3.73 GEARS! GIMME SOME POINTERS!
#1
3.73 GEARS! GIMME SOME POINTERS!
Hey everybody, im new here. tomorrow im picking up my 1995 Mustang GT, it has 3.73's and its a manual. i was just wondering if theres any pointers i should know about shifting it cuz my friend has an 03' mach 1 and he shifts before redline and he gets better times than shifting at redline. Is there anything like that i needa know? Thanks guys, im really exited to own a mustang.
#3
RE: 3.73 GEARS! GIMME SOME POINTERS!
i have the same car as you are picking up. i shift at about 5700 rpms and my times are better then when i shift at 6100rpms. but all cars are different IMO. take it to the track and shift at 5500rpms at every shift, and then on your next run, shift at 5700 rpms, and then shift at 6k for your last run. Your launch is the most critical part of the run though. you can gain or lose up to a second from your launch. ex. if you spin off the launch, then you are going to have a crappy time. if you dead hook with no bog, then that will be your best time. just take it to the track and test every setup possible. i have ran my car over 25 times at the track and havnt had a perfect run. something always goes wrong with traction or bogging out.
#4
RE: 3.73 GEARS! GIMME SOME POINTERS!
If the car is stock without many bolt ons I would bet your best time will come from a shift a 5000 rpm or lower. Peak torque is around 4400 on the little 5.0 and it has bee proven to run hardest shifting at this point if it is stock. Try 5000 at the track and go up to 5200 after getting a few runs with the shift at 5000. If it slows down, try shifting at 4800 and see what happens. You will find what it likes by doing this.
#5
RE: 3.73 GEARS! GIMME SOME POINTERS!
unless you can launch very consistenly, the methods listed above wont be very effective for determing your best shift point. My friend's dad had his Vette dynoed and then track test by professionals to find his best shift points. But getting dynoed would be your best bet to get an idea at where your peak hp/torque is
#7
RE: 3.73 GEARS! GIMME SOME POINTERS!
I know what you are going through. My advise to you would be aftermarket control arms(upper and lower) drag springs or springs from a v6 or 4c car, lakewood 90/10 struts in front along with front trick(drag) springs or springs from a f150(though i think you have to have a couple of rings cutt off), and either lakewood 50/50 rears or comp engineering 3 way shocks for the rear. I personally have the lakewoods fronts with moroso trick springs, some eibach rear drag springs with the adjustable comp eng 3 ways, and southside upper control arms and getting the lakewood(southside) lower control arms. Southside is out of business i guess and i heard a rumor that lakewood bought them out and now the southsides are lakewoods, no difference but the name and price is a little cheaper I think.
However, if you aren't interested in doing such, i think a good set of Mickeys ET Streets and some practice at reving the motor with the tree lights and you might get what you want. For those who don't know you can rev your motor to about 3000 by taping you foot on and off the accelerator with the tree lights, each light; and on the third light when you let off the accelerator pop the clutch on the down rev and you can get a desent hook, it takes alot of practice for it to work really good though.
For you auto guys a converter and some slicks.
That's for your launch, it has been my experience that all motors, even built by the same person using the same parts from the same company, will act a little differently; meaning the exact shift point will be different for each individual motor. I personally think that a good rule of thumb would be: find your rev limit and shift about 700 to 500rpm below it, reason being you don't have to get off the accelerator(if your not granny shifting) so you don't slow yourself, by hitting the rev limiter and you can keep your momentum going forward.
However, if you aren't interested in doing such, i think a good set of Mickeys ET Streets and some practice at reving the motor with the tree lights and you might get what you want. For those who don't know you can rev your motor to about 3000 by taping you foot on and off the accelerator with the tree lights, each light; and on the third light when you let off the accelerator pop the clutch on the down rev and you can get a desent hook, it takes alot of practice for it to work really good though.
For you auto guys a converter and some slicks.
That's for your launch, it has been my experience that all motors, even built by the same person using the same parts from the same company, will act a little differently; meaning the exact shift point will be different for each individual motor. I personally think that a good rule of thumb would be: find your rev limit and shift about 700 to 500rpm below it, reason being you don't have to get off the accelerator(if your not granny shifting) so you don't slow yourself, by hitting the rev limiter and you can keep your momentum going forward.
#8
RE: 3.73 GEARS! GIMME SOME POINTERS!
w/ the stock cam, your not making power past 5500-5600 rpm's
get a shift lite, and try the chip at 5200, then throw your powershift (no lift shift...gas to floor while you shift)
w/ a 5200 chip in your lite, you will complete the shift about 5500, and get a great time.
and work on your powershift, if your missing the 2-3 shift and have a stock shifter....dump it.
also get some cheater slicks.(dr or bias-ply) get some used ones to save cash....can be found for $150/pr mounted on some crap wheels already.
get a shift lite, and try the chip at 5200, then throw your powershift (no lift shift...gas to floor while you shift)
w/ a 5200 chip in your lite, you will complete the shift about 5500, and get a great time.
and work on your powershift, if your missing the 2-3 shift and have a stock shifter....dump it.
also get some cheater slicks.(dr or bias-ply) get some used ones to save cash....can be found for $150/pr mounted on some crap wheels already.
#10
RE: 3.73 GEARS! GIMME SOME POINTERS!
you have to drive the car and find out where you need to shift at, if it pulls to 5500 and it takes a long time to get to 6k you are wastein time, shift right before your peak power then your rmp in the next gear will come right back up then shift again right before the power dies off. so on and so forth, just drive the car and feel it out. have fun