From the time the car left the factory, moisture from the atmosphere has been entering the vent-hole on the master-cylinder reservoir cover. Moisture will corrode and rust the brake caliper bores causing them to eventually stick and freeze.
You can add a little more power by replacing the stock supercharger pulley with an aftermarket smaller diameter one.
I agree with "You Mind", although for some reason Answers isn't letting me click his 'thumbs up' button this morning...
To me, a sleeper car is one that looks ordinary, unassuming and stock but turns out to be shockingly fast. While you could gut the car to reduce weight and that would make it faster without spending money, anybody looking out for a sleeper car is going to notice the interior being gutted right away.
That leaves you with adding a bunch of power as really the only way to make your particular car a sleeper in my opinion. Unfortunately you won't be adding a bunch of power with only small upgrades. You'll need to put some real money into the engine to get that big car to be fast enough to surprise anyone worth surprising/shaming.
Don't listen to people about the transmission it is bulletproof as is the engine! Just keep up with routine maintainence and it will stay that way.As for performance check out Thrasher Engieneering and 3800 performance - a smaller pulley, computer tune, and exhaust and I GUARANTEE you will smoke over 70% of all cars from a stoplight and they will be dropping turds in their pants when the grandpa-mobile is pulling buslengths.
If you know the difference between an intake manifold and a pulley, then hit me up here: ebuetamecus@gmail.com
Helped some guys here with engine tuning.
Its a fuckenn 3.8 liter, with a supercharger, a descent figure would be 500hp... Past that you will not hold it abymore, its a FWD right ???
I made a 456hp 1.8 liter l4, n/A 456hp @ 15000rpm
And a rally ebgine, 1.4 liter pushrod 8v l4, 600hp @ 12500, less than 25psi.
Hit me up, dont be shy... Lol
Without doing major mods, that car will never be a sleeper. The weight of the vehicle is already killing you. The best thing that you can do is gut the car as much as possible to reduce weight. With no interior, no spare, no door panels, etc. and a racing seat installed for one driver, no passengers, you might can reduce the weight of the vehicle by 500 lbs.
It already is a sleeper. It's asleep right now. It wakes up when you drive it. It's quicker than it looks. What do you want, a rocket powered skateboard? You want better acceleration, throw out all the dead weight.
Anyone that thinks a park avenue with the original motor can ever be a "sleeper", is a total and complete dumba$$. This pig weighs several tons and it would take a LOT of horsepower to make it anything but the big fat pig it is. Get a clue, all of you....
From what you have so far, I would point to the timing chain and transmission as the two weakest points.
Adding potential power? You best have some basic parts updated, strengthened, or completely replaced with stout replacements.
That car likes to eat one gear after another. when miles get high.
Theres not a big following, so discuss it with the trans experts first.
A baggy chain is simple to replace but that car can be more difficult.
A factory part for the ignition module beats 2 or 3 aftermarket ones.
The service bulletins on driveability may be of help for starting and runability issues. Simple fixes added up to a nice dependable city driver I witnessed once.
But the trans labor made him junk it.
change the supercharger OIL!!!!!!! the biggest bang for your buck is probibly replace your trans fluid with dex 6 it will get you better MPG and make everything work better and go faster. get MSD ignition parts you can buy those at autozone get new spark plugs and replace the O2 sensors. at 180k miles you biggest performance inhansers are going to be replacing worn parts. get it checked out by a mechanic and ask him if there is anything you can do to restore lost performance
Country Boy has the same idea that I have.I uesd to work on MerCruiser 525 SC engines on power boats.Weiand 471 blower on 454 B/B chevys. One of the first things that we would do is install a smaller blower pully,overdriving the blower some what.We had a gunsmith (in Tennesee I think) make them for us,but any good machine shop will be able to make one for you.You might even check the aftermarket by now.You can only go so far though,as atibatic(sp) efficency(heat from more squeeze) will negate the added boost.Other than that,lose any weight that you can; spare tire ETC.
So recently I bought a 1999 Buick park avenue ultra (supercharged 3800 series)
The car has 180k miles on it and I'm trying to build it into a sleeper
I just recently changed oil, coolant, brakes , brake fluid , added a stp gas cleaner system and that's about it
I'm not looking to do any major mods to the car but rather small upgrades
If you want it to be quick change out your ring&pinion gears for something with a higher final drive these cars are all geared for fuel mileage . and no one will ever know about it but you making it a better sleeper.
I've been driving GM supercharged Pontiac's starting with a Grand Prix GTP and now a now Bonneville SSEi. They are pretty much trouble free and fun to drive. The special GM supercharge oil in the front cone of the supercharger needs to be replaced every two years and topped up every year. Suck the old oil out of the supercharger using an oil suction tool adapted with a small piece of clear plastic hose to fit in the hole after removing the Allen bolt plug. Have the motor warmed up. You'll need two bottles of the special oil only available at the dealer. The serpentine belt pulleys go bad often on both of the belts so listen for the squealing they make just before freezing up and destroying the belt. The coils have a problem with corrosion and I have to clean the coil towers where the spark plug cables go on two times a year so misfires don't happen. If you really want some fun get the smaller supercharger pulley and a stage one PCM. The "3800performance.com" web site is an excellent place to deal with and Robert takes good care of his customers. Don't put headers on the motor. You lose all low end torque off the line. Just do a "cat back" exhaust if you want to add another 25 horsepower. Leave the "U-bend" where the front 02 sensor is alone. It needs the restriction unless you're doing camshafts and injectors. Have fun with you're ride. It's lighter weight than my Pontiac's!
don't put 10,000 dollars into a 2000 dollar car
Don't waist your money. Just keep doing the routine maintenance.
You are starting with the wrong platform of a car. Sell it and get something else.
Not worth the time, money, time, money, money, money. Oh, did I say money, on a crusier for grandma and grandpa.
