You must be logged in to rate content!
4 minute(s) of a 70 minute read
9-15-2008
Thanks Ed, we found a burned #1 sparkplug wire and Will notices the miss at higher RPM's, so with that being said he believes that due to my bad routing job and you pulling the number 1 for your Dyno, put the wire up against the header and burned it. That would make sense as far as the readings on your dyno go. New wires on order and putting myself in the mental mindset to tackle that job! The other thing that was noted is that you were right when you thought there was a small exhaust leak. I'll get that fixed this weekend as well. Thanks for your help and once I get all of the little bugs worked out, I'll make another trip down for a pull if that's still an open deal!
10-9-2008
Just wanted to say that I've put just over 3000 miles on the car so far and I haven't been around much because I've been driving the CRAP out of it. I've been busy with work and school and I still have to wrap up my thank you's to everyone that has helped, participated, directed and supported this journey. Here's a few things that I'm sure some want to know.
The suspension is nice and tight and I now know what the Z-51 car drives like. It handles VERY sure and is begging me to go to a track to run.
The motor has NEVER gone above oil temps of 233 and water temps of 213. That includes sitting in DC traffic for over an hour and a half and the exhaust almost catching the car on fire!...LOL. I still have the stock radiator and just water in there now. I have to put in Anti-Freeze soon and will be doing that shortly.
The idle of the motor is ~900rpm and normal oil temps are 198 with normal water temps of 188.
I drive the car to and from work everyday and classes which puts just over 800 local miles a week for the past few weeks on the car. I've never had a problem with anything during this time. I average about 15.5 mpg during city driving (Lots of stop and go) and 23.6 mpg during my highway trips. During the week it's closer to 21 mpg to and from work because it's a combo of the two.
I drove from Northern VA to Atlanta, GA and had no problems. Once I got to Atlanta there was no Super Unleaded gas available so I had to run Regular unleaded and there were no knocks, issues and ran as if it were 93 in the tank. I never got on it hard, just drove it on the highway and all was well.
I've had a few Hemi Chargers pull up on me since I've been driving the car and it's no contest. I've smoked everyone of them that have tried me and it's amazing how it looks like there sitting still once I get on it. And not just a little bit either, I find myself blowing past them and then I just let it go. Doesn't take much to prove that point.
Checked my oil and the oil looks amazingly clean, and not loosing any oil. Engine starts right up, runs good, easy to drive, mean as HELL when I get on it any any gear above 2K all the way to 7K.
I have a few things that still need to be done, but they are very minor. I need to replace all of my spark plug wires because the #1 wire was burnt by the header during the dyno visit at Ed's. I also have to replace the header bolts that are long studs for the accessories like the oil dipstick on the passengers side and the alternator on the drivers side. I don't know what I'm going to replace them with, but I ground down the stock ones and there allowing just a little bit of exhaust blow-by.
Not sure what else to report on, but that's what I'm looking at right now. Highway manners are great, city driving is great, does any and everything that I would or could have ever imagined and all-in-all was a GREAT Success in my opinion. I'll post a vid clip or two of it idling and see if I can get someone to video me jumping on it from a standstill or something like that. I'm going to take it to the Shenandoah Skyline Drive Fall cruise and then get ready to work on my body work and paint transformation for next spring. If there are any questions just ask and I'll answer as best I can! Thanks again for everything.