1987 Buick Grand National 60-130 Dragy test!

Today I went out to test the GN and see if it’s faster with the fresh transmission and new converter. Check it out!
Combo:
250” 109 block, 9.6-1 comp, Ported TA SE aluminum heads, 218/218 billet roller cam, ported Champion Intake. 6766 PTE DBB turbo, E85, ECU GN. Janis stg 3 billet 2004R and Circle C billet single disk lock up. Car made 698 rwhp and weighs right at 3900lbs with me in it.

[@royconnors7057]

Just awesome!!! You have to realize the power & TORQUE it takes to go from 60-130 on 6 sec!! I know you do but most probably won’t appreciate it. Anyway, be safe & most of all enjoy that beautiful ride.

[@AJsSpeedShop]

Yeah 6.0s are pretty decent for it considering it’s blowing through the converter the whole time. It should be solidly in the 5s if I could get a converter that actually worked right. Plans are for a 4L80 sometime this year and maybe a new triple disk will hold it.

[@nickdanylchuk8734]

Awesome car man, really like how you did the build. I just picked up an 87 GN this summer and have been checking out the channel for inspiration. What stall did you settle on for the converter? Sound like its into the 4ks

[@AJsSpeedShop]

Thanks man! This is a Circle D 9.5” billet single disk lock up. As for a “rated” stall speed, I’m not sure what you’d call it…. But it actually stalls around 6000 rpms. I wanted it to stall around 5000 but it’s too loose. I’ve had this issue with multiple converters being too loose in this car from 2 different companies. I’ll likely have this one restalled before summer time. The powerband on a Buick is VERY narrow…and with the engine being so small, you need a lot of stall down low to spool the turbo up, but then the converter has to tighten up (couple) really quick to keep it from revving too much, and that’s where my problem lies. Depending on your build plan and your goals, you’ll likely want something that flashes to about 4000 and couples up at 5200 or so….

[@nickdanylchuk8734]

​@@AJsSpeedShopthat sounds very close to what I was thinking. I'm leaning towards a bit smaller cam and turbo than what you have. Most likely a 6262 and 210/215 roller. Up here in western Canada we have VERY limited access to E85 so boost has to stay reasonable with alky assistance. On the big end of the 1/4 mile, are you locking up in 3rd or are you getting into 4th? What rear gear are you turning back there?

[@AJsSpeedShop]

I’m not locking the converter as it’s a single disk and won’t handle wot lock up. I’m also not using 4th. I keep it in 3rd and just let it eat. I’m spinning about 6700 rpms at 146 mph on the 28s…. The 130 mph mark is around 6350 rpms or so. Eventually I’ll put a 4L80 in it and TA triple disk and lock it at wot.

[@nickdanylchuk8734]

@@AJsSpeedShop 4L80?!? Really, and what trans controller you gonna run with that unit?

[@AJsSpeedShop]

I’m going to use a Microsquirt controller for the trans. It will work in conjunction with my ECU GN and TunerStudio software. It will all tie together via the canbus. Yeah I’m over 200R4s. I’ve spent about $10k in 200R4s in the last 3 years….eventually I’ll penny up the $8k for the 4L80 swap and be done with that stuff…hopefully. I’ve pulled my trans out about 6 times this year alone for various reasons…

[@ssced1643]

Great content. Keep up the good work!

[@AJsSpeedShop]

Thanks for watching!!

[@WineHouse33]

So glad this isn't an engine swapped GN

[@turbo6uickracingchannel]

Is your cam a Austemper roller cam or a billet core roller?

[@AJsSpeedShop]

Hi, it’s a billet core Comp cam. I use a Danny B retainer plate for the cam end play.

[@turbo6uickracingchannel]

@@AJsSpeedShop what valve springs are you running?

[@AJsSpeedShop]

Springs are Comp 26926s, every one was tested and shimmed individually to make sure we had the exact pressure in every valve. We set them at 190# on the seat and 490# open.

[@turbo6uickracingchannel]

@@AJsSpeedShop You’re going to need 250+ on the seat or more. Betsy has a 224/224 billet cam now with 235 on the seat & 526 open and we still need to put more.

[@TType851]

Did you have any data logs to be able to calculate the slippage between the 2 converters? I went from a unknown 3200 stall N/L to a PTC 17 blade and it was a night and day difference. I went from 12-15% down to like 4-5% slippage but my combo is a bit less extreme (ported irons, HPT-6466, e85/flex fuel on a holley)

[@AJsSpeedShop]

Yeah I’ve got a bunch of data logs, I actually logged it this weekend. This Circle D single disk is a little looser then the 15 blade PTC was. I was seeing about 12% slip with the PTC at 130 mph, and about 9% slip at 145 mph. Now with the Circle D, it’s slipping around 14.5% at 130 mph and 10.2% slip at 145. So both converters are hopelessly too loose. I did however run three 6.0 60-130s in a row with the Circle D, which is the best it’s done consistently. I’m leaving a lot on the table for sure through converter slip…. These converters are stalling at around 6000 rpms, and only drop 250 rpms on shifts. It’s pretty much never under 6200 rpms at wot…

[@stevenbeckett8633]

I wanna get a dragy box to see what my GN does, close to the same build but 6262 with alky. Pulls seem close to what I see

[@AJsSpeedShop]

Definitely get you a Dragy and start testing. It’s addicting and heart breaking. When I had the 6266 DBB and a smaller 212/212 cam, the best it ran was 8.30 on the 60-130, but that was was with about 200lbs of stereo equipment in the trunk, that is gone now. There is almost 200 rwhp HP difference between a 6266 and a 6766 when both are all in. Get a Dragy and report back! Good luck 👍🏼

[@alvinsmith6101]

Is it a 109 stroker engine?

[@AJsSpeedShop]

Yes. Stock 109 block, bored .030” over, 3.625” stroke Eagle crank and the 6.35” Molnar rods. It’s like 250”.

[@alvinsmith6101]

There should be at least another 100 HP in that combo with boost and maybe a little nitrous.

[@AJsSpeedShop]

Yeah IDK man. I’m sure it’s got a little left in it if I wanted to put it on the ragged edge. It’s on about 32 psi and 19* of timing right now… I feel it will be getting close to the head clamping limit on 4 bolt. I’m really losing a lot of power through the converter, that’s where I need to recover it…as opposed to pushing the engine even harder.

[@alvinsmith6101]

@@AJsSpeedShop Yeah it's at the level where id leave it alone for a 109 block , You thinking about a stage 2 off-center build? I've only had one and it ran high tens, endless money pits...😂 But it's nothing like a turbo six!

[@AJsSpeedShop]

I actually have a new TA aluminum block here that I bought last year for a future build. I just don’t have the money to build it yet. A damn billet crank is $4500 alone so….it’ll easily be a $15k shortblock build….my “retirement” present probably. Lol