Power increase w/SSIs question

I have read several posts on this BBS about the power increase experienced by those who have updated to SSIs. I recently installed them on my '75 Targa w/'78 3Litre eng. Prior to installing the SSIs I would feel the power come on around 3,000 rpm. I would get a real kick in the pants, a technical term, feel. After installing them I don't experience that same feeling. The power seems more spread out. I would like to hear some comments on this subject from those who have also installed SSIs. Exactly where do the performance gains seem to appear? I have made no other mods to the car. Thanks for any feedback.

Dennis.

Dennis-
I just installed SSI's and a Bursch muffler on my '79SC and noticed the same thing. It used to come on real stong at 4000 rpms. Now it just seams to pull evenly from idle to redline. My gut feeling is that the lower rpm power has improved the most. I can drive it at much lower rpm's around the city now with no surging or lugging feeling.
I've also been told that enriching the fuel mixture and advancing the timing after installing the SSI's can add quite a bit of power.
Other feedback would be welcome!

Sincerely- Richard Wagoner '79SC

The throttle response (or lack of) of the CIS makes the HP gains less noticable. My experience is the same as both of yours - incresed torque over the entire range. The car is very smooth with no peaks, a nice progressive buildup to the braaaaaap past 5000RPM. Add a less restrictive muffler and richen it up - not bad at all. Somewhere around 200HP. I plan to take mine to a dyno shop and also run the quarter this summer. You gotta have hard data.

More throttle response stuff. Perhaps I don't have an educated foot, but I deliberately poked the gas pedal this morning a few times, and I simply cannot sense a delay with CIS. I'm open though.

Richening the mixture and advancing the timing sound like they might improve performance. FWIW: Real hot (glowing) catalytic converters suggest a mixture that is too rich. Perhaps you have no CAT now. Gassy smelling oil can result too, and this woudl be bad. Worst of all would be detonation caused by over-advanced timing. Since it's hard to hear at high RPMs, monitoring the spark plug electrodes' physical condition would be important. FWIW.

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'83 SC

This is very interesting reading since I will be changing over to SSIs next week and running a Monty muffler. The Monty is two in and two, HUGE four-inch outs.
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I am running a DE this weekend with the old set up and another on July 14, hopefully with the new set up. I'll report back on perceived improvements.
Chuck

One other note guys- I beleive you want some restriction in the muffler to keep your low and mid-range torque. Ideally some kind of two into one scavanging that works with the SSI's. The CIS is still the bootle neck in the air pump on our set-ups.

Sincerely- Richard Wagoner '79SC

Big S - the throttle response of my CIS is good also, for CIS. What you will notice is an immediate responce when you push the loud peddle, but a rather weak push of power (as compared to carbs). The power builds rather than explodes. The feel or response you get form webers is not only an immediate response from the throttle input but an immediate surge of torque. This makes the car feel more powerful without actually putting out any more power. It just puts it out quicker. I hope this helps. Find a buddy with a weber car and drive it, you'll see what I'm trying to describe. Even a small displacement car will exibit the same response, very peppy.