Friends,

I'm sure that many of you already know this, BUT I found out for sure on Sunday at the SCCA Solo2 Race in Atlanta.

ALWAYS RUN WITH A FULL TANK OF GAS.

I don't mean that I ran out of gas or anything, i'm not that stupid.
But, I was running on 1/4 tank.

And so, I did have 3 laps of BAD hesitation after corners and real bad performance. Some friends told me about 'starvation' and so I left to go fill up on SUPER and came back to the track for my final lap.

I CLICKED A GREAT LAP IN MY FINAL RUN. I reached my goal of 90 points in my E-Street Prepared class. I'm happy, problem solved.

SO, my good friends in Atlanta who know f-bodies and told me to 'fill up, it might be starvation' WERE RIGHT!

I don't think it mattered in Drag racing, but it did in Autocross.

Good Luck,

Brian LaRose
#18 ESP, 87 IROC - SCCA

 

It's good that you learned this lesson. Understand that two very bad things can happen with the starvation:

1) You could burn up the fuel pump since the fuel is the coolant. This is not likely in autocross, but more likely on the track.

2) I have heard of LS1 guys burning pistons on the track because of this. The fuel mixture could lean out and cause major problems in the motor.

I will not go out on the track not on the autocross course without at least 1/2 tank. In fact, I try to keep the thing as full as I can throughout the day...

 

Hey Brian, I'm the guy in the blue Z28 that didn't run that day!! I talked to you at waivers. While it adds more weight, I like to run with a full tank. Number one, it doesn't slosh so much but it also adds weight to the rear tires which helps in your traction. The extra weight isn't going to make THAT much difference in your times.

 

Another great 4th gen 'feature'. That wonderful V shaped tank where 1/4 is really like an 1/8th. Of course on the other end, if mine is too full, it comes out the gas cap.


It sure is a pisser to auto cross though!

 

Thirdgens are notoriously bad at sloshing the fuel away from the pickup. That is why thirdgen 1LE's (at least the early ones that were only available to licensed racers) had baffled tanks and a swinging pickup. The baffled tank became standard in '90 or '91.

The first time I ran R compounds on my old '98 1LE, it had about 1/8 tank of gas. It fuel starved, and killed the fuel pump. The car only had about 14K miles on it.

 

I ran about half a tank that day. I have bad understeer and am trying desperately to fight it. Mostly in my driving style, which I hope I improve... I was the guy in the slow silver '95 z28, hehe... I enjoyed seeing a 3rd Gen IROC out there. Hope to see you around...

02 FS

 

I ran about half a tank that day. I have bad understeer and am trying desperately to fight it. Mostly in my driving style, which I hope I improve... I was the guy in the slow silver '95 z28, hehe... I enjoyed seeing a 3rd Gen IROC out there. Hope to see you around...

02 FS

 

Say Silver, check out the times,

YOU BEAT ME BY .5 a SECOND. That's NOT slow...

Oh wait, i 'flushed' three of my 4 runs with fuel problems, maybe next time i'll nip you when I have a tank the whole time. OR, maybe not. It is fun to see how the various years run against each other....

Are you going to run the divisional? Or talladega?

Brian
#18, ESP; 87 IROC

 

Nah, Talledega is too far off and the Div is sortof "out of my league" at my current skill level. I really just started this stuff... but I hope to be at the next 'regular' event if things go ok.

Man, looking at those other guys in FS I just sit and shake my head... they are awesome.

Do you have the auto/350 or...??

 

No I'm not driving the auto. I'm lucky, my car came with the 5-speed and the 305 (5.0 Litre). When I say lucky, i really am, because an automatic wouldn't be a fun to race and the 350's didn't come with sticks (would rip up the tranny).
I like shifting....

The real lucky thing is that my car has 4 wheel discs, and a 9bolt Born-Warner rear end with 3.27 gears and BIG BEEFY swaybars.

This thing was made to race, no question about it. Looking at it, I can't believe that the IROC didn't dominate the Trans Am Series back in 88-91, BUT then again, those Cobra R's are pretty awesome stock cars too.

It was a cheap race car, i've had a TON of fun in it and i only have 2 grand invested. (including the roll cage not installed yet).

It's my first full year in SCCA and I'm having a blast.

Brian
#18 ESP, 87 IROC

 

Cool. My best friend in high school had an '87 with the 350. Between him and my hand-me-down Firebird we really had a blast. They are truly made to drive. I believe even more so than the 4th gens.

till next time...