94 LT1 Firebird - Weight Removal & DIY Tune

[@strongspeedworks]

In tuner pro under PE lock the BLM at 128. It’s a patch Then pe vs coolant set all to 1 Under PE vs rpm set all to 1.13 Adjust the maf tables for wot fueling Should be 150+afgs for wot fueling It’ll be a way more steady PE AFR. You’re aiming for a 12.8-13.0 afr Ramp that timing in pretty hard down low Aim for 35 degrees all in by 4k

[@wideopenthrottle1165]

Thanks! And thanks for all your tuning videos.

[@WrexSR2]

These old LT1 cars are so overlooked with everyone chasing LS cars. Very cool to see this one saved and being raced! I guessed you would run close to 14 flat after the mods, 13.6 was definitely a nice surprise! Subscribed!

[@wideopenthrottle1165]

@WrexSR2 You're so right and in my opinion it undervalues them. But that just makes them even cooler because you can get them so cheap! Thanks for subscribing!

[@Kingsracingchannel]

Great video. Awesome content. Considering an LT1 as my next project car! Looking forward to your next video!

[@wideopenthrottle1165]

@Kingsracingchannel Thanks! I've got some winter plans, looking forward to getting back to the drag strip next season!

[@Piotr94L]

I can't wait for future videos. From budget standpoint nice upgrades would be: * Throttle body air foil or bigger throttle body * Long tube headers with x pipe * Bigger cam like LT4 or something even more aggressive * Valve sprigs * Nitrous *MSD ignition box *Line lock and hydraulic e brake for burnouts and loading transmission * Delating front swaybars * 3rd gen v6 rear springs * 3rd gen 1" rear sway bar out of 1le or ws6 car * Viking shock absorbers * Lower control arm relocation brackets like UMI 2011 * Tubular adjustable Panhard bar * Drag radials

[@wideopenthrottle1165]

@Piotr94L Good list! Headers are next, then cam/springs/rockers.

[@XHikotheproX]

I love stuff like this, so satisfying to see most amount of gain for the lowest cost. All good stuff that actually makes a difference too. exhaust just Y together and dumps with smooth bends. money. Thermostat. no brainer. wideband so you can actually know the AFR. dope. Actual fuel making it to the engine. Really wish this was a T56 car but hey. still good fun

[@wideopenthrottle1165]

@XHikotheproX man, I wish it was a T56 car too!

[@CB12345]

I actually like the looks of the LT1 Camaros/Firebirds better than the Catfish/Warthog front ends of the LS1 cars. But for some reason I also like the sound of the LT vehicles better. 😂

[@wideopenthrottle1165]

@@CB12345 I don't blame you! Thanks for watching!

[@crushthequarter6863]

LT1s have a little deeper tone. 98-02 LS1s tend to be more metallic sounding. IMO

[@wideopenthrottle1165]

@crushthequarter6863 It's sounding pretty good to me!

[@utahcountypicazospage5412]

Firing order changed on ls1 equal intake charge lt1/350 cylinders fight for the same charge but that makes them sound good 👍

[@wideopenthrottle1165]

@@utahcountypicazospage5412 makes them throb like old school!

[@paulvickers9978]

I got a 95 formula. Haven't driven it in a couple years because a rusted out fuel line and a few other mechanical issues. This video makes me wanna go out there and get it back on the road

[@wideopenthrottle1165]

@@paulvickers9978 Do it!!

[@pops3554]

12.9 with full interior !!! No weight reduction All you need is Long tubes headers 1 3/4 3000 stall Dual exhaust x pipe with bullets and dumped And sum 373 gears!! Also it wasnt tuned!!!!!

[@wideopenthrottle1165]

@pops3554 I'm hoping to get headers on over the winter. 3000 stall it's already got, 3.73s are on the "someday" list. Thanks for watching!

[@pops3554]

@wideopenthrottle1165 Lt1 have lots of potential with little amount of money!!!! The right parts will get in the 12s.....before you open that lt1 I had 135k on the o.d. also a ram air hood would help .....gives like 20hp by looking badass!!!! But it was functional!!!

[@aldairgarcia6637]

So, Can you have long tube headers without the need for a PCM tune? I have a 1997 ws6

[@wideopenthrottle1165]

@aldairgarcia6637 The short answer is that I'm a newbie at this and I don't know for 100% sure, so you would be better off asking someone like @strongspeedworks . With that disclaimer, what I THINK is that while you're in closed loop your o2 sensors and ecm will compensate and try to keep you at 14.7:1, but every time you move your gas pedal or change RPM so that you move to a different cell on your VE and MAF tables your A/F ratio will be wrong for that first instant until the ecu has had time to react to reading the wrong mixture and make a correction. Also when you go into Power Enrichment mode (heavy throttle) your ecu ignores the o2 and works only off the programmed tables. So at WOT it will be wrong. Now, that being said, the headers will allow your engine to move more air, so it will have the effect of making it leaner, and the factory tune is way on the rich side in PE mode.... so you might get lucky and end up with an even better than stock A/F ratio, or you might be too lean and detonate. The bottom line is you won't know what's happening at WOT without a wideband o2.

[@frigglebiscuit7484]

@@aldairgarcia6637 id guess you would get the most hp out of it by tuning after headers.

[@JFar-jf6qq]

My predictions were perfect..I just didn’t make ‘em known… Keep knocking it down ma man! Good luck!

[@wideopenthrottle1165]

@@JFar-jf6qq Right on!

[@sherwinstaudt1881]

Boy I sure hate to see those cars in that kind of shape, bought a two-door hardtop Coupe LT1 6-speed transmission in 1995, still have the car, 6000 original miles never been smoked in, never been rain driven, only one person's been in the passenger seat, nobody's ever been in the rear seats, smells like the day it roll off the assembly floor. In 96 I run the car, put 1 inch shorter Tire and Wheel, the car run 1320. Also have my high school car, 1967 400 4-speed Firebird.

[@frigglebiscuit7484]

ive heard stock lt1 exhaust manifolds are pretty awful, and the little airfoil that covers the hole between the throttle blades works really well.

[@wideopenthrottle1165]

@frigglebiscuit7484 I have some headers ready to go on it over the winter. I might be doing a cam swap and ARP rod bolts as well, we'll see!

[@DarrenWS6]

Looks and sounds good! Love these cars.

[@wideopenthrottle1165]

@@DarrenWS6 Thanks!

[@MidnightinSavannah]

I had a '94 automatic T/A GT new, 1st time to the track it went a best of 14.09 @ 99 mph.

[@DickVanNiggz]

That’s about exactly what my 97 auto t/a did stock too, it wasn’t the fastest but it was all 18 year old me needed 😂 I miss my ol turd bird 😂

[@FixItStupid]

I Still Have My From New 1994 TA GT From LT1 To LT4 Set Up CAM Heads Tranz So Fun

[@johnnyturbo8460]

Nicely done, keep up the cool content

[@wideopenthrottle1165]

@johnnyturbo8460 Awesome thanks for watching!

[@johnmarshjr928]

Got the MSD ignition coil ? I put an Eaton posi with 3.73gears in my 97 back before some a hole totaled it 30 anniversary Camaro Z28 . Those 3.23’s aren’t for the quarter mile. 3.42’s either. Put a 125 shot of nitrous on it, easy 12’s.

[@joesaiditstrue]

I had a 1993 Formula with 183k miles (bought it in 1998, I was 18). 183k mi in 5 years by the previous owner. It was the same green color as this TA.

[@wideopenthrottle1165]

@joesaiditstrue Cool! I've never seen another one this color.

[@jasonpowell4847]

We would just leave the seat bottoms in in the '90s because it looked better and it was only a pound and a half. Plus if anybody rides in the back of it they liked it without that back part. Also, I would totally recommend the hot cam springs them. 20 plus-year-old valve springs have got to be sayonara by now.

[@wideopenthrottle1165]

@jasonpowell4847 Good call with the seat bottoms but no backs! Yeah, I'm probably going to go with some sort of beehive spring, either the LS6 style or maybe some PAC1218s.

[@RotaryJunkie]

Is the TH400 shifting itself here? Even for an LT1, ~5000rpm shift point seems a good bit early, though it'd be dead right for most applications of the 400. Might find another 0.3 and 3-4mph just off that.

[@wideopenthrottle1165]

@RotaryJunkie Good catch! No, I'm manually shifting it every time but I did try short shifting a couple times because I had noticed it felt like it pulled harder after the shift. It was slower.

[@PatandDoopypoopy]

My same thoughts. I was thinking maybe he was trying to ride the torque curve(he was)

[@gregleenyit]

Check the sock on the fuel pump. Cool video

[@wideopenthrottle1165]

@gregleenyit Good call. It doesn't have a trapdoor so I'd imagine nobody's ever had the pump out.

[@ctobias1984]

Gears next!

[@wideopenthrottle1165]

@ctobias1984 Good call, I'm thinking about doing an 8.8 swap but it probably won't be the next mod.

[@Ls_swap211]

I was surprised the car was that light I thought they was 34-3600 lbs lol Seems like car does pretty great launching too keep it up!!! I wish I could get to a 1.9 60ft I’m over here spending money like crazy and seeing no gains hardly with my s10 Started off slammed suspension 5.3/5spd 3.42 gears with drag radials it went 8.3s 2.2 60ft Since then I’ve raised the truck up 🤮lol Went with caltracs,8.8 rear swap,Calvert 9way rear shocks,90/10 Calvert front shocks, long tubes,hp tuners,aem wideband,different sizes of drag radials,t56 swap w/ ls7 clutch kit ,2step,300lbs weights added aginst tailgate Still a 2.0 60ft but best et 8.15 1/8 12.70 lifting at 1000’ mark and all this on bare 2lane

[@wideopenthrottle1165]

@Ls_swap211 Thanks for watching! Do you have any videos of your S10? I think we also have pretty great track prep so I can hit it 100% off the line.

[@Ls_swap211]

@@wideopenthrottle1165 yes sir My channel is pretty much just me slowly building my little truck I came over from atv drags to automotive world for first time with this build so it’s a learning process as I go

[@somebodyyouusetoknow4532]

Congrats on your Number!

[@wideopenthrottle1165]

@@somebodyyouusetoknow4532 Thanks!

[@evilinside5984]

@WideOpenThrottle- It sounds like your 2 to 3 shift is much lower than your finish line rpm, & your 1 to 2 shift. What rpm does this setup run quickest with, 5,500 Rpm, or 5,750 Rpm?

[@wideopenthrottle1165]

@evilinside5984 Good catch. For most of the runs I was trying for 5500. It seemed on the first couple of runs that I could feel the power easing off as the rpm went past 5k, so I decided to try short shifting to see if that would be quicker. The problem is I forgot to do it on the 1-2 shift, and then remembered on the 2-3 shift, and that run ended up in the video. The next run I short shifted both shifts and the car slowed down. So for my last few runs I went back to 5500 and it picked back up, but that was after they told me no more camera on my helmet. One of the next purchases I'm going to make will be a shift light so I can really start dialing in consistent shift points. Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@evilinside5984]

@@wideopenthrottle1165 - Try 5,750 Rpm, only on the 2 to 3 shift point once to see if that helps E.t., keeping your 5,500 Rpm 1 to 2 shift point. I have found that to work better sometimes. Best of luck. Oh, & i guessed a 13.90 sec. @ 98 Mph for your 1st pass w/dad, & in the 13.70s @ 99 Mph, w/just u. That 13.66 @ almost 100 Mph is pretty good progress. Whats your plans on later, going quicker Na, or Nitrous, turbo, or Super charged? I ❤ drag racing, been doing it off n on for over 30 years. Most of my friends come to me to figure out gear ratios, tire ht., stall speed of tq. Converters, cams, cylinder heads, intakes, best drag tires, etc. I ❤it all. If you ever want to ask me thing's, please do, if i can't help, i flat out will tell you. I won't just make something up. Im disabled now, & dont get out, so if i can help someone with my knowledge it makes me feel useful, & good. I really enjoy you sharing your racing experience's, Thank you for taking your time to do these videos❤️

[@evilinside5984]

@@wideopenthrottle1165 - I forgot you have a 5,500 Rpm rev. Limiter. Can you bump that up to 6k, with your Laptop/tunning software? This way you could try different shift points, without hitting the rev. Limiter. These engines usually peak around 5,100 to 5,200 Rpm, on a chassis dyno, & its usually best to shift 400 to 600 Rpm past your peak Rpm, when drag racing. So 5,500 to 5,800 Rpm, should be your sweet spot? But like i said in a previous comment, i like shifting the 1 to 2 a bit earlier than the 2 to 3 shift. Example: 1 to 2 @ 5,500, & the 2 to 3 @ 5,700 Rpm. But a shift light is best, put up on the dash in the middle of the dash, pointed @ your right eye. Then just set that @ different shift points, & see what gives your best E.t., & or Mph. But always try to have your eng. Close to the same temp each run, & similar 60Ft times, to be able to see what helped, or hurt E.t. As a bad 60 Ft., will effect your E.t., but it won't be from your shift point changes. Also for best E.t.s, & 60 Ft times, if traction allows, put a bag of ice on top of a folded up towel, (this will help keep water from dripping down, & keep the track officials from stopping you racing), on top of your intake manifold, for about 15 minutes between runs to cool it off. This will make more instant Tq. & Power= Quicker E.t.'s! And it should be more consistent each run.

[@whaty-on7ox]

Great video

[@wideopenthrottle1165]

@@whaty-on7ox Thanks!

[@andrewchristmas2026]

Nice

[@msh6865]

Subbed because I'm looking for a stock LT1 Formula to do this exact same thing with. 13.66 seems like a nice pickup with minimal/cheap mods. Will be following your progress! p.s. how much did going to a TH400 affect your cruising RPM?

[@wideopenthrottle1165]

@msh6865 I never got to drive it with the 4l60e, but I'm turning about 3100 at 70mph. Some of that is probably slip from the torque converter.

[@theredwedge9446]

YOOOO WHAT WHEELS ARE THOSE !!!! I guess theyre corvette wheels from the comments but what year or whats the name of them !?

[@wideopenthrottle1165]

@theredwedge9446 They're from a mid 80s corvette, people refer to them as "turbine wheels".

[@theredwedge9446]

@@wideopenthrottle1165 Fuck yea. I love how thick the tires are on it too and the stance is solid. Reminds me of nascar. The trans am front bumper, formula hood and hatch look incredible all together.

[@justinkase1360]

I wonder that the weight difference is between Firebird and Camaro.

[@wideopenthrottle1165]

@justinkase1360 Yeah, I wonder too. Then there's all the option differences like power seats, leather, etc.

[@CB12345]

These F-Bodies had so many different options. The weight definitely varies at that point, but still cool cars regardless.

[@msh6865]

The Formula Firebirds were approx 100lbs lighter than the Trans Am's. Probably the additional moldings and trim.

[@justinkase1360]

@@msh6865 That is considerable, I wasn't expecting that much.

[@Firewoodguy]

I did this same kind of stuff to a 95 mustang gt auto and it’s best 60’ foot time is 1.96 on street tires

[@wideopenthrottle1165]

@@Firewoodguy I was surprised how well it hooked compared to the street. We must have pretty good track prep at QRP.

[@JasonKent-n3j]

I would say 14.1 They always say for every hundred pounds is the 10th. Now that your fuel and air issues are known

[@Mach-N-Roll]

Love making slow cars fast(er). Doing something similar with my ‘04 Mach 1. Throw a low gear in it and see how much you pick up. Mine has 3.55’s currently but have some 4.56’s, a master kit and new clutch pack for the Trac-Lok when I swap the gears.

[@wideopenthrottle1165]

@Mach-N-Roll Awesome! With my th400 I think I'd run out of RPM with 4.56s. How fast will you be spinning?

[@Mach-N-Roll]

@@wideopenthrottle1165 my Mach has a 4R75 automatic, they can only take 6000-6100 rpm shifts and no WOT shifts into O/D, but I turn the car 6500 in 3rd through the traps. With a 26” tire it should do about 106mph. All my local tracks are 1/8 mile so I will be fine. If I go run a 1/4 mile I’ll throw a set of 28’s on it so I could go up to 115 at 6500. Best 1/4mile trap to date in it is 105mph so it would be on the limiter if I tried it with the 4.56 and 26’s.

[@wideopenthrottle1165]

@@Mach-N-Roll Ah I didn't consider the 1/8. Sounds like it's going to be perfect!

[@joesaiditstrue]

seems like the transmission is shifting way too soon on those pulls

[@DaddyDgarage]

When deleting the smog pump did you have to tune anything out?

[@wideopenthrottle1165]

@DaddyDgarage @DaddyDgarage If you want to turn the check engine light off then yes. On TunerPro there were "flags" to turn on and off, if I remember correctly one of them was a diagnostic routine for the A.I.R. system. There might have been other parameters you could select for when it does and doesn't activate, but that wouldn't have any actual effect once the smog pump is gone. All that said, I'm tuning for the first time, so I would defer to someone like Strong Speed Works for better advice. In fact, watch this one: kzbin.info/www/bejne/d4fdXmyDd7Wpgasfeature=shared Thanks for watching!

[@DaddyDgarage]

@wideopenthrottle1165 awesome thank you. I have recently subbed to him as well but haven't watched the one you posted yet. also subbed to you can't wait for some more videos

[@wideopenthrottle1165]

@DaddyDgarage Thanks!! I'm formulating my winter project plans right now...

[@crushthequarter6863]

You may want to re-rig that dump with sometype of rubber cushion from the bracket to the muffler. Vibrations like that can cause false knock and pull timing on ya. Also just annoying vibration in general.

[@wideopenthrottle1165]

@crushthequarter6863 Definitely! I hadn't considered the false knock so thanks for the heads up on that. But I wasn't intending to leave it long term like this. I'm looking pretty hard at the speed engineering dual systems. Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@frigglebiscuit7484]

@@wideopenthrottle1165 or get an lt4 knock sensor. they made a better "dumber" one because the full roller rockers were so noisy.

[@wideopenthrottle1165]

@frigglebiscuit7484 Awesome didn't know that!

[@LSxMotorsports2021]

Great video👍

[@wideopenthrottle1165]

@@LSxMotorsports2021 Thanks! I enjoy your videos quite a bit as well!

[@nszabados]

the fuel alone should make a huge difference and drop the number significantly

[@nszabados]

13.99

[@nszabados]

hot damn congrats !!!

[@wideopenthrottle1165]

@@nszabados thanks!!

[@ponypwr]

Gears and manual shift the car, last video of the car it shifts super early. Should be able to stall it higher in the rpms on the starting line as well.

[@terrybaptist795]

How about ditching the back seat? You should some weight in that department?

[@wideopenthrottle1165]

@@terrybaptist795 Brilliant minds think alike, I pulled it out at the beginning of the video.

[@pops3554]

12.9s was . M y best !!!

[@pops3554]

Stock

[@antz19coyote73]

Nothing like getting beat by a slow Dune Buggy 😂

[@wideopenthrottle1165]

@antz19coyote73 lol I don't care if I get beat by a shopping cart. Making passes is fun regardless of who's in the other lane. If my car goes faster than it could the last time, I won.

[@bluecollarhotrods9781]

​@@wideopenthrottle1165how fast was that VW? Low 13s?

[@wideopenthrottle1165]

@bluecollarhotrods9781 13.10s, had a nasty sounding corvair 6cyl.

[@ronaldseabury734]

Well hopefully you'll get it quick enough that you won't get out run by a dune buggy anymore

[@brianspeirs5782]

OMG dont throw away those sun visors. you will definitely miss them and not to mention they're expensive to replace ($200 for new ones)

[@wideopenthrottle1165]

@brianspeirs5782 Thanks I'm hanging on to them!

[@brianramsey5452]

Hoosier makes a 28x10r16 slick that fits vette rims good. Get a transbrake for that th400 and she will really 60 ft. Remember ever .1 in 60 ft is .2 on big end

[@wideopenthrottle1165]

@@brianramsey5452 and that's how my 7.5" 10 bolt's story will end...

[@wideopenthrottle1165]

@@brianramsey5452 I'm also looking at their 295/50r16 DOT radial.

[@bluecollarhotrods9781]

​@@wideopenthrottle1165I went 10s on one, 275/60 Mickey Thompsons. Not saying I didn't hurt it occasionally, but was always able to drive it home.

[@wideopenthrottle1165]

@@bluecollarhotrods9781 was that with trans brake launches?

[@bluecollarhotrods9781]

@@wideopenthrottle1165 Footbrake, 1.50 - 1.53 sixty foots. Full weight car, 480 rwhp on a local dyno known as the ego killer. 124-125 MPH trap speeds. Obviously transbrake launches would be more violent, but I had a 60E in the car with some decent parts. No way anyone is trying to install a transbrake on a 60E. 🤣 At least not in their right mind.

[@somebodyyouusetoknow4532]

13.9x

[@wideopenthrottle1165]

@somebodyyouusetoknow4532 Really good prediction and I would have been happy with that as well.

[@justinwhitaker3537]

I think you can beat the vw if you launched it harder!

[@wideopenthrottle1165]

@justinwhitaker3537 Maybe so. Weighing nothing he really exploded out through 600' or so, but my mph was faster. He actually had a Corvair flat 6 in it with some big choppy cam. Kinda cool.

[@Mr.LT1]

more weight reduction!!!!

[@wideopenthrottle1165]

@Mr.LT1 Yeah I'll probably end up gutting it at some point.

[@msh6865]

@@wideopenthrottle1165 I wouldn't totally get the car. It's gets a real strong echo going quickly in these cars when you remove everything. I'd say the spare, Jack and less fuel in the tank were the largest weight savers.

[@antz19coyote73]

Those Vette Wheels are God Awful Ugly.

[@wideopenthrottle1165]

@antz19coyote73 yes they are. But I like free...

[@brandon6572]

I like them!

[@wideopenthrottle1165]

@@brandon6572 Awesome!

[@Fljeff7]

You got 25 lbs of trash

[@boduke2299]

They make the best power at about 13.5 afr

[@wideopenthrottle1165]

@@boduke2299 Good to know!

[@mikealkarout9555]

Looks like it is shifting gears at about 5000 rpm that is no where near the peak power of the LT1 .Need to raise the shift points in the trans a few hundred rpm ,6000-6200rpm is the sweet spot for the LT1.