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Performance Help

G

GTPRFXN

New member
Hey guys new to the board. Just got my 97 GTP a month ago and started looking at mods. I am a Ford guy and work for ford but love this car. I took it to the track last week and did best time of 15.4 on bad tires the car is all stock. I want the 13's so need some help, what should I do.
 


ok so ordered my hypertech 160 t-stat with some new gold coolent.
msd coils and msd wires
now to the plugs, I read the post and says run the hottest spark. which ones should I go with and does anyone have the part number handy ? :D
and another silly question, what moron designer decided to put electronics in the airbox.......??????????????/:th_angry2:
 
let me help you out here.

you dont want a 160, you want a 180. 160 is way too cold.

send those msd coils and wires back. they are both problem prone and will fail on you. Stock coils and wires are best.

as for spark plugs, buy some autolite 605's or 104's copper cores.

and the electronics in the air box is the PCM (aka cars computer) is weather proof and shock proof, nothing will harm it so leave it out.
 


GTPRFXN said:
ok so ordered my hypertech 160 t-stat with some new gold coolent.
msd coils and msd wires
now to the plugs, I read the post and says run the hottest spark. which ones should I go with and does anyone have the part number handy ? :D
and another silly question, what moron designer decided to put electronics in the airbox.......??????????????/:th_angry2:
Click to expand...

Probably some moron that decided it's better to keep the pcm cooler than letting it sit outside of said box inside engine bay. Trust me with a HAI and your pcm sitting there it gets hot as muck!!!!!!!!
 
average underhood temps seem to be around 130-150* F when its 90*F out like today....

Stayed around 140* most of the time, but peaked at 150 when idling.

You bought all the wrong stuff.

MSD coils are junk.

Stick with GM coils.
 


Not to go off on a tangent here. But this is what I have a problem with. The "3800 Modding Bible" says this:

Lower Temperature Thermostat - Easy mod for your WBody as the stock T-Stat tends to run a bit hot, above 195*+. Throw in a 160* or 180* Thermostat from your local auto parts store to keep that motor cooler and run more efficiently. Cost: Less than $10
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which I don't agree with. A cooler t-stat will not run more efficiently. You are going to make more power at a higher temperature. Anyone that has ever taken any kind of thermodynamics class can tell you that. The cooler you run an engine, the less efficient it runs. A properly modded and tuned engine is going to run more efficient with a stock t-stat than it will with a cooler t-stat. Again, if you are racing and hot lapping, a cooler t-stat is going to be beneficial. But for the majority of daily driving and even racing on the street, a cooler t-stat is not going to make more power or be beneficial at all.

So I think all the mods you bought at not going to do a thing. Just get new stock plugs (Autolite 606s), new stock wires, new stock t-stat if you want. And then focus on things like opening up your exhaust and allowing more air into the engine with a new intake. These things will make bigger improvements than anything you purchases thus far.
 
Some people with a few qualifications said this:

http://www.streetrodderweb.com/tech/0906sr_different_ways_to_cool_engines/index.html

SR: Is there an ideal engine operating temperature?
Neal: 190 degrees is probably ideal, with a quick warm-up. That's hot enough to boil off moisture and prevent sludging, and low enough to provide a cushion for heat spikes.
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SR: What's too hot? Too cold?
Neal : Lower temperatures results in rapid sludging, can prevent closed-loop fuel injection systems from properly regulating fuel mixture, and results in decreased fuel economy.

Lower operating temperatures provide most people a false sense of security, but lower temperatures, either by thermostat or thermostat removal, do not result in increased cooling capacity. All it results in is a different starting point. Too cold results in unnecessary sludging of the oil, and may prevent engine/fuel/spark management systems from operating at optimum efficiency or power. Engine clearances are designed for normal operating temperatures. Thicker oil causes unnecessary drag.

Too hot is when coolant is lost. An operating, full, pressurized system (13-psi), with 50/50 glycol can safely go to 260 without engine damage from heat alone. The key is not loosing coolant, which results in hot spots, vapor pockets, warped heads, etc. However, 230 degrees and above can change the spark map required to prevent engine damage from pre-ignition/detonation. Most factory ECM spark-controlled engines automatically reduce spark advance as coolant temp increases. Mechanical distributors or non-ECM-controlled engines have problems with detonation at higher temperatures, and that can cause damage.

Scott: Much less than 190-degrees and moisture may start to accumulate in the oil. Up to 230 to 240 degrees is okay if there is no air in the system and a 13 to 15-psi radiator cap is used. Although most people don't like to see the temperature gauge this high, some new cars don't turn on the electric fan until the coolant temperature is 220 degrees.
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WOOOOOOOooooooooooooooooooOOOOOOOOOOoooooooooooooooooooooo..........
 
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Ok by gold coolant i hope you mean dexcool. None of those items you listed is really a "mod" that will give you HP. Buy these

Headers ($200 from ebay)
open cone/cold air intake (~$40)
3.4/3.5 pulley+tune (~$160)

add those to the spark plugs and you will have a quick GP for $400.
 
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