Running a 1993 400E at the dragstrip

[Jord]

I just ran my E420 at the local 1/4 mile track here in gainesville fl. 75° night, stock motor, stock rear end, rebuild transmission, straight pipes into a magnaflow muffler, and serious weight reduction (520lbs). The car weighed 3120lbs the last time I weighed it before adding 17x7.5 wheels and welding new exhaust under it (Just had downpipes when weighed). I ran a 14.4 and couldnt get a better 60' time. Mind you I ran consistant 14.4's 14.5's back to back to back without letting the car cool down. Hopefully when I swap to a 2.82 rear end it might bring me down to 14.0. And sorry, I havent figured out how to post a picture from my phone to this website. When I click attachment it takes me to a blank screen.

 

[nocfn]

Click the mountain icon or the camera to take a picture and edit works the same.

 

[gsxr]

I just ran my E420 at the local 1/4 mile track here in gainesville fl. 75° night, stock motor, stock rear end, rebuild transmission, straight pipes into a magnaflow muffler, and serious weight reduction (520lbs). The car weighed 3120lbs the last time I weighed it before adding 17x7.5 wheels and welding new exhaust under it (Just had downpipes when weighed). I ran a 14.4 and couldnt get a better 60' time. Mind you I ran consistant 14.4's 14.5's back to back to back without letting the car cool down. Hopefully when I swap to a 2.82 rear end it might bring me down to 14.0. And sorry, I havent figured out how to post a picture from my phone to this website. When I click attachment it takes me to a blank screen.

What did you remove to get 520 lbs out? Also, what was the configuration when it weighed 3120, and what type of scale was used? That number sounds VERY low, but I've never had an E420 on scales, only the E500E (3900 lbs stock without fuel, ~4000 lbs with fuel).

If you are at 14.4 with 2.24 gears, it should drop to 14 flat, possibly high 13's, with 2.82 gears... IF you can launch without any wheelspin. Do you have a '92 LH module installed?

 

[Raffaelli]

GSXR- my 400e has a high 3600-3700 lb curb weight. It's not impossible. I swear the carpets, spare and seats is an easy 400lbs.

 

[gsxr]

I agree, I think ~3100 lbs may be possible, but damn the car would have to be stripped bare! I know emptying the trunk & pulling the back seat is good for just under 200 pounds, but I'd like to know where the next 300 are. A lightweight race bucket would help, IIRC the front seats are ~70 lbs each?

 

[Raffaelli]

They are by far the heaviest seats I had the displeasure of lifting. 80 minimum

 

[Jord]

My car is stripped bare. All of the interior is gone. The evape box, heater core, and everything under the dash is gone. Everywire harness in the cab of the car that was not essential to the car running has been removed.The front fans, AC condensor, and blower motor have been removed aswell. I have since put some weight back on with a set of heavy C300 wheels and dual straightpipes out the back into a magnaflow muffler. The only thing this E420 has is a stripped dash weighing only 10lbs-ish, 2 door panels, 2 racing seats, a stripped center console, and a cluster. Also it does not have a 92 lh module. The only thing I have done to the engine is swap a non asr throttle body onto the engine. This is my track car build btw.

 

[Jord]

Sent from my SM-N910P using Tapatalk

 

[Jord]

Sent from my SM-N910P using Tapatalk

 

[Jord]

Oh, and I put it on a truck scale ment for military trucks, semi's and local public. It's a certified scale and it gives rear and front axle weights. My weight ratio is 56/44

Sent from my SM-N910P using Tapatalk

 

[Raffaelli]

Jord, nice work! Any other plans for the car?

 

[gsxr]

Jord, that is awesome... and explains the weights, which are probably accurate. Wow!!

The 1992 LH module should add ~15hp at the crank, boost your trap speed 1-2mph, and drop ET's around a tenth. With 2.82 gears and sticky tires you should easily be in 13's. Try to get lightweight wheels, that will help too (aim for wheel+tire combined weight under 45 lbs... easy with 16" factory wheels, very hard if you stay with 17's). Lightweight wheels will get you another 1-2mph and 1-2 tenths. I bet your C300 wheels are 46-48 lbs each?

With 2.82 gears, traction may be a real issue. Hoosier P225/50R16 (click here) are around 19 lbs each and will hook up well at 20-25psi. Mounted on a W202 C280 Sport wheel (~19 lbs) that setup would be ~38 lbs total. Oh, you may need limited-slip as well... your 60' times could dip into low 2.0's or high 1.9's, and grip will become a serious issue once you get in that ballpark.

 

[Jord]

Jord, nice work! Any other plans for the car?

Yeah. There's a local 5.0l a few hours south of me for $400. I want to get it, pair it with a 722.6 and a 2.82 rear end. I'm also going to widen the fenders via the old VW golf way (Cut pull weld). Then firm suspension and wide wheels.

Sent from my SM-N910P using Tapatalk

 

[Jord]

Yeah my brother has CLK light weights on his dogleg E320. There's a set near me on CL, but I think I want to do a 5.0l swap first and swap out the rear end.

Jord, that is awesome... and explains the weights, which are probably accurate. Wow!!

The 1992 LH module should add ~15hp at the crank, boost your trap speed 1-2mph, and drop ET's around a tenth. With 2.82 gears and sticky tires you should easily be in 13's. Try to get lightweight wheels, that will help too (aim for wheel+tire combined weight under 45 lbs... easy with 16" factory wheels, very hard if you stay with 17's). Lightweight wheels will get you another 1-2mph and 1-2 tenths. I bet your C300 wheels are 46-48 lbs each?

With 2.82 gears, traction may be a real issue. Hoosier P225/50R16 (click here) are around 19 lbs each and will hook up well at 20-25psi. Mounted on a W202 C280 Sport wheel (~19 lbs) that setup would be ~38 lbs total. Oh, you may need limited-slip as well... your 60' times could dip into low 2.0's or high 1.9's, and grip will become a serious issue once you get in that ballpark.

Sent from my SM-N910P using Tapatalk

 

[Raffaelli]

Sounds like fun!

Just don't fear the gear. If you look at compatible cars (4 valve 4-5l automatics) like a mark 8 lincoln, they LOVE deep gears. Like 4.10-4.30's. The only problem with our cars is the lack of overdrive. I went with a manual transmission, and your .6 transmission would work too.

 

[Jord]

Sounds like fun!

Just don't fear the gear. If you look at compatible cars (4 valve 4-5l automatics) like a mark 8 lincoln, they LOVE deep gears. Like 4.10-4.30's. The only problem with our cars is the lack of overdrive. I went with a manual transmission, and your .6 transmission would work too.

If I could find all the info on how to do the 350Z manual swap I would do that instead of a 722.6.

Sent from my SM-N910P using Tapatalk

 

[Raffaelli]

It's not the "bolting the two together" that's the problem with a manual transmission swap.

It appears that it's always the flywheel that gives problems. Either using getrags, 350z, bmw, or even my Borg Warner. This thread is very big and hard to read thru the first 15 or so pages. Good reading though.

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/performance-paddock/271090-non-mb-trans-mb-engines.html

 

[Jord]

There is a guy who makes a 350z flywheel work for the m119.

Sent from my SM-N910P using Tapatalk

 

[Jord]

Sent from my SM-N910P using Tapatalk

 

[Raffaelli]

Jord- can you ask him how much is a whole setup? I'm just curious on what the flywheel runs.