Event update.

[79-TA]

I've seen a couple of second generation Trans Ams in the photos. How did they perform? Both the gold and white are great looking cars.

I'm still dying to see what times I ran. Long story short, I didn't have a usable 1st gear which hindered things a bit. (with 2.73's in the rear, 1st is an important gear for the autocross and standing start type stuff)



I'll leave you with this:



Notice how the car shifts out of first gear at only about 2000-2500 rpm. Yea, that's a new problem.

[-The Stig-]

Brett, I saw the page.. you ran like a 2:04 or so on the Big track. In comparison, Jon ran like a 2:02/03... I was behind with a 2:13.xx.

G8 is too heavy, with too little tire, too little brakes, and under powered. And the gearing is all sorts of wrong, 2.92s blow.. the short ratio 6-speed is nice, but 2.92s... really? C'mon.

She doesn't like fast transitions, weight over loads the tires and you slip. Although, the 300TW Sumitomos had a nice handling characteristic. Very linear grip feeling, you could feel when it would slip (which it did a lot)... very predictable though.

Had I been a bit more liberal with the throttle and some aggressive steering inputs on the Autox, I could of easily drifted the entire thing (as could a lot of people out there!)... time would of been stupid slow though haha.

Style points maybe???

[MrQuick]

Brett, You run pretty smooth, was that you that let out a large puff of smoke during a run? I wasn't sure but if you blew your modulator then that would explain the shifting issue.

Stiggie, well, that was the most entertaining run....from a 4 door



it was good to meet you.




Vince

[-The Stig-]

Same to you Vince...

4 doors are fun, except when you pick a girl up from her house... and the Dad notices the back seat. Stink eye soon follows, but it's okay I tell them... "I took it out for weight savings!"

[79-TA]

What kind of puff of smoke? This video shows one. I think it was just a bit of tire smoke that I wasn't even aware of while driving. My last lap's reckless nature resulted in a spin . . . and a small brake fire (everything turned out to be fine.)



I don't know what is going on with the transmission. I think I've just worn the poor near stock TH350 out. The problem first occurred during a pass at the local 1/8th mile drag strip but then was fine the rest of the night. When bedding in my new Hawk pads the night before RTTC, I tried to hold it in 1st gear a couple of times and it had trouble. At RTTC, the car only held 1st gear during my very first autocross run. After that, it would just give up sooner and sooner. I don't know what's going on, and it had me seriously stressed out on Saturday.

I don't know much about the workings of automatic transmissions. What's a modulator?

[79-TA]

some more photos:

http://www.photoshop.com/user/socala...shareslideshow

[CurtiSS 69]

What kind of puff of smoke? This video shows one. I think it was just a bit of tire smoke that I wasn't even aware of while driving. My last lap's reckless nature resulted in a spin . . . and a small brake fire (everything turned out to be fine.)



I don't know what is going on with the transmission. I think I've just worn the poor near stock TH350 out. The problem first occurred during a pass at the local 1/8th mile drag strip but then was fine the rest of the night. When bedding in my new Hawk pads the night before RTTC, I tried to hold it in 1st gear a couple of times and it had trouble. At RTTC, the car only held 1st gear during my very first autocross run. After that, it would just give up sooner and sooner. I don't know what's going on, and it had me seriously stressed out on Saturday.

I don't know much about the workings of automatic transmissions. What's a modulator?

Brett,

You were looking really good out at the track until you had the brake trouble. Thanks for sharing the footage.

As far as the vacuum modulator...It's a device that uses vacuum as the signal to tell the transmission when to shift under most driving conditions. It's easy to replace and relatively inexpensive. When it goes out it can cause the car to smoke (transmission fluid is getting pulled into the motor).

Regards

CurtiSS 69

[406 Q-ship]

Brett,

You were looking really good out at the track until you had the brake trouble. Thanks for sharing the footage.

As far as the vacuum modulator...It's a device that uses vacuum as the signal to tell the transmission when to shift under most driving conditions. It's easy to replace and relatively inexpensive. When it goes out it can cause the car to smoke (transmission fluid is getting pulled into the motor).

Regards

CurtiSS 69

The trans modulator will usually cause late shifts not early. Another thing to check is the detend cable at the carburator linkage (came off) and check to see if the cable might have broken. Broken detent cable would be more likely to cause early full throttle shifts. The puff of smoke cause very well be a split diaphram in the modulator though.

[T/Aaron]

Even with an automatic, I would be shifting manual. I think it's time for a transmission rebuild and add a shift kit while you're at it. Also, change that rear gear to a 3.42. It will awaken your car.

[Nessumsar]

I think it's time for that 200r4!

I'm wanting a 700r4 more and more now after the event. I might know someone who has a 700 for pretty cheap. Let me know!

[79-TA]

hehe, thanks jon . . . just don't tell any of that to my budget : )


Thanks all for the info and advice. Perhaps I should make another thread as to not highjack this one, but I'll go on anyway.

I do shift the car "manually" and I do leave the kickdown cable detached (I figure I can tell the car when it needs to downshift . . . and I never got the proper adapter for my Edelbrock carburetor . . . please don't snicker too much at that). That way, if I want first, I just leave it in "L" and if I want second, I just go to "S" and the transmission does as I tell it. Since the problem arose, the trans will no longer follow orders and will go to 2nd whenever it feels like it. It will, however, hold second just fine without going into third.

[Nessumsar]

Try disconnecting the vacuum on the trans (this way the trans thinks you are at full throttle). I don't have any vacuum hooked up on my 350 and it has never shifted itself, even in "drive". I have to shift it, like a manual valve body, but it won't let me "oops downshift".

Edit: Nor do I have my kickdown connected.

[79-TA]

Wait, so how do you shift then? Does drive only select 3rd that way?

[Nessumsar]

Yea, it basically makes it a manu-matic.

But you cannot start off in 3rd or 2nd, it will automatically shift down when you get to 10, and 5 mph.

I'll take you for a drive in it sometime if you want.

[406 Q-ship]

hehe, thanks jon . . . just don't tell any of that to my budget : )


Thanks all for the info and advice. Perhaps I should make another thread as to not highjack this one, but I'll go on anyway.

I do shift the car "manually" and I do leave the kickdown cable detached (I figure I can tell the car when it needs to downshift . . . and I never got the proper adapter for my Edelbrock carburetor . . . please don't snicker too much at that). That way, if I want first, I just leave it in "L" and if I want second, I just go to "S" and the transmission does as I tell it. Since the problem arose, the trans will no longer follow orders and will go to 2nd whenever it feels like it. It will, however, hold second just fine without going into third.

GM autos without a shift kit still will shift into the next gear even if you put it into 1st or L. It is a warrenty feature for GM to cut down on the boneheads who would yank a shifter into 1st at 90 mph causing an engine or trans failure. My friend had a 85 Suburban 2500 that when we were towing with it we tried to use 2nd to gain engine braking but it would not down shift when manually held in 2nd, we were going to fast for the valve body to downshift. It took me to the bottom of the hill and one set of warped rotors to remember that it had never gotten a shift kit and that we should have slowed before downshifting.....Do'h!

[79-TA]

The odd thing is that it always worked and held first before (ie drag racing, goodguys autocross, high school shenanigans, and even the first autocross run of RTTC.) I hope i haven't worn out whatever band wizardry that is used to engage the gears.


Thanks Jon, that sounds like a plan . . . but will the raccoon relinquish his seat so I can sit in the front?

[406 Q-ship]

The odd thing is that it always worked and held first before (ie drag racing, goodguys autocross, high school shenanigans, and even the first autocross run of RTTC.) I hope i haven't worn out whatever band wizardry that is used to engage the gears.


Thanks Jon, that sounds like a plan . . . but will the raccoon relinquish his seat so I can sit in the front?

I doubt it is anything with the band, more likely a valve in the valve body.

Mine starts off in 3rd if it is selected......Oh yeah mine has a TKO600.....lol

[-The Stig-]

Talk about fun, even as a spectator! What a greast time out there with some fellow gearheads. There were a few showboats out there, like the Stig, and Kyle Tucker hanging it all out!

Man do I need to get my car set up and compete in the next one!

Hey Nick... remember how you talked about a Pontiac Commerical and being all crossed up? Was this what you're talking about?

[protouring70]

Man I wish I could have gone to this!!!!!!!!!!!!! Looks like so much fun!!!!!

[6'9"Witha69]

Hey Nick... remember how you talked about a Pontiac Commerical and being all crossed up? Was this what you're talking about?

Actually, going into the right turn in the foreground right before the hairpin. That was the money shot!, seeing the pass side fender as you went around.