GM J, W, or F body for MPG/fun toy

[Ohioc5]

F-body vote here too. You can pick one up pretty cheap. I bought one to take the drive train out for my Chevelle, but it was so nice I flipped it. By flip I mean sold it.

[MMGT1]

F body is my vote as well. An 02 Firehawk or Camaro SS would be my choice right now

[Dust]

In thinking about modding the LS1, intake, lid, exhaust. If I am simply going for 30 mpg on the highway, wouldn't leaving the gears alone make the most sense? Also, would doing heads with higher compression do anything for MPG?

[WS6FirebirdTA00]

Higher compression should improve efficiency, so yes. Leaving a gear for a lower cruise RPM will also help gas mileage.

[nhanson]

I suggest LNF

[gn2beatu]

If you do get the GTP (dont do the GT) do a little research on the years. I know in 2000 or 2001 they had limited slip standard. EX: my 97 Regal GS didnt have it, and my 2001 Park Ave Ultra did. I wanna say 2000 was the year, I drove a Bonneville SSEI that had it. Easy to tell, just get on it from a stop and look to see if there is 1 black mark or 2 LOL.

When I tuned a 2000 Regal GS, I actually got better milleage with it. Best was 36mpg on a long trip, and 22-24 around town. Factory runs them pig rich anyways. Best time was a 13.9 with no engine mods, no headers, just 3" exhaust front to back, and home made CAI with a 3.25 pully. The 3800 SC cars are cheap too. The Regal GS was my favorite, and they are cheaper than the GTP also, might be another option for ya. G/L with chosing!!

[pontiacjeff]

1987-1990 Grand Am/Sunbird 2.0L turbo!

I personally like the 89-90GA. 28-32mpg if you stick with the 5-speed and 3.61 gears. The cars run low 14's stock. A custom chip, small FMIC and 15psi will get you into the mid-13's with the stock turbo and stock injectors. A T28 (Disco Potato) and a set of injectors will get you in the 12's. My 88 TGA has a 16V head swap, and displaces 2.2L now. With a T04E on 15psi it runs 12-flat on pump gas and 11.70's at 20psi on race gas and gets 24mpg city and 34mpg highway with 3.91 gears and overdrive (4T45E trans swap).

[Dust]

nhanson. Not enough money to buy and maintain that.

gn2beatu, how were you running a 3.25 on CAI and exhaust? Unless the GS came with an HUD, or is much cheaper, i don't think I will be going that route.

[murphinator]

If you do get the GTP (dont do the GT) do a little research on the years. I know in 2000 or 2001 they had limited slip standard. EX: my 97 Regal GS didnt have it, and my 2001 Park Ave Ultra did. I wanna say 2000 was the year, I drove a Bonneville SSEI that had it. Easy to tell, just get on it from a stop and look to see if there is 1 black mark or 2 LOL.

When I tuned a 2000 Regal GS, I actually got better milleage with it. Best was 36mpg on a long trip, and 22-24 around town. Factory runs them pig rich anyways. Best time was a 13.9 with no engine mods, no headers, just 3" exhaust front to back, and home made CAI with a 3.25 pully. The 3800 SC cars are cheap too. The Regal GS was my favorite, and they are cheaper than the GTP also, might be another option for ya. G/L with chosing!!

WOW ???

no 4t65e's came with a lsd , not a gtp , not a regal gs none ,nada

3.25 on just a cai and exhaust will knock its arse off on anybodys tune unless you left out it was running on e85 , had a cam ,or an intercooler

[Dust]

Or high altitude

[murphinator]

Or high altitude

I thought it but didnt put it in there because it would only be an exception in extremely high altitudes , denver etc.. heck those guys can run a 3.4 on a stock car up there lol

[Dust]

I gave him the benefit of the doubt.

[Sharkey]

1987-1990 Grand Am/Sunbird 2.0L turbo!

I personally like the 89-90GA. 28-32mpg if you stick with the 5-speed and 3.61 gears. The cars run low 14's stock. A custom chip, small FMIC and 15psi will get you into the mid-13's with the stock turbo and stock injectors. A T28 (Disco Potato) and a set of injectors will get you in the 12's. My 88 TGA has a 16V head swap, and displaces 2.2L now. With a T04E on 15psi it runs 12-flat on pump gas and 11.70's at 20psi on race gas and gets 24mpg city and 34mpg highway with 3.91 gears and overdrive (4T45E trans swap).

i cant say im a fan of the turbo sunbird. friend has/had one. it was fun to play with when dead stock with an intercooler, but once we started upping the boost nothing went right. the biggest problem is these motors arent getting batter with age and we had a hard time finding a useable cylinder head, everything had sunk valve seats, or was cracked. end result was after many hours of frustration we pronounced it dead and ripped it out for something better, a turbo l61 ecotec!

i would also vote other. i say look for a solid body 88-94 cavalier z24. the 2.8/3.1l with a 5 speed was a fun car, however dump in a 3400 and it wakes it right up. there was a guy a few years back burning chips for the 3400 swap j-body and was getting 37mpg, and ran mid 14s. with some custom work (mainly building a set of long tube headers) further improvements can be made to the fuel economy. toss in some kyb struts and lowering springs, for under $3k you can have a quick daily driver with good gas mileage that corners well and is just generally fun to drive.

same friend that had the ecotec sunbird had a 92 sunbird as a "beater". timing chain broke in the 3.1l, we swapped in a 3400 for $600. that car has now gone through 2 more owners, 150k km on it and it still going strong. i drove it a while back, never got into a car that can put a smile on my face like that thing does.