Alright I got the mods in my sig. Now I know a stock geared LX rag top aod is a slow car, and that stock gears and my crate engine don't mix, but today I stop watched my 0-60 at 8 seconds flat. I know this is not the most acurate way to time my self but isn't this too slow with my mods even with stock gears. I was planning on getting gears, 3.73's I don't race I just want a performance car that can beat a truck, I figure gears won't take off 2 seconds, and even if they could a 6 second 0-60 still isn't even that fast. On top of that I get 11-12 mpg. So with gears I'd have I car getting 10-11 mpg running 7 seconds 0-60, does this seem too slow to anyone else??
should my car be this slow?
- Thread starter 89 droptop
- Start date
maverick0716
Founding Member
Throwing a powerful engine in without the supporting mods won't get you the gains you hoped for. Shift kit, higher stall converter, 3.73 or 4.10 rear gears.....what about fuel? Are you still running the stock injectors and fuel pump?
The issue of the tranny and gears is really what I was wondering about. See my dad wants me to get a new tranny before I go off to college so I was looking at a lentech aod so that will take car of the shifting issues, then of cours would come the gears. I just didn't want to be spending my dads money on a tranny if, combined with gears it still wasn't going to be very fast. As far as stall converter we put a 2000 rpm B&M in because the last one balloned and ****ed my cranck in the old engine, I know this is a very mild stall. Fuel delivery has not been stepped up but I've been hasatating with stuff like that cuz the car is already horable with fuel and like I said, I'm going to be away at college soon, so $$$$
Maryland Stang
Active Member
Your main problem is you're dying coming out of the hole. Gears aren't really going to do much, if anything, for your 0 to 60s. Gears are helpful for keeping an engine in it's powerband.
Gears are a torque multiplier.
Think of torque as the force that allows you to move weight.
Think of horsepower as how fast torque can move that weight.
Now since you're not increasing your horsepower by installing gears you should not reasonably expect to gain much by simply going to a lower gear ratio.
Now if you intall a torque convertor that allows your engine to start out in it's power band, instead of having to work up to it, then you will have faster 0 to 60s.
If you read through the threads on gears changes here you will notice that everybody talks about the seat of the pants feeling you get from a gear change and it is true to a degree because the gears allow the engine to stay in it's power band more readily. But when you read about the 1/4 mile increases you will notice that the max you can pick up is usually about 1/2 sec. A lot of guys write about increases of even less than that. A few pick up more but it's not often.
Gears are a torque multiplier.
Think of torque as the force that allows you to move weight.
Think of horsepower as how fast torque can move that weight.
Now since you're not increasing your horsepower by installing gears you should not reasonably expect to gain much by simply going to a lower gear ratio.
Now if you intall a torque convertor that allows your engine to start out in it's power band, instead of having to work up to it, then you will have faster 0 to 60s.
If you read through the threads on gears changes here you will notice that everybody talks about the seat of the pants feeling you get from a gear change and it is true to a degree because the gears allow the engine to stay in it's power band more readily. But when you read about the 1/4 mile increases you will notice that the max you can pick up is usually about 1/2 sec. A lot of guys write about increases of even less than that. A few pick up more but it's not often.
nito88stang
Founding Member
GEARS GEARS GEARS are what you need. The stock AOD has alot of rpm dropoff between shifts. Also, there is not much get up and go with the stock aod so you need gears to help you get into that powerband quicker. And of course a 3000 stall converter would be better so u START in your powerband.
One thing that sticks in my mind is that you have a crate engine with alum heads. How much timing are you running? Alum headed cars love timing. Up in the high teens is good for a alum headed car. Have u had it tuned or done some tuning yourself? What injectors are you running? But definitely tell me what ur initial timing is. Too low and it wont produce power and just take FOREVER to build up power especially with an aftermarket cam that likes to make power a little later in the powerband.
One thing that sticks in my mind is that you have a crate engine with alum heads. How much timing are you running? Alum headed cars love timing. Up in the high teens is good for a alum headed car. Have u had it tuned or done some tuning yourself? What injectors are you running? But definitely tell me what ur initial timing is. Too low and it wont produce power and just take FOREVER to build up power especially with an aftermarket cam that likes to make power a little later in the powerband.
Theres something wrong with this guys car. Jeez instead of everyone telling him what he needs, which he doesn't, try to figure out whats wrong with his car. An al. headed crate engine shouldnt have 0-60 of 8 seconds and 11-12 mpg.
A stock gt should have a 0-60 in about 6.5 seconds. Theres something wrong.
Engine: GT-40 crate engine w/ Aluminum X heads and E303cam
Exhaust: Edelbrock shorties, Bassani X-pipe w/cats, Flowmaster 40's.
Intake: Cobra w/70mm bbk TB
Come on guys he should be pushing 250-260 even with the aod.
A stock gt should have a 0-60 in about 6.5 seconds. Theres something wrong.
Engine: GT-40 crate engine w/ Aluminum X heads and E303cam
Exhaust: Edelbrock shorties, Bassani X-pipe w/cats, Flowmaster 40's.
Intake: Cobra w/70mm bbk TB
Come on guys he should be pushing 250-260 even with the aod.
25thmustang
Mustang Master
An AOD with no converter and stock gears WILL make a crate motor feel slow. I had a 13.0 combo, and with the auto (I had 3.73s and a converter) only went 14.3 on average...
He used a stop watch to get 0-60, his tranny probably shifts the car waaaay to low in the RPM range, and he is most likely still in 1st or just into 2nd from 0-60, and the cars probably bogging badly out of the hole... Take all this into account and you have your reasons...
Gears, converter and shift kit and I bet the cars a whole new animal...
He used a stop watch to get 0-60, his tranny probably shifts the car waaaay to low in the RPM range, and he is most likely still in 1st or just into 2nd from 0-60, and the cars probably bogging badly out of the hole... Take all this into account and you have your reasons...
Gears, converter and shift kit and I bet the cars a whole new animal...
rsw007
New Member
notchback
Founding Member
Maryland Stang said:
dude you totally contradicted yourself in the first 2 sentences.
you need 4.10's and a stall converter, you can't time yourself for 0-60 really
and your right that a aod 'vert is super slow...my '90 'vert aod went 15.10 1/4 mile w/ 3.73's
ninety15.0
New Member
- Mar 10, 2004
- 1,336
- 0
- 0
Gears...definately 4.10's if you go with 3.73's your leaving a lot on the table in terms of 2nd and 3rd gear accel. Any gear change to 3.73's or 4.10's will make first gear feel real short but what really matters is how fast the car pulls from like 50-100...the second half of the track. 4.10s will really help you get through second and third, which is where the stock equipment is horendous. Secondly if you want the car to leave the line hard...you need at least 2600-2800 rpm stall maybe even 3000 depending on your intentions for the car. A shift kit is a must especially b/c they are relatively cheap and when it comes to doing things right the first time...why not!! My overall suggestion is that if your dad wants to get you a new tranny...let him do it. throw him some extra cash to allow you to get a good converter, gears, and a shift kit all at once. I know this is an expensive list ~2200 bucks...but get it done now and never worry about it again. good luck man
legalize420
Active Member
rsw007
New Member
Overall you guys answered pretty much all my questions, thanks alot. I'm getting ready for the tranny, looking at the Lentch street terminator and 3.73 no 4.10s, soon I'll be making monthly trips home (5 hours). As far as the tc nothing to steep, just want faster car no real racing. I think timing is advanced to 15 or 17. My problem is that my macanic is a friend of my dads who seems to think that an engine making "this much power" should be getting crappy milage, now I know these engines don't make 340hp and from what I read guys pushing even more power w/alum heads, aft-market cams & gears are getting street mpg in the high teens and highway mpg in the 20's. I dont even drive hard cuz I know the car is slow. Another thing, there was a chip on the car before when it had the stock motor with a few mods NO cam or heads though, when we put this motor in I thougt we wouldn't use the chip because it's not tuned for the motor , but I'm pretty sure he put it back in. Is that not right? I don't know if my problem is the gears/shift kit/tc, which I'm on the way to takling care of or something more.
legalize420
Active Member
89 droptop said:
what kinda chip. i would back the timing down to 10 and use 87, but thats just me.
ninety15.0
New Member
- Mar 10, 2004
- 1,336
- 0
- 0
he would get even worse milage and worse performance if he backed the timing down to 10 and ran reg. bump it up to 14-16 and run 89 or 91 you will like the added timing and so will the motor. its the tranny and gears thats killing your mpg. Also i would say that the chip is definately hurting you to. maybe getting it reflashed would be the best option.
legalize420
Active Member
Similar threads
