<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">
Originally posted by DrRick
Gardiner,
i have a question for you since you seem to know alot about american muscle. why do fords, chevys, etc respond so well to mods. exhausts and intakes seem to give them
real power as opposed to some of the snake oil that we seem to get. i mean, arent they all OBD II? so why do we have to tinker with ECUs and all just to get 5 to 10 hp?
Doc
DG/6MT/Prem/Nav/Attitude
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">
Having owned 2 mustangs (and on my way to the third and fourth LOL), I can answer that question for u.
If you look at the size of the engine you can see that it is very understressed, ie the HP to litter ratio is very low compared to most imports. Eg using the G35 coupe, it has a 80HP per litter ratio whereas even one of the highest rated NA hp on a modern mustang is 69.6hp per litter. Mod that stang to only the level of the G and you will get 368HP which will translate to 320RWHP from 278RWHP stock (a gain of 42RWHP). Since the mustang also has a really larger dispacement than the G coupe, it can mentain a better low end compared to the G at that power level (even without the Variable valve timing that the G has).
Now lets look at the 5.0 litter mustangs which are so popular. it comes with 205-225BHP (depending on which year you are looking at). Think about that.... can you see the SERIOUS potential in that engine?(capable of 400BHP using the G ratio still as a guidline). Also it is a pushrod with a lot of years under its belt for development, making it very easy with a lot of available parts for modding.
Oh BTW I am not in anyway implying you cannot mod the G sucessfully, I am just saying that when you start going into the mid 80s and above HP per litter ratio, it becomes more expensive and difficult to make power in almost any car especially ones with much smaller displacements. The BMW E46 has about 104HP per litter NA and you pay for it (55+ grand). But note, its variable valve timing is not is not just limited to the intake valves as in the G, but the exhaust valves are variable as well. It takes a lot more computer control, vacuum controls, camshaft engineering etc to make that amout of power with a good low end. Look at the Honda S2000, it runs 120HP per litter, but try shifting it at even 7000RPM on a track and you will be lucky if u break into the 16s in the quarter mile. Even with variable valve timing it takes a whole lot more to make a smaller engine drivable (good low end) on the streets with a high HP to litter ratio.
I think I may have gotten off the tangent here a little, but you get the picture....
This is just the tip of the iceberg but I am on my way to church [angel] so I can answer any more questions if u want later....