New Gt Lacking Performance - Any Ideas ?

[californiacuda]

When I first got the car I thought it was a little slow also. Put kenne bell snout with 2.5 pulley with accufab throttle body and black rubber pipe support between the maf and throttle body. With a tune for 100 octane wheel hp went to 700. complete different driving experience. Even with pirelli 335 p corsa's on rear, in 2nd gear tires can not come close to handling hp. Car now seems very fast. Went 194 in standing mile.

 

[BlackICE]

That is impressive!!!

No exhaust mods?

Can the car be ran on pump CA gas with an octane of 91? If so how do you have to reflash to use that gas? What would the power be with 91 octane?

BlackICE

 

[EasyEric]

Kenne Bell does not recommend exhaust "upgrades". See the attached excerpt from their website:

"...Our tests indicated no (”0” HP) gain from a $2500 exhaust system change. And don’t expect more than 10HP from any header. Roush and Ford did an excellent job of maximizing the inlet and exhaust systems, so unless you’re willing to remove the engine and install expensive rough idling cams for a mere 25HP, supercharging mods are the easiest and least expensive route to more HP and torque. Our recommendation for anyone seeking more HP from their GT is to first get the Kenne Bell Flash Tuner, which gives 36 peak HP and 45 ft. lbs. peak torque while vastly improving the torque curve from 2500 up as much as 100 ft. lbs!..."

Eric

 

[tiger 6]

No intent to change the direction of this thread,but I would appreciate any thoughts on the following ref. upgrades.
I spent a good bit of time today talking with a pro engine builder[30+ years of experience with Formula 1,Champ,IRL,Grand AM,ALMS etc] and an owner /driver of a Rollex Team about supercharger pulley mods,ECU work,exhaust mods etc etc.Both gentlemen expressed some concerns about pulley mods and the impact the resulting hp and torque gains would have in several areas over the short and long term.The concern in the short term was the engine's capability to provide sufficient cooling in several areas,particularly on warm days[80 deg's F or higher] when we are at the track.The longer term concern was related to the stress placed upon certain rotating parts of the engine as well as some suspension components such as the rear end.Ford's engineers designed the various components to operate and have a certain durability based upon the design hp and torque output of the engine.Exceeding the hp and torque specs could potentially damage the engine significantly over a period of time.The question is exceeding them by how much for how long?
I realize we do not have a lot of data on this subject,but I would appreciate any opinions you might have on the subject.
Thanks.

 

[californiacuda]

So, you want to increase hp and your wondering if it will put more stress on the car. And that it might reduce the life of the car's components. Is that the question?

 

[KenBMD]

While not the most scientific approach, we can look to the 03/04 Cobra as a good example with LOTS of data to go off of. We regularly take that stock engine and bolt on a Kenne Bell or Whipple supercharger and push 600 rwhp. Remember, these cars were designed with the stock Eaton supercharger at 8psi in mind and we are pumping 17 psi through these engines on pump gas with great results.

Now, this is on an engine that didn't get anywhere near the attention to the cooling system that the GT did and we've never really had a problem that was related to cooling. In fact, I would say the majority of the failures out there with the Cobra's are related to tuning and/or too much boost for pump gas. I see absolutely no problem with setting these GTs up for 650 - 700 rwhp.

Just like we did with the Cobras, as more people pull the trigger on these modifications, we will have similar data to go by.

The most important thing to keep in mind if you decide to modify you GT in this way is to take it to someone with experience and have them tune it in person. I wouldn't put a mail order tune on a $45,000 2003 Cobra with lots of boost. So I don't see why anyone in their right mind would try it with a $150k+ car. If you don't have someone in your area that you trust, find a shipping company that you trust and send your car to the shop that will give it the attention and care it derserves. One mistake with the tune could be extremely costly.


Ken

No intent to change the direction of this thread,but I would appreciate any thoughts on the following ref. upgrades.
I spent a good bit of time today talking with a pro engine builder[30+ years of experience with Formula 1,Champ,IRL,Grand AM,ALMS etc] and an owner /driver of a Rollex Team about supercharger pulley mods,ECU work,exhaust mods etc etc.Both gentlemen expressed some concerns about pulley mods and the impact the resulting hp and torque gains would have in several areas over the short and long term.The concern in the short term was the engine's capability to provide sufficient cooling in several areas,particularly on warm days[80 deg's F or higher] when we are at the track.The longer term concern was related to the stress placed upon certain rotating parts of the engine as well as some suspension components such as the rear end.Ford's engineers designed the various components to operate and have a certain durability based upon the design hp and torque output of the engine.Exceeding the hp and torque specs could potentially damage the engine significantly over a period of time.The question is exceeding them by how much for how long?
I realize we do not have a lot of data on this subject,but I would appreciate any opinions you might have on the subject.
Thanks.

 

[B O N Y]

While not the most scientific approach, we can look to the 03/04 Cobra as a good example with LOTS of data to go off of. We regularly take that stock engine and bolt on a Kenne Bell or Whipple supercharger and push 600 rwhp. Remember, these cars were designed with the stock Eaton supercharger at 8psi in mind and we are pumping 17 psi through these engines on pump gas with great results.

Now, this is on an engine that didn't get anywhere near the attention to the cooling system that the GT did and we've never really had a problem that was related to cooling. In fact, I would say the majority of the failures out there with the Cobra's are related to tuning and/or too much boost for pump gas. I see absolutely no problem with setting these GTs up for 650 - 700 rwhp.

Just like we did with the Cobras, as more people pull the trigger on these modifications, we will have similar data to go by.

The most important thing to keep in mind if you decide to modify you GT in this way is to take it to someone with experience and have them tune it in person. I wouldn't put a mail order tune on a $45,000 2003 Cobra with lots of boost. So I don't see why anyone in their right mind would try it with a $150k+ car. If you don't have someone in your area that you trust, find a shipping company that you trust and send your car to the shop that will give it the attention and care it derserves. One mistake with the tune could be extremely costly.


Ken

Your 100 % correct. There are plenty of vendors that put their names on the line, like you have, Whipple etc. When someone posts about prominent
builders of motors and leaves the name off, they loose creditbility. Not to start a flame war, but just my view point.

The only mod I am not sure about is the exhaust change, I have yet to be convinced it is worth it. I am not interested in making the car louder, just a maked increased performance.

 

[Specracer]

There is always debate over HP from an exhaust, but 2 for sure advantages: weight savings, shedding 30-40 lbs (or what ever it is) will NEVER be a bad thing to loose from behind the rear wheels (so a plus for both handeling and acceleration), and sound, I have to finalize my direction, but there is nothing like a V-8 that is loud.

 

[tiger 6]

So, you want to increase hp and your wondering if it will put more stress on the car. And that it might reduce the life of the car's components. Is that the question?

In a word,yes.

 

[wonkawonka]

there is nothing like a V-8 that is loud.

Yes: A 550HP Ford GT supercar that is so quiet at full 3.5s 0-60 acceleration that you can be whispering to the lady on the passenger seat your undying temporary love. :biggrin

To me, that kicks the hell out of the screams of the ferraris. Over 4000 RPM on the Enzo, you wake everyone around you in a mile radius.

But that's just me. :ack

 

[SteveA]

Yes: A 550HP Ford GT supercar that is so quiet at full 3.5s 0-60 acceleration that you can be whispering to the lady on the passenger seat your undying temporary love. :biggrin

To me, that kicks the hell out of the screams of the ferraris. Over 4000 RPM on the Enzo, you wake everyone around you in a mile radius.

But that's just me. :ack

I installed the Borla because I was looking for a happy medium. I'm to old to drive a car that sounds like I went to Pep Boys with my lotto winnings but some music under acceleration adds to the pleasure of driving this car. IMHO the Borla does this. I did scale both and the weight was 32lbs savings with the Borla. (Better than a kick in the head but probably not the difference in winning or losing a race).

 

[jamie]

Come on man its close to a 10 sec quarter miler with a 200 mph plus top end, what kind of performance do you want? Someone posted it is a 12.0 car, well maybe for them it is, but my first time out mine went 11.5 at close to 127 mph bone stock leaving at dead idle. And as far as a Saleen I have witnessed the 550hp version running 12's at 115 so I think its got that covered too and probably would run right with the Porsche as well. I have a lot of racing experience myself and feel the car is a little decieving in its feel of not being fast because of the way the power comes on and it being so smooth but the time clocks tell a different story, I think you might be surprised! John just read some of your other posts I posted this before I read your other ones, You might know me as I race at MIR all the time and that is where I ran those times in the GT, I usually run vipers with my friends Jason Heffner and Mark Brown but have taken all my cars down there, Z06, Porsche etc, and have been making passes there for the last 20 years. You didn't post your 60' foot time but based on your et and mph that is probably where you left your et and mph? These cars are not easy to 60' with the weight and gearing and take some practice driving at the track, and I think if you get a little practice you will be happy as I expect the et to dip and the mph to increase.