What would it take to run 15's in a 3.1L N/A '93 Lumina???

[dbtk2]

So, you may have read in other topics, or maybe not, but my friend has a '93 Lumina 3.1/Auto that the tranny went bad on a few days ago. He has now said that I can buy the car for $200, so I think I'm going to. I am going to either put a tranny in it myself, or have a local shop do it because they quoted my $700 which I think is reasonable...giving me a $900 3.1L Lumina. I'm wondering what you think it would take to run 15's in it. I want to do a 3X00 Topend Swap, a cam (either the Crane H260, or Comp 260H), and maybe an underdrive pulley. Do you think that would be enough to pull off mid-high 15's, or would it take more? I don't want it to be fast or anything, as it will just be my winter beater, parts fetcher, everyday driver car, but I would like it to have a little power.

Just looking for your opinion. If you don't think it will run mid-high 15's with that stuff, what do you think it would take?

Shawn

[SappySE107]

That stuff plus high compression pistons and tuned computer. That just about covers you in the 15s solid.

[Quinky]

On a lumina its going to take a lot.. with the auto tranny and large amount of weight to your disadvantage.. My cavi on a stock 3.1L 5speed runs mid 15's.. I weigh in about 2700lbs.. To get your lumina into the 15's the cheapest I'd look into a better final drive, higher stall coverter... 3X00 top end swap will help a lot.. better cam.. higher compression.. and do what ever you can to bring the weight of the car down... put that fat bitch on a diet! lol..

[sharkey]

one word- nitrous.

if you get a solid tranny in it, and do the top end swap and a decent cam, you should be in the 16s, but its gonna take the extra to get into the 15s.

[SappySE107]

Its been done, 15.5. Gen 3 top end swap and that wasn't even the large port gen 3, high compression, crane 260 cam I think, maybe 272, ported heads, 62mm TB, and tuning. If chris puts down the game and reads this im sure he can tell you every detail...cause it was his engine in a 4 door grand prix. Oh yeah, and 4T60-E so he could control the shift points. Dunno what he did there though.

[dbtk2]

Well, I don't plan on using different pistons, as I would be on a low budget, but I would use the iron head head gaskets to raise compression a little. I think I want the Comp 260H cam with 1.6 roller rockers. I would probably use the small port 3100 topend, because they are more readily available for my pricerange, but if i could find a large port I would definately use it. (can you use the large port intakes with the small valve heads by any chance?) I also want a FFP Underdrive Pulley. If I can get the tranny I want, it would have 3.73 gears, but I don't know if I would/should change the tq. convertor or not...my budget might not allow it. Obviously I would have some computer work done to get it running better (and to get the tranny to shift right).


I don't plan on building it to be a racecar, I would just like to make it go faster. I didn't pull any weight off my GP...when I want to go faster I add power. I am not going to be stripping weight off of it or anything like that, it will be my winter beater everyday driver car. I just want to wake it up a little bit so it has decent power, and it would be nice to turn some mid-high 15's at the track. And the car isn't THAT heavy...it isn't much, if any heavier than my GP...I would guess 3400-3500lbs.

Shawn

[Quinky]

3400 - 3500lbs is heavy... my j with a stripped interior was 2700 with me and half a tank of gas...

your 4 speed isn't electronic controld in that car, it's to old.. it'll be a 440t4 in it..

[bszopi]

your 4 speed isn't electronic controld in that car, it's to old.. it'll be a 440t4 in it..

The 4T60E was first introduced in 1991, oddly enough in W-Bodies. So it isn't too old. In fact, most body styles were using the 60E by 93. The Js never got them and the Ls got them in 94. And I know for a fact that Grand Prixs got the 60E in 93, so there is a very good chance that the Lumina did as well.

[dbtk2]

I know for a fact that it has a 4T60-e in it.

And really 3400lbs. isn't really that heavy like I said...afterall your j-body with weight reduction is only 7-800lbs lighter. 1 second in the 1/4 is about 800lbs.

Shawn

[sharkey]

the general rule is .10/second per 100lbs. so thats .8 seconds in just weight right there.

anyways, if you want to go by that, a j body with 5 speed will run high 14s with a complete 3400 swap. if you want to figure in the 800lbs, id say high 15s may be possible with an auto

[dbtk2]

Oops, I mean one second is about 800lbs...

And thats exactly what I was thinking...if a 5 speed J-body can do high 14's, then the Auto Lumina should do high 15's....at least I would think.

Shawn

[Quinky]

your 4 speed isn't electronic controld in that car, it's to old.. it'll be a 440t4 in it..

The 4T60E was first introduced in 1991, oddly enough in W-Bodies. So it isn't too old. In fact, most body styles were using the 60E by 93. The Js never got them and the Ls got them in 94. And I know for a fact that Grand Prixs got the 60E in 93, so there is a very good chance that the Lumina did as well.

My mistake.. It's hard to tell what year cars the 60e was in when it was first introduced.. It didn't go into all cars only a select few.. my bosses park avenue is a 93 and still has just a 60 in it..

[JH]

My 91 2door lumina is around 3150 pounds don't know if the 4door ones are heavier or not.

[Luminaz4Life]

my 93 4dr lumina with 3.1 weighed almost exactly 3100 lbs without me in it,no spare,and 3/4 of a tank and she was a 200,000 mile stock engined tire roasting motherfucker!

[Doubt_Incarnate]

i wouldnt go with much of a cam, youll lose the low end, and in a heavy car you can kiss a good time good bye, unless your budget allows for the lower fdr too. i know i'll be laughed at for this but ive put the crane 272 cam vs. a 260 in identical engines on DD2k, and plugged them into the Desktop Drag program and the 260 wins. at least in my old jbody (est. 2650lbs), with a 6K limit.

if you can give me drag coefficent, frontal area in sqft, wheelbase, weight over the drive wheels, and your est weight. gear ratios would be helpfull too, so would tire width and diameter. i'd be happy to plug the #'s in and see what happens.