Topic: Back, sorta...

[Uranium-238]

Anyone here still racing in the MD area? The wife and I picked up a used Camaro last year, and the hope it to make it to an autocross or two this year. Would be nice to meet up with some folks, if any are still running their Kappas.

The Camaro already sees regular time at the drag strip, but I'm eager to try it on some corners...

[Kelu]

Uh, Wooooowwww, nice to see you back, even kind of back. I think we met at SMMM8 iirc.

You are talking about runs at the drag strip and not more info???? Time, pictures, timeslips ... get back correctly

[Uranium-238]

Hey Kelu, I remember meeting you at that mod meet. Do those still happen at all?

I'll work on getting some pics up, finally got a PC buffer and learned how to properly detail a car.

We got lucky and found a low mileage 2SS manual that already had an intake and a Flowmaster catback.. Still working on getting better drag times, it's hard to get a good 60' time on the stock tires. Best run so far was 13.3 @ 107, with a 2.1 60'. Still trying various tricks to try and get it to launch better, though I've seen time slips that make me think I'm losing down the track. Put in a Hurst short throw shifter last week, honestly I expect that may help some as I lose a lot of time shifting. The Hurst makes it easier to shift hard and fast without making the car buck.

More mods are coming, but I'm not sure what order. I plan on getting an air-fuel ratio meter and HP tuners and doing the tuning myself. Somewhere in there I want to get a twin-disk clutch so I can get some drag radials. A cam is on the shortlist once I've got HP tuners figured out. Lastly, somewhere in there I need to figure out what suspension to go with. Thankfully the car came with one of the better suspension options, but not quite as good as the 1LE suspension. It's either a 1LE suspension or aftermarket, and no idea which yet.

[Sol Asylum]

I'm sure we could have another mod meet, we just need someone to step up and host it.

[IBDRINKEN]

Love the mod meets met a lot of great people and GJ

[Sol Asylum]

That's true, we did meet a lot of good people and GJ.

[elff]

When Sentence structure wins.

Uranium, didn't you used to have a G8?

You definitely have traction issues.  Try reducing the pressure on the rear tires and increasing the pressure on the fronts.
Better traction that way and less rolling resistance.  That thing should be able to put down 12's

[Uranium-238]

Uranium, didn't you used to have a G8?

You definitely have traction issues.  Try reducing the pressure on the rear tires and increasing the pressure on the fronts.
Better traction that way and less rolling resistance.  That thing should be able to put down 12's

Nope. Traded the 2.0 Sky in for a truck, paid that off and got a the Camaro. Considered a G8, but the wife and I don't need a four door and wanted the (slightly) better gas mileage of the Camaro. Which is enough of a brick already, I can't imagine a G8. I'm still surprised the Camaro handles as well as it does with it's two ton weight.

Fronts are a high as I think is safe, usually 38ish warmed up. I was looking at some other folks 60' times, someone ran a 12.8 with a 2.1 60'. Thinking it's my rough shifting (Any energy that makes the car buck upwards doesn't move it faster down the track) combined with the added weight of the 2SS package. That being said, I'm getting closer to the 12's, and am admittedly doing it the hard way with a manual.

When Sentence structure wins.

It's hard not to do that with cars...

Oh, and a quick picture: [attach=1]

[Kelu]

Thanks for sharing the experience and nice picture, car looks nice and clean

AF gauge I don't see the benefit of it because is very hard to read, I would stick only with HP Tuners and log everything at the strip and analyze afterwards. Because AF matters what is in the ECU, commanded and measured.

Tires would help the most imho, something sticky and with a lot of sidewall.

Keep us updated

[Uranium-238]

Thanks for sharing the experience and nice picture, car looks nice and clean

Whoever had it before us too great care of the care, under 3000 miles and not a mark on it when we test drove it. Sadly the paint didn't fair well once the dealership's "detailing" department got a hold of it. I've been able to remove most of the swirl marks, but a few deeper ones remain.

AF gauge I don't see the benefit of it because is very hard to read, I would stick only with HP Tuners and log everything at the strip and analyze afterwards. Because AF matters what is in the ECU, commanded and measured.

True, however the AFR gauge does help show if there's a lean condition occuring that the ECU doesn't see. Think of it as a redundant safety, this way you have two systems reporting AFR. If there's a discrepancy, something is up. Also, the Camaro only has narrowband oxygen sensors, this should be a "better" safety net. And of course it can still be tied in to HP Tuners for datalogging.

Tires would help the most imho, something sticky and with a lot of sidewall.

Keep us updated

I fully intend to get some Mickey Thompson DRs for the car - once I have the money for a new clutch. Seems the stocker is only good for a launch or two with good tires...

[Kelu]

Watchout for that AF gauge, if you install its own sensor after car sensor it might read bad, if you install it before the car's O2 sensor than the ECU reading might be screwed and your car to run bad, also if you tap into the existing O2 sensor it might have signal issues.

MT are a good option, damn about stock clutch.

[Uranium-238]

The Camaro actually has four O2 sensors, as well as four cats. (two of each for each bank)

The front set manages the AFR, the rear set are just to monitor emmissions. With manifolds the plan is to remove the rear cats with a straight pipe, and mount the aftermarket O2 sensor there. Same idea applies with headers, which are likely the first "go faster" part I'll buy. (good for 50ish HP with a tune.)

[Sol Asylum]

Uranium, didn't you used to have a G8?

I'm thinking Excelsior might have had the G8

[2kwk4u]

The Camaro actually has four O2 sensors, as well as four cats. (two of each for each bank)

The front set manages the AFR, the rear set are just to monitor emmissions. With manifolds the plan is to remove the rear cats with a straight pipe, and mount the aftermarket O2 sensor there. Same idea applies with headers, which are likely the first "go faster" part I'll buy. (good for 50ish HP with a tune.)

Unless I'm mistaken, you'll want your aftermarket O2 sensor mounted UPSTREAM of the catalytic converter(s).  Otherwise, you're not getting a true reading of the spent gasses before they're processed by the catalytic converter(s). 

Again, I could be mistaken, but at the very least it just doesn't sound "right" to me...

[Uranium-238]

Unless I'm mistaken, you'll want your aftermarket O2 sensor mounted UPSTREAM of the catalytic converter(s).  Otherwise, you're not getting a true reading of the spent gasses before they're processed by the catalytic converter(s). 

Again, I could be mistaken, but at the very least it just doesn't sound "right" to me...

Yep, that slipped my mind. They'll go just before the first set of cats.

Between work and school, my brain is cheesecloth. With headers, I don't plan on having cats, so it would likely be mounted just after the stock O2 sensor. My addled brain bled this over to the stock setup...

[Kelu]

I'm thinking Excelsior might have had the G8

I think you are right, I have a picture with that red G8 which I drove to supermarket in one of the mornings  but I think that is from SMMM10 when Madalina was there.

Uranium-238: As long as you are aware that is a good thing I have seen even in a Kappa issues with extra O2 sensor as I stated previously.

[Gentleman Jack]

Had a 2017 SS Camaro this week for a rental car. It makes a lot of fun noises but definitely needs better tires for the drag strip.
I tested the tires.

[Uranium-238]

Nice! Good to see you're still on here GJ! (even if other might disagree with me...)

We considered a 2016, but couldn't justify the cost. Plus, the LT1 still has a long way to go before it's as upgrade-friendly as an LS.

[Gentleman Jack]

Nice! Good to see you're still on here GJ! (even if other might disagree with me...)

We considered a 2016, but couldn't justify the cost. Plus, the LT1 still has a long way to go before it's as upgrade-friendly as an LS.

No doubt the lt4 will develop a solid following.  It is a lively and solid motor.
I really like the new style and the fact that they added so much lightness to the car.

[Uranium-238]

The added lightness is definitely the best part of the 2016 redesign. I'll agree the new motors are great, but for the average home garage mechanic the LS simply dominates.

On that note, has the "LS swap the world" trend finally made it to Kappas? With truck motors both cheap and available, and the stock motors getting on in age, I'd think this would be a popular swap.

[elff]

2Jz's are also taking over.   They are dominating the drift world. It's amazing to see how many teams that used to have an LS now have a 2JZ and are pushing more HP.   

[Gentleman Jack]

The v8 swap is alive and well with the ls leading the way in the kappa, although not as often as first thought. The 2.0 has proven the be quite durable. I saw a 230,000 mile solstice this week! 

[ihawk95]

Had a 2017 SS Camaro this week for a rental car. It makes a lot of fun noises but definitely needs better tires for the drag strip.
I tested the tires.

I may have heard that tire test...

[Uranium-238]

Update: The Camaro definitely has some sort of clutch/trans issue. Don't try and shift into second fast, or it'll grind.  The synchros in second have always been touchy, but something new is up.

This happened before I went to the track btw. Ran 13.7/13.8 all day. Thinking how slow I have to shift is part of the lousy times, MPH was 107-109.

A bit of a known issue with these cars, but still annoying. Tremec blames the way GM (AND Ford, AND Dodge, who both use the same trans) install/utilize the trans. The big three, of course, blame Tremec...

[Wartie]

I may have heard that tire test...

I think that you heard the engine and saw the smoke but there was very little tire noise.
I just wish we would have had more time to test the G-Force meter!!!!!