1st uprgades for l67?? (98 Regal)

[wcjg24dupontspd]

I just purchased a 98 Regal GS with 55k miles (driven by 78 yr. old lady). I've been looking into basic modifications without going inside the motor. I looked at the intense level 1 performance package, and it sounds good. does anyone have any feedback on it, or can offer any additional info?
thx,
Jay

[SleeperLS]

you can't go wrong with it. It isn't too extreme, but it is no doubt enough to wake your car up. You will notice a difference. I would also get some sort of scanning tool so that you can monitor knock retard. Most stock vehicles have some, a buddy of mines mom's car was a stock 3800na and had like 9* kr..so scan and be safe so you don't have to replace the motor. The 3.4 pulley can be a little extreme in some case, but not all...that is why I say scan.

[wcjg24dupontspd]

I just got a OBDII/CAN scanner a few weeks ago, but haven't used it much at all...just to check for codes and coolant temps. I'm not around it now, but do they have a KR? I don't currently have it with me as i'm not home. Also what is concidered the "safe" range for KR?? And this may sound stupid, but what exactly is knock retard? would I hear pinging?

[n0dih]

Reality on KR, KR in itself is ok, it means it is doing its job, you ~should~ address the reason for the KR. But the problem comes when you have KR and still have Knock Sensor voltage or Knock Counts still rising, meaning the PCM can't handle the pinging it is seeing.

No, you ~shouldn't~ ever hear pinging, the PCM should deal with it much sooner than that. If you hear it, it is meaning the PCM couldn't handle it.

THAT is pending death to the engine, and it HELL on the rods and upper rod bearings. Not to mention rings, ring lands, pistons, etc. You can do significant damage in short order (I melted a piston on my 301 Turbo @ 110 mph, the rod bearings were beat to heck and the piston was ugly, it had got lean with the Q-Jet and "DX" rods (about as rich as possible without eliminating the tip off the metering rods).

So watching it and fixing it is key. It is the failsafe to keep you from damaging the engine. But exceeding its capacity is bad...

Say if the engine pings on 31 degrees timing lets say, it might take 6 degrees to make it STOP pinging, but if you retard the timing in that place to 30 degrees it might not ping at all, so overall you will be faster, not being jerked back 6 degrees and running 25 degrees. There is also a recovery rate for the timing too, so if it pulls out say 6 degrees, there is a rate at which it returns to normal.

Watching my datalogs carefully (OBD1 is much faster than OBD2 on the datalogging) you can actually detect the engine slow momentarily in rpm when the KR comes in. If only 1/10th to 1/5th of a second, still, the engine slowed rpm. So a careful detailed tune is best for best power. It takes time and effort and LOTS of datalogging to try to characterize all conditions, hot, cold, mods, driving conditions, etc.

Good find on the 98 Buick! I have found a couple like that, bought my Park Ave Ultra from what I highly suspect is an older couple. I almost bought another from a 87 year old lady, but it didn't have F41 and I really wanted it and got one with the power sunroof too and F41 and so far, I can't find an option it doesn't have, (I am still looking!). Often they are well cared for too. Hope you really enjoy it!