What can I do for 30-40 more hp?

[yyz28]

1. Octane DOES NOT create Horsepower all by itself.
2. If higher octane proved to provide more power, then the computer was responding to the fact that it could advance the timing further and still experience no ping, thus giving you more power.
3. A computer controlled fuel/ignition system CAN NOT show the true dynamic of octane, only a basic, fully mechanical controlled fuel & ignition system would show you that.

...Lower octane fuel burns faster, hotter and more violently than higher octane gas, and, timing and KR being equal, will ALWAYS make more power.

I run 93 in my LS1 because it's a high compression engine with a sensive computer and overactive Knock Sensors.. (Plus I'm milled from 10.1:1 compression to 11.1:1 compression), but I NEVER ran anything but 87 in my V6 Camaro... Compression didn't warrant it.

BTW, someone asked... 93 octane limits are around 11.5:1 compression, depending on other factors (temp, humidity, etc...) 11.1:1 is as high as I'd go on any street car, maybe even stay around 11:1.

[12secondv6]

So you don't want nitorus but want 30-40 more hp.
Get a torque converter.
I pull 1.9 60 ft's n/a
You are at 2.2's
That will get you going much quicker.
All the other above mods require a lot more work.
the converter will be the best bang for the buck

[Ttop34]

James, notice that my car is a 5spd with Y87, a TC won't really work on my car unless you know something I don't. At the track where I race, that's a pretty dang good 60' time. Most of the V8 cars on street tires can bearly get that. My car seems to spin and go when there's seems to spin and bearly go. My best 60' time is spinning off the line to get the rpm's up and get into the power. Only cars with some type of slicks can get better here and I want to stay on street tires since I really don't want to buy two wheels and two more tires.

Just curious, do you think I'm pushing the fuel system too hard? My o2 sensors and exhaust tips are black(not that bad) so I know it's not running lean. I've knocked almost a full second off my stock time and am only a few tenths behind close to stock LT1 cars so I have to be putting down quite a bit of power.

[Roy]

ttop, youve read all our suggestions and dont want to do any. a 3.73 gear wont be that bad on a 5 speed (compared to an auto).

otherwise you will have to start looking into ways to free up horsepower. lighter flywheel, lighter driveshaft, take weight out of the car, i already mentioned lighter wheels. maybe a clutch that transmits power better. you start to run out of power making toys after a while, if you dont want to go internal.

[zlightning]

Ok finally I found the article it is in The Dec 2001 Hot Rod magazine. The article is Octane Shootout. The engine was a carb engine and they did not repeat did not experience any knock. On 87 cottane they got 396Hp/401.3tq, 91 octane they got 402.1hp/409.4tq, They tested different timing advances for both and still experience no knock and they both achieved best numbers with 36 degrees. 100 octane 403.5hp/407.5tq 114 octane 408.3/414.7. The reason they got better numbers is because there is usually a better formula in the higher octane gas so it can release more power. Oh and yyz28 that comment about lower octane burning faster and hotter isn't always true according to their research and what they found out by doing the tests.
It was a carb'd engine

[ July 17, 2002: Message edited by: zlightning ]</p>

[Ttop34]

Well Roy guess your right, not any more bolt ons that will make power. I'm now interested in a cam though if I can stay with stock everything else. Thanks for all of the suggestions.

[Roy]

i think I remember carbed engines react differently to higher octane than EFI ones do. i know nothing about carbs so i cant comment on them.

[zlightning]

No engine can tell the octane of gas unless it is too little.

[phoenix64]

Once again I read the article in chevy high performance. 92 octane with no knock made signifigantly less horses than the 100 octane becaue the gas you buy at the corner station is formulated for better emissions. Gas really does matter. Think about it you fools. For gods sake its called blue planet gas. the stuff is ****. they are all loaded with eathenol and pumped full of oxygen. Race gas is not.

[yyz28]

...then what we may have here is simply a difference in A. How FI vehicles respond differently than Carbed Vehicles or B. A difference in testing meathods, or C. things other than octane being at issue.

...this is simple Chemistry and Physics... The fact remains, despite what some magazine tells you (Plenty of mags tell you a stock Z28 can barely run 13's, and we all know that's not true), Octane WILL NOT create horsepower. Differences in BP will, temp will...

...additives, formulation, things like that will effect HP... Pure octane alone won't, in any circumstance. Like I said, this isn't a car thing, but a science thing.

[DigitalBee]

Well, not to change the subject or anything.. I have the same question, but for a 3.1L. I have a completely stock motor with the only MOD'S being plugs, wires & Custom CAI. I have the 3.23 gears (stock).

What suggestions could you give me to get some quick HP? I am on the other hand interested in upgrading my CAM, but can't seem to find them for a 3.1L.

Any help would be appreciated.

[mickeys]

well if 10 lbs lighter = 1hp gain and 10hp = .1 off your qaurter mile then a 100 pound reduction would shave off .1 - good luck

just do full intake/exhaust, headers.. basically all the mods you can do leaving it n/a

v6's aren't fast cars so don't be pissed when you lose to v8s.. if you're really mad about it, consider buying a LT1 engine or LS1 if you can

[Ttop34]

I'm not pissed about losing to LT1 cars, they should beat me. I just want to shock a few people driving close to stock LT1 cars by either staying very close to them in a race or beating them. I know I wouldn't be too happy if I had a LT1 and I lost to a V6.

I just changed plugs, wires and ran sea foam through. After the TB spacer/coolant block off, weight reduction and improved lower ram air plate, I should be a little closer I hope.

[Dominic]

I dont think you're going to see more than 230-240 flywheel horsepower with all the intake and exhaust modifications on the planet...

You need a cam to take further advantage of those intake and exhaust modifications. People on ClubGP have noted +50hp with their GT's at the flywheel by a cam swap after doing intake/exhaust mods, on our cars it would be relatively the same.

ZZPerformance thinks highly of the compcams 206/212 L36 grind, as do I. Not to mention you'll still be able to run 87 octane safely if you don't touch your heads :D

[OneQuickV6]

Hey Kendall.....As for my car "proving" that the swap from 3.23's to 3.42's isn't worth it....I WOULDN'T GO BACK! I now have the same 60' times as you, better if I can figure out exactly how high a clutch drop I can go. And my 1/4 miles times....they sued to be 15.6 at their best on a cool day, I already ran that on a hot day and consistantly. So it did help!