Ran my car at Route 66 Last Night.....

[Curt]

Some may be familar with all the problems I have had with my car....it is running great now. I took it to 66 Last night. I think I did pretty well.....my car is a 2003 convertible...here are my mods

2.76 Pulley
Predator Tune
K&N Cold Air Intake
Mac 2.5 Cat Back

My car is bone stock other than that....even the factory plugs with factory gap. I had street tires (eagle f1's). My tune by the way is what comes with the predator tuner out of the box. No mods. No dyno, no professonial tune. Car runs excellent, no misses, no spark blow out. I did not power shift.

I ran a best of 12.08 at 113 mph
I also ran a 12.10 at 115 mph
my 60' time on the first run was 1.8

The other couple of runs I spun the tires, forgot to take the traction control off on one, and missed third on another so I was running 12.40 - 12.60.

Im pretty impressed, being I dont have a tune, and I have the stock plugs. I think with slicks on a cool night and if I take the headlight out (someone told me after I was done racing), that I could probably run 11.60

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[TERMINATED97]

wait your taking your car to the track and its not even tuned?!! Are you crazy or just want to rebuild your motor?

 

[TERMINATED97]

Congrats on your times though

 

[FirstWorldProblems]

It won't blow up with a box tune, if anything it'd just run rich. Those are pretty good times

 

[Blood on Blood]

Nice times but get the car properly tuned...

 

[Curt]

Well.....I dont know about the tune. The car runs great. I don't notice any problems. Seems to run pretty quick for the mods, I guess I just dont see the value in spending several hundred dollars extra. Predator swears the tune that comes out of the box is fine. I dont think its going to run much faster than it does now.

I had several problems in the past with this....I went to several mechanics and had a pre-made chip in the car and different plugs. It cost me thousands of dollars and my whole summer to find out that the plugs, my bbk cold air intake and possibly something with my premade chip was making the car misfire under regualar driving conditions. After everyone took my money, and then kept blaming it on other parts of my car, even telling me I need a new engine, I fixed that car. I had it to every mechanic around trying to fix it. I don't think I will ever let anyone touch my car again. Im not a mechanic, but Im having to learn to be. The best I ran with the car before with the other chip, cai and plugs was 12.44

 

[-=SVT=-]

I run just the predator tune. Plus i ported the eaton myself and have no problems. I ran it all summer and it runs great! I dont think predator would sell a tune that would run lean that bad, if anything it is running rich!

 

[Aron]

Those are some pretty good times. I'll be honest though, I'm not so sure you'll run that 11.60 you're hoping for. You're already 60'-ing the car pretty decent, there may be another couple tenths there, but your trap speed isn't right for an 11.60 pass. Maybe somebody who knows these cars better than me will chime in and tell me otherwise.

Still, good job, and good luck.

 

[Wiked03]

Well.....I dont know about the tune. The car runs great. I don't notice any problems. Seems to run pretty quick for the mods, I guess I just dont see the value in spending several hundred dollars extra. Predator swears the tune that comes out of the box is fine. I dont think its going to run much faster than it does now.

I had several problems in the past with this....I went to several mechanics and had a pre-made chip in the car and different plugs. It cost me thousands of dollars and my whole summer to find out that the plugs, my bbk cold air intake and possibly something with my premade chip was making the car misfire under regualar driving conditions. After everyone took my money, and then kept blaming it on other parts of my car, even telling me I need a new engine, I fixed that car. I had it to every mechanic around trying to fix it. I don't think I will ever let anyone touch my car again. Im not a mechanic, but Im having to learn to be. The best I ran with the car before with the other chip, cai and plugs was 12.44

I know you may feel discouraged based on past experiences, but I would AT LEAST put that car on a dyno and verify that canned tuned is safe.

 

[IZZy]

you are gonna need to trap at least 118-119 to get that deep in the 11's

 

[gnxs]

Well.....I dont know about the tune. The car runs great. I don't notice any problems. Seems to run pretty quick for the mods, I guess I just dont see the value in spending several hundred dollars extra. Predator swears the tune that comes out of the box is fine. I dont think its going to run much faster than it does now.

I had several problems in the past with this....I went to several mechanics and had a pre-made chip in the car and different plugs. It cost me thousands of dollars and my whole summer to find out that the plugs, my bbk cold air intake and possibly something with my premade chip was making the car misfire under regualar driving conditions. After everyone took my money, and then kept blaming it on other parts of my car, even telling me I need a new engine, I fixed that car. I had it to every mechanic around trying to fix it. I don't think I will ever let anyone touch my car again. Im not a mechanic, but Im having to learn to be. The best I ran with the car before with the other chip, cai and plugs was 12.44

First off...good runs. AWESOME 60 fts on the stock F1's. :biggthump

If I was you I would at least get a datalog or dyno pull (with A/F) on your car. Many years ago when I had a Predator Canned Tune, it showed very lean down low and pig rich up top. There's probably a good bit of safe hp and driveability in a custom tune, but you seem to be happy with it as is. Either way, finding out your A/F numbers across the rpm range can only be a good thing.

 

[doug@performance]

Congrats on the times, +1 on finding out the air/fuel. Even if you do not want to go with a custom dyno tune you could go with a Dynojet wideband so you can play with it your self. Also like Larry mentioned there could be some left on the table with horsepower.

Here is a link to the Dynojet setup we use a lot.
http://www.widebandcommander.com/wbc_productinfo.aspx

Thanks
Doug

 

[TCG Member 5219]

No tune? First off you should be running NGK TR6 plugs, and second you will find that your car feels the strongest running super lean right before you blow the heads off of it.

 

[Maniak]

No tune? First off you should be running NGK TR6 plugs

he made a thread last week about tr6's. he had BAD luck with them so he isnt running them.

 

[nytebyte]

You have almost the same mods I have and I've always wanted to see what someone would run with those mods.

Based on the times you ran, I feel that I might be able to break into the 11's since I have a coupe, which is a bit lighter and have a better tune.

Didn't really realize that a 2.76 pulley, intake and catback could get our cars into the 11's.

 

[Wiked03]

You have almost the same mods I have and I've always wanted to see what someone would run with those mods.

Based on the times you ran, I feel that I might be able to break into the 11's since I have a coupe, which is a bit lighter and have a better tune.

Didn't really realize that a 2.76 pulley, intake and catback could get our cars into the 11's.

Guys have gone 11.30s with 2.76 upper, tune, intake, exhaust with a tire.

 

[Wiked03]

he made a thread last week about tr6's. he had BAD luck with them so he isnt running them.

He may not like the TR6s, but he should definitley look into getting something in that same heat range. Pullied cars want a colder plug than the stockers.

 

[Curt]

Well....tr6 plugs are junk. If it is better for my car I will change from the stock plugs....but I need some kind of proof that it is better and that it will not cause my car to misfire. Also I will do the tune...if there is some kind of proof that I will hurt my car. Has anyone....ever.....heard of someone blowing there engine because of stock plugs or because of using a stock predator tune?? From what I have read about these cars its almost impossible to hurt these engines. I want to do what is best for my car...but the last time I put different plugs in here with a different tune, the car misfired. I just dont want that to happen, or to spend any more money then I need to. Car is running better than it has ever run before the way it is now.

 

[gnxs]

Well....tr6 plugs are junk. If it is better for my car I will change from the stock plugs....but I need some kind of proof that it is better and that it will not cause my car to misfire. Also I will do the tune...if there is some kind of proof that I will hurt my car. Has anyone....ever.....heard of someone blowing there engine because of stock plugs or because of using a stock predator tune??

I would just get my A/F checked if I were you, no need to tune it necessarily. If you want to be :noevil:with your A/F, you shouldn't be surprised if something bad happens.

Maybe you're lucky and the tune is dead on. Most people recommend a colder plug when running 14 psi (2.76 pulley). Whether that's an NGK (which you don't like), Autolite, Denso, etc. Just passing along info on what most tuners recommend. If Kurgan or Sutton finds this thread, maybe they'll add their $0.02.

From what I have read about these cars its almost impossible to hurt these engines.

These guys might disagree:

http://www.modularfords.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12489&highlight=blown+engine+summary

 

[svtslowcar]

Some may be familar with all the problems I have had with my car....it is running great now. I took it to 66 Last night. I think I did pretty well.....my car is a 2003 convertible...here are my mods

2.76 Pulley
Predator Tune
K&N Cold Air Intake
Mac 2.5 Cat Back

My car is bone stock other than that....even the factory plugs with factory gap. I had street tires (eagle f1's). My tune by the way is what comes with the predator tuner out of the box. No mods. No dyno, no professonial tune. Car runs excellent, no misses, no spark blow out. I did not power shift.

I ran a best of 12.08 at 113 mph
I also ran a 12.10 at 115 mph
my 60' time on the first run was 1.8

The other couple of runs I spun the tires, forgot to take the traction control off on one, and missed third on another so I was running 12.40 - 12.60.

Im pretty impressed, being I dont have a tune, and I have the stock plugs. I think with slicks on a cool night and if I take the headlight out (someone told me after I was done racing), that I could probably run 11.60

I woudl say you did very good runs considering your on a street tire and stock predator tune. I have the same mods as you except i run the 2.93 pulley, same predator tune, but with the mickey thompson 315/35 DR/s and i only got 12.45 as my best time. and i was trapping 111 mph on every run, andmy 60' time were 1.8's and high 1.7's. and i have the coupe, not a vert Nice runs!!

 

[94' cobra 351]

AWESOME RUNS!!!!

Knowing that a pulley swap, tune, exhaust and intake can put a terminator into the 11's makes it very tempting to sell my car and get one

I think I will just continue with my plans to make a sleeper that will roast terminators alike :burnout:

 

[fireredven03]

Nice 60 ft times with the f1's!!!!

I think you have quite a bit left on the table in the tune. My car has a 2.93 pulley, x-pipe, c-back, cai and I was consistenly trapping 115-118 running 11.60's to 11.80's. I had mickey 275-40-17 drag radials.

I think with a good tune, you should be easily faster with the 2.76 pulley. I have a mail order tune from Paul's High Performance and car runs perfect with stock spark plugs.

If I were you, I would call Bob Kurgan and have him tune it. He does a great job and is relatively cheap too. A tune and sticky tires, you will be solidly in the 11's

 

[Curt]

Route 66

Thanks for all the support everyone. This may suprise you...one of my runs I made with the stock eagle f1's I did a 1.6 60' time. Guess I lucked out...I am also amazed at the power these cars put out....Fast. Lets face it, I have a 11 second convertible that drives nice around town, has a great stereo, Ice cold a/c.....Dont think I can ask for much else. I have owned many mustangs, and I sold my 93 cobra to have this car. I have never regreted it. Ford really built a nice car. Im undecided on tuning it or not, I dont want to hurt my car, but I think I would have already done that if the tune wasn't somewhat accurate. I ran it 5 times at 66. Car never missed a beat.