tank size

[ElScotO]

what size is the lightnings tank,

Im one signature from getting a 2000 Red lightning and im gonna have to trade in my SVT Focus for it, Any suggestions would be nice,

what do you guys think?

should i go for it, or not

[L8 APEX]

Approximately 24-25 gallons.

[QDRHRSE]

That all depends. If that is your only vehicle you really need to think about the cost of fuel and maintenance. I would suspect twice the gas and twice the upkeep. If the cost is not an issue then do it up! I'm not sure about how many TALON members actually daily drive theirs. As of today, my Lightning will by my sixth car (between my wife and I) so my only concern is the cost of broken parts.

[PoorSvtman]

think about it long and hard... gas is $$$$ now.. It cost me little over 70 bucks to fill up on 91 octane at the local 7-11 FIgured id try 91 and save a few cents lol and its the only place to have it.

But gas, upkeep, payments etc and your current non car bills should decided it... not if you realy want it or not.

[98Cobra]

If youre a little strapped, I'd avoid it, between gas and tires its some $$$ right now..

[03LightningRocks]

think about it long and hard... gas is $$$$ now.. It cost me little over 70 bucks to fill up on 91 octane at the local 7-11 FIgured id try 91 and save a few cents lol and its the only place to have it.

But gas, upkeep, payments etc and your current non car bills should decided it... not if you realy want it or not.

Mike,

I'm not trying to bust your chops here, so try not to take this wrong. If using the 91 saves even 10 cents a gallon, that's only 2 bucks on a 20 gallon fill up. That doesn't really seem worth the risks of detonation from the lower quality fuel.:confused:

[PoorSvtman]

Mike,

I'm not trying to bust your chops here, so try not to take this wrong. If using the 91 saves even 10 cents a gallon, that's only 2 bucks on a 20 gallon fill up. That doesn't really seem worth the risks of detonation from the lower quality fuel.:confused:


yea i know it was a risk... it ran just fine tho. It was more of a test than anything. I figured if it detonated i would just keep my foot out of it for the weekend for once.... I did alot of driving this weekend back and forth to denton and farmers branch so i figured it was worth a shot lol. that tank barely lasted me the weekend tho:hammer:

heck one of my trips to ft hood/killeen all i could fine was 89 on the way home... It was a long trip back.. It was the only good gas station that i felt good about getting gas from cause on the way back to dfw there isnt alot of decent looking stations. i toped off with 93 in hillsboro tho.

[03LightningRocks]

I hear ya Mike. I took mine out today and did a few WOT runs. Damn, that was fun. It has been awhile since I did that on the street. I am running alot of boost on mine(21lbs:D ), so for me 91 octane would be suicide...LOL. I actually mix in 5 gallons of 116 with my fillup. Talk about an expensive tank of gas.


Rocks:nana2

[dboat]

If I was going to just go out and drive it without getting into it and cruise the fwy on a trip at 70-75 mph.. I dont think that using 89 would be that bad. You are under 2500 rpm and cruising along.. its if you put your foot into and open up that supercharger that creates the need .. right?

[03LightningRocks]

If I was going to just go out and drive it without getting into it and cruise the fwy on a trip at 70-75 mph.. I dont think that using 89 would be that bad. You are under 2500 rpm and cruising along.. its if you put your foot into and open up that supercharger that creates the need .. right?

That is the way I understand it...but I think it also depends alot on the tune. If your tuned for 93, using 89 might not be wise. I believe that increasing compression ratio through heavy boost may play a part in it too. Maybe we can get some input from Terry or someone else with more knowledge about it.

In California they tune their Lightnings for 91, so I don't see why it can't be done here. am just willing to bet running low octane with serious high boost is asking for trouble.

[AFSVT01]

i used 91 with a 6#er and no tune and yep, you guessed it...fried the motor. i dont run anything less than 93 now and i have a pred tune in it (which will change to a custom tune soon) just to be safe. i was running about 13#s at the time in 85 degree weather.

[99WhiteBeast]

I actually mix in 5 gallons of 116 with my fillup. Talk about an expensive tank of gas.
Rocks:nana2

Just curious if there has been a price increase in race gas as well???

[ElScotO]

just the decision part sucks so bad!, my stepdad is in the oil industry, and he says gas prices prolly wont go down for awhile, but its a red 2000 L, got 20,000, and iv gotten em down to about 11,000 with the trade in, all I have to do is sign the paperwork and its mine, i just cant decide what todo,

friggin staying in my 02 Ford SVT Focus, or trading it for my dream truck,

and im fixin to move to denton aswell,

decisions, decisions.

Scott-

[03LightningRocks]

Just curious if there has been a price increase in race gas as well???

I am about half afraid to check. I am working off a 55 gallon drum i had from before the price went up.

I was once told by the place i get my fuel, that the price of race fuel is not affected by market fluxuations as much since it is a chemical stew.

The crap was already expensive enough. I hope it has not gone up as much as street fuel.

Rocks

[PoorSvtman]

If I was going to just go out and drive it without getting into it and cruise the fwy on a trip at 70-75 mph.. I dont think that using 89 would be that bad. You are under 2500 rpm and cruising along.. its if you put your foot into and open up that supercharger that creates the need .. right?


Well that time i got stuck filling up with 89 it wasnt even a full tank. If i just gave it enough gas to pass someone it would slightly detonate...Man was that a long ride home after a long weekend of late nights and sleeping on a air mattres that that was deflated by morning :hammer:



i used 91 with a 6#er and no tune and yep, you guessed it...fried the motor. i dont run anything less than 93 now and i have a pred tune in it (which will change to a custom tune soon) just to be safe. i was running about 13#s at the time in 85 degree weather.

It wasnt the 91 that fried your motor it was the fact you ran a 6lber and no tune :nono:

[AFSVT01]

well i know that i was just stating that i was using 91. i learned from my mistake.

[wesman]

That is the way I understand it...but I think it also depends alot on the tune. If your tuned for 93, using 89 might not be wise. I believe that increasing compression ratio through heavy boost may play a part in it too. Maybe we can get some input from Terry or someone else with more knowledge about it.

In California they tune their Lightnings for 91, so I don't see why it can't be done here. am just willing to bet running low octane with serious high boost is asking for trouble.

Generally speaking, as the grade of gas declines, so does the timing most tuners put in. The large gains people see from a race tune is more advanced timing that the fuel allows because of the different burn rate.

--wes

[dboat]

That is the way I understand it...but I think it also depends alot on the tune. If your tuned for 93, using 89 might not be wise. I believe that increasing compression ratio through heavy boost may play a part in it too. Maybe we can get some input from Terry or someone else with more knowledge about it.

In California they tune their Lightnings for 91, so I don't see why it can't be done here. am just willing to bet running low octane with serious high boost is asking for trouble.

Rocks, I think we are agreeing.. I was thinking that if I am taking a long trip like to Dallas from Erie or Erie to Dallas :rolleyes: then you could fill up with 89 and be ok, as long as you dont get into the boost. You get into the boost and then you be gettin into trouble.
right?

[03LightningRocks]

Rocks, I think we are agreeing.. I was thinking that if I am taking a long trip like to Dallas from Erie or Erie to Dallas :rolleyes: then you could fill up with 89 and be ok, as long as you dont get into the boost. You get into the boost and then you be gettin into trouble.
right?

Theoretically....I suppose. So let me ask ya something. You look in your rear view mirror and notice a trucker riding right up your arse. He has a mean look on his face and is shaking a fist at you. Oh crap, you say to yourself, I done pissed off some red neck trucker. If only you could get in the boost. But no, not Dana, he saved 20 bucks on a round trip to Texas. What the heck everybody??? 20 cents a gallon is only four bucks a tank. Don't even try to tell me you don't blow twice that for your lunch....LOL.

Get the good stuff, just in case you have to escape some crazy trucker.


Rocks:D

[dboat]

Theoretically....I suppose. So let me ask ya something. You look in your rear view mirror and notice a trucker riding right up your arse. He has a mean look on his face and is shaking a fist at you. Oh crap, you say to yourself, I done pissed off some red neck trucker. If only you could get in the boost. But no, not Dana, he saved 20 bucks on a round trip to Texas. What the heck everybody??? 20 cents a gallon is only four bucks a tank. Don't even try to tell me you don't blow twice that for your lunch....LOL.

Get the good stuff, just in case you have to escape some crazy trucker.


Rocks:D

Dont get me wrong,, didnt say I would do it, just was thinking that you could.
In my recent cross country trip to come to Dallas with the L, I bought 93 the whole way. We were towing a boat on the way down, so I knew that there would be some boost in the equation. But on the way home, I could have gone the other way but didnt.
Having said that, in the scenario you mention above, I would prob be ok to get into it a little bit :twitch: without harm.. :evil
Dana

[QDRHRSE]

.....I'm noticing something weird in a lot of threads. You guys have 93 octane pump gas? The best we have in California is 91. Sure, I can buy trick 100 for $6-7 a gallon out of the pump but that's different.... all we have 87-89-91:mad:

[03LightningRocks]

.....I'm noticing something weird in a lot of threads. You guys have 93 octane pump gas? The best we have in California is 91. Sure, I can buy trick 100 for $6-7 a gallon out of the pump but that's different.... all we have 87-89-91:mad:

This was one of the reasons I mentioned you needed to be careful about your tuner. Lower octane fuel presents more risks.

[L8 APEX]

The higher the altitude the lower the octane so the fuel will burn! BTW, No Email from you Tom....

[03LightningRocks]

The higher the altitude the lower the octane so the fuel will burn! BTW, No Email from you Tom....

I will admit I had no clue about this. So does the 91 octane burn at the same rate as 93 octane? This is great, I have always thought that California had lower octane because of some kind of socialist tree hugger agenda.

Rocks:eek:

[wesman]

I will admit I had no clue about this. So does the 91 octane burn at the same rate as 93 octane? This is great, I have always thought that California had lower octane because of some kind of socialist tree hugger agenda.

Rocks:eek:

The higher the octane , the hotter temp it takes to ignite and the slower it burns.

Just FYI- When I went to Tulsa to pick up my boat two weeks ago all they had available was 91 octane :bs . This was up I75 to I69 pretty much all the way up the state. I'm not sure how it is up through I35 and Oklahoma City way. Just goes to show it's not just the tree hugger states.

--wes

[L8 APEX]

The real issue is that turbos and chargers stuff the air to high compression levels again. But the lower octane assists the normal engines burn the fuel more efficiently at altitude. In New Mexico at 5000+ft they have 83, 85, 87 octane.

[wesman]

The real issue is that turbos and chargers stuff the air to high compression levels again. But the lower octane assists the normal engines burn the fuel more efficiently at altitude. In New Mexico at 5000+ft they have 83, 85, 87 octane.

Thing that pisses me off about that is they charge the same price as stations that sell 87, 89 and 93 octane :bs

--wes

[03LightningRocks]

Wes....I knew about the relationship of octane to burn rates. This really was not what I was enquiring about.

What I never thought about was how the altitude changes this relationship.



Rocks;)

[03LightningRocks]

The real issue is that turbos and chargers stuff the air to high compression levels again. But the lower octane assists the normal engines burn the fuel more efficiently at altitude. In New Mexico at 5000+ft they have 83, 85, 87 octane.


Does this change tuning requirements?

[wesman]

So does the 91 octane burn at the same rate as 93 octane?

K...I guess I was thrown off by this comment.

--wes

[03LightningRocks]

K...I guess I was thrown off by this comment.

--wes


The comment is directed towards high altitude. Which was the post I asked the question about. High altitude only......:tu: . So do you know the answer???

[03LightningRocks]

The higher the altitude the lower the octane so the fuel will burn! BTW, No Email from you Tom....


Here ya go...the post that inspired my question.....:tu: .

[ElScotO]

ok, so is anyones lightning their daily driver?

[True Blue Aggie]

unfortunately yes, my Lightning is my daily. It sucks to see the odometer roll everyday, but I live with it for the moment.

[wesman]

The comment is directed towards high altitude. Which was the post I asked the question about. High altitude only......:tu: . So do you know the answer???

The basics are :

Lower altitude= quicker burn
Lower octane= quicker burn

Higher altitude=slower burn
Higher octane= slower burn

So, with higher altitude, there is less oxygen content and lower air pressure. Because of the lower ambient air pressure, the cylinder pressure at high altitude is reduced versus the pressure of it's counterpart at sea level. So, it's possible to utilize a lower octane of fuel at higher elevations without engine knock (actually it's said that higher octane is more prone to knock at high altitude). At about 3500-4000 feet 85 octane performs as well if not better than 87 octane at sea level.

Does that makes sense ?

--wes

[03LightningRocks]

Mine was my daily driver for about a month or two when it was brand new. Now, between the cage and the loud arse exhaust....I can only handle the discomfort for a few miles at at time...LOL. I might have gotten a bit carried away with the modding.

Now I am wanting to buy a Lightning I can just cruise around in without beating my kidneys into submission....but can't afford two of these things.

[03LightningRocks]

The basics are :

Lower altitude= quicker burn
Lower octane= quicker burn

Higher altitude=slower burn
Higher octane= slower burn

So, with higher altitude, there is less oxygen content and lower air pressure. Because of the lower ambient air pressure, the cylinder pressure at high altitude is reduced versus the pressure of it's counterpart at sea level. So, it's possible to utilize a lower octane of fuel at higher elevations without engine knock (actually it's said that higher octane is more prone to knock at high altitude). At about 3500-4000 feet 85 octane performs as well if not better than 87 octane at sea level.

Does that makes sense ?

--wes

Yes it does.....thank you..........:tu: . That was the association I was trying to get a grip on. I do believe I get it now....:D .

[True Blue Aggie]

Now I am wanting to buy a Lightning I can just cruise around in without beating my kidneys into submission....but can't afford two of these things.

Just go and buy the 99 from Bryce. I think you could talk him down to about 15k........or less.

[ElScotO]

i was just worried about the gas situation, when i do move to denton, im gonna try to pickup a DSG or a Tru Blu one, I was gonna get the red one here, but being as red is the fastest color, I dont need that many tickets :rolleyes:

plus, i wanna hold on to my svt focus aswell, so i can have 2 svt products :D

[03LightningRocks]

Just go and buy the 99 from Bryce. I think you could talk him down to about 15k........or less.


:rll: .....I won't be able to see his response to my offer....;) .

[03LightningRocks]

i was just worried about the gas situation, when i do move to denton, im gonna try to pickup a DSG or a Tru Blu one, I was gonna get the red one here, but being as red is the fastest color, I dont need that many tickets :rolleyes:

plus, i wanna hold on to my svt focus aswell, so i can have 2 svt products :D

At times I think it might be nice to have a fuel effecient vehicle, but I am so accustomed to driving trucks, I wouldn't be happy unless I could b!tch every time I fill the tank. My daily driver is a diesel guzzling F250. 14 MPG in the city is a good day for me.

[my2002lightning]

My L hasn't moved out of the 3-car garage since the Photo-Shoot except to let it warm-up outside and back it in again. Thinking seriously about getting the ESP - sitting at 35,9xx miles.

Elaine's '95 Thunderbird is my daily-driver, now.

[BC Lightning]

I was gonna get the red one here, but being as red is the fastest color, I dont need that many tickets :rolleyes:

I guess its all in opinion, but the records show . . . . that black is the fastest :cool:

[sonicbluetommy]

My SCT tuner with 3 different tunes is great! Load the cold weather tune, fill it with 91, save $3 a fill and I dont have to worry about a thing!!! Comes in handy on all those trips home to Missouri thru Oklahoma where I can only get 91 octane.

Thanks to PR's Terry :banana: :banana:

[Moonshine]

My daily driver is a diesel guzzling F250. 14 MPG in the city is a good day for me.

I'm with ya'. :( Filled up yesterday, $82, and I'd gotten 14.11 MPG on that tank.

[Moonshine]

ok, so is anyones lightning their daily driver?

Only for the first 5 years and 117K miles. After that it became someone else's daily driver. :tongue:

[BC Lightning]

My L is my Daily Driver, 2004 with 32,000 miles on it :rolleyes:

[03LightningRocks]

My L is my Daily Driver, 2004 with 32,000 miles on it :rolleyes:


Holy Sh!t, you drive alot!!!!:eek: I put those kind of miles on my F250 since March...but I have an excuse....I was dragging a trailer all over the country. How did you get that many miles so quick?

[StormShadow]

Holy Sh!t, you drive alot!!!!:eek: How did you get that many miles so quick?

Probably chassing Pussy :evil

[dboat]

ok, so is anyones lightning their daily driver?

yes, but not during the winter... knana

[Avalanche]

Well don't hate me but I found a way to get to and from work for 45 dollars a year. Yes a year. It takes me an extra hour but it is worth is and the L has not moved in a week and a half. Still has the same 75 dollars worth of gas in the tank.

[BC Lightning]

Holy Sh!t, you drive alot!!!!:eek: I put those kind of miles on my F250 since March...but I have an excuse....I was dragging a trailer all over the country. How did you get that many miles so quick?

To and from school mostly, my class schedule is kinda weird, I have morning and night classes so I can easily put anywhere from 100-300 miles a day. Plus driving everywhere in between, and yes Adam a little extra driving too :D

[03LightningRocks]

To and from school mostly, my class schedule is kinda weird, I have morning and night classes so I can easily put anywhere from 100-300 miles a day. Plus driving everywhere in between, and yes Adam a little extra driving too :D

Maybe Adam can teach you a trick or two, then you can spend less time chasing.....:throw: .


By the way......your going to have to show me how to do some wheelies next time I see you..:evil .


Rocks

[BC Lightning]

By the way......your going to have to show me how to do some wheelies next time I see you..:evil .


Rocks

:D

[dboat]

Well don't hate me but I found a way to get to and from work for 45 dollars a year. Yes a year. It takes me an extra hour but it is worth is and the L has not moved in a week and a half. Still has the same 75 dollars worth of gas in the tank.

What kind of bike is it?

[True Blue Aggie]

Avalanche is riding the DART rail.....only way that you could be getting to work with that kinda cash spent.