Bob T

Hopefully next month a few of us from work are going to go to the dragstrip and make a few passes for fun to see how we do. It will be a variety of different types of cars and I want to do a good job representing the V6 Mustang.
I have an all stock 2013 Mustang V6 with auto and 2.73 rear gears. The only preparation I was planning was to run the highest octane I can find, which I think is only 91 in Tucson.

I've done some number crunching with the gear ratios that are in the AT that's in my Mustang and here are my thoughts. Hoping that those of you with experience will let me know how real world passes compare to my on paper observations.

• I will probably be in 3rd gear at the end of the quarter.
• These transmissions have a big drop from gear to gear, especially from 1st to 2nd.
• The hp peak is at 6500 and torque peak at 4250.
• Shifting from 1st to 2nd I would need take it up to the 7000 rpm redline before shifting and even then it will be below the torque peak in 2nd.
• If I shift from 2nd to 3rd at about 6500 it will put me real close to the torque peak in 3rd.

Am I in the right ballpark?

vegas_

I'm not sure the stock V6 will let you wind it up to 7000, doesn't it limit to 6500?

BUT The Torque curve is pretty flat from 4000 to 5700
And the HP stops increasing at 5700.

So my initial reaction would be to shift at 5700 RPM
But as you say the 1-2 shift is a big drop, and if you shift from 1-2 then (~42MPH)
the RPM would drop to 3200, the torque is slightly lower 220 vs 235

I would suggest you try the 1-2 shift at 6000 RPM (44MPH), the torque will be 225
RPM will then drop to 3400, and torque will be the same 225

The 2-3 Shift I would try at 5850 RPM, RPM would drop to 3850
Which keeps it in the flat part of the torque curve

Then you should finish at 100MPH, 5000RPM (3rd gear)

Obviously a CAI, Tune would change things.
Let us know how it goes.

JimC

With an automatic, and no tune (my guess since you don't mention any tuning) - just put it in Sport mode and let it handle the shifts. It will wind up to 7,000 with that. You won't outshift the computer.

Bob T

Thanks, very much appreciated!
I will give both suggestions a try.
If we get it together, the cars that are possibly going are: A Miata with a turbo'd 1600cc engine (he's run high 12's before and has made some improvements since then), a Lexus with V6 and similar hp to me, a 65 Corvette with a 383 stroker engine, a relatively mild 70 Dart with 360 engine.
Everyone is going to be just running street tires.
I think I would do well to be about in the middle of the pack of these cars.