setting the 85 GLH for SCCA/SOLO II races

[Oni Snake]

Well, after getting back from the SRT Track Experience I've decided to set the GLH up for autocross. Due to its already awesome handling.

I've decided to keep the 2.2l HO intact, and in the car

I'll be reading over the top stickied post and decide on some minor power adders. CAI for one; but what about the carb's? I prefer to stay away from the Direct Connection pieces as they are difficult to find, and more costly. So what can I get for the carbed motor, and from whom? I'm looking for headers, exhaust(custom I'm sure), CAI (a/c duct w/ filter on end), maybe a s/c, carburater, and what else?

What about suspension parts? Disc brakes all around, springs, shocks, etc..wider tires? What can I get?

What about the stock trans, will it hold up, is there another I should get? will the A555 bolt right up to this motor?

I intend to take this car through the solo II events while I gain experience, and I'd like to get into racing it against other cars as well

I'm looking for cheap, but reliable upgrades (is that even possible? )

I've been bitten by the track racing bug, and the GLH is going to be my venom of choice. But I've got very little tuning, building, experience and I want to do this myself, to learn. Your assitance is appreciated!

[85omniglh]

Bump - DP.

[85omniglh]

This is my first post on TD and I'd like to second Oni Snake's request for more info on performance enhancements for the N/A carbed HO 2.2. I just purchased a 85 Omni GLH (hence my screen name) on Ebay and wish to keep it carbed (for now) and build it as much as possible.

I've done a lot of research on Google and on various Dodge forums recently and have found info on building a hot carbed HO 2.2 to be fairly scarce and vague. I've seen info about a Pierce Manifold set-up with dual sidedraft Weber 30-somethings, undocumented heresay about using a Holley 4 bbl carb, a partially completed web page on a carbed / supercharged set-up, etc. To a TD Noob, like myself, it does not appear that there is much in the way of useful "How To" info for beefing up the N/A carbed 2.2.

Surely, there must be some well-documented links on modding a carbed HO 2.2 out there? Any links or sage Mopar wisdom would be greatly appreciated - by both of us, I'm sure - and perhaps many others.

[Sirus]

I've done tons of searching though the N/A forums and so far the major consensus is.

1. MP or Hooker Header (if you can find and MP one, hooker one's are still sold though Jeggs?) with 2' to 2.25' exhaust and a Dynomax or similar. Solid motor mounts are a must for the headers as they're prone to breakage

2.Weber 32/36 Carb or 38/38 if your in need of drowing your carb with fuel. Some careful Jetting too...

3. 88 TBI Cam/ Rollers

4. Some sort of Ram Air set up, K&N Drop in filter with airbox disasembled...

5. Shave your head, and advance your timing cam timing with the use of some offset cam keys.

6. Possibly some UD pulleys


Some Harder/ longer term idea's might be

-4bbl Carb
-DOHC setup
-port/polish everything
-Dual carb intakes

[Travis_k]

Make sure you read the rules, because alot of the stuff like disc brakes, superchargers etc will put you on a class where you wont be competitive. I actually have a book about setting up 2.2 fwd cars for racing, its kind of interesting.

[85omniglh]

Sirus,

Great info - thanks! I am particularly interested in building a dual carb intake type of setup (sidedraft, perhaps?) with dual 32/36 or 38/38's with a DOHC 2.4l 16v stratus head on my 85 2.2l block. Any specific information that will help guide me on my journey would be greatly appreciated. I intend to document and photograph my adventure in building this engine for other forum members to refer to and enjoy.

Travis k,

Sounds like an interesting read. What's the name of the book and where might I be able to pick it up at?

[Travis_k]

the book is called 2.2/fwd and it was sold by direct connection, so im guessing you might try e-bay, i dunno. Its like 20 years old, when it was written the 84 turbo cars were just coming out.

[Leland]

85omniglh,
Will the DOHC 2.4l 16v stratus head bolt right onto your existing motor? What sort of power increases to you hope to get with this? What else will you have to change.?

[vntned]

the newer twincam(non iroc r/t) heads off of 2.0 and 2.4 engine can be made to fit with a lot of custom work and money.

If the intent is to build a GLH to learn to drive autocross in then not much is needed in ways of power. This sort of racing is mostly about the drivers skills.

In my old 85 GLH HO I didnt have many mods. It had a 2.25 full exhaust w/ muffler and cat, gutted airbox, homemade strut bars, and no AC & heaterbox, and it weighed in at 2100 w/o driver. It would smoke the 205/50/15 Potenzas thru 1st and halfway through 2nd, and could out run all of my buddies cars on a cone course except a 1LE Z28 w/ a full adjustable suspension and my cousins '98 neon R/T w/ konis and eibach springs.

My '84 Glh so far has a milled head(.030''), MP cam(.460 lift), Hedman hedder, and a gutted airbox, MP heavy duty mounts, MP autocross springs, but Ive still got some tuning to do on it and need an exhaust but it should be a fun ride.

[Ray Clifton]

I've been auto -xing my 81 024 since 1987 the most bang for the buck mods are d.c. spark computer,A d.c. or early minivan manual power valve carb,the d.c. 252-252-36 degree cam is very drivable and has a good powerband for auto-x and was supposed to be used on the detamasso 024 so you can use it in street preppared class FSP .wheel alignment[ -1.5 deg.negative camber on all 4 ,5/16 in. tow out in front,0 rear ] addco rear anti sway bar will make the car rotate better,koni adj shocks are really a good thing [but not cheep],85 minivan front brakes will fit all you need caliper mounts ,calipers,pads,rotors and it will stop!!!,

[Oni Snake]

are you doing SCCA auto-x?

I'm looking very much to take this seriously and get some good seat time and numbers to get on a team. I'm very interested in taking racing to a professional level. SCCA rules are very specific in what you can do to the engine. And I believe anything more than a catback exhaust and modifying of the airbox/filter puts me into the street modified catagory where I would not be able to be competative.

[85omniglh]

Great info - thanks guys.