87 octane vs 91 octane

[Tonyrodz]

if i had a turbo,,,oh boy..... they take 15 psi like nothing, ive seen builds that were running 25 psi. but they break stuff, like 5,000 dollar built trannys. they end up being 550 hp. at 15 psi you looking at 400+ easy, with a cam at minimum for supporting mods. even stock cam they can get up there.

what ive seen over the years with the fwd crap. if you push it past the 350 mark your risk breaking stuff way to easy. so im happy with my 300 hp.

i got a semi built tranny, everything a built one would have, minus hard parts, was just not in the budget. really wish i had the hardened input shaft at min.

Years ago I hit 25 lbs on reg and blew the headgasket. I'm on my 3rd rebuild, which I did myself. Someone else had to do the fine tuning tho. Turbo is set at 15 lbs, which I wanted him to turn it up but he didn't.

Are powermasters not available anymore? The '84s and early '85s had hydroboost like the diesel G-bodies.

I used to run 18-20 psi with a 237 regulator, stock pump and injectors on pump gas with a bottle of 104+ octane booster or Sunoco unleaded race gas when available. The motors were designed to run indefinitely at 20 psi but run them at 24 psi in 3rd gear and you'll lift the heads off the deck. A 24 psi swing was ok in 1st if it settled back to 18-20 psi. We used air compressor dials mounted in the ashtray to control the boost. That's how I melted a couple of pistons racing an RX-7, kept turning up the boost to beat him, his whole motor blew up and I melted a piston and drove it home sounding like a bird chirping for sixty miles.

Powermasters are still available, but they're super expensive for a rebuild. Vacuum is much better, and more reliable. I had a stock cam, but the a@#hole mechanic put a stocker replacement in--2 rounded lobes--so I just reused it. Also has 60 lb injectors, heads are done, bigger turbo, adj wastegate, atr headers, 3 inch downpipe, custom burned chip. Can't remember what else. I'm pretty much done with it. I lost interest, so I'm just leaving it. I had to drop the trans once to repair a part that fell out and it was causing the trans not to shift, there was huge pieces of clutch material in the trans pan. So I guess the trans might be next. Still shifts good tho. Breaks the tires loose, going sideways at 30-40 mph.

 

[swathdiver]

The stock cam was good for 500 hp as were the stock manifolds. The TA-49 turbos were the hot thing, stock appearing but a little too large at the time. 60-1s were very popular for 11-second cars too, my favorite was the TA-48, perfect for a sleeper car, completely stock appearing and good for 450+ hp. Don't even think they make them anymore, rare back then as everyone wanted big big and bigger. I liked the Powermaster brakes, never had a problem with them other than changing the ball once in a couple of the cars and the original switch was faulty and redesigned.

 

[Tonyrodz]

The stock cam was good for 500 hp as were the stock manifolds. The TA-49 turbos were the hot thing, stock appearing but a little too large at the time. 60-1s were very popular for 11-second cars too, my favorite was the TA-48, perfect for a sleeper car, completely stock appearing and good for 450+ hp. Don't even think they make them anymore, rare back then as everyone wanted big big and bigger. I liked the Powermaster brakes, never had a problem with them other than changing the ball once in a couple of the cars and the original switch was faulty and redesigned.

Turbo is a TE44c. Other then the injectors and chip, I've done 0 mods to it. I had to change the injectors because they were part of my issue. They were red tops, 42 lbs I think. Car ran super rich when I got it, 6 in the city and 9 on the highway, and that was driving it calmly.

 

[swathdiver]

Turbo is a TE44c. Other then the injectors and chip, I've done 0 mods to it. I had to change the injectors because they were part of my issue. They were red tops, 42 lbs I think. Car ran super rich when I got it, 6 in the city and 9 on the highway, and that was driving it calmly.

We ran those turbos too on the cars. It had a huge compressor if I remember right. Finding good injectors back then was always a pain! Any better today?

 

[Tonyrodz]

We ran those turbos too on the cars. It had a huge compressor if I remember right. Finding good injectors back then was always a pain! Any better today?

Loads better today. Technology has come so far, compared to 20 yrs ago.

 

[RobDenali]

I am guilty of not reading all 14 pages of this thread but ima gonna chime in anyways. My 6.2L runs GREAT on 92 octane from Costco. I also use lucas oil fuel additive. The truck launches. I am very happy with the excelleration and I came from a STR8 charger lol.