Jer Posted June 30, 2008 Report Share Posted June 30, 2008 I finally had a chance to get my car in for a few mods and a dyno tune, and I have to say, I'm delighted. I got Steeda underdrive pulleys and their upgraded inlet elbow (to replace the stock rubber accordian that I've hated since I got the car!). I bought an SCT XCal2 and got a custom tune by Dan Carlson at Realspeed, right near me here on Long Island, NY. The idea was just to get a personalized tune, to suit MY car, MY mods, MY environment, and MY gas (93 octane ALWAYS). My car is still set up with 3.55 gears, BTW. Between the tune and the mods, I can happily claim a very noticable improvement in the car's overall feel; it's as if the pistons, rods, and crank lost a few pounds! The torque at 2,500 in 5th gear is finally usable for 50-80 mph passes, I'm downshifting less, and the power is much more flexible. Off the line is a bit nicer, too, but I would REALLY recommend this to someone who is always going between 50 and 80 on the highway, where your clutch foot gets a workout looking for the torque. All in all, great results for such minor tweaks. I've attached the dyno sheet below. Keep in mind that I DON'T have a "before" reading, but my "butt dyno" knows the difference. Also, note that this was done on a Mustang Dyno, known to be conservative, so your mileage may vary... Extra special note: I highly recommend Realspeed (www.realspeedautomotive.com), for being honest, prompt, knowledgeable, and treating my car with care. I left it all day, and it didn't have a single fingerprint on it. Dan is also (despite being a busy busy guy) always patient with my questions, and I can't wait to go back for more stuff soon. Jer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
'07 SGT 2289 Posted June 30, 2008 Report Share Posted June 30, 2008 Very nice numbers, about 352 HP @ the crank. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shelby Dodge Guy Posted June 30, 2008 Report Share Posted June 30, 2008 Good gains for no more than you have done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jer Posted June 30, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 30, 2008 Very nice numbers, about 352 HP @ the crank. Thanks... The funny thing was that Dan felt bad being one HP shy of 300 rwhp... Jer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jer Posted June 30, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 30, 2008 Good gains for no more than you have done. Yeah, it seemed kinda high for so little modification. Dan mentioned that he found this particular car to be one of the stronger ones he's seen. I was glad to hear it, but it's not like I could take any credit, *I* didn't build it! Jer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
07SGT4578 Posted June 30, 2008 Report Share Posted June 30, 2008 nice results, wish we had before numbers so we could calculate how many dollars per horsepower/torque increase Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jer Posted June 30, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 30, 2008 nice results, wish we had before numbers so we could calculate how many dollars per horsepower/torque increase Probably better if I don't know. Ha. Jer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
68fastback Posted June 30, 2008 Report Share Posted June 30, 2008 More than just the 30-something peak HP improvement is all the new area under the torque curve and the improved throttle response of a custom tune. My friend with a stock '01 Cobra (DOHC but nearly identical stock numbers to the S-GT) picked up an almost identical amount of HP and Tq as you did, but the difference in the seat of the pants is huge! I bet if you throw some fast 1-2 shifts (where you barely *blink* off the throttle) you'll be astounded at how instantly it now straightens your spine <lol> The Ford tunes delay how quickly full-power can resume whenever the throttle is moved and, while the FRP tunes tighten it up a bit, a good custom virtually eliminates any delay and makes it feel like a whole new car ;-) Good luck with her, Jer!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
07SGT4578 Posted June 30, 2008 Report Share Posted June 30, 2008 if you dont mind me askin, how much did you pay for the pullies and the install? I allready have the intake elbow and the tune, got mine from Brenspeed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jer Posted June 30, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 30, 2008 if you dont mind me askin, how much did you pay for the pullies and the install? I allready have the intake elbow and the tune, got mine from Brenspeed Around $325 for the installed pullies, it's a great "free horsepower" mod... but I DO think the custom tune was a big part of this too. I'm lucky I live near Realspeed, but even if a good dyno shop is a little bit of a haul for you, it may be worth it. Canned tunes (from anyone) just won't take your car into account, and there MAY be a big difference. You won't know until you try! I say all this because I had just the elbow and a canned tune up until last week, and it felt like a waste of money, no improvement at all. I'd say half of my gains were parts, the other half was Dan's experience being applied DIRECTLY to MY car. Jer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jer Posted June 30, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 30, 2008 More than just the 30-something peak HP improvement is all the new area under the torque curve and the improved throttle response of a custom tune. My friend with a stock '01 Cobra (DOHC but nearly identical stock numbers to the S-GT) picked up an almost identical amount of HP and Tq as you did, but the difference in the seat of the pants is huge! I bet if you throw some fast 1-2 shifts (where you barely *blink* off the throttle) you'll be astounded at how instantly it now straightens your spine <lol> The Ford tunes delay how quickly full-power can resume whenever the throttle is moved and, while the FRP tunes tighten it up a bit, a good custom virtually eliminates any delay and makes it feel like a whole new car ;-) Good luck with her, Jer!! But gee, the Shelby manual says to "never power shift my Shelby GT". :unsure: On a serious note, I'll be thinking of that tomorrow, I should have a chance to take the car out for a lil' speed putt. I'll report back! Thanks! Jer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SGT2666 Posted June 30, 2008 Report Share Posted June 30, 2008 Congratulations love it when a good plan comes togther Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
68fastback Posted June 30, 2008 Report Share Posted June 30, 2008 But gee, the Shelby manual says to "never power shift my Shelby GT". :unsure: Jer of course now that's why I said 'barely *blink* off the throttle.' On a true power shift there'd be no throttle delay, but now even 'fast' shifts will almost feel like power shifts because the programmed lag is out -- the diff is almost 'scary' :happy feet: ;-) Btw, I grew up in Astoria, Queens and spent most of my free time cruising L.I. ...sure had some wonderful "rally" backroads in the '60s -- you know that hard-oiled gravel that eventually dries-out and sets up like ultra-coarse sandpaper ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jer Posted June 30, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 30, 2008 of course now that's why I said 'barely *blink* off the throttle.' On a true power shift there'd be no throttle delay, but now even 'fast' shifts will almost feel like power shifts because the programmed lag is out -- the diff is almost 'scary' :happy feet: ;-) Btw, I grew up in Astoria, Queens and spent most of my free time cruising L.I. ...sure had some wonderful "rally" backroads in the '60s -- you know that hard-oiled gravel that eventually dries-out and sets up like ultra-coarse sandpaper ;-) Yup.. there are still some in the far-out areas. And Ocean Parkway is still a spot to open up a bit. There aren't many!!! Jer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jer Posted June 30, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 30, 2008 Congratulations love it when a good plan comes togther Thanks, I've been on the edge of my seat for the last two months - that's how long it took to get a dyno appointment. But I had dropped by a few places, and Realspeed was the shop I liked after a quick visit. Jer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ilmor Posted June 30, 2008 Report Share Posted June 30, 2008 Wow, great results! It would be interesting to see what it would do in the 1/4 mile now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stump_breaker Posted June 30, 2008 Report Share Posted June 30, 2008 Very nice! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
68fastback Posted June 30, 2008 Report Share Posted June 30, 2008 Wow, great results! It would be interesting to see what it would do in the 1/4 mile now. My guess is with a good light and talented shifting you can see 12.8s :happy feet: -- If you have it back on the Mustang Dyno, Jer, if it's one of the 1100-series (and some others) they can actually simulate a 1/4-mile run. The software many tuners license to actually manage the custom tuning process (so they don't have to mess with a tedious interface and risk making a mistake) often comes with a sim-DB that includes the aero characteristics and wet weights for all popular cars, so the 1/4-mile simulation can be quite accurate -- fun too! ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LuLu Posted June 30, 2008 Report Share Posted June 30, 2008 Around $325 for the installed pullies, it's a great "free horsepower" mod... but I DO think the custom tune was a big part of this too.I'm lucky I live near Realspeed, but even if a good dyno shop is a little bit of a haul for you, it may be worth it. Canned tunes (from anyone) just won't take your car into account, and there MAY be a big difference. You won't know until you try! I say all this because I had just the elbow and a canned tune up until last week, and it felt like a waste of money, no improvement at all. I'd say half of my gains were parts, the other half was Dan's experience being applied DIRECTLY to MY car. Jer So true, Jer. Over the past few years, I have met dozens of Mustang owners who first bought a canned tune, and later a professional dyno tune. Each and every one of them said the same thing, that they felt a little cheated by the canned tune. IMHO, save your pennies and get personal "hands-on" tuning from a pro. The difference is night and day. BTW, your AFR is sweet. What's next in the "free power" corner, driveshaft? That's my next mod, there's a lot of torque leak in the factory assembly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jer Posted July 1, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 1, 2008 So true, Jer. Over the past few years, I have met dozens of Mustang owners who first bought a canned tune, and later a professional dyno tune. Each and every one of them said the same thing, that they felt a little cheated by the canned tune. IMHO, save your pennies and get personal "hands-on" tuning from a pro. The difference is night and day. BTW, your AFR is sweet. What's next in the "free power" corner, driveshaft? That's my next mod, there's a lot of torque leak in the factory assembly. Too funny... you're readin' my MIND! I'm also probably gonna look at getting a TriAx shifter. It sounds like the 2-3 shift (with a powerful centering spring) is its big party trick, and that's precisely what I DON'T like about the Hurst. I'm gonna find a dealer that stocks one of the Steeda cars, and go get a feel. Jer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jer Posted July 1, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 1, 2008 My guess is with a good light and talented shifting you can see 12.8s :happy feet: -- If you have it back on the Mustang Dyno, Jer, if it's one of the 1100-series (and some others) they can actually simulate a 1/4-mile run. The software many tuners license to actually manage the custom tuning process (so they don't have to mess with a tedious interface and risk making a mistake) often comes with a sim-DB that includes the aero characteristics and wet weights for all popular cars, so the 1/4-mile simulation can be quite accurate -- fun too! ;-) Never done the drag race thing myself, although I'm a big fan of the sport. I don't think I'd make the most of it, my reaction time is probably measured on the scale of "glacier speed". As for the simulation, it IS an 1100-series, an MD1100-SE to be exact. We talked about the the guesstimates it can make, and it all comes down to a few intangibles like wheelspin, etc... so I didn't really get too much into it. Jer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jer Posted July 1, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 1, 2008 Very nice! Thanks... Quite frankly, I'm glad to be able to contribute SOMETHING to this forum, since I've gotten so much out of it! Speaking of which, how do you like the 4:10 gears? I may jump up to at LEAST 3:73, since I want the off-the-line response, but I travel at 80 mph fairly often. I hear the 4:10 set is KILLER. Jer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jer Posted July 1, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 1, 2008 I bet if you throw some fast 1-2 shifts (where you barely *blink* off the throttle) you'll be astounded at how instantly it now straightens your spine <lol> Yeah.... uh... I did that today, as you recommended. Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!! (Coincidentally, that's pretty much the sound the driver AND the tires made) Nice! I still have the smile on my face! Jer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
68fastback Posted July 1, 2008 Report Share Posted July 1, 2008 Making me smile a lot in this thread Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jer Posted July 2, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 2, 2008 Making me smile a lot in this thread Me too! Now I gotta spend some more money and get THIRD gear to do that... hahaha... Jer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stump_breaker Posted July 2, 2008 Report Share Posted July 2, 2008 Thanks...Quite frankly, I'm glad to be able to contribute SOMETHING to this forum, since I've gotten so much out of it! Speaking of which, how do you like the 4:10 gears? I may jump up to at LEAST 3:73, since I want the off-the-line response, but I travel at 80 mph fairly often. I hear the 4:10 set is KILLER. Jer 80 isn't a problem with the 4:10's althought at that speed you will see mpg reduction. I can get a steady 26-27 on the highway at 65 and 20-21 combined if I keep my foot ot of it but man that is hard! At 80 you would probably see 22-23 I would guess. MPG drops over 65 or so has been my experience. 4:10's are a thrill to drive waking the car up so much and making it feel perfect as far as shifting. No choking the engine when starting off. No wondering if you're going to roll into the person behind you on a hill, and the power transfer to the road is exhilirating! Unfortunately I cold brag on them all day but until you can actually drive a car with them in there, my words are not enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jer Posted July 2, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 2, 2008 Unfortunately I cold brag on them all day but until you can actually drive a car with them in there, my words are not enough. Oh, I don't know, you almost sold me already! Gas mileage around 20-ish doesn't bug me (my V8 Grand Cherokee THRASHES me at 14 MPG). If you think of it, let me know what your RPM reading is at 80MPH. That will give me an idea of whether or not I can deal with the exhaust sound and vibe all the time. If you get a speeding ticket doing it, just forward it to me for payment. I'm totally kidding about that last part... ahem. Thanks, Jer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stump_breaker Posted July 5, 2008 Report Share Posted July 5, 2008 Oh, I don't know, you almost sold me already! Gas mileage around 20-ish doesn't bug me (my V8 Grand Cherokee THRASHES me at 14 MPG). If you think of it, let me know what your RPM reading is at 80MPH. That will give me an idea of whether or not I can deal with the exhaust sound and vibe all the time. If you get a speeding ticket doing it, just forward it to me for payment. I'm totally kidding about that last part... ahem. Thanks, Jer I set the crise at 80 today. RPM's in 5th were ~2750 and according to the computer I was getting 20.5mpg (reset while crusing at 80). That's with 4:10's and a Hypertech program on the car for 87 octane - soon to go back to 93 once this tank is gone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jer Posted July 5, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 5, 2008 I set the crise at 80 today. RPM's in 5th were ~2750 and according to the computer I was getting 20.5mpg (reset while crusing at 80). That's with 4:10's and a Hypertech program on the car for 87 octane - soon to go back to 93 once this tank is gone. Thanks! Now I can get a feel for it. So far, the next mod trip's gonna be: 4:10 or 3:73 gears Steeda or Powerhouse Driveshaft CHE K-Member Brace w/ Torque Limiters I'm going for "punchy and solid". Plus, all this stuff will be a benefit if I DO go the S/C route. The rear seat delete and roll bar might happen, too. As soon as I'm done repairing my rusted out hood pin mounts. :angry2: Jer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jer Posted July 6, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 6, 2008 I set the crise at 80 today. RPM's in 5th were ~2750 and according to the computer I was getting 20.5mpg (reset while crusing at 80). That's with 4:10's and a Hypertech program on the car for 87 octane - soon to go back to 93 once this tank is gone. So, I checked it out on the way home today... I'm at 2500 RPM at 80. At 2750, I don't think the car takes on a different or harsher character. So, no loss to me. Plus, the new driveshaft may actually smooth things out vibration-wise...? I think the 4:10s are the way to go. Can anyone tell me what the 1/4 mile or 0-60 improvements might be, over my current 3:55s? Jer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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