Cobra on Tuesday, need some advice.

woodywoody

New Member
Apr 2, 2006
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Hey Guys!

So obviously I am new and wanted to say hi to everybody. :D

I am getting a 2003 Cobra Vert on Tuesday or so of next week. I am selling my 06 GT VERT I have now since I don't much like it. I had an 00 GT VERT before and I dont know, I just like the old style better. Plus, you cant beat that supercharger stock!!!!

So I wanted your advice on some mods. I have two in mind. I am just worried about adding too much power adders to the car and hurting the stock blower and or engine. The two that I am looking at are as follows.

http://www.slponline.com/view_product.asp?P=M31050

And

http://www.rpmoutlet.com/03cobraheat.htm

I was told that if I got any other pullies for the blower, I would need to get a better heat exchanger. Judging by the pictures, that innercooler seems to be pretty damn big and way better then stock.

Is there anything else I need to do? I thought about a clutch and maybe suspension but I don't think I will go any higher then the 575HP this package offers. Now if I want to put more power, then I assume I would need to do some other mods but with just those two mods, will the engine and blower be safe?

keep in mind that I am just a daily driver who does like to go fast but I don't race, street or strip and never really drive my car HARD. A quick 0-60 or 80 and maybe a quick rolling start to screw around but thats about it.

-W
 
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you drive your car like me pretty much.

just my input on your choices of mods.

i have heard no feedback on that slp kit. headers are a bitch to install on these cars, im sure you were aware of that. i would be weary of using any "packaged" tune for a pulley car. all the handheld tuners come with package tunes for pulleys, and there is just too many variables to accurately tune it well. altitude, octane gas, timing, on and on, plus each car is different.

that aside, if you go with it, that seems like a complete kit. i would take it in and have an a/f reading done for peace of mind if you use that tune.

with a smaller pulley also, there is a risk of belt slip. i dont know if that pulley is a "non-slip" style, but i would be worried about slip. most dont experience any slip until you hit roughly 2.93 or smaller. i have a 2.93 on my car, and no idler pulleys (gives more belt wrap, reducing chances of slip) and experience no signs of slip. i have a billetflow non-slip though.

lastly, there are lots of good heat exchangers. afco, gords, lfp, fluidyne. i havent heard anyone say one is dominate over the other. some do require little mods over the others though.

i believe afco is one of the direct bolt-in pieces. i havent heard anything negative about them. however, ill be purchasing an lfp one with "cobra" stenciled in. if your not on the car alot, like you described your not, a h/e might not be a necessary mod. just like me though, im getting one for peace of mind and safety. heat is an enemy of these cars, so ill be getting a better aftermarket radiator as well.

ever since i got my car, ive done nothing but read thoroughly pretty much with anything i did/have done. there is lots of good info out there. check out svtperformance forums also. i hang out there and read, since there is alot more cobra owners then over here. uncle meat and dan soprano can answer or give any other input on what i've said though.

good luck.
 
My advise is go with a 2.93 pulley, K&N FIPK or JLT true cold air, Catted mid pipe, and catback, and an X2 from a rep. tuner. this will get you to roughly around 420-440hp and same #'s torque wise at the wheels. Don't worry about hurting anything at this power level. She'll love it! A heat exchanger will show you minimal if any gains at this power level. Unless you are shooting for over 600 at the wheels with a KB or Whipple, they are not needed. Check out lethal performance, www.lethalperformance.com . They have the best customer service I have ever seen! I only deal with them. Also, check out the Terminator forums @ www.modularfords.com . The 03/04 Cobra Guru's live there! Good luck and post some pics up when you get her!
 
yeah, for reference also.

i made 440/465 on a tune from just in-car adjustments. will be making more with my rwtd tune now. that is with just a catback, 2.93, and jlt rai.

expecting +10/10 to those numbers with the new tune. numbers are numbers though, car pulls hard as hell everywhere :nice: im well over 400 rwtq from 1800-5500.
 
And to touch on what 281 said, if you do go with a handheld tuner, make sure you get one from someone with a clue like James @ RWTD ( www.fordcustomtuning.com ). Even after make sure you hit the dyno and get her all checked out. I had the mail order tune, and while it was safe, it left alot of power on the table. Infact I just got dyno tuned yesterday, and picked up another 30hp and 30tq at the wheels, and the dyno tune is over all safer then the mail order was!:D

I have tried both the Diablo Predator, and now the SCT X-calibar 2. The SCT is 10 times better hands down. Much better support, you can datalog better, tweak the tune yourself better using the livelink software ect.... Just my 2 cents, but the Predator is second rate to the X2. Most tuners have or are switching to the SCT software, so it will be harder and harder to get support for the Predator. Word of advise on the predator. The advertise the "pulley" tune that comes with the unit. if you do go with the predator for some reason, DO NOT USE THE CANNED PULLEY TUNE! I have never seen one that came out correctly. Every one I have seen has run dangerously LEAN!

ok. I have written a bible again so if you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask. Although there are only 3 or 4 hardcore terminator guys that actually visit this particular forum, we are more then willing to walk you through anything. Like was stated in earlier posts, also check out www.modularfords.com or www.svtperformance.com . ALOT of great reading on those sites and lots of "been there done that" advise.
 
Well it seems like there is a lot to consider... I believe the package was with a 2.80 pully. Goodyear gatorback I think. I don't know if thats good. I guess one of my main questions is can you get the 575HP they claim from the stock Eaton Blower?

The only part I don't like about that car is the headers and there is a guy here in Raleigh, NC who is apparently one of the best tuners in the area.

Shold I get the package and then get it tuned on the Dyno? Or just get the 2.93 pullies, and other single parts here and there (no headers) and probably save 400-500 bucks and then get it tuned also? Decisions decisions.

I will have a little over 3k to spend, maybe more depending on some things after all this is done but I do want to take care of one bill before I buy anything. So I have some time to make a good decision.

Also, I figured it would be good just to go ahead and get that innercooler anyway just for piece of mind because I will need it eventually anyway and, it's only like $450? It's a direct bolt on with no mods to the car required but if you all have a suggestion for a different one, I am all ears.

Thanks for the advice so far!!!:nice:

-W
 
what are your plans for the car? just driving it and messing around on the street?

let me tell you how much cash it took me to get my car where it is power wise.

catback used 150, intake 150, pulley/belt 130 (got the belt for 5 bucks new), install of pulley 75, rwtd service 70, predator 300 new. so under a grand with everything installed.

if you have another 2 grand, you can have stegemeier port your blower, get a lower pulley, and supporting mods. then you will be around/slightly over 500 rwhp depending on what lower pulley/stage port you get.
 
you will never get 575hp out of a stock eaton. No one has done it without a nitrous shot. 575 is KB or Whipple territory. Give Jared @ lethal a call. He will be more then happy to talk you through what you want to do, and will more then likely give you a GREAT package deal if you get all the stuff through him. He WILL beat any competitor....
 
the heat exchanger is kinda up to you. the car heatsoaks pretty badly if your stomping on it consistantly. if you just jump on the freeway like me, push it to 80 and let off. the stock should be fine.

im just getting one for safety and peace of mind. doesnt have to be done, especially with my driving habits. it isint a bad thing to have though. it will keep the power a little more consistant if your doing back to back pulls/quarter mile passes, ect.
 
281pony said:
what are your plans for the car? just driving it and messing around on the street?

let me tell you how much cash it took me to get my car where it is power wise.

catback used 150, intake 150, pulley/belt 130 (got the belt for 5 bucks new), install of pulley 75, rwtd service 70, predator 300 new. so under a grand with everything installed.

if you have another 2 grand, you can have stegemeier port your blower, get a lower pulley, and supporting mods. then you will be around/slightly over 500 rwhp depending on what lower pulley/stage port you get.
uuugh.....I wish I only had that much $$ in my car....I think I am approaching the 7 grand threshold......Damn how did that happen.........:shrug:
 
Dan_Soprano said:
you will never get 575hp out of a stock eaton. No one has done it without a nitrous shot. 575 is KB or Whipple territory. Give Jared @ lethal a call. He will be more then happy to talk you through what you want to do, and will more then likely give you a GREAT package deal if you get all the stuff through him. He WILL beat any competitor....


im guessing they are giving flywheel to make it look more impressive. which still puts it right at 500 rwhp.

with a pulley and exhaust, eh not happening lol. unless they have a secret ported blower and lower pulley in that combo.
 
Dan_Soprano said:
uuugh.....I wish I only had that much $$ in my car....I think I am approaching the 7 grand threshold......Damn how did that happen.........:shrug:

7k? how long have you had your car?

ive had mine not quite 3 months now. i was working 35 hour weeks, making my own car payment/insurance/gas/mods, at about 9.60 an hour. lol, been a pretty tight 3 months for the ol' bank account. i just got out of that job into a much better one though, but i was definately making some sacrifices to buy my crap recently.
 
281pony said:
7k? how long have you had your car?

ive had mine not quite 3 months now. i was working 35 hour weeks, making my own car payment/insurance/gas/mods, at about 9.60 an hour. lol, been a pretty tight 3 months for the ol' bank account. i just got out of that job into a much better one though, but i was definately making some sacrifices to buy my crap recently.
it will be 2 years in August. I'm just a dumb HP junkie with a credit card. Oh yeah, 6 month tax free deployments, with nothing better to do then fly and plan mods doesn't help either.:D
 
Yea they make it clear with the Dyno sheet at the bottom of the page that the 575HP is not at the wheels. It was 489 or something at the wheels.

I don't know, I may change up my driving a little since I will have a Cobra but I have not had a ticket in the 10 years I have been driving so I dont plan on getting one. I think that heat exchanger would be a good idea just for piece of mind alone. I was just making sure that the one I was looking at was a good one.

What is "rwtd service 70"?

And if those are all I need then damn, thats pretty easy mods. I will have to give that guy a call and see what he can do for me.

-W
 
rwtd is runnin with the devil. they do online tuning, you give them your mods, they make a custom tune for you beyond the basic predator parameters. then they send you the tune, you load the tune into the car through the predator/x-cal 2.

you then do datalogging, and send them back the info and they will perfect your tune, or damn near.

you can register or read more over at www.diablosporttuning.com you pay 75 bucks and they will do tuning for you for 6 months, 120 i believe and they will do it for a year.
 
That sounds like an awesome deal. How do I go about gathering information to send back to them or will they just explain all that to me when I get in touch with them? But damn, for that amount of money, the year seems like a killer deal that way any mod i put on my car, can just be re-tuned by them anytime.

-W
 
woodywoody said:
I was looking online at Pullies for the car, what about this one?

http://www.rpmoutlet.com/03cobracog.htm

Is their claim of +16 PSI not real? Or if it is, does it just end up shortning the life of the Eaton S/C?

-W
you can get about 16# of boost from a regular 2.8 or 2.76 (can't remember)pulley. Leave that cog crap alone. No one is running it and for good reason. After you let off the gas, the blower pulley "slips" under the belt. It is like that on purpose. It prevents shock loads to the snout, bearings, and rotors of the blower. if you go with the Cog, the the blower has no room to slip, and you can do damage to the above named parts.