Trying to buy this 97SVT with a Vortech-S-Trim

[rapidsft]

Here is the scoop. It's a 97SVT, has Griggs everything, besides the K-member. Anyways car has 50k miles on it, I checked it out today, car is cherry. However, the owner told me he had the car was chipped or programmed with a Bassani X pipe. So he had FORD install the Factory H-Pipe. He tells me that the car doesn't sound right and hesitates after they installed the factory H-Piple.

I drove the car and it ran kind of ****ty. Ran fairly hot, little above the middle on the H-C readout. Car was not taking off, it was just hesitating all the way till 7k. It was running slower than a factory GT car. What could be wrong???
Does the car just need to be retuned with the factory H-Pipe on it? The piston rings seem fine. I saw no blow-bye comming out of the oil breather.

All the work was done at a local shop, seems that everything was installed in 2001.

 

[Price1]

I think you answered your own question. If it ran like that, I'd be very hesitant about buying it. Maybe have the owner re-tune it with the factory h-pipe and see what it does.

If the motor is stock (not a forged build up), then you know the tune with a supercharger has to be done very carefully with a good A/F ratio. Otherwise, piston lands burn.

Me, I think I might walk away from that one if it's running like you experienced. Why buy someone else's problem child??

Just my .02.

 

[99SVTAddict]

Just removing the mid-pipe wouldn't throw the tune off that bad....not even close.
Sounds like either a motor issue, bad spark, or bad gas.
I would stay clear of a s/c car that doesn't run right and the owner has excuses.

 

[cold96snake]

My guess is that the ford dealer tuned it with a non s/c program. In other words, the stock program to go with the stock H-pipe. Suspension means naught. I had to drive mine for while w/ the stock tune after I put the sc on it. I was mailed a tune that made it even richer and it reacted exactly as you described. It ran very rich. So, if it hasn't been driven alot, you might be ok. However, you will never know until it's dyno'ed.

Oh, and check for unmetered air. I lacked a short vacuum hose, and air was coming in after the MAF at idle.

 

[rapidsft]

So anyways, I bought the car.

The guy took the car back to the ford dealership where they installed the factory h-pipe. The car runs much much smoother now. Apparently the torque arm was hitting where the h-pipe connects at the H. So the torque arm pulled the H-pipe down causing the exhaust bolts to loosen. The car runs about 60percent better, but it just doesn't pull very hard in 3rd and 4th and 5th gear. It still hesitates a little, but it's not that noticable now. I'm beginning to believe that the car just needs to be tuned, well see the results after I put an offroad pipe back on the car and dyno it.

 

[rapidsft]

dyno results 405hp 355ft lbs 91octane, car is for SALE!

Took the car to Jeff. He tuned the car, car made 405hp@6400rpm and 355 ft-lbs. Car was tuned with California Grade CRAP 91octane.

The first problem with the car was the Spark Plugs, which were worn out. Also, the passenger side O2 sensor after the header was almost dead. So I replaced both O2 sensors and did the tune. Car now runs EXCELLENT.

Now I think i'll sell it.

 

[cmb91LX]

When I looked at my 97, the guy said it makes 500hp. I was like , yeah right. SO I made him take it to a local dyno shop. I already knew I was going to buy it, but hey, I'd rather him sink the cash to get it right than me, ya know. SO, first dyno session showed 400/34x. Not too impressive. He then bought the new SCT meter, 42lb injectors, fuel pump, SCT bank switch chip and 3 tunes for it and removed the FMU(bandaid). After the Dynospeed guys got through with it, it was putting down 420/435 with only 6 lbs of boost. YOu do the math on the gains. Now the car makes 500 at the flywheel, so I bought it that day. A good tuner can make a night and day difference in the way the car runs/performs, trust me. I love my 97, its not a KB 03 killer, but it runs hard everytime and doesnt let me down.

 

[cold96snake]

When I looked at my 97, the guy said it makes 500hp. I was like , yeah right. SO I made him take it to a local dyno shop. I already knew I was going to buy it, but hey, I'd rather him sink the cash to get it right than me, ya know. SO, first dyno session showed 400/34x. Not too impressive. He then bought the new SCT meter, 42lb injectors, fuel pump, SCT bank switch chip and 3 tunes for it and removed the FMU(bandaid). After the Dynospeed guys got through with it, it was putting down 420/435 with only 6 lbs of boost. YOu do the math on the gains. Now the car makes 500 at the flywheel, so I bought it that day. A good tuner can make a night and day difference in the way the car runs/performs, trust me. I love my 97, its not a KB 03 killer, but it runs hard everytime and doesnt let me down.

I haven't seen any mod motors making more rwtq than rwhp. I'm making 434rwhp and 377tq, w/ stock h-pipe, 10lbs w/ AFM PP, and 93 oct. on a mustang dyno.

 

[cmb91LX]

now you have, it was on 93 also and a Dynojet

my friends 04 Cobra makes 478/498 to the wheels on the same dynojet, must be a southern thing

 

[cold96snake]

Hmmm, must be...
My friends '03 w/ a kb makes 556rwhp and 476 rwtq, I think it was on a dynojet. I know he's talking of changing his lower pulley for more tq.