RE: Montecarlo=big v6+small hp
 

I look at it this way. At least we are fortunate enough to own a Monte...plain and simple

RE: Montecarlo=big v6+small hp
 

I paid $21k for Maddy (new) and I know for 15k more I can have her smoking 98% of what's out there... it's been done enough with other W-bodies running the same engine.
It's just a matter of how much you want to spend. There are Ferraris that don't run 11-second quarters, but it's doable with our cars for a few pennies more.
That's good enough for me.
Besides, Maddy's prettier.

RE: Montecarlo=big v6+small hp
 

haven't been frustrated yet. Reaction time helps alot. that and the tuners in this city don't seem to know how to shift gears. the few losses i've had at stoplight races would be to cars with obviously more power (corvette, porche, etc.) plus i plan on buying the supercharged 3.8 crate motor from GM anyway. 240 horse and 280 foot pounds of torque. then i'll see about porting it for some extra NA power.

RE: Montecarlo=big v6+small hp
 

only a 12 second car? Heck I'll have a 12 second car, and have dropped less than 7 grand into it... I don't wanna THINK about what he has, just in those WHEELS.

Couch, if you wanted to get a great deal on a 3800 S/C, email ed morad and see what he can do for you. If you really aim to port, etc, then you may as well buy used, and build it the RIGHT way, ya know? Not to mention most 3800 S/C run less than 1200 bucks for the entire engine, alternator, etc...

RE: Montecarlo=big v6+small hp
 

I don't understand the stupid Horse Power wars. Who cares. I get better gas mileage with my car than any of thoese other imports and most likely those imports with their high compression engines need premium gas. Street racing is stupid and illegal. I love my 3800 engine and for me it has plenty of power. My Monte is also the smoothest excelerating car I have ever owned (I hate drive by wire). With just a couple of inexpensive mods I have plenty of HP when I need it.

RE: Montecarlo=big v6+small hp
 

PublishedHP vs actual HP. I'm in the marine business, and I know that the HP rating on an engine, has a plus or minus tolerance, within which the engine must fall. All engines of a certain HP class,will not dyno equally, and manufacturers are allowed to put a rating on the engine, as long as it falls within the acceptable range. Exactly who the governing body is that establishes the parameters, I don't know.

All that being said, from my experience, the North American OEM's usually underrate the HP number, and the Imports overrate.Can this be the same with the auto industry????

Ifthe parameter isplus or minus 10%, this could mean an advertised250HP could be as low as 225hp, or as high as 275hp.That's a 50hp swing. It sure looks better in advertising media to quote your power on the higher side of the chart, even though you really don't produce it.

I never had my 2001 / 3.8 dyno tested, but the car in my opinion moved pretty good for a V6 rated only at 200hp. The car weighs around 3500lbs.I personally think the 200hp 3.8engine is somewhat underrated. Wouldit make 3.8V6 ownersfeel better if it wasadvertised as 220hp?

The question of who underrates and who overrates could only be answered by random sampling of various manufacturers, and somebody willing to foot the bill for the dyno testing.

Food for thought don't you think.

RE: Montecarlo=big v6+small hp
 

mine only put like 156 to the wheels... so who knows. maybe mine is one on the low end, who knows.

RE: Montecarlo=big v6+small hp
 

Isn't the "Horsepower wars" a huge part of a car enthusiasts mindset? You obviously must be different than some of us if you don't care about horsepower, or how fast your car is compared to others out there...

RE: Montecarlo=big v6+small hp
 

Rated engine HP, is not the BHP. You are absolutely right. If the HP isn't getting to the wheels, who cares what the enginerating is.

I don't know what the "average" expected difference between engine hp and bhp but again, this would have a profound impact on the expected performance of the engine rating.

Another good point to consider.....who gets the hp to the point where it counts????

RE: Montecarlo=big v6+small hp
 

Another thing to consider Cowboy is that every chassis dyno is different. Ask any professional engine builder, and they will all say to use the dyno as a tuning device, not to tell you how fast the car will be.