As the title says what can I do to make my cavalier be able to run with my friends zx2. He has a spec 2 clutch 2.25 full exhaust. OBX 421 header. intake. chip. UDP. Short shifter, motor and trans mounts. and light weight wheels. What can I do to my car to be able to catch him. His best time at the track was a 15.6 in the quater. my best is a 16.8. all I have right now is a lower motor mount intake 56mm TB and muffler.



2009 Ford Mustang V6

First make sure you read this: http://www.j-body.org/forums/read.php?f=2&i=215434&t=215434

You are saying you need to make your car over a second faster in the quarter mile, that is going to take some work. So I see 4 options: Motor swap, Turbo, Nitrous, buy a faster car.

Motor swap: Alot of time and money, probably not worth it.
Turbo: Alot of time and money (if done right), a lot of fun, probably not worth it
Nitrous: Little time, little upfront cost, lots of fun, 50 shot might let you catch up with your friend.
Faster car: Alot of money, little time

I would go with nitrous, then when you buy a faster car you can transfer it to the new car. Also take out your subs when you go to the track.

I would stay away from all this (from your regestry):

OBX header
UDP
Megan racing Cat back
Thrush glasspack 2.25
Dynomax Performance Cat 2.25
Head P&P
95-97 Cam swap
Yank Converter

Unless you decide you are not going to get a new car, basically all that stuff is only good on that car/motor and will not increase your resale value. Can you make your car a second faster with all that stuff you listed...maybe, but all that stuff would cost a whole lot more then a nitrous kit.

It all comes down to how long you plan on keeping the car, how much money you have to put into the car, how fast you want to go, and if you would rather be working on it, or driving it.

Well I read some things the cam swap isn't goin to happen. later down the road when I get some more paid on my car i'm thinkin about trading it for either a z24 or ls sport so I can swap some a couple things over. the Z I could do the TB swap the exhaust. and the other stuff I could sell.



2009 Ford Mustang V6

Nitrous gets my vote for sure, nothing is cheaper or easier.


- 93 mph in the 1/8 mile
Member of J-Body Of Michigan.

Dont get a Z or a LS sport, both are a waste of money, just get a base model 03 or 04. That way you get a very lightweight car, and the ecotec. You could throw your nitrous kit (that you bought for your 2.2) on the eco and pop in your 75 shot pills and be set to run 14's.

As Th�f�stf�ngz said, don't get the Z or the LS---both are too heavy if you are concerned about going faster. They may look good, but are considerably heavier than the base model 03-05 that have the ECO.

You buy a 03-05 base model ECO and you'll beat your buddy in stock form.

True dat

red04cavy wrote:As Th�f�stf�ngz said, don't get the Z or the LS---both are too heavy if you are concerned about going faster. They may look good, but are considerably heavier than the base model 03-05 that have the ECO.

You buy a 03-05 base model ECO and you'll beat your buddy in stock form.

base models for the win!!!

Yea he just informed me that he's doing aftermarket cams cam gears and tuning it. also doing a bigger injectors.



2009 Ford Mustang V6

what makes the Z so much heavier?

96 Red Z wrote:what makes the Z so much heavier?

sideskirts, 16" wheels, power windows, power mirrors, power locks, sunroof, keyless entry.

individually, theyre not much weight but they do add up and will slow you down a tiny bit.

i have a z and noo sunroof.... anyone wanna trade??? haha

Put an Ecotec in there and that's all you would need.

eco swap and gm charger

I think next spring I'm gonna start cavy lookin 03-05



2009 Ford Mustang V6

I will have to agree that that nitrous is the easiest/ most cost effective choice, but if you are considering a different cavalier, I would go with a base model eco 5-speed + turbo for speed and weight and availability of parts. For pure performance...well... just take a look at Skilz 1/4 mile on just 8 psi and an auto Z....enough said.

Quote:

Quote:


96 Red Z wrote:

what makes the Z so much heavier?

sideskirts, 16" wheels, power windows, power mirrors, power locks, sunroof, keyless entry.

That is the most ridiculous rebuttal I have ever heard. All together that is probably 10-20 lb. You could even eliminate that with a 2.3L pump swap (eliminates rotating mass, adding HP too). The truth is that the block is heavy, the crank is heavy(but practically indestructable) and the balance shafts are heavy. He could always go on a diet too. Besides, he already has 16" wheels and 2 12" subs. If he were only concerned with going fast, he could always grow a mullet and buy a fox body 5.0 for relatively cheap.

Brian

nitrous for sure, and the only good 2.2 is a turbo 2.2

hahaha you guys pointing out the power windows and locks as to adding weight ? ? ? thats #$@%ing hilarious. Take your subs out, put your stocker wheels on, take out all unnecessary stuff (spare tire) and try running then. It should speed you up a little.

ZX2's are slow. Stock Z24 > ZX2

If you want some serious power go with a 2.4L transplant and build the motor PROPERLY for some boost. That will give you some quick times down the track.


Whats up people?

my Z24 weighed 2790 over memorial day weekend. that was with 1/4 tank of gas, spare tire and jack out, and a ful 10 pound nitrous bottle



Im a Xbox 360 fanboy...and damn proud of it!!

Brian Whalen wrote: If he were only concerned with going fast, he could always grow a mullet and buy a fox body 5.0 for relatively cheap.
Brian

Brian Whalen wrote: If he were only concerned with going fast, he could always grow a mullet and buy a fox body 5.0 for relatively cheap.

Dammit! I knew I was missing something! See, I had a Mustang fro a while, and it wasn't that impressive. I never once thought my bald head had anything to do with it. I was robbed!

Brian Whalen wrote: If he were only concerned with going fast, he could always grow a mullet and buy a fox body 5.0 for relatively cheap.

Brian

yeah pick up a fox body 5.0 for $750 run 14's
put $500 into it run 13's
Unfortunately ....its that simple

i dont know about the mullet part

For a few grand you can make it look like a Cobra and run low 12's. That was the big thing when I was in high school.

yeah i live in a small backwater town, dominated by RWD V8's.

i catch so much crap from everyone for owning a 4cyl. FWD (as i bet many people on here do....)
but its kind of sucks to see a 17 year old kid knowing nothing , drop $1250 on a 5.0 and run low 14's.

back to the whole zx2 thing. my stock 97' GT 5 speed beat one easily.

if your worried about losing, break his legs when hes sleeping, you cant clutch with broken legs.

javis hildebrand wrote:hahaha you guys pointing out the power windows and locks as to adding weight ? ? ? thats #$@%ing hilarious. Take your subs out, put your stocker wheels on, take out all unnecessary stuff (spare tire) and try running then. It should speed you up a little.

As the poster also pointed out, individually those parts don't weigh much but when taken as a whole, the difference really adds up. A full power-options package including sunroof can add over 100 lbs in additional parts added to the vehicle.

javis hildebrand wrote:ZX2's are slow. Stock Z24 > ZX2

Apparently your weights and measures data from above also doesn't take into account that a ZX2 weighs over 300 lbs less than a Z24. About 2400lbs for a ZX2 vs 2700lbs for a Z24. If you want the exact math, a stock-trim ZX2 has 18.1lb/HP and a stock-trim Z24 has 17.4lb/HP. That sounds like a driver's race to me. Add to that the fact that there is a MUCH greater aftermarket for the Ford/Mazda Zetec motors and you have quite an advantage over our dated Chevy brethren. For the record, his 2.2 Cavalier clocks in at around 23.4lbs/HP, and takes a horrible beating because of the god-awful gearing of the automatic trans. A bare-bones, optionless, base-model Escort comes in at 21.4lb/HP. Calculator racing is kind of worthless, of course, but it's at least got something to go on rather than an arbitrary statement of "ZX2's are slow". Got something to say? Prove it.

You can bash other people's cars all you want...but please at LEAST have something close to facts to back yourself up. Lacking that, you just make yourself look foolish. I was never much impressed with Escorts until I actually got one. It's still a piece of crap (I have the optionless base-model I mentioned above...not even a rear window defogger!), but even with the base model 2.2SFI motor it does pretty well. It's light, it handles well, it gets great gas mileage and it's got considerable pickup thanks to a very well geared 5-speed.

javis hildebrand wrote:If you want some serious power go with a 2.4L transplant and build the motor PROPERLY for some boost. That will give you some quick times down the track.

Just because you think your Z24 is God's chariot doesn't mean the engine is worth someone's time of day for a swap. WHY would someone go to the trouble of swapping in a motor that will give them future problems with water pumps, main bearings and oil control? If you're going to go to the trouble of swapping in a different motor, the Ecotec is the clear choice...both for durability and aftermarket support.






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