Dyno's after Vortech install - 03 4.6 2v

[MEandmyKB]

Don't feel too bad, you're not the only unhappy camper. A few weeks ago, I had my stang dyno'ed. It put down only 320hp, which is embarrassingly low for an IC'ed KB'ed GT. I think I know why the #s are so low, though. Anyways, good luck.

How much boost are you actually making? My kit was rated at 9psi but I make 10 at mid rpm's and 11 when I pass 5,000 rpm's.

 

[DCjuggalo]

LS1 can easily make more hp than that without a sc

 

[Jackie Chan]

get a boost guage, o/r midpipe, plenum/tb (at least a plenum), and a smaller puley and get it tuned. I'm sure 370 or more would be there

 

[TweekedGT]

Should have got a Kenne Bell? .......j/k Brian's going to blow a scrodum if he see's this comment . Sorry to hear about your numbers, I would have thought they would be higher too.

 

[DogVomit]

there could be a ton of reasons why your car isnt producing. first off, 260 stock hp is to the crank, you should see ~235 to the wheels stock. slap a basic vortech kit on a stock car and i'd expect anywhere from 320-340 rwhp. now, did you get a tune? how is the guy's reputation who is doing the tuning? did a shop do the install? did they re-assemble everything correctly? is the blower really doing its job? is it a defective unit? is there a restriction somewhere (anything from a rag stuffed in the intake tube to a clogged air filter to a clogged exhaust system)? hows the A/F ratio? all these things are to be considered. is the car running differently now? i.e. hesitating, stuttering, felling sluggish? etc etc etc etc

Actually, it's running fine.
It starts and idles smoothly.
It accelerates smoothly, steady, with no hesitation.
It ingine brakes (under compression) very smoothly.

The blower is very quiet, just a slight whistle at idle and up to maybe 1500 rpm's. It's only slightly audible in 1st and second. After that it's almost silent.

I'll call the shop to see if they have my profile stored with more of the specs. I'll try to get the A/F ratio, pulley size and boost readings from my dyno.

Maybe this will help.

My kit was the 4FL218-130SQ. It came with the 3.60 pulley, just took a look.

I would think that the package would be standard, since Vortech sells this particular package for a stock setup, as well as folks with bolt on adds.

 

[04DarkShadowGT]

Auto or manual? If its an auto that isnt too far off. But it could be in your tune.

 

[DogVomit]

Auto or manual? If its an auto that isnt too far off. But it could be in your tune.

Stick. Five speed.
From here. I start with changing the plugs. After that, I'm burried in about 5k credit card bills. That's why I need you guys to throw your ideas at me on this 2003 GT, 4.6 2v.

I'm so financially screwed now, and such a short dick on the ruler! My brown eye's have turned pissed off yellow.

 

[White Stang]

Your numbers are not off for your mods and your pulley that is a 3.6. Thats about 6 pounds of boost. You went from high 220 rwhp to 300 rwhp not bad. Be happy Knowing when you add mods now it is really going to make a diffrence. Power pipe, Exhaust, Plenum, etc.

 

[Figment]

if ramseys tuned your car i would take it somewhere else(coastal dyno or racerelated) my friend just picked up his 93 TT cobra becouse ramsey couldnt tune it.

 

[nic01scgt]

Yeah there is nothing wrong with your car man. I have the same pulley as you and only see 5 lbs. If your that worried about it your going to need a new pulley, some long tubes, and a boost pipe and I think you'll be happy with your numbers.

 

[DogVomit]

Thanks guys.

Your input has put my mind at ease alot. After I know I have a great tune, I'll start with the bolt-ons.

I'll contact the shop to get my A/F info. for Mike Ancheta at Vortech. I let him know that I wasn't impressed with my numbers, compared to what Vortech advertises for a stock stang with the particular kit I bought.
It's only fair that I go after them on this and it's good for all consumers.

Here's Mike's correspondence...

We need to figure out how much boost your car is making, where your air/fuel ratio is, if you're running platinum plugs, and what the gap is on the spark plugs. To me, it seems like it's something in the tune, but I would need to know these things before I can make that assumption

 

[Josh-'96 GT]

So you're only running about 6# of boost...non-intercooled no less...have no mods (except for the S-trim)....and your mad about a 30-35% increase in RWHP? I think you're worked up for nothing. As many of the others guys posted, you have alot of improvements you can do to get that number up...

 

[Jackie Chan]

So you're only running about 6# of boost...non-intercooled no less...have no mods (except for the S-trim)....and your mad about a 30-35% increase in RWHP? I think you're worked up for nothing. As many of the others guys posted, you have alot of improvements you can do to get that number up...

yup...don't blame vortech. I know people in the high 500's with an s-trim. It's your setup

 

[TacBear]

Get a SCT Xcalibrator2, come up to Alabama and let Doug tune it!

 

[Josh-'96 GT]

yup...don't blame vortech. I know people in the high 500's with an s-trim. It's your setup

Yeah, I've seen a '96 Z28 run 9.97 @ 135 using an S-trim on a 383...so it'll move enough air to make power. Obviously, the car needs a ton of supporting mods to do that...

 

[DBMSTNG]

are you running the Vortech tune? if so, i gaurantee that's the problem. they blew up quite a few 4.6L's with crappy tunes so they started making all the tunes rich with no timing so as not to blow up any more. that's why the Vortech kit's used to advertise something like 164hp increase for that kit and now only advertise 104hp.

 

[DogVomit]

are you running the Vortech tune? if so, i gaurantee that's the problem. they blew up quite a few 4.6L's with crappy tunes so they started making all the tunes rich with no timing so as not to blow up any more. that's why the Vortech kit's used to advertise something like 164hp increase for that kit and now only advertise 104hp.

Actually, I had a dyno tune, using a superchip.

I'm really questioning my plugs. The Vortech install claims to change them and not use platinum unless it's OEM.
I think I might blow past those platinums and go with a stangard copper plug at .032 and see if I can get a retune. I don't want to pay for another from the shop, since my last tune doesn't seem quite right.

 

[DBMSTNG]

Actually, I had a dyno tune, using a superchip.

I'm really questioning my plugs. The Vortech install claims to change them and not use platinum unless it's OEM.
I think I might blow past those platinums and go with a stangard copper plug at .032 and see if I can get a retune. I don't want to pay for another from the shop, since my last tune doesn't seem quite right.

you definetly want copper plugs and go 1 step colder than stock. gap them at .035. i doubt tho that you'll see the power you should be making after just changing the plugs. i would fight for my money back on the crappy tune.

 

[DogVomit]

you definetly want copper plugs and go 1 step colder than stock. gap them at .035. i doubt tho that you'll see the power you should be making after just changing the plugs. i would fight for my money back on the crappy tune.

I will and thanks. I'm switching to copper at .035.

|Onme last question...: If my plugs are original and the installer didn't regap them to .035, could that be a cause for ping. After the tune, they retarded the timing a little to reduce the ping.

Just curious as to if 48,000 mile plugs without a regap might cause some of that ping. If yes, then after the new plugs go in, I'm asking them to retune, on the shop!

 

[Josh-'96 GT]

I will and thanks. I'm switching to copper at .035.

|Onme last question...: If my plugs are original and the installer didn't regap them to .035, could that be a cause for ping. After the tune, they retarded the timing a little to reduce the ping.

Just curious as to if 48,000 mile plugs without a regap might cause some of that ping. If yes, then after the new plugs go in, I'm asking them to retune, on the shop!

The bigger gap won't cause a "ping", but too much plug gap under higher boost pressures can lead to misfires.

The original plug heat range could lead to detonation/preignition conditions in a power adder car. As mentioned above, go one heat range colder...like an NGK TR6 or equivalent.

BTW, them retarding the timing definitely will reduce power. Running a colder plug may allow you to put a little bit of that timing back in...