My car is slow...why?

[SVOconvLX85]

I am really not impressed with the performance of my car. To me, it should be faster and amazing as other people have described their cars before. For my mods, it should make me happy when I drive it.
Currently, I have a stock, rebuilt turbo motor and rebuilt stock T3. Kirban set at stock setting. LA3 swapped with 35# injectors and big VAM. K&N on the VAM with the stock crinkle hose replaced with a metal pipe. Stinger's 3 inch dual exhaust with 2.5 inch dynomax ultra flos into 2.5 flowmaster tailpipes. Intank 255 lph pump. We switched over an 8.8 with 3.08 gears. It is the stock 5 speed tranny. I have a gillis set to about 15 PSI. The turbo is currently non intercooled but I have a starion intercooler to put on it. Accel coil and it is timed correctly with a fresh tune up with the good stuff---no bosch crap. New TFI, plugs, wires, cap, rotor, Pick up coil, and the PCV is a good Motorcraft one. My air/fuel gauge reads good and it sweeps back and forth and goes into the green when Im boosting.
I just feel it should be faster. Anyone care to name reasons for the slowness? Thanks

 

[Dr_EluSivE]

in stock trim its still just around 200hp, (yours is mostly stock).

Dr.

 

[KurtPB]

and a convertible is heavy...

 

[Red_LX]

Is your knock sensor still plugged in?

Also, 3.08 gears are not the best for acceleration...and you're only running 15 psi...and an intercooler will help it out a good bit too.

 

[SVOconvLX85]

So when do you consider yourself out of that "stock trim." Say, if I add my tuner and cfi injectirs and MAF? Intercool it and get some better gears---3.55's or 3.73's
I know it won't add much but a bigger throttle body is going on soon.

 

[Mr. Rustypwnz]

put an intercooler on thur, and bump the timing and boost, and watch what happens!!!

 

[Red_LX]

Gears will probably give it the best "seat of the pants" improvement.

 

[Shinlee]

use a tornado imo

 

[Shawneebear93]

use a tornado imo

You're joking, right?

 

[65ShelbyClone]

........We switched over an 8.8 with 3.08 gears. It is the stock 5 speed tranny. I have a gillis set to about 15 PSI. The turbo is currently non intercooled ......................My air/fuel gauge reads good and it sweeps back and forth and goes into the green when Im boosting.
I just feel it should be faster. Anyone care to name reasons for the slowness? Thanks

3.08s aren't that great even when you have the 300lb-ft of a 5.0 pushing them. I wouldn't go numerically lower than 3.55; the TurboCoupes had 3.73s, but tended to be heavy cars.

15 non-intercooled psi is murder too. The T3 is still in the efficiency, but pressure=heat not matter what. The Starion FMIC would help quite a bit. My SVO is a dog in temps higher than ~75 degrees. A TB will help also, but it wouldn't be forst on my mod list.

That "AFR" gage is just something fun to look at. If you have an EEC tuning method, you'll want a wideband of some kind.

 

[SVOconvLX85]

Im hoping to get a deal on an 88 turbo coupe rear end. It has 3.55's in it. I already have a 94-95 throttlebody so I can modify it and use it. Im having doubts on whether or not to use the Starion because of the small inlet and outlet. I want to keep the A/C since we just recharged it. What other intercoolers fit nicely in front of the condensor that have pipes that can easily be routed?

 

[65ShelbyClone]

What size are the Starion tubes? Given the positioning of the stock turbo and TB, a Starion IC with the original tubes intact will probably be a good candidate with regard to tube routing. You'll gain more power with the FMIC even if the inlet and outlet are only 2". The pressure drop will just be a little higher.

 

[SVOconvLX85]

The starion tubes were measured out to be 1 7/8 roughly. This isnt going to be an all out drag car but I want it to be able to handle its own.

 

[Red_LX]

Starion IC inlet & outlet sizes are around 1 3/4"-1 7/8". I'm running 2 1/4" IC pipes otherwise, I just have them adapted down to the inlet & outlet sizes (FYI- 2" to 1 1/2" rubber PVC adapters from Lowe's are almost the perfect size for this combination, and cheap).

 

[Stinger]

As mentioned, the gears, lack of an IC, heavy convertible and stock boost are all killing you. You are leaving 60-80hp on the table...