lean condition update!

[T1 woodywagon]

So I started a thread on april 22 nd , about chasing a possible lean condition in my woody. Well today at mission raceway I got it sorted out. I installed a new 02 sensor for the wb and that fixed the reading problem. It was also running rich. I made a modded grainger valve over the winter, but it didn't quite work the way I wanted it to, so I went back to my ts valve set it for 16 psi and ran 15.13@89 mph. Also over the winter I switched from 22x8x15 slicks to 26x8.5x14, but also at the same time I installed some 1.22 side gears, so I figured the 1.22's would cancel out the extra tire height, bot that set up was also heavier. By the seventh run today I had run 15.05, 15.02, and 15.00. So for my last run of the day, I decided to try some 20x8x14 slicks I bought last weekend. I was curious how they would work with the 1.22's. Well it went out and ran a 2.00 60' with a little chatter,and wiped thru those gears changes like crazy and ran a 14.59@92.47 mph with no other changes. So those 1.22's were worth about 4 tenths on my combo. I left them on there for my first run in the morning, then I am going to switch back to the 26" tall slicks for the rest of the weekend. I try and post tomorrows info from the track.

[GLHS60]

Very interesting!! This is on your NHRA class racer right?? Those are the slicks Brian sold you?

Thanks
Randy

[T1 woodywagon]

Yes the 20" slicks I bought from Brian. To me the performance is basically the same as my 22x8x15 I ran last year if your just comparing tire to tire. The big gains are in the 1.22's and the lighter rotating assembly of the wheel and slick combo. I'll have to post the weight difference of the two.

[Vigo]

So what exactly is your reasoning for running huge 26s on such a slow/low-power car? It's obvious you're in the power range where the shorter/lighter slicks are giving you a massive advantage. Why bother with 26s at all??

[T1 woodywagon]

Well I am dead set on running my oem 14" wheels and wire hubcaps on all four corners on my car, and the only slick in 14" is the 26x8.5x14 mickey. Thats why I am still looking to get my aluminum imperial wheels widend like I did with my oem steel wheels. Plus I want the imperial wheel weight to help out the heavier 26" slick.

[Vigo]

You're right. Im surprised M&H and MT dont make anything smaller than 26" in a 14. I DID find a 23x7x14 slick but i cant tell if they're retreading a street tire or what. I dont know if it has a real drag slick sidewall:

http://towelcityracingtires.com/14__Drag_Tires.html

However if they can retread a good slick compound you might be able to get them to re-do your 20" slicks which apparently work pretty dang well as far as the gearing.

Also, someone on this forum (i forget who) found some pretty convincing stock-looking wire wheel covers for 15" wheels and is running them on a new yorker.

[T1 woodywagon]

Update; I put the small slicks back on for one run this morning, and went 14.49@92.28 mph at 3120 lbs. I weighed each set up I ran. The 20" slick and aluminum imperial wheel combo is 22lbs, the 26" steel wheel widend combo is 47lbs , and the 22"x 15" steel wheel I ran last year is 34lbs. I 60' 1.99 this morning and actually spun a bit, so I think I can get down to low 1.90's with my set up eventually.

[cordes]

You're right. Im surprised M&H and MT dont make anything smaller than 26" in a 14. I DID find a 23x7x14 slick but i cant tell if they're retreading a street tire or what. I dont know if it has a real drag slick sidewall:

http://towelcityracingtires.com/14__Drag_Tires.html

However if they can retread a good slick compound you might be able to get them to re-do your 20" slicks which apparently work pretty dang well as far as the gearing.

Also, someone on this forum (i forget who) found some pretty convincing stock-looking wire wheel covers for 15" wheels and is running them on a new yorker.

Was that me?

http://www.turbo-mopar.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=30509&d=1303520141

[T1 woodywagon]

I still like the oem chrysler wheel covers better.

[GLHNSLHT2]

like my 15" Lebaron GT lace wheels better. To me they give the New Yorker a classier modern look instead of stuck in the 70's caddy look.

[Vigo]

Was that me?

I believe it was!

[speedfreek500]

Glad to see the slicks went to a good home. What rpm were you at the 1320?

I wanted to try those little 20's on my car for the past 3 years.

[Vigo]

The 20" slick and aluminum imperial wheel combo is 22lbs

That is amazing. I need that EXACT thing for my neon. Color me jealous..

[T1 woodywagon]

I was turning about 6400 rpm at the finish line. I also qualified #1 again in stock this weekend, I got $250 us for that.

[Rrider]

That sucks there are no options in 14's. So we got to use crazy offset 13's or give up sidewall with 15's I guess.

Those weights sound low. What kind of scale was it?

[Vigo]

I believe it.. The imperial wheels are supposed to be 11 lbs and the 20" slicks are tiny tires, plus slicks are usually lighter than street tires of the same size.

[T1 woodywagon]

I have 11 imperial wheels they all weigh 12 lbs, and my oem 14" steel wheels all weigh 20 lbs. I've used 3 different types of digital scales that a read the same results. the slicks are 10 pounds each.

[Rrider]

Dang those 20's ARE light. Nice.

[R/T]

So those 1.22's were worth about 4 tenths on my combo. .

We put a set of 1.22's in my Son's Shadow ( TurboShadow on here ) and it went .4 quicker AND 3-4 MPH faster.

We ran it for years, best ET was a 13.96, usual MPH was 94ish, usually went about 14.00 or 14.10.

Bolted in the 1.22's = consistent 13.60's at 98 / 99 MPH.

Good stuff!!! :clap:

[T1 woodywagon]

Ya, I bought a set of mopar performance 1.22's about a month ago from the forum. I am going to have another transmission done. To try in my daily driver. I still have to track down another 3.05 ring and pinion for it though.

[Vigo]

I believe late-80s TBI k-cars got that gearset. My 89 Aries (originally 2.2/auto) came with it from the factory.

[T1 woodywagon]

Actually I bought an 89 omni core for a 3.05 ring and pininion, and when we took it apart it was too small to use. So I got lucky and found a set out of a caravan and used those.

[Vigo]

I assume you mean the side gears in the diff were the small spline version? I think Omni's had small spline axles until 90 (so 'normal' axles were 1 year only in omnis), but i would think the 3.05 ring gear would still bolt to any other diff carrier, or the side gear set would swap out. Anyway, glad you found what you were looking for. If you can get that 3.72 trans put together AND use those 20" slicks you might be cracking into 13s... But then you will probably 'gear out' because a 3.72 trans and 20" tires is turning ~6300 rpm at 100mph. If the trans and tires bumped your traps up to ~95 you wouldnt have a lot of headroom to go much faster without changing either the gearing or the tires again.

[T1 woodywagon]

No Vigo, I did not mean side gear spline, there were a couple issues with that omni diff set. First the omni ring gear only had 4 of its bolt holes line up with the holes on my spool. Second there was also a difference in the bearing height on the housing end. I am sure a trans expert on here can confirm what I mean. I am away from home right now working so I can't go down and look at the omni stuff to explain it better, bit I still have all of it. Also in my original post I forgot to mention that at the same time I had the 1.22's installed I also switched to the 3.05 ring and pinion. So when I ran that 14.49@92.28 mph that was with the 20" slicks, imperial aluminum wheels, 1.22 transfer gears, 3.05 ring and pinion, 1.99 60' spinning the tires on the launch and crossing the finish line at 6400 rpm at 3120 lbs.(the minimum weight for my NHRA DF/S class is 3115 lbs). The second trans I was talking about in my other post would be a spare set up the same way, but I will try it in my daily driver 88' reliant wagon with my 89' 2.5 T1 stg 5 computer and intercooler set up when I get back home from work in September. The motor in my stocker woody wagon is a 55,000 mile original motor.

[Vigo]

Ahh ok, i did not know the 89 omni was still using that older diff stuff. Thanks for clearing that up.

Sounds like you are pretty close to gearing out already with that 3.22 trans but it's amazing how much the gearing between that and the tiny slicks is getting you. Do you think the 20" slicks can do better than 1.99 and spinning?

[T1 woodywagon]

Yes I think I can make a non spinning run at mission raceway. Its a very good track. I think a 1.95 60' could be doable.