NJFBOA - Home of New Jersey's Camaros and Firebirds - View Single Post - Getting my new 406 SBC installed, running, and driving

IROCZman15 · 03-08-2020, 11:38 PM

Short version:
-had fun
-nothing broke
-drove car to track, ran 6 passes, drove car home

Long version:

Got to Island Dragway today for their opening day of 2020, which was just a Test and Tune day. $45 entry fee and unloaded car. Went through tech with no problems. (the guy writing my number in white paint pen wrote it small, so the timing booth had trouble seeing it properly throughout the day, but I got timeslips for all 6 runs). Checked timing. base timing was set at 17 deg using the old timing light I had. When checking advance and total timing I revved the motor up above 3,500 rpms and saw it flickering right about 38 deg. Grazi arrived at the track around this time and we chatted about the car, the setup, and checked ignition timing. IT was nice to meet him and to talk car stuff. I checked the condition of my brand brand new plugs and looked at the "timing mark" on the ground strap. all appeared good. set front tire pressure at 35 psi and rear tire pressure at 28 psi. for all passes I only did a short dry burnout. I realized after my first run that it was easier for me to get the car around the water box by going to the far lane, so I stayed in the right lane for the rest of the day.

ALSO, I had no GoPro video camera today, left it at home by accident charging in the garage like an idiot. SO I had to use my old iPhone 4 mounted to a suction cup mount on my windshield for video; the mount is cheap and has a crack in it so it rattled, vibrated and shook around. sorry about that. The camera angle I pointed it at makes it looks like I stage the car crookedly, but I can assure you, I just had the bracket and camera pointed at an angle. Audio is not the best, as the iphone is in a lifeproof sealed case. Also, since Grazi was there, he filmed two videos from the spectator stands (run 3 and 4). I datalogged most of the runs. If anyone wants to help me by looking at some of the log files, please let me know. I would like to learn how to do this also.

Pass 1: 13.381 at 108.82mph
-had no idea what was going to happen with traction, so I just went for it. spun a bunch, started drifting to the side, but stayed in it, and got whopped by some exotic high end mercedes roadster thing. data-logged the pass
in car video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vaCMfHIAvWI

Pass 2: 13.780 at 109.49 mph
- even more spin off of the launch datalogged the pass
- in car video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvgnz-24IOo

Pass 3: 12.590 at 112.07 mph (best e.t. and speed of the day)
-a bit less tire spin. stalled the engine up to about 2,000 rpms for the launch, got passed by a C7 Z06 corvette at the top end. no datalog this time
- in car video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7DHFlJ_y9ZQ
- other video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mr0MnXEZF-g*

Pass 4: 13.039 at 111.50 mph
- went red, some spin, datalogged
- in car video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XhjfQXa4GPo
- other video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5YDCDizidk

Pass 5: 13.164 at 108.34 mph
- about the same routine. datalogged
- in car video:*https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CyFrw7aEn7g

Pass 6: 12.883 at 109.13 (best 60ft of the day 1.93)
- was next to the silver 4th gen camaro for this pass. ( and man, I really wanted another 12 second slip so that my 3rd run wasn't the only 12 second run), and the timing booth had difficulty reading my small white car#'s so I had to have them reissue me a hand-written slip since the girl at the finish line booth didn't have a slip matching my car number! I did afterwards hangout with the 4th gen driver and he let me take a photo of our slip. Actually, if he wasn't way late on the tree, we would have had a really tight race actually (see slip photo below) datalogged
- in car video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewCfozqudWQ

So, remember about a week ago when I wrote that long post (on this particular thread) about how the car felt like a high 12 second car, well, yea. it did, and still does, because it is ! I have talked to a multitude of people in the last week and I know there is more in the car/engine, but I am not skilled enough to find out how to unlock it.* I don't know anything about tuning, BUT I AM WILLING TO LEARN so I can maybe get this car more dialed in. Aside from a set of sticky rear tires, I would love to get it either tuned by a pro, or find a way to comprehend the tuning software/parameters with some help from a knowledgeable person.* my goal for the car in street-car N/A form is an 11.999 at around 120 mph. After that, I will put the nitrous bottle in it and install the rest of the wet-plate system with a 150-200 shot.*

The only problem area I noticed today was that many times if the car is at idle and I go to wack the throttle it almost half hesitates or stumbles for a half a second, and then it catches itself and revvs up. Again, tuning, I'm sure will show this and hopefully can remedy this.

My goal for today was of course not to break anything, to have fun, and to run under 12.50. I came close, but just a bit short. All in all, a great day. After 6 passes, street drove the car home, emptied the gear, chatted with neighbors about it, and gave it a wash. Uploaded photos and videos and will do datalogs tomorrow.

*Happy to have the car working this well at this point in early March, after only removing the old engine early January, putting the new engine in early February, and full blown rewiring, painting, bodywork, cooling system, trans, converter, and so on over the past two months of 2020.* You guys here on the board have been a huge help to me during this process, so thank you; and keep the advice coming !

full photo album can be found on my Flickr account page, but here are some photos from the day:

03-08-2020, 11:38 PM	#66
IROCZman15 10 Second Club / Meet Coordinator Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Roxbury, NJ Posts: 2,101 iTrader: (8)	Short version: -had fun -nothing broke -drove car to track, ran 6 passes, drove car home Long version: Got to Island Dragway today for their opening day of 2020, which was just a Test and Tune day. $45 entry fee and unloaded car. Went through tech with no problems. (the guy writing my number in white paint pen wrote it small, so the timing booth had trouble seeing it properly throughout the day, but I got timeslips for all 6 runs). Checked timing. base timing was set at 17 deg using the old timing light I had. When checking advance and total timing I revved the motor up above 3,500 rpms and saw it flickering right about 38 deg. Grazi arrived at the track around this time and we chatted about the car, the setup, and checked ignition timing. IT was nice to meet him and to talk car stuff. I checked the condition of my brand brand new plugs and looked at the "timing mark" on the ground strap. all appeared good. set front tire pressure at 35 psi and rear tire pressure at 28 psi. for all passes I only did a short dry burnout. I realized after my first run that it was easier for me to get the car around the water box by going to the far lane, so I stayed in the right lane for the rest of the day. ALSO, I had no GoPro video camera today, left it at home by accident charging in the garage like an idiot. SO I had to use my old iPhone 4 mounted to a suction cup mount on my windshield for video; the mount is cheap and has a crack in it so it rattled, vibrated and shook around. sorry about that. The camera angle I pointed it at makes it looks like I stage the car crookedly, but I can assure you, I just had the bracket and camera pointed at an angle. Audio is not the best, as the iphone is in a lifeproof sealed case. Also, since Grazi was there, he filmed two videos from the spectator stands (run 3 and 4). I datalogged most of the runs. If anyone wants to help me by looking at some of the log files, please let me know. I would like to learn how to do this also. Pass 1: 13.381 at 108.82mph -had no idea what was going to happen with traction, so I just went for it. spun a bunch, started drifting to the side, but stayed in it, and got whopped by some exotic high end mercedes roadster thing. data-logged the pass in car video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vaCMfHIAvWI Pass 2: 13.780 at 109.49 mph - even more spin off of the launch datalogged the pass - in car video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvgnz-24IOo Pass 3: 12.590 at 112.07 mph (best e.t. and speed of the day) -a bit less tire spin. stalled the engine up to about 2,000 rpms for the launch, got passed by a C7 Z06 corvette at the top end. no datalog this time - in car video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7DHFlJ_y9ZQ - other video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mr0MnXEZF-g* Pass 4: 13.039 at 111.50 mph - went red, some spin, datalogged - in car video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XhjfQXa4GPo - other video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5YDCDizidk Pass 5: 13.164 at 108.34 mph - about the same routine. datalogged - in car video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CyFrw7aEn7g Pass 6: 12.883 at 109.13 (best 60ft of the day 1.93) - was next to the silver 4th gen camaro for this pass. ( and man, I really wanted another 12 second slip so that my 3rd run wasn't the only 12 second run), and the timing booth had difficulty reading my small white car#'s so I had to have them reissue me a hand-written slip since the girl at the finish line booth didn't have a slip matching my car number! I did afterwards hangout with the 4th gen driver and he let me take a photo of our slip. Actually, if he wasn't way late on the tree, we would have had a really tight race actually (see slip photo below) datalogged - in car video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewCfozqudWQ So, remember about a week ago when I wrote that long post (on this particular thread) about how the car felt like a high 12 second car, well, yea. it did, and still does, because it is ! I have talked to a multitude of people in the last week and I know there is more in the car/engine, but I am not skilled enough to find out how to unlock it. I don't know anything about tuning, BUT I AM WILLING TO LEARN so I can maybe get this car more dialed in. Aside from a set of sticky rear tires, I would love to get it either tuned by a pro, or find a way to comprehend the tuning software/parameters with some help from a knowledgeable person.* my goal for the car in street-car N/A form is an 11.999 at around 120 mph. After that, I will put the nitrous bottle in it and install the rest of the wet-plate system with a 150-200 shot.* The only problem area I noticed today was that many times if the car is at idle and I go to wack the throttle it almost half hesitates or stumbles for a half a second, and then it catches itself and revvs up. Again, tuning, I'm sure will show this and hopefully can remedy this. My goal for today was of course not to break anything, to have fun, and to run under 12.50. I came close, but just a bit short. All in all, a great day. After 6 passes, street drove the car home, emptied the gear, chatted with neighbors about it, and gave it a wash. Uploaded photos and videos and will do datalogs tomorrow. Happy to have the car working this well at this point in early March, after only removing the old engine early January, putting the new engine in early February, and full blown rewiring, painting, bodywork, cooling system, trans, converter, and so on over the past two months of 2020. You guys here on the board have been a huge help to me during this process, so thank you; and keep the advice coming ! full photo album can be found on my Flickr account page, but here are some photos from the day: __________________ 1987 IROC-Z - modified Last edited by IROCZman15; 03-08-2020 at 11:52 PM.