The LSD a better bargain than doing the TQ converter and benefits all around. Much more fun to drive.

TQ are around 300 i believe and there must be a write-up here... I hate trying to reach the top bolts of the tranny so I would probably get it worked for maybe 300 max.

So, about 600 in all...that's what I would expect, any more I would do it myself.

 

Really the TC are only 300, Well i guess last time i checked and it was 900 from l-tuned parts, Ok checked again $749. I asked a shop how much for install and got quoted 500, I wouldn't plan on doing this myself. If you can get one for 300 that's not bad at all.

I'm with you on getting the LSD over the TC.

 

I dunno...from the posts I've read that TC is every bit as important as the LSD... Rock-a-lex is all over that one, I believe. There are two different converters for our car: Performance Industries ("PI", ~$800) and Lextreme (also seen on e-bay, ~$400). Most go with the PI unit, but Lextreme is cheaper and has a lifetime warranty. Install at a typical shop would be $4-500. Supposed to shave 1/4-1/2 sec off the 0-60 time I think.

Manifold spacer: still looking for a high-enough temp plastic. I'm going to use teh laser thermometer when I get to work to see how hot that lower manifold gets and do some calling around Monday.

3.9 diff: What's 3UZ's full screenname? If he has LSD in it, I'd be interested to talk to him. This 3.26, spinning one wheel business has got to stop!

 

Great work you guys!! This thread is turning into a plethora of very useful info lets keep it going

Long, Great videos. I loved seeing the progression in your car. In you last video how quick was that run to 60? If i timed it right it was under 5 sec. Anyways congrats on the setup! You have the exact setup i want so props too you for beating me too it

If i remember correctly Rock said that a high stall TC was one of the best mods you could do for our car. It would help launch it off the line and he said that when you stepped on it, The switch to a lower gear was instanteous. Maybe he has more to comment....

 

Well I would love to have a UZ powerhouse but unfortunately, I don't think it's going to happen with 4.0, 4.3, or 4.7 liters. Sure the engines are like god's work, but as the saying goes, there is no replacement for displacement, and there definitely isn't one for cost per horsepower. I do plan on doing a GS build, just not my 430. I would like to get a cheap 300 and do a 2JZGTE or NA-T. I am currently finishing a small block ford 5.0/302ci, it's an N/A using a stock forged short block, explorer GT40 heads, intake, stock H.O cam, upgraded valve springs, MAF, built C4, and a couple of other goodies. Nothing really fancy but should put around 275hp/325tq down to the wheels, and will rev to 7k RPM in a 64' Falcon. I also have the Corvette that you saw earlier in this thread, as well as a LS400 that I bought on Criagslist in the hopes of being boosted, but as I stated, I have money going tons of other places.

Being a muscle car guy, under drive pulleys have been around hotrodding for a long time, regardless of the size of the engine. 15% is fifteen percent, whether it's 150hp or 500hp, AC/PS/Alt on our engines all reduce the power, whether their engaged or not, just more so when they are engaged. As far as the V8 guys, all the blue oval boys (windsor/modular/cleavland/FE) as well as the bowtie boys(SBC/BBC/LS_) are no exception. If you guys are really chasing that horsepower number, take the belt off completely. You don't need it for the 13 second run down the track if your battery's charged, you will notice a difference, might not be night and day but it'll help chase that peak #.

Sound like a lot of money... My girlfriend drove the GS to the Lex meet, which was a no go BTW, and I drove the Vette, we got on hwy 100 and they were pretty much dead even from a 30mph roll, all the way up past 100+. Yours would be a little a head, but that's a 50 year old motor, with 0% performance parts, and 3.10 gears, other than the "performance" they had in 1963, it's a stock 5.3L V8. Let me put heads/cam/intake and I would dust almost any N/A UZ. Speaking of Chevy V8s, I've found a couple junked LS_ motors around in the yards... Might just have to pick one up and start building it.

I just don't see the TC really "waking things up", to me, like Denut already said, that's like 1,000 reasons to do an LS_ or Manual swap. You could probably have a local transmission shop build you one for cheaper than $800, and that would be to your specs.

Manifold spacer, I really don't think it's necessary, as the reason why most people run the spacers it to reduce the temp of the intake, but isn't like running a charge cooler, it's not as if your intake is above 150*F. The other reason is to increase the air that is available inside the intake manifold, which increase low end torque, not peak HP.

I think your looking for me... I don't have an LSD as they are pretty damn hard to find for a decent price. I have money going about 10 other directions so unfortunately I don't have $500 it would take to purchase the insert, otherwise I would. I have a GS300 3.92 rear end that has been disassembled in hopes of getting the LSD that I never got. The one wheel wonder is a pain, the GS is all highway..

 

That spacer might come in handy if I ever put my supercharger on. This car is not bad for a second generation, especially with a little more power. It'll be good enough to hang with the other newer cars for a little while longer.

I just wooped the newer cts last night, I'm sure it's the 300hp version because it hung with me for a while. I'm stock, so not bad for a 4 door...I just got the upper hand with more torque.

 

1st gear: 35mph
2nd gear: 55mph
3rd gear: 85 mph

interesting... I think mine can do around 40 or more on 1st gear. I didn't do the math, but I remember leaving my car in the lowest gear and launching from 500rpm. That's as fast as I went, I didn't shift off to higher gear, and slowed down. (Thank goodness I have a tranny cooler...freakn would wear out my tranny if I do that often)

 

Thanks Tim, I never timed the 0-60 too hard to tell. Looking forward to yours getting tuned.
3uzfte is his screenname. I'll look around here also and if i find one, i'll let you know.
So true, Sometimes it's hard enough to try and hang with the newer cars, Even those 4banger hondas are damn fast. Nice kill on the cts though!
Do you have the stock gears? Mines with the stock 3.2 will get up to 40mph also. If you have the 3.9 then i'm not sure. Tranny cooler sounds like a great idea. Next on the list.
So the lex meet was cancel? It was too damn windy anyways and WOW! racing with you GFShould've got that on video..

Dude! pick up that ls_ motor and do something with it.....NOW!!!!


Okay, so i finally got my dyno graph from MAP and as you can see the peak HP TQ numbers didn't go up by much around 10whp and 5 wtq with the headers but all around was a big improvement . I'll let you be the judge.
Before headers



After Headers


I'm gonna be switching intakes pipes and filter to a different kind. I currently have Injen intake and filter but gonna be customizing a new setup to see if any gains can be squeezed out. The Injen intake pipe is 3" it's smaller then the throttle body also the pipe has two bends before the filter, one is like 90degree and the other like 40degree.I believe the throttle body is somewhere around 3.5" I haven't measure it yet, but by comparing the 3" injen pipe to it looks about right. I'm gonna be matching the new intake pipe to the throttle body and reduce the bends to only one. Also gonna be running a custom velocity stack intake filter. Will update as soon as i start on it..Also will be getting dyno results after.

 

I wonder why Rock-a-lex squeezed like 20whp or so out of the header install, and most beople say you can feel the headers with the "butt dyno"... A "great bang for your buck" I've read... But 10hp, 5lbft doesn't sound like much. You both have a NEO I think.

For some reason my work computer blcoked the second graph, though, so maybe the curve is different.

 

TC vs LSD

First off, a couple of things and this is all based off my own observations and findings. If you have a relatively stockish GS4XX and install the 3.76 LSD (i.e. RMM LSD or Supra TT LSD - botht the same) your car WILL be slower to certain interval points such as 0-60 and 1/4 mile times against a stockish GS4XX with the stock 3.23 gears. This is due to an extra shift needed in the 0-60 test and an extra shift needed in the 1/4 mile test. HOWEVER, IF you have more power added (mods) and/or the addition of a high stall torque converter then it WILL be faster in the aforementioned tests than a GS4XX with the stock 3.23 gearing...regardless if an extra shift is needed because it WILL make up the ground.

I would suggest to anyone to BUY a high stall torque converter first or BUY BOTH the 3.76 LSD and high stall TC at the same time (if you could afford it). The gearing by itself would just give you better traction but how much traction will you need when you are running a mildly modded (almost stockish) GS4XX? The ONLY reason why many like to go with the LSD setup is because either:

A) they have added a TON of power and they need BOTH wheels to grip the road with power distributed evenly.

or

B) they have a high stall TC that multiplies the power off the line when launching and again, they need BOTH wheels to grip the road with power distributed evenly.

Other than that the only real benefit of the 3.76 LSD would be the "3.76" gearing portion which helps with acceleration but again, to CERTAIN interval tests it actually HURTS times due to the extra shift needed during these tests.

All I know is that I noticed drastic improvements with my PI TC. Look up a lot of older members from years ago and you will see how they rave about it as well. There is ABSOLUTELY no more hesitation off the line. The only damn hesitation that exists now is not moving because the tires aren't hooking (loss of traction). Now if this happens and you ALSO have an LSD (like me ) then you have to revert to wider, stickier rear tires and perfect your launching technique.

My dyno results

It could very well be the tuner! Obviously, better tuners are able to achieve more optimal performance from their tune. Just an FYI...the tuner that I used the 2 times that I dyno'd my car never tuned a GS4XX in his life but he OWNS the shop for several years and has tuned hundreds of VERY high HP imports. For example...look up the No Limit Motorsports GTR; that's his, and almost pushing close to 1000whp. The thing is ridiculous...done up from soup to nuts with a serious roll cage and $3K Bride racing seats...oh, and that's a price for EACH one!

GL guys!

 

sick post...just read all the pages. after my intake and exhaust, the tires were able to break slightly off the line, which is cool cus it didnt break them at all when i first got the car. also, i have the trunk stripped, no headliner no pillars, no spare, no seats. at least 100 pounds, and thats conservative. it definitely provided a noticeable increase in acceleration, i couldnt believe it at first now iam used to it. iam redoing the interior, iam not some ricer haha (well....) anyways, great to read through this for inspiration right as the weather gets nice and that oh so familiar strip in your town is filled with more and more modifieds....