Dad's '89 GTA is sooooooo SLOW....Help!

[RatedZ]

Hey all,

My dad has a 1989 GTA that had a replacement L98 motor transplant a few years ago (company called ATK). The problem is that this car is just such a dog. I mean, it's pathetic, really. To give you an idea of how slow this thing is, I had a 2002 Volkswagen 1.8T with just a chip and a diverter valve and beat it in a race!

Ever since he has had this replacement motor, it just sounds like it's knocking or pinging or something. Maybe it's not, but it sounds like it.

His 700R4 absolutely sucks. I could mash the gas and as soon as the revs start climbing to a respectable height, the transmission prematurely shifts into 2nd gear, and the GTA falls flat on its face. I mean, it just goes from full-boil to nothing.

He has a "Meineke Performance" exhaust on his car. It sounds ok, but I'm sure it's not doing a thing for its performance. What would be a good exhaust for his car?

I don't know if bodyflex has caused some issues with his car, but I'm suspecting so. There are hairline stress fractures behind the windows on each side of his car. I've seen this on other 3rd Gens, but I'm not thinking that this could be normal, unless the chassis of the 3rd Gen cars were really that weak.

The front suspension knocks and makes "snapping" sounds, despite he had about $800 of suspension work done within the past few years. There's also a horrible squeak coming from the rear of the car somewhere, but for some reason can not be located.

His car is bone stock, aside from the replacement L98, and of course if that's stock, I "guess" the car is still stock. This car needs a good shove in the ass. I love the GTA, and in due time it will be passed on to me. While it's in my dad's will for me to receive it, I really don't want to wait that long. Because of this, I'm obviously not anxious to receive the car.

Anyway, Dad also enjoys his GTA, but I'm sure he could enjoy it much more. Help me out with some ideas for some "start-up mods" for his car, and what would really give this car a shove in the ass, while keeping it reliable.

I feel bad for him, because he's always wanting to race my '94 B4C and my '05 STi, and he consistently gets SMOKED. In honesty, I think my mother's G6 GT is faster than his GTA.

[97blkz]

Those cars are dogs period, lucky to make 180 to the wheels with 3200lbs

[RatedZ]

Originally Posted by 97blkz

Those cars are dogs period, lucky to make 180 to the wheels with 3200lbs

Even with the L98 they're dogs? And they only weigh 3200 lbs? His GTA feels like it weighs about 4000 lbs! Not to mention the steering is very loose and sloppy, almost to the point of being hard to control at speed!

[97blkz]

l98's have decent tq down low but fall flat on their faces in higher RPM's. IMO not worth doing to much too. Rip that motor out and put a ls1/t1 in. Im sure being that old the suspension parts are worn the fug out, bushings alone might help.

[RatedZ]

Originally Posted by 97blkz

l98's have decent tq down low but fall flat on their faces in higher RPM's. IMO not worth doing to much too. Rip that motor out and put a ls1/t1 in. Im sure being that old the suspension parts are worn the fug out, bushings alone might help.

He just had almost an entire new front end suspension installed. How could it be worn out?

As for the LT1 upgrade, I don't think that's something he'd be interested in.

When he was on the original L98, that car would nose my LT1 all the way up to about 45 mph, then fade back quick, but in this case I don't think the motor falling on its face is the problem, but the transmission prematurely shifting. It feels like there is some power there but the 700R4 is just holding it back......

[NastyZ]

Keep the L-98 . You can make them DAM fast really. ( 12's are atainable)

You need to check some basic things . Like whats the fuel preasure ? Any codes ? Also sounds like the T/V cable is outta adjustment( early shifts) . Whats is the base timeing set at ? ( should be 6* BTDC) .

[kcougar]

about that squeak from the back check the sway bar linkage, 3rds are notorious supposedly for eating bushings back there, front end poping? sounds like tie rods?. i know you say he had about 800$ done but could that have just been for shocks and springs+labor? check the actual "pushing" components. as for stress fractures in the back along the rear window? im curious where are they located exactly, upper part of the hatch area or lower? thats an odd place for stress fractures maybe its just the paint spider webbing? usually we get stress fractures by the fire wall, the stearing box, and occasionally ripples in door areas(but possibly other areas). id still keep the engine, GTAs are slowly but surely rising in price

[RatedZ]

Originally Posted by kcougar

about that squeak from the back check the sway bar linkage, 3rds are notorious supposedly for eating bushings back there, front end poping? sounds like tie rods?. i know you say he had about 800$ done but could that have just been for shocks and springs+labor? check the actual "pushing" components. as for stress fractures in the back along the rear window? im curious where are they located exactly, upper part of the hatch area or lower? thats an odd place for stress fractures maybe its just the paint spider webbing? usually we get stress fractures by the fire wall, the stearing box, and occasionally ripples in door areas(but possibly other areas). id still keep the engine, GTAs are slowly but surely rising in price

Naw, they're stress fractures right at the rear top of the passenger side windows where the pillars weld to the roof. I wish I was at my parents' house cuz I'd take a photo of it.....They're about as long as a finger nail on each side....

I'll have to check the bushings and what-not...

[Danielflading]

Summit racing tranny fix for second gear shift

JET-700222 $84.95
Estimated Ship Date: Monday
Application Warranty Show All

Brand: JET Performance Products
Product Line: JET Billet Powr-Servos
Servo Type: 2nd gear
Servo Material: Billet aluminum
Quantity: Sold as a kit.

Servo, Billet Aluminum, 2nd Gear, GM, 700R4, Kit

Check to make sure this part fits your application
Harder, stronger shifts.
For heavy towing or high performance applications, use JET's Billet Powr-Servos. They install easily on the outside of the transmission housing and features a large apply area, which holds the band with greater force. They improve the 1-2 shift and prevent band slippage under hard throttle or towing conditions.

[RatedZ]

Originally Posted by Danielflading

Summit racing tranny fix for second gear shift

JET-700222 $84.95
Estimated Ship Date: Monday
Application Warranty Show All

Brand: JET Performance Products
Product Line: JET Billet Powr-Servos
Servo Type: 2nd gear
Servo Material: Billet aluminum
Quantity: Sold as a kit.

Servo, Billet Aluminum, 2nd Gear, GM, 700R4, Kit

Check to make sure this part fits your application
Harder, stronger shifts.
For heavy towing or high performance applications, use JET's Billet Powr-Servos. They install easily on the outside of the transmission housing and features a large apply area, which holds the band with greater force. They improve the 1-2 shift and prevent band slippage under hard throttle or towing conditions.

Thanks for the lead, but I don't think the car needs a harder shift. The problem is that it prematurely shifts into 2nd gear. It doesn't "hold" 1st like a transmission out of an LT1, or at least a 4L60E....

[nwb1987]

first gear in a 700r4 are like that, u maybe able to mess with the detent cable. but 700r4s have a really quick first and a long long second, hurts acceleration, thats why i have a 200r4, its got a reallllllly smooth gear ratio

[RatedZ]

Originally Posted by nwb1987

first gear in a 700r4 are like that, u maybe able to mess with the detent cable. but 700r4s have a really quick first and a long long second, hurts acceleration, thats why i have a 200r4, its got a reallllllly smooth gear ratio

That's exactly it. While people claim the L98 falls on its face, and maybe it does, I tend to deny the fact that the L98 is the root of the problem. I believe that with an optimized transmission a stock L98 car would be nearly just as fast as a stock LT1 car. Consider that the 3rd Gens weigh less than the 4th Gens (even though it doesn't feel like it) and also have just as much torque as the LT1s. In some cases, the L98 has more torque than an LT1. I believe the GTA's L98 had 335 ftlbs or 345 ftlbs, compared with the LT1's 325 ftlbs.

I've never experienced a car with a 200R4, but I would be willing to bet that the performance of your car improved ten-fold with a much more optimized transmission.

[97blkz]

Stock l98's ran like 15.2's stock lt1's ran 14.2's on avg. Remember when stang 5.0's used to tear Camaro's a new ass?? I had a 88 T/a and I would have killed that with my lt1 stock.

[RatedZ]

Originally Posted by 97blkz

Stock l98's ran like 15.2's stock lt1's ran 14.2's on avg. Remember when stang 5.0's used to tear Camaro's a new ass?? I had a 88 T/a and I would have killed that with my lt1 stock.

My brother owned the GTA before my dad did. He had to get rid of it because he knocked up his now-wife. When my brother owned the car, we ran the cars and it was his first time ever. He was clueless as to what he was doing. He belted off a 14.9 @ 91 mph.

I have no idea what this "new" L98 will run, but I'm pretty confident it will not run 14.90s.

What's funny is when you mention 5.0L tearing Camaros up. 5.0Ls were rated at running in the high 14s/low 15s, but yet I've heard so many stories of them running low 14s, and some even touching into the 13s! At the time I wasn't even really up on performance cars, so I can't tell you how true any of it is or isn't. I do know for sure though that the IROCs had a higher top speed than what the 5.0L GTs did though.

[97blkz]

I had a 88 t/a and lost to many 5.0 stangs, 93 the lt1 Camaro comes out and game over.