Stock 3.8 Times? 5spd or A4?

Hey guys. Long time no see, but I am about to re-enter the v6 world!

I am selling my 97 Grand Am GT and getting a v6 Camaro!

I dont want another 3.4 Like my old camaro cuz that thing was just too slow for a v6!

So I'll probably get like a 96+ Camaro with the 3.8. What do they run stock? (my 4 bager GT runs 16.7 Stock)

Also, This is gonna be my daily driver! I got the Ws6 for a show/show-off fat car.

The Ws6 has the 6 speed! So I am having fun with that!
Now should I get the v6 with Auto ar 5spd? I want an A4 for consistant track times (im gonna race it) But I want the 5 speed so I can better drive it in snow! Which one should I get?

I got at the track last week with a completely stock 2002 camaro V6

16.499 @ 83.49 MPH

That was the best time I got

I think I could sqeeuze a 15.6-.7 in my dads 2k, but I had only driven it for 2 days before I took it to the track, I managed a 15.875, like stated in the sig, thats stock with 7k miles on it.


I would get a 5-speed whatever you do especially if you already have a 6-speed, it doesn't get old, I think most 4-banger and 6-banger cars should be manual trannies anyways to use the power they have most effectively.

Originally posted by MustangEater82
I think most 4-banger and 6-banger cars should be manual trannies anyways to use the power they have most effectively.

Can you explain this statement above please.

And are you implying that 4/6 bangers with stick are faster?
I heard of this but im not sure if its true or not

Well my belief but I have found the v6 world generally thinks autos are faster.


First there is a less drivetrain loss in a manual drrivetrains so more of the power form the motor is making it ot hte wheels.

Second, its mroe evident in 4 bangers then I think in v6s but still applies in alot of places.

a 4 banger usually has a "peaky" hp/torque curve, and much smaller power bands. Generally in a 4 banger the power is in a power band say from 4500-5100. With an auto you cannot always change where the shift point is, with an auto you can control the car better in so that it stays in that effective pwoer range, and allows you to rev pas it so when you hit the next gear you start off in that powr range instead of boggin then working your way back into the power range.

Its also similar with v6s, in alot of ways I think even more son in 3.8Ls, since there peak torque is higher in the RPMs.

now a v8, has low peak torque, and is generally pretty powrful all across the powerband, compared to a I4 or v6, so it is not as hard to keep a car in the power band.

So you can control the the car to keep it in the pwoer band so the manual tranny uses the power most efficently, assuming the driver drives it right but driving skills are easier learned then custom programing to allow your car to shift at certain points.

And antoehr important factor is you can "stall" a 5-speed, basically you can get a higher RPM launch then you can over a stock auto. Only thing keeping your form hard launches in a M5 is wheel spin.

Thats my reasoning....


And my rebuttal to the "well the fastest v6s are all autos debate"

Well the Borg Warner T5 is a pretty weak transmission as transmission go thats why it was never put on anything bigger then a 305 tpi in 3rd gens. I think its rated to only handle 300 ft. lbs. of torque, but there are very few any making that sort of power.

Second, what is one thing that the people with the fastest cars all have, MONEY, when they bought there cars, they bought them with most the creature comforts, and most f-bodies are autos. Thats another theary of why they have autos.

Just the fact that 5-speeds are slightly rare, when my dad was looking for a 5-speed 2k with "some" options like pwoer windows, and t-tops, and in Navy blue, me and him spent 2 months searching and could not find one, so he had to settle without the t-tops, we did find one firebird that was navy blue and similar options 5-speed and t-tops, but it was $20,000, compared to the Camaro for $15k, so he settled without the t-tops.

I agree with MustangEater. My friend in his 2001 3.8 5spd (NOT LYING) ran a 14.5!!! with intake, exhaust and 3.73's. I myself ran a 15.8 stock, keeping in mind it was my first time ever to the track and the car had around 85,000 on the clock back then.

My 2000 3.8 (A4) ran 15.5 stock with 3.42s and LSD.

DAYAMN!!! 14.5 with intake, exhaust and 3.73s. i needz to get me some 3.73s!
i never ran it stock, but with an airlid and dynomax muffler i ran 15.5 @ 88 mph.

I ran 16.0 @ 85 on a hot and humid day, with SLP CAI, flowmaster, and not cat in my 99 3.8

Yeah 14.5, I didn't believe it when i saw it. BTW he pulls a 1.9 60':D

As for 5-speeds guy around here with a 99 5-speed maro ran a 14.9 with 3.73s, intake, and exhaust.

Use to have a 99 V6 A4 Camaro before I traded it in for the '02 Maxima. The best I ran with SLP cold air kit, whisper lid, Borla cat-back and Trango shift kit was a 15.6.

so your saying that your Grand AM GT was faster than a 3.4:confused:

bone stock i went 15.20, then after intake and exhaust i went 14.70. my car is an a4 by the way

"bone stock i went 15.20"

NO WAY....my friend has a 98 a4 and the best he could pull off stock was 15.9

i know its hard to believe, but for some reason lousianna and houston puts out some mad times. it took me thousands of dollars to get to 14.8 and even more to get to 14.4, but i have heard of freak times like that so its possible. bring that car to san antonio and it will prolly only get 15.5.

damn, i wonder what my car will run huh?

Originally posted by 1fastV6
i know its hard to believe, but for some reason lousianna and houston puts out some mad times. it took me thousands of dollars to get to 14.8 and even more to get to 14.4, but i have heard of freak times like that so its possible. bring that car to san antonio and it will prolly only get 15.5.


he's right. sometimes in louisiana we get awesome race weather that passes through. its not here for very long but when its here the drag racing freaks are all over it (me being one of them).

i know houston raceway is 10 ft above sea level and san antonio is 300 ft above sea level. makes a hell of a difference. when my car is tuned and everything running right i will take that 4 hour drive just to race at hrp.

I got 15.8 with my 97 A4 near stock. Basically a cai and muffler. 163rwhp, 196rwtorque

This was in 5degree cel weather last weekend. In warmer weather it was running low 16's most of the summer.

weird :eek:

Originally posted by john00V6A4
he's right. sometimes in louisiana we get awesome race weather that passes through. its not here for very long but when its here the drag racing freaks are all over it (me being one of them).

I'm also from Louisiana..Krotz Springs to be exact......where is that weather at? With the 305 in my El Camino...i've only managed to break 19.5's..... Thats the main reason for the 454 buildup.

John...where do you race at? I may have seen your car around if you race often. I pretty much stay at State Capital Dragway in Erwinville and sometime hit the Eunice track.

Originally posted by cobra2550
so your saying that your Grand AM GT was faster than a 3.4:confused:

If a 3.4L Runs slower then 16.7 Thne yes my stock 4cylinder Grand Am is faster :)

Originally posted by beaux
John...where do you race at? I may have seen your car around if you race often. I pretty much stay at State Capital Dragway in Erwinville and sometime hit the Eunice track.


i havent been racing much lately. i race mostly at no problem raceway. i sometimes go to Eunice, and i havent been to state capital in awhile. i heard they are doing great things there so i am gonna try and go out there soon.

Originally posted by ProjectRS
If a 3.4L Runs slower then 16.7 Thne yes my stock 4cylinder Grand Am is faster :)

hmmm everytime I raced with a Grand am GT I would win:D