (with series 2 NA) to my sisters Oldsmobile and my buddy's Oldsmobile both with a series 1. Of course other variables may come into play as well. The series 1 has great pull right from the start but loses it quickly like it just hits a wall whereas with the series 2 you can actually feel it building up and for the most part doesn't feel like it really hits a brick wall as far as pull goes, it just changes gear then. Part of it might be the transmissions though.[/quote]
I believe it is a horsepower issue. The taller gears at the end of the run are not being turned fast enough to get a faster ET. Horsepower=speed in most cases. Gears help plant the given horsepower and maximize the use of the motor. The Series II engines are backed by a trans with a better gear ratio and they have more HP.

I agree about hitting a wall. The series 1 car just gives up after 80mph and climbs slow to the top. I have had other v8 cars that you could feel pulling well past 130mph. It would be nice to feel that in the Bonnie!