Im pretty disappointed right now guys. Raced my buddy's 01' TransAm WS6 today. Bone stock with a automatic transmission.

My 00 Lightning has a 4lb lower, Predator 91 octane revised tune, modded air box, Magnaflow catback. Do to my crappy Toyo tires, he got a little jump on me out of the hole. Not much, maybe a 1/4-1/2 a car length. He slowly pulls away from me the entire 1/4 mile. He has about 2 car lengths on me at the finish line.

What's the deal guys? Shouldn't a chip/pulley Lightning have very little trouble with a stock WS6?

I know you guys are going to tell me to get a custom tune/dyno tune. But i've been down that road. I had a "mail order" tune from one of the "big three tuners," but it only put down 368/455 to the rear wheels. No dyno around has a air/fuel wideband. So, right now im running the 91 octane Predator tune(revised)

One more thing, my truck really seems to fall on it's face at around 80mph.

Im really biting my tongue right now. I want to give my Lightning the benefit of the doubt. If I typed all my frustrations right now, this post would be deleted within the hour. Any suggestions?

 

I know it's not what you want to hear...but without a custom dyno tune for you truck...it is hard to say why. What's more, each truck responds differently so again, without a custom dyno tune, you will NOT get the most out of it. Just my $.02

 

I was afraid you were going to say that. But I was expecting it. Your probably right. Right now, im honestly thinking about getting a 03 Cobra. Im just afraid I will run into the same problems.

There should be a disclaimer tied to every Lightning. Don't buy me unless you have access to a dyno with a good tuner. This sucks guys. I really like this truck. The looks, the feel, it turns heads everywhere.

Im just frustrated. I tell all my friends how my Lightning is down on power. How it should leave stock LS1's. They don't believe me. They just say, "it's really fast for a truck." Im not trying to hear that.

 

launch is everything, and bad tires will do that to ya...

I remember how dissappointed I was racing my friends slightly modded Crown Vic with my Supercharged Vic... I crossed the finish line a full second faster than his time, but I was behind him the entire way since all I did was spin the tires down the track and he was hauling ***...

--Russ

 

My tires are in very good condition. They just aren't made for drag racing. Toyo Proxies. Im sure some of you guys have them. I need some Nittos bad. Im thinking about getting some Nitto DR's and Lakewood T-bars. Im just not sure if I want to drop another $500-600 into my mid 13 second Lightning.

 

Let's see...

4700 lb. truck making less than 400 rwhp with everything being perfect including tune. Power to weight ratio: more than 11.75 to 1


3400 lb. car making about 300 rwhp. Power to weight ratio: 11.33 to 1


How can anyone expect that to be anything other than a close race, favoring the car, is beyond me. Even after owning a Lightning for 4 years, I remember how un-godly fast my Camaro SS was. Throw some more money at your truck before talking crap to an LS1 powered F-body. Especially if the guy can drive. Without an excellent launch, you're going to be trying to catch a vehicle that has comparable power and much better aerodynamics. That's not good.

 

My truck has all the same mods as the 1,000's of Lightning's running 12.80's. A stock WS6 can't run 12.80's. This is my gripe. A chip/pulley Lightning shouldn't lose by 2 cars to a stock WS6. Yes, I gave up a 1/4-1/2 a car length of the line, but he shouldn't continue to walk away from me. Something is wrong with my truck. I've been to the truck with my bad@ss, high dollar "custom tune." I ran a 13.59 @ 100.89mph. Before you blame my driving, I had a 2.0 60ft. So, now im trying the Predator revised tunes. I've been running the 91 octane tune. Tomorrow, im going to play with the 93 octand tune.

 

I feel your pain. I first bought a "Chip-Pulley-Filter" combo and I was totally dissapointed with my power and inability to make the numbers I saw and STILL see other Lightnings making. (wonder how inflated some really are) I couldn't even come close. Wasn't until I got it on the dyno and someone (who knows what their doing) to tune it right.

 

Ding Ding!!! We have a WINNER !!! Some folks that know how to
do it can get 1.7x's outta stock F1 tires, so maybe you don't know
how to drive to get the 12.8 you so desire. Nothing can fix not
enough seat time!

And I know of what I speak. I spent $4,000 on a major upgrades
only to run 13's for a summer. No other changes than tuner and
seat time and I'm at 12.23 ... You can too.

 

Delusions of Lightning Grandeur?

 

That's where your problem lies. You are comparing your truck to others. An 01-04 with a 4lb, air kit and [b]93 octane[b\] tune will run 12.80s. You have an 00, so right there you are starting off 30hp less, and you are running on 91 octane fuel. The fuel is killing you. A stock WS6 can run 13.0s. A STRONG WS6 can go 12.80s. The F body WILL pull you up top. Lightnings drop off at the top end, it's the price we pay for driving a 5k lb pickup.

IMO, your truck is running exactly how it should be for what you've got.

 

I was told the HP difference from a 1999-2000 and a 2001-2004 was mainly the tune? If octane is the problem, I will run C16 all day. I have access to all fuels. Just don't have access to any tuners. Im going to fill up with 93 octane, and try the Predator 93 Octane tune(revised). I fully understand the top end disadvantage we have. From 15-60mph my(our) Lightning(s) should have the advantage. For some reason mine doesn't. I have no problem with throwing hundreds or even thousands of dollars into my truck. As long as I see it getting faster.

I don't want to argue with you guys. Im looking for some advice? What would you guys do? I've done all the right mods. Im just not seeing the results. I have no access to a reputable dyno shop. Im seriously considering shipping my Lightning across the country to you Sal. Has anyone done this before?

 

You don't need to send your truck across the country. Use your Predator to datalog a 3rd gear WOT run and send the results to Sal. Or whoever you prefer. I'd go with Sal. I think you're right where you should be with your mods; but, a data log run will tell whether your tune is off or not. A pull on the dyno would help. Send the results of that as well. I'm telling you right now, sight unseen, Sal can send you a tune that will be right on, with this info provided. He's the man.

 

I drove out there, (2 days) to have him Dyno tune it. I'd do it again in a heart beat.

 

For what it's worth, when my truck was new and I had only a filter chip n 4lb
I absolutely blew away a Fire Hawk about 10 times in a row one night,
we would slow down to a rolling start of about 20-40 MPH and floor it,
I absolutely dusted him BIG TIME time after time right up to well over 120MPH where I would get off it and wait a while for him to catch up and go again.
After blowing him away prob 5 or 6 times we hit a light, "YIKES".

He did one of those chirp and waaaaaa's, and I sat there roasting my tires off the rims, I kept getting off it and back into it, but it was in the 20's that night and F-1's are 100% useless from a stop in that temp. As he drove away I just laughed it off and said OH WELL at least I got um everytime from a roll.....

How ANYONE could even attempt to drive a L on 91 Octane is simply beyond me ???. (I understand some area's dont have 94, but you need a minimum of 92-93). As for mail order tunes, up to NOW I have ONLY ran mail order tunes.
I went 3 years of racing on mail order tunes and ran consistant 12.8's on a filter chip n pulley (even on F-1's). By season two I was running hi 11's with the Nitrous (still on a mail order tune), and did that through season three 3 (still on a mail order tune)

Now if you want something to complain about, how bout spending the kids college fund and adding a Built Motor, Long Tube Headers, Hi Flo Cats, Cat Back, CL Upper, Magnum Powers Supercharger, and have 23 lbs of screaming boost to only RUN SLOWER THAN BEFORE, AND MAYBE GAIN 15 HP
(#@$%(@$%@)$(%@($%@$(%@$)%@$)&%@$)%@$()@%$(@%$(@%$ @%$@$%(&@$%(@$%(@$%(@$%(@$%(@$&%@$
NOW THATS SOMETHING TO LET OFF STEAM OVER
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Get a tuner to give you a 16 degree program for the street, and a 19-20 degree program for race fuel, turn off Torque Reduction, move the Rev Limiter to 6K, shift points @ 5500, and you SHOULD dust him and run your 12's,
(if you can hook).

Me I'm going to do SOMETHING to save this nightmare of mine
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