how to MAXIMIZE my engine combo!!

[UnderdogGN]

hey guys, im starting to plan out my wintertime mods.
i would like some input on what i can do to get the most out of my combo.

Its an 89 vert 302 stock block with a built AOD.
AFR 165's, 1.6 RR, F cam, stock cobra intake, 73mm c&l MAF, 65 mm Tbody, 24# injectors, 190 Lph pump.
BBK equal length shorties, 2.5" H-pipe, flowmaster super 44's blah blah blah
Adjustable fuel regulator, wideband o2 running 12.6-12.9 a/f ratio. It needs 40 PSI fuel pressure line ON for that ratio.
It runs low-mid 13's with a crap 60ft-1.9. (I hate nittos)
IT also has 3:55 gears (will be putting in good axles and Mickey Thompson DR's)

What do you guys think about my intake?? i think my whole intake is restricting a bit. How about a bigger MAF and Tbody with a ported lower intake?
i think it would breath alot better
what about my fuel system?
do underdrive pullies really help any????
Basically im looking for opinions from you guys how i can make my H/C/I car run harder.
thanks in advance!

 

[grey5.0beast]

I think the cobra lower being ported would help, also I think the cam is mismatched. F cam is a little big for cobra/165 combo I think.

The MAF and Tbody are plenty for that combo.

 

[25thmustang]

I agree, port the cobra and have a cam made or at least spec'd for you. Might help a ton. More gear is a MUST also...

 

[Grn92LX]

You NEED gear and a custom converter.

 

[UnderdogGN]

hmmm...i have a 3200 stall in it and pulled out my 4:10's because i was running out of gear at the strip. I cant use overdrive @ WOT it wont let me. So basically its a 3 speed auto....if there was a way to go WOT in OD i definately would throw the 4:10's back in it....
thanks!!!

 

[UnderdogGN]

btw i also have 100 shot on it...but i would like to get it perfected N/A before i even start with the spray. But the juice is another reason i have the 3:55's in there...

 

[5spd GT]

I figured you had gears in there already with that combination

Get a custom cam from www.flowtechinduction.com (Ed Curtis or similar), have the lower ported by tmoss on this website.

 

[Grn92LX]

hmmm...i have a 3200 stall in it and pulled out my 4:10's because i was running out of gear at the strip. I cant use overdrive @ WOT it wont let me. So basically its a 3 speed auto....if there was a way to go WOT in OD i definately would throw the 4:10's back in it....
thanks!!!

www.ultimateconverter.com Talk to Lenny. Send him your converter to make it work and put the 4.10's back in. No need to spend another $1000 on the induction when what you have can work if you maximized the rest of the car.

I think last time I emailed him about restalling a converter he wanted like $250.

 

[85_SS_302_Coupe]

Splurge and get the 165 Comps....they're badass for what they are and almost rival the 185s.

 

[UnderdogGN]

ok...so lets see....ported lower intake
and restall the converter and throw the 4:10's back in?
with those gears and spray i went 12.3 at 103 mph..i topped out at like 3/4 track and coasted...
85_SS_302_Coupe-what exactly do you mean by 165 comps? sorry if thats a dumb question.
thanks for the help so far.

 

[Grn92LX]

Talk to lenny about that. If its more of a dedicated squeeze car, keep the gear that works best with that.

 

[85_SS_302_Coupe]

ok...so lets see....ported lower intake
and restall the converter and throw the 4:10's back in?
with those gears and spray i went 12.3 at 103 mph..i topped out at like 3/4 track and coasted...
85_SS_302_Coupe-what exactly do you mean by 165 comps? sorry if thats a dumb question.
thanks for the help so far.

They're CNC ported...flow significantly more than typical 165s but aren't overkill on an engine that would need the 165s vs. the 185s. If that makes sense..

http://www.fordmuscle.com/archives/2005/05/DynoDuel/

 

[5spd GT]

He already has AFR 165's, the competition set of AFR 165's (a few touch-ups) would be a huge waste of money, but I'm sure 85_SS didn't realize that.

A custom cam will run you $325 and a ported lower is in the $130 range.

I never liked steep gears, because then you had to run taller tires and/or have a higher shifting point if you are pushing any kind of power...

 

[25thmustang]

What mph at the track? Mid 13s with a 1.9 60' I cant see any better than 105, and you should NOT be close to running out of gear. We had a stock cammed car going 112+ at the track and still had a little RPM left with 4.30 gears! Your car should pull past 6000 or at least to it, and should not be running out of gear!

 

[UnderdogGN]

ok with the old 4:10s...it would run 13.40-13.30 all day long always at 100 mph....and thats going the the traps at 6000+rpm's in third gear. The 112 mph car with 4:30's your talking about must have been with a 5 speed????

The wierd thing with my car is it will run the same time with 4:10's as it does with the 3:55's!! exact same mph! the 4:10's are a couple hundreths quicker though.
all the same techniques used....60 fts are simlilar...... someone explain that to me!
lol thanks guys

 

[UnderdogGN]

o btw! my car is on 17" nitto drag radials....they are worn out and i think brand new they are only 25.7" tall or something like that.....maybe tire size is effecting my speed/rpm more than i think???

 

[25thmustang]

The 4.30 car was a stick but ALL cars should have a 1:1 gear being the gear you go through the traps. Unless something is up with the converter, I dont see hwo you could be at 6000 RPM at 100 mph, even with a 25.7" tire. I would find out whether your tach is wrong, or what the issue is.

 

[ninety15.0]

Yea that doesnt sound right that you would be running out of gear with the 4.10's. I think that you should be good for close to 110mph with the stock 25.7" tire height. There is a gear/speed calculator around here someplace let me see if i can find it.

http://www.moddedmustangs.com/performance-calculators/

Thats a crappy calculator but either way you would still be under the stock 6250rpm rev limiter with 4.10's at 115 mph. That either means your tach is off (stock piece?) of you may have some strange converter issues? Is the gearset in the tranny stock? good luck man

 

[5spd GT]

This may help you, but use the AOD gearing information:

3rd gear is 1:1 in the AOD, and 4th gear is 1:1 in the T5

http://www.allfordmustangs.com/Detailed/608.shtml

 

[25thmustang]

Exactly 5spd... with the car being in 1:1 the only thing that would cause it to run out of steam with a 26" tire would be the converter, or the tach being off, and the car is not in it's powerband.

To show you my car with it's stock motor is shifted at 6500 RPM on the stock tach. 7000 RPM on the stocker was 6000 on the dyno. So mine was 1000 RPM high. Now if your shifting at 5500 and its 1000 RPM high, thats 4500 (might not be 1000 at that RPM, but you never know) and that is nowhere near your powerband!