well, i put "i'm new to the ls1 also" at the top of my post as a disclaimer, i have no experience with this motor at all, i'm just speculating, i realize theres a lot of children on this board that own this car so i'm not sure what to take as fact, though i am very experienced at the track, and your ET looks slow for that mph, and theres a lot more factors to worry about other than street tires drivetrain loss....

i know someone with a stock 98 trans am on street tires, bone stock without a single bolt on, with an automatic that would run 13.3's all day long on a cool night, the very worst it would run was 13.6's and that was in the heat, this person was a bracket racer at Rockingham Dragway and ran those numbers consistantly for 2 years, i assume a z28 should run the same as a TA?

this was just an assumption, i was drawin from experience with my 81 where the torque peaks at a lower rpm than than the LS1 and i picked up .5 in the 1/4 mile with a 2,000 converter vs a stock one, unless i'm proved otherwise i have no reason to believe a 3200 stall wouldnt pick up .5 - .8 of a second

what altitude is your track? just because your runnin slow times because you cant get it to hook up doesnt mean everyone else is, some ppl know how to handle their traction problems

 

Yes I know you stated you are new to ls1's and I would have not been so defensive if you haddn't insulted me with that smells like bull**** comment. You were out of line wether you choose to admit that or not. Now on to your rebuttals which are just a bit off.

Yes my ET was a bit slow due to my 2.1 60' time. If you talk to the guys here in the drag racing section of this forum as much as I have you would know that ls1's on street tires can not get better then 1.9 60' and that is harder for the A4's to do stock. 2.0 60' times are more likely on regular street tires and a stock torque converter. That means I should be able to cut my 60' time down to 2.0 which should shave .2 off my previous time. That is why my estimate seems good at 13.3 for what I can do with lid, exhaust and cai. It's the tires and converter that are holding me back but I'm working on replacing both.

Yes TA's and Z28's should definately run the same if all else is equal (weight, transmission, driver ability, tires, hp, ect). I don't doubt that you know someone who runs 13.3 stock all day. I do to and he's a 99 but he's also a M6 and that is why he runs 13.3 (best was 13.1 I believe) stock all day. I've seen stock autos run 13.6-13.8 all day and others run 13.3-13.5 all day. It depends on the weather and some are just stonger from the factory then others are. So yes some run 13.3, some run 13.5 and some run 13.7. It depends on the car, track elevation and weather.

Well your wrong on the torque converter. I can't argue your 81's success because I don't know that engine or those torque converters but I do know LS1's. A 2000 stall torque converter is only 200 over stock (which is 1800). You would gain absolutely nothing with that small of a stall in a LS1. It's considered a general rule of thumb to not go less then 2800 stall so you can feel a difference. Now based on what I have seen and read in peoples comments on yanks and TCi converters you can expect .3 or .4 improvement from a 2800-3200 stall. But the mid-size street/strip converters are 3400-3600 stall and are good for .5 reduction in ET's. I'm not flaming you but ask any of the big dogs in the drag racing section here or ls1tech.com and they will tell you the same thing. 3500 cstall 2.2-2.5 str is good for .5 and that's about it (not like that's not enough lol). But there is no way a 3200 stall will net .8 seconds by itself. A 4000-4400 stall can get that gain but not a 3200 (at least not on LS1's).

The track I attend is 600 feet above sea level. That's not good but not bad either. Ok I have traction problems. Well DUH I am on street tires. EVERY ONE who runs on street tires with 300 rwhp has traction problems. Hence why stock cars and stock tires are only good for 1.9 or 2.0 60' times. Yes people do solve thier traction problems as will I soon when I switch my rear tires to drag radials. ET streets are even better still for traction but I want a tire I can run on the street also. If I had drag radials now then yes my ET would improve nicely as my 60' time would improve nicely. But my car is on street tires so that is not a valid point when analizing my track time.

My points are valid and accurate. You don't have to accept them but that does not make them any less true. I'm not angry anymore and I'm not trying to flame you but .8 reduction on a 3200 stall is unrealistic by itself and 13.5 for a stock a4 pre 01 ls1 on street tires, slight track elevation and a non-perfect air is normal. It's not good, it's not bad it's just normal.

 

depends on what day you go, most of the auto TA's ive seen run on regular race night have no problems hittin 1.9 60' times on street tires

re read my post, i only refered to my car with the 2000 stall converter, i said nothing of putting one like that behind an LS1

i compared the 2000 stall upgrade to my camaro with a 3200 stall upgrade to an LS1, i believe the 3200 stall on the LS1 would get more of an ET gain than the 2000 stall gave me on my 81

 

I read your posts and you referred to a 2000 stall converter gaining you .5 on your 81. That's fine and dandy. You said a 3200 stall can gain you .5 to .8 on a LS1. Now the reality is .5 is possible but .8 is NOT. I'm not saying .8 gains from a torque converter is impossible. But it would take a bigger stall then 3200 to get that kind of a gain. Here is something you can try if you don't believe me. Go to ls1tech.com and register (if your not all ready). Post a new thread in the automatic trans section asking what 3200 stall converter is best to gain .8 in the 1/4 mile. Then wait and see what the responses are. I'm not lying to you man, if you want .5 gains then a 3200 might do it and 3500 definately can. If you want .8 gains then you have to go to a less streetable 4200 or 4400 stall converter.


All I can say about 1.9 60' stock ta's is there would have to be a reason they hit that well. Maybe your track is closer to sea level and cooler climates. I went on a 80 degree day at 600 above sealevel. Maybe not all were regualr street tires. Maybe the track prep is better. I can't tell you why you see those times but I can assure you I do not see them. M6's yes but autos on stock tires and converters are 2.0 60' times. I'm not saying 1.9 is impossible but it is uncommon.

I'm at a total lose here. If you truly expect to see a .8 gain from a 3200 stall in your LS1 then all I can say is good luck. But I wouldn't call the manufacturer and complain if the converter does not meet that goal. 3200 stall is considered a more street then strip converter. Don't take my word for it, ask around drivetrain secions of forums and do searches. If you want to keep arguing then I'll keep going I suppose but it's getting us nowhere.

BTW I would highly recommend the TCI Super street fighter 3500 converter. It's been called by many the best bang for the buck street/strip converter out there. It'll hit hard so you would need good tires but it might get you .6 gains and I have heard of as good as 1.56 60' times on that verter although 1.7 is more common. That's what I'm getting and for $500 bucks it's a great price.

The big verter guys always say get one stall higher then you originally planned so you don't have to upgrade it later. Good Luck on your cars.

 

hey guys.. i don't mean to interject.... but i'm a complete idiot with strip/drag racing... or quarter mile runs... i'm curious as to why street tires don't get you good traction... is it because the compound of the rubber doesn't grab like drag tires? i dono.. that's why i'm asking LOL... also how does a T/C get you better times.. is it because it launches you in at a higher rpm which is closer to the peak in the power band? and how does it get you a faster time? is it the same reason? sorry to ask stupid questions.. but i wana race my 02 Z and would like to do well... so any and all help is appreciated oh.. btw... you guys are awesome

 

street tires are usually made of a harder compound, but most of the ppl you hear complain about traction problems are the guys drivin near stock cars on a regular test and tune night that like to roll through the water, or just smoke'em before going up to the line all you need to do is spin'em enough to get the crap off of'em and stage your car

my '81 would run 8.8's at some tracks on street tires and it dyno'd at 303ft lbs of torque @ 2300rpm on 195/70/14 tires, tho some crappy tracks required my drag radials

ya, what you said :P you basically answered your own question, it gets you a faster time because you leave the line closer to your peak torque, its kinda like dumpin the clutch with a manual

 

2slow4u...I need to get in touch with you..please give me an email or IM me on AOL..
AIM:Evost7 Email:Evost7@aol.com
about your SES problem! Thanks!

 

How's a 12.300 @ 110 without headers or an LS6 intake on a 1.66 sixty foot.
700' elevation, 80 degrees out. Day before yesterday.

Give me long tubes and 14' elevation and I'll run 11s all day.

 

you must be an oregon kid if youre still saying holla!

 

"How's a 12.300 @ 110 without headers or an LS6 intake on a 1.66 sixty foot.
700' elevation, 80 degrees out. Day before yesterday.

Give me long tubes and 14' elevation and I'll run 11s all day."


The guy that originally posted with the question mentioned a 3200 converter. Of course your gonna be pullin 60's like that you have a st3800 verter, HUGE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO.

 

My guess is with those mods + an ls6 intake, you will run a 12.2732 @ 110.4236 mph with a 1.6971 60' time.

I would remove front swaybar as well as run on a 1/4 of gas. Low 12's would be possible.. Possibly high 11's with skinnies up front, and lightweight wheels with et streets out back and a little more weight reduction. I wouldn't worry about the rear too much until you make a little more power (i.e. h/c), stock rear can handle quite a few passes at low power levels on et streets, bfgs, etc. so long as its an automatic. In automatic cars, the transmission absorbs most the shock.