A View from Outside

[synchro]

I thought this would be of some interest, real world as far as the United States is concern car owner. Attached link will show you:

The Garage with vintage late 70's Pioneer reciever and the trusty old IBM on the bench, yes with wired internet in the background. Including the 3.6 cu.ft fridge for beverages.

The bride's RX8, 2004, just a modified cold air system at present.

The DelSol, 1995 my son's car D16 motor cold air, custom exhaust, Borsch wire and plugs and trick ECU. Good for 13.89 sec in the 1/4 mile at present.

Grand Cherokee 4.0 , 1999; exhaust, K and N air cleaner additions only.

The beast 1984 $1.00 US Cherokee; with rust and bad paint option. 2.8 V6 and 5 speed.

The 1995 Eagle Talon cocoon, next project car with 2.0 non turbo, cold air, custom cat back exhaust system so far.

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/r59jb/...ytrZDBrRn5XRun

Enjoy.

[Shad]

13.89 from a DelSlo with a D16? Ok... so what have you done to it really?

[synchro]

Start with the basics, a proper tune up, all plug wires and cap replaced with MSD parts; Oil changed to synthetic (redline Racing 10W40 was used at the track) this knocked the trap time down by almost 1/2 second!; true cold air system; custom cat back system with Borla muffler ( at track cat pulled) only a slight .3second advantage as you do need some backpressure; remove the spare, the jack and all the other extra weight in the car, that's it. The run was made with some borrowed slicks.

track temp for the day was mid 70's, slight breeze. My son weighs in at 170 pounds so he's not no feather weight,helmet, gloves and that's about it.

Changes made since then has been pulleys, transmission flush and synthetic fluid added, ditto front, and will be making another blast down the track in a couple of weeks before he goes of to college.

[Shad]

I see. So an American 1/4 mile must be what, 30 metres shorter than a British 1/4 mile? Can't really see how that time is achievable otherwise. The Delslo is a heavy car at the best of times, and the D16 isn't really that good (I should know, I've got one).

Sub 14s is B16 turbo territory for a Mk2 CRX, which is substantially lighter than a Delslo and massively more powerful (~850kg and 200+hp).

Which D16 have you been tuning?

[Moby-Dick]

AFAIK US Qtr mile times are not directly comparable to UK ones ( does reaction time count ? )

same for power and octance measuremnts , they use a slightly different system ?

I may be wrong, but I've yet to see a car make its claimed US time in the UK

[herulach]

AFAIK US Qtr mile times are not directly comparable to UK ones ( does reaction time count ? )

same for power and octance measuremnts , they use a slightly different system ?

I may be wrong, but I've yet to see a car make its claimed US time in the UK

Octane is rated differently, ours is RON and theres is whatever the other way of doing it is, as far as power goes ps and bhp are different, but not by a hell of a lot 1PS ~ 1.01 hp IIRC
THe not running the same times may be due to regs, for a start FIA dont allow side exit exhausts like you get on top fuel i dont think

[Lowe]

Guys he was running on slicks on a good temp day, you'd be amazed at the difference it makes to launches...

Also, reaction time doesn't count over here or in the States.

Octane ratings are slightly different. Over here we use plain RON ratings. In the States they use RON+MON/2 which means they end up with a lower number for the same fuel as we'd have over here.

Whilst I'm not poo pooing what you're saying, I don't think he's billy bull**** either

[jon bda]

Those Eagle Talons are fair cars, i remember watching one of the US rally championships on late night tv a few years ago and being suprised by the amount of them running...and the wierd variety of cars in general!.

[Butuz]

Nice RX-8

Butuz

[Rave]

I would sell my kidneys for a garage like that.

[loki]

That is very nice. Wouldn't mind that garage set up myself

[synchro]

I think something is getting lost here regarding the Del Sol, the D16 engine here in the states is SOHC Vtec, about 120 hp factory stock listing. The items I have mention we added did the following on the dyno after setting the baseline:

Cold air hp average gain was 2hp, with a peak at 3.6; removing the cat netted about 4hp, doesn't in real life add that much to times; the custom exhaust added net gain of 7hp; the Redline racing oil verses the standard Castrol GTX was the big surprise a solid 4hp gain.

As you see the hp gains after the tuneup and wires, cleaned injectors etc was 17hp. Yes I got lucky have a friend with a dyno to use after hours.

As far as octane ratings we ran a 95 octane reg 92 pump with a home brewed octane booster. Check the web you'll find how to make it. Weather and tires helped a lot. Most of the items we did to the car we did grassroots, find a manufacted part as in the cold air and copy it using what is available at hardware stores.

As far as the garage it's real life, nothing fancy just very workable with good lighting and clean. I wouldn't mind seeing some of the garages you use. And I'll tell my wife you like the RX8!

[Tumble]

I havent got any pictures, but the garage I get helped along with my car at is what you'd call "earthy"

"I need this bit for my gearbox that's fell off..."

"Oh, there should be a whole box over in that patch of nettles.."

/wades into nettles with spanner


etc etc

[Lowe]

Garages? Pah, we're all natural baby - we do it outside

Wind, rain, Clio 16v clutch cable. It's all fun fun fun

[Dougal]

Garages? Pah, we're all natural baby - we do it outside

I would never wanna see you working on your car in the "natural" way.

CLothes prevent you from getting oil in your nether regions