My Cavalier Z24 was FASTER than my new 240!????

Post by **JD-S14** » Sun Apr 13, 2003 3:12 pm

I learned a harsh reality today at the dragstrip. My previous car, (a 2001 auto Cavalier z24 w/upgrades) was faster than my 98 240.

The track that I run at is 1/8 mile, I usually do bracket racing and some Friday or Saturday fun nights. The Cavalier that I had, completely stock, would run....10.80's...or around there. But after the mods I did, and a nice cool day in October...here was my best time in the 1/8th with my auto Z24:60ft- 2.189ET@594ft- 9.3211/8ET- 9.9581/8MPH- 70.62List of mods: CAI, Cat-back exhaust w/Magnaflow muffler, upper & lower poly engine mounts, Eibach Pro Kit springs, strut tower brace, subframe brace, rear sway bar, and I used stock 16" wheels with Eagle RSA tires. (before I got my 18's)

Now I just traded my Z in this last Monday for my 98 auto 240. The car already had the AEM intake and Nology Hotwires on the car. Other than that, I put my 18's on it since they were uni-lugs. Tires are Toyo FZ4's. I got the car to hook pretty good off the line with the Toyos. Hell, there wasnt enough power to really break them loose!

My best slip today with the 98 240 auto:60ft- 2.528ET@594ft- 10.3821/8ET- 11.0841/8MPH- 64.11

Now, after I sell my Cavalier parts that I took off the car before trading in, I should have enough for the HKS Hi-Power cat back exhaust system. Does anybody know about how much power this might add??? It was a severe disapointment today to realize how much slower the car of my dreams was, compared to the car that I just "settled for" a year ago. At least my 240 looks faster than my Cav did. LOL

Is there anything Im missing here? I really didnt have an idea of how fast the car would be when I showed up at the track. My friends were all asking me how fast it would go, and they thought it would be in the 9's easy. Guess not.

Beaten, but not broken....

Brad

Post by **nametakennow** » Sun Apr 13, 2003 3:12 pm

I'm in a pissy mood, therefore I'm going to pre-apologize for being an ***. First, why are you driving auto (not that autos can't be fast, but... I dunno, stick makes more sense to me, especially if you race)? I can also tell you sway bars don't make your car faster, since it's obvious that's one of the first mods you like to do. 240s (stock) are a bit underpowered, that is why it's slower. Exhaust doesn't add much power to engines, especially if that's a turbo exhaust for you NA car (I can't remember if that HKS is designed for turbo, but it wouldn't surprise me if it was). You should have already had some idea as to how fast the 240 would be, because you drove it to the track, and presumably can feel roughly how much power you can put down. Anyway, things to make it faster: engine swap (the obvious), cams, intake (hardly), grippy tires, removal of useless parts (weight reduction). There's a few, enjoy your day.

Post by **lessthanjakejohn** » Sun Apr 13, 2003 3:12 pm

save your money on the little stuff, and plan to turbo your car in the future. It will be a beast if you do it right.

Post by **HighAspirations** » Sun Apr 13, 2003 3:12 pm

The 18" wheels are definately working against you.... atleast relative to the 16's you had on your Z-24

Post by **JD-S14** » Sun Apr 13, 2003 3:12 pm

Thanks for the reply. I did get some use out of it, and I do emphasize..SOME.

First off...on the "auto" comment, its for two reasons. 1- It has to be a car that the wife can drive in a pinch, and she just refuses to drive manual. Sorry for being a thoughtful husband. 2- If you didnt pay attention, I like to BRACKET race. People who try to bracket race with manuals, dont make if very far in the rounds. Its much easier to slap the car in D, let the computer do all the work and admire how consistent Nissan made my car.

Secondly- to the sway bar comment. Obviously, a bolt on part thats suppose to make a car corner better, isnt really a time killer when going straight. HOWEVER, when dealing with FWD or even RWD cars that dont have LSD....cars that deal with torque steer and twist when coming off the line, CAN benefit from any thing that keeps the car flat and solid. Hence the reason for some of the suspension work that I did. (it doesnt hurt that I drove the car hard through the twisties too..hehe)

Thirdly, exhaust doesnt add much power to engines? Thats funny, thats the first time Ive ever heard that. Why is it that the first two mods that just about anybody should do are intake/exhaust? "Breathing and exhaling" better. Simple. And the HKS "Hi-Power" exhaust is NOT for turbo apps, it says on the site that its for the 2.4L.

Fourth- Just because your butt dyno tells you something feels fast or slow, doesnt mean that it really is. To be honest with you....it DID feel like the 240 pulled harder than my Cavalier did. Guess I was terribly wrong, and my butt dyno is out of order.

And for your list of upgrades, I sorta figured that. But then your talking about more upgrades to get the 240 faster than a Cavalier. Its funny, they both have 2.4L engines.....yet so different. I mean, seriously....NOT to cause an argument here or even DIS Nissan. But it seems like you guys are saying that if the Z24 and 240 had the SAME minor bolt-on upgrades, (or at least as close as possible)..the Nissan would still lose? Ouch...

Any other opinions?

And by the way, Im not ragging on the 240. I wouldnt trade it back for anything. Im still extremely happy with my purchase, just a little shocked.

Thanks again fellas,Brad

Post by **240_Keyy** » Sun Apr 13, 2003 3:12 pm

keep in mind that the Z was a bit lighter with the same amount of HP

My 2.4 auto Cav sedan is a full second faster than my 240.

Post by **Onizuka** » Sun Apr 13, 2003 3:12 pm

98 240= fatass car.

155hp isnt going to get a car that weighs almost 3000 lbs down the track too quickly, and the KA does NOT respond as well as other engines to intake and exaust as you would think.you have to screw with cams and such to get power out of a KA. with Intake and Exaust your looking at 8-10 hp TOPS. with the wrong exaust you will even lose alot of low end horse power.

Post by **nametakennow** » Sun Apr 13, 2003 3:12 pm

I stand corrected, and red in the face. Sorry man...

Post by **NeedCAforS13** » Sun Apr 13, 2003 3:12 pm

"Is there anything Im missing here?"

a turbo?

just kidding, 98 240s are gorgeous (if not fast!)

Sean

Post by **Onizuka** » Sun Apr 13, 2003 3:12 pm

NeedCAforS13 wrote: 98 240s are gorgeous (if not fast!)

gorgeous, luxurious, fatass, all of these terms go hand in hand! : )

Post by **NeedCAforS13** » Sun Apr 13, 2003 3:12 pm

"gorgeous, luxurious, fatass, all of these terms go hand in hand! : )"

lol, s13 coupe's the way to go right j-spec

how's that coming along btw?

Sean

Post by **Gregariousgreg** » Sun Apr 13, 2003 3:12 pm

An SR20, nitro or a big ol' turbo should solve your speed problems.

Just joking. The speed difference isn't that huge, you could probably solve it with the normal intake and exhaust and some cams. 240 looks cooler than a Cavalier too.

Post by **nissanrcer240** » Sun Apr 13, 2003 3:12 pm

well at least the 240 looks better anyways , right?;) i have no problem admiting taht the 240 in stock form is pretty slow but i think its the looks and the potential of this car that makes it so appealing to me.....

Post by **JD-S14** » Sun Apr 13, 2003 3:12 pm

Thanks for the replies guys.

Good, at least Im not hearing..."dude, theres something wrong with your car". LOL

Well, about the only thing I can afford right now is the exhaust...which Im sold on. HKS Power!

When I realized how slow the car was today, I kept telling my friends (that dont know much about imports) "theres so much more room for improvement and potential for this car over the Cav" and its true.

Also, one more side question here....I was reading in the FAQ about the "resistor" trick for the autos. Have there been a lot of the trannies giving out by doing this? Usually speaking, if you increase the line pressure on an auto transmission, it actually helps the life of the car when going fast (ie racing). The "bands" or "clutches" in the transmission dont slip as much. I tried the resistor trick the other night while the car was on and it worked fine and shifted quite hard. I plugged it back in while the car was still running and I had no problems. However, the other day...I decided to unplug the resistor while the car was off. BIG NO-NO. Computer didnt like it very much and tripped a code. I went to a buddy of mine (mechanic) and he reset it for me for $5. Im assuming that if I wanted to try it again, then I obviously need to leave the car running while un-plugging and re-plugging in the resistor.

Thanks again amigos!Brad

Post by **240_Keyy** » Sun Apr 13, 2003 3:12 pm

hey brad, were you ever on J-Body.org? I am keylempa over there...

Website · Post by **daniel240** » Sun Apr 13, 2003 3:12 pm

well i ran a 9.78 @72mph with my 96240 when i just had intake, header, exhaust. thats better than your best with the cav. of course mine is a 5 speed though, that would help a little.

Post by **SilviaLuvr** » Sun Apr 13, 2003 3:12 pm

hey brad theres something wrong wit your car...

j/k yeah you did get a fat boy 240 (referring to the car) i fyou had an S13 wit the same motor i.e 91-93 then it would of been a different story. things to imporve your speed like menched work it pulley's and head work for a greater increase of power.

and to "slap shifting" aroung here (neutral then d1,d2,d and then od) isn't healthy at all TRUST ME, i went threw 2 trannies for doing that poo and ummmm trannies aren't cheap to rebuilt and then buy. thats why i sad F it! give me my 5 BIATCH!!

Post by **JD-S14** » Sun Apr 13, 2003 3:12 pm

SilviaLuvr- I wasnt necessarily talking about slap shifting, but the "resistor trick" shouldnt do much damage. All it does is increase the line pressure so the car will shift much more crisp and harder. Like I said, a firmer shift is actually BETTER for a transmission when the pedal is to the floor. However, for day to day driving....I wouldnt recommend it.

Post by **nametakennow** » Sun Apr 13, 2003 3:12 pm

Don't so the resistor trick, I believe there was a thread on this a few weeks ago. Some of the guys here have done it with not-so-good results. The shifting becomes incredibly hard (this is what I gathered from what they said), and it seems the transmission wears out a lot faster in some cases, all the while the shifting is not noticably (if at all) faster.

Post by **nlzmo400r** » Sun Apr 13, 2003 3:12 pm

what exactly is a resistor, i have an o2 alitma (qr25de) and when i race (yea i know its a family car, but its kidna quick for a four) i power brake to about 2400 or so, i hear its bad for the transmission, but i dont do it often at all, and i dont really slap shift, i dont think itll do a whole lot, considering the fuel cut is at 6200 and my shift/redline in 6150 or so

Post by **EyeStabPeople** » Sun Apr 13, 2003 3:12 pm

JD-S14 wrote:Thanks for the reply. I did get some use out of it, and I do emphasize..SOME.

First off...on the "auto" comment, its for two reasons. 1- It has to be a car that the wife can drive in a pinch, and she just refuses to drive manual. Sorry for being a thoughtful husband. 2- If you didnt pay attention, I like to BRACKET race. People who try to bracket race with manuals, dont make if very far in the rounds. Its much easier to slap the car in D, let the computer do all the work and admire how consistent Nissan made my car.

Secondly- to the sway bar comment. Obviously, a bolt on part thats suppose to make a car corner better, isnt really a time killer when going straight. HOWEVER, when dealing with FWD or even RWD cars that dont have LSD....cars that deal with torque steer and twist when coming off the line, CAN benefit from any thing that keeps the car flat and solid. Hence the reason for some of the suspension work that I did. (it doesnt hurt that I drove the car hard through the twisties too..hehe)

Thirdly, exhaust doesnt add much power to engines? Thats funny, thats the first time Ive ever heard that. Why is it that the first two mods that just about anybody should do are intake/exhaust? "Breathing and exhaling" better. Simple. And the HKS "Hi-Power" exhaust is NOT for turbo apps, it says on the site that its for the 2.4L.

Fourth- Just because your butt dyno tells you something feels fast or slow, doesnt mean that it really is. To be honest with you....it DID feel like the 240 pulled harder than my Cavalier did. Guess I was terribly wrong, and my butt dyno is out of order.

And for your list of upgrades, I sorta figured that. But then your talking about more upgrades to get the 240 faster than a Cavalier. Its funny, they both have 2.4L engines.....yet so different. I mean, seriously....NOT to cause an argument here or even DIS Nissan. But it seems like you guys are saying that if the Z24 and 240 had the SAME minor bolt-on upgrades, (or at least as close as possible)..the Nissan would still lose? Ouch...

Any other opinions?

And by the way, Im not ragging on the 240. I wouldnt trade it back for anything. Im still extremely happy with my purchase, just a little shocked.

Thanks again fellas,Brad

if your elooking at the HKS high power thought id let you know i coudl sell you my exhaust and header with high flow cat which isnt all that loud and flows very well and my car ran a 15.6 at 90 with it and an injen intake and literally nothing else on crappy tires. if your einterested PM me

anyway, the 18s are whats hurting you the most, ditch the 18s sell them and get some nice lightweight 16s and get the trans rebuilt or something to firm up the shifts.

Post by **Zebrahead** » Sun Apr 13, 2003 3:12 pm

You will NOT be disappointed with the Hiper. Its the best sounding exhaust I've ever heard (so damned deep, its sick) and its adds a good amount of power. Too bad about the auto, a good hard, grippy clutch is one of the best feelings in the world.

But then again, I'd rather have a happy wife than a car that runs the 1/4 mile in .4 seconds faster.

Nick.

Post by **J_DUBB** » Sun Apr 13, 2003 3:12 pm

My lady can't drive stick either. So until she learns when her car is down (which it never is since it is a stock Civic) she gets a ride from me. If your wife is refusing to drive a stick then refuse to buy an auto. It might make her mad but she will cave trust me, one of my friends had this problem his wife wanted a Eclipse and she wanted auto and he told her she could keep the Ford Probe and buy her own auto or learn and he would buy the stick for her. He won!!

P.S. I have never heard of a 1/8 mile strip...we only have 1/4 miles that I know about.

Post by **TrueSlide** » Sun Apr 13, 2003 3:12 pm

If you have any doubts on the 240 being slower, just throw it in a turn a few times and you will see where it is fast

My Cavalier Z24 was FASTER than my new 240!????

My Cavalier Z24 was FASTER than my new 240!????

Nissan Forums

Infiniti Forums

Datsun Forums

Technical Forums

Classifieds / Marketplace

Nissan Motorsports

General Forums