Need help with bad track times!

[autococker985]

Well I finally made it to the strip the other night. I followed everyone’s advice here on the forums and left at 2000rpm in SST mode/traction control off. First off I own a 03 ls v8 with the only mod being a custom CAI. The problem I have is a super horrific bog off of the line. I can only compare this to my 97 cobra with the 4valve 4.6L before I installed 5.13 gears in it. Any way what happened on my first pass was a 15.2? with a 2.44 60’ time. Second pass (tacked up to 1500rpm’s) I was rewarded with a measly 14.98 with a 2.40 60’ time. After that it was all down hill from their with 15.6-15.74 ¼ mile times. The car was just serviced and no check engine light. I tried launching any where from idle to almost 4000 and every time I let off the brake to launch I would loose all rpm. The funny thing is once I got above 3500 and every shift after it would pull like a mule. I even reset the computer and made it relearn the idle thinking that the CAI was the source of the bog. I am aware of the delay in the drive by wire but this is like a loss of all momentum. My wife has a mountaineer with drive by wire and a 4.6 and she is getting 2.2ish 60’ times. I can still beet her to the line but she is ahead at 60’. Put yourself in my shoes with an SUV beating my LS off of the line.

Any advice will be greatly appreciated in this matter.

I hate to say it but I am scared to go the drag strip with my wife now!

 

[NYC LS8]

That sounds like a traction control thing. I made the mistake of forgetting to turn mine off on one run and it did exactly that loss of all momentum thing. You're positive that the traction control was off?

Either way, that short time needs to come down. Seeing that you have a modded modular, I'm assuming you're familiar with the 1320. Did you drive around the water box?

And FWIW, my best time was in D4, mashing it off idle. SST makes it feel more responsive from a launch, though.

 

[autococker985]

I am sure that the traction control was off because I did do a burn out prior to my runs to make sure. I have been racing all my life on and off the track and I am only a mere 35 years old. With my cobra I am able to achieve at least a perfect light ever 5 runs or so. The best light I had in the LS was a .08 and I left on the second yellow with out red lighting. That is how much bog I am getting from the LS.

I also tried D5 as well as D4 noting could bring me back from the slump except for the fact that the camaro that beat me, in the dial in stage (round 1), didn’t have cooled seats!

btw NYC what did you do to get 14.6 with 2.22 60' times to your ride?

 

[NYC LS8]

Well, the LS's ARE gutless down low. I know mine is if it even gets any hint of heat in the motor. These things seriously need more gear out back. 5.13s would work nicely.

 

[02LSE96LSC91SE84TC]

Turn the Traction Control off for sure. Use the SST, it works well, just have to slap it about 400rpm before you want the shift I believe the car launches and shifts quicker/firmer in SST even without a tune. Don't stall anything above 1500, I find just a subtle 1000-1200rpm launch works the best. Cooling these cars gets the best times. And learning to 60' is the most important, I consistently 2.1...mostly low to mid. A Gen2 has alot harder time hitting the good 60's but can be done consistently.

 

[NYC LS8]

btw NYC what did you do to get 14.6 with 2.22 60' times to your ride?

2.5" exhaust with Magnaflows and the KKM intake. The short times, no idea honestly. Just mashed it off idle. I had an easier time getting 2.0s consistently on street tires in my blown '87 wth a T-5 and 4.10s lol

Oh yeah, and the car was ice cold. I let the car sit for a few hours to cool off and then ran it.

 

[ILLS]

You have only been to the track once in your LS. Whenever I am taking a vehicle to the track for the first time I never expect much. You always have to get used to running it at the track before getting a decent time. Keep taking it to the track, practice, practice, practice and make sure you cool it down for a while before running it.

Turn the Traction Control off for sure. Use the SST, it works well, just have to slap it about 400rpm before you want the shift I believe the car launches and shifts quicker/firmer in SST even without a tune. Don't stall anything above 1500, I find just a subtle 1000-1200rpm launch works the best. Cooling these cars gets the best times. And learning to 60' is the most important, I consistently 2.1...mostly low to mid. A Gen2 has alot harder time hitting the good 60's but can be done consistently.

The stock LS tuning has the SST shifting firmer than the auto shifts so using SST, especially while untuned will yield a gain.










One thing I do have to mention is 5.13 rear gears in a Mustang????????? Ummmm that is rock crawliing truck gears, not a street car gear! I bet you are spinning your tail off with those. 5.13's are waaaaaay too numerically high a gear. To need those you would need to be running tractor tires on your car. Even with slicks on a lower powered N/A Mustang the highest people go is 4.56's due to traction issues and having to shift into the next gear before the traps.

 

[autococker985]

It is not a mustang it is a 4 valve cobra. FYI the 4 valve 4.6 is notorious for no bottom end. they have the variable intake runner wich doesnt kick in till arround 3000rpm's. before the 5.13 gears the car would bog like a harley motorcycle at launch. I now run 9.5" wide drag radials and it launches like a frog off of the line. It is N/A but a kenny bell and '03 cobra intake is in her future. it also has the suspension to handle the extra low gearing.

"it aint prety but that is why i am a racer not a looker"

When I am not at work I will post pics and slips of both the cobra and LS.
I also have a video of the cobra running a Ford Fun Weekend at No Problem Raceway earler this year.

I guess I will get me a tuner from torrie and see if that helps, but first i am going to look into robing the throttle body from my wifes mountaneer cuz it has no lag at all in throttle response. It cant hurt to try at least she wont beat me to the 60' with out a throttle body!

 

[02LSE96LSC91SE84TC]

It is not a mustang it is a 4 valve cobra. FYI the 4 valve 4.6 is notorious for no bottom end. they have the variable intake runner wich doesnt kick in till arround 3000rpm's. before the 5.13 gears the car would bog like a harley motorcycle at launch. I now run 9.5" wide drag radials and it launches like a frog off of the line. It is N/A but a kenny bell and '03 cobra intake is in her future. it also has the suspension to handle the extra low gearing.

"it aint prety but that is why i am a racer not a looker"

When I am not at work I will post pics and slips of both the cobra and LS.
I also have a video of the cobra running a Ford Fun Weekend at No Problem Raceway earler this year.

I guess I will get me a tuner from torrie and see if that helps, but first i am going to look into robing the throttle body from my wifes mountaneer cuz it has no lag at all in throttle response. It cant hurt to try at least she wont beat me to the 60' with out a throttle body!

If you have to use OD to finish the 1/4 then its way to much, if not than I guess whatever works for you. With a manual I would think avoiding the boog rpms would be easy.

 

[ILLS]

It is not a mustang it is a 4 valve cobra. FYI the 4 valve 4.6 is notorious for no bottom end. they have the variable intake runner wich doesnt kick in till arround 3000rpm's. before the 5.13 gears the car would bog like a harley motorcycle at launch. I now run 9.5" wide drag radials and it launches like a frog off of the line. It is N/A but a kenny bell and '03 cobra intake is in her future. it also has the suspension to handle the extra low gearing.

"it aint prety but that is why i am a racer not a looker"

When I am not at work I will post pics and slips of both the cobra and LS.
I also have a video of the cobra running a Ford Fun Weekend at No Problem Raceway earler this year.

I guess I will get me a tuner from torrie and see if that helps, but first i am going to look into robing the throttle body from my wifes mountaneer cuz it has no lag at all in throttle response. It cant hurt to try at least she wont beat me to the 60' with out a throttle body!

Oh man one of the "Its not a Mustang its a Cobra" guys. Look at the literature that comes with it. It is a Mustang Cobra, hence my saying Mustang. Not just a Cobra. Just like the guys who say, "It's not a Neon, its an SRT-4". Ummmm, noo....it''s a SRT-4 Neon... :lol:

While the 4v 4.6 in the Cobra's and even the 2v 4.6 in the GT's is notable for not being very torquey still 5.13's is a numerically REALLY high gear. Like I said, 4.56's is about the highest I would run. What rpm were you launching at during the times you were bogging? I see most people's bogging woes are usually cured when they launch at a higher rpm with the 4v's.

 

[autococker985]

I am not one of those it’s not a mustang but a cobra guy. I was just stating the obvious since both cars have a completely different power plant with very different attitudes. I was leaving the line anywhere from 1500 to 3000 with the 4 valve bog ever present. I can’t fix the bog in the LS with gears so I am looking for a solution to that problem.

The Mustang cobra is not what I am having problems with it is the LS times I am tiring to improve here.

To be honest I am a ford man not dedicated to any one vehicle they make.
I own 3 mustangs one being a cobra, my 03 LS, a mountaineer and a navigator. The two gt's are not street cars but everything else is. All are mod motors so I am very knowledgeable on them so I don’t want to start a pissing contest cuz you will loose!

Thanks for your time anyway.

 

[ILLS]

I am not one of those it’s not a mustang but a cobra guy. I was just stating the obvious since both cars have a completely different power plant with very different attitudes. I was leaving the line anywhere from 1500 to 3000 with the 4 valve bog ever present. I can’t fix the bog in the LS with gears so I am looking for a solution to that problem.

The Mustang cobra is not what I am having problems with it is the LS times I am tiring to improve here.

To be honest I am a ford man not dedicated to any one vehicle they make.
I own 3 mustangs one being a cobra, my 03 LS, a mountaineer and a navigator. The two gt's are not street cars but everything else is. All are mod motors so I am very knowledgeable on them so I don’t want to start a pissing contest cuz you will loose!

Thanks for your time anyway.

I understand that the subject is your LS in here but I just could not ignore a person running such a gear like a 5.13 in their Cobra. Also, it is no wonder you were bogging off the line with your Cobra if you were launching at such a low rpm.

I find your comment about that pissing contest interesting. Take a look at my profile sometime. I own a performance shop out of northern IL. I specialize in custom forced induction (turbochargers, PD superchargers, centri superchargers, nitrous oxide both direct port and single nozzle, progressive systems and so on) for Ford vehicles including some pretty wild Mustang combo's. I have built many a 2v and 4v 4.6 engines and combo's well past 700 hp; with most easily able to shoot for 1,000+ once the wick is turned up. My project vehicle has a fully built 2v 4.6 with a Kenne Bell blower on top and will be shooting for 700+rwhp by next spring if I keep the blower. If I decide to do a custom TT then the goal will be 850-900rwhp. I am also a Ford custom tuner as well; among many other things. You might want to rethink who you are talking to before making such a bold statement.