Hehe, we're getting off topic, but what the hey it's my thread after all.

I test drove a 2011 Mustang 5.0 in both manual and automatic. The manual felt real sloppy, not crisp at all, and the auto was slushy feeling. I liked the motor and how it liked to rev, but it's missing some amenities that current model cars pretty much all come with these days.

Push button start - both my Challenger and Z have this

Better brakes - the Z has Brembos all around that stop it on a dime...the Mustang if you opt for that at $1700 only has them on the front.

No paddle shifters on the auto Mustang, and no way to even shift the auto manually at all. That's just silly. The Z has paddles and VERY crisp shifts since it uses a clutch system and not a torque converter. The Z also rev matches when you down shift all by itself, which is very cool. Just click the paddle and bang bang and back on the gas.

The interiors are pretty much equal. Both have a lot of very nice features, and I kinda dig the Mustangs gauges and ability to change the back lighting with 255 options.

Comparing brand new, the biggest thing against the Z is it's price. I think it is quite a bit over priced if you buy a new one and the Mustang is a bit more reasonable for what you get.

However, I picked mine up used. It's a 2009 and only had 2900 miles on it...that's not a typo. Dealer through in a 100K mile bumper to bumper warranty and I got it for about $16,000 less than a new one of the exact same options.

It's a touring with the sport package and has nav, bose stereo with dual subs, etc.

Why anyone would buy a brand new one is beyond me.

As for looks, I actually prefer the Z over the Mustang. I really liked the previous model that had the lights in the middle of the grill and the flat rear end.

 

I didn't realize you got a used car, thats different. I agree that the cost is the biggest drawback for the Z and also don't know why someone would buy new.

At the price you paid though and for what you want out of it, that is a really good buy.

Personally I would have compared it to the Boss 302 as that is closer match when it comes to price and the boss is supposed to be a lot better drivers car although I have not been in one yet. But the boss is not going to drop in price near as much either.

I like the way the 370z looks a lot better then the 350, minor changes but it makes a world of difference. Was and looked bloated, the 370z looks like a sports car. I had a 300zx a few years ago that I really liked.

Very nice car, so clean and the interior is real nice. Nissan is a good company that makes reliable cars. The VQ engine is pretty bullet proof.

 

Why an automatic?

 

Ah yes, the Boss 302 is a completely different animal. I've not driven one, but would love to. That gets in to the price being worth the upgrades though....I've not done any analysis on what it buys you, but it's about $8K - $10K more than a standard 5.0 from what I've seen then there's dealer markups to deal with as well.

I agree on the 370's looks over the 350. The 350 just never really did it for me, but when they widened the back end and went with staggered wheels on the 370...oh yes I dug it.

Not many people like that weird back end on the Mustang. I've been reading Ford is totally changing it next year I think or the year after. They have a very potent power plant, they just need to update a few things like the trans, etc.

The mods are a completely different story. There is a boat load of stuff for the Mustang. I pulled up next to one at the drag strip and thought I was gonna decimate him, and he ran off and left me. I ran a 11.70 at 123 and he ran a 10.70 at 134! Looked bone stock and completely caught me off guard, so I went and found him in the pits. He claimed all he did was slap on a Roush supercharger in his own garage and was running 93 octane fuel on 9psi of boost. Not sure how true all that was, but it did "look" like that's all he did, and of course drag radials but on the stock wheels. Complete sleeper. It was an auto.

They make twin turbo kits for the Z that put it over 500RWHP and supercharger kits on very mild setups that put it about 470RWHP. I couldn't imagine that kind of power in such a light car with this short wheel base.

 

When you get paddles to manually shift and all that it really becomes moot. It's like the best of both worlds. I can just put it in drive and relax on my drive to work in the nightmare rush hour traffic, and when the road clears pop it over in manual and have some fun.

My Challenger is a manual trans, and while it's fun to drive on the street, it's a handful at the track and the manuals consistently run about .5 seconds slower than the autos. They didn't have paddles on the Challenger when I bought mine, but if they had I'd have gone with it. Modern automatics are a whole different ball game than the old slush boxes from back in the day.

 

I actually don't mind the new backend of the mustang, I think it could be a little better but like it the same/better then the last design. It could use a facelift though, it is missing something.

The trans could indeed use an update but the trans is also meant more for drag racing then track racing which is part of why it feels like it does.

That modded mustang times sounds right, I have seen NA 5.0's with mods run mid/low 11's on slicks. Little boost and 10's is easily within reach. The 5.0 LOVES a tune and some boost. I have seen a few on the street and I am also impressed with how they preform stock.

500whp would be a lot of fun in the 370z. My MR2 has a shorter wheelbase then it and 500whp is a blast. So much so that my new goal is 800whp+ (I would love to be the first to crack 1000whp in an MR2 chassis).

Got a few friends with 800whp MR2's and they are insane. Trapping 160+ in the 1/4.

The 370z with it much newer suspension I am sure would handle the power better then the MR2.

 

800RWHP MR2 YIKES! What kind of motor?

 

Yeah it is a beast. Here is a local car:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_d3oq...eature=channel
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4FDE...eature=channel

All the high HP MR2's so far are 3sgte based motors. There is another one in FL, another in KS and another at the same shop although not quite as much power.

This car is getting a better turbo and could make more power if it holds together after the TX2k12 meet before he pulls the motor to go even bigger.

800whp + ~2950lb (he has a heavy model) + drag radials + mid engine = loads of traction = lots of fun.

 

Well, did some tweaking to my timing map. I'll load it this weekend and give it a test to see if it makes any difference.

Texas Ace - you got any info on your turbo setup posted?

 

Not really, It is going to be loosely based on clown's/STS setup except with some improvements.

Basic plan is a ~62mm turbo mounted at the header outlet with some tweaks that should improve flow. It would basically be bolt on/off once I am done, hope to get to it this summer.

Start out without an intercooler and just use meth injection for cooling/octane. Later I would add an intercooler and a different intake manifold for some more power.

The setup would make as much power as I want (700whp+ turbo), the issue would be the engine/transmission holding the power.

I planned on starting out around the ~350-400whp mark and seeing how things held up.

 

Ah gotcha. Why'd you pull the supercharger before being ready to do the Turbo? I don't think I could go back! That extra bump in power was seriously needed in this truck. It was heavy and under powered from the factory.

My only issue with turbos on this truck would be the spool time. I like the PD blower because it gives power right off idle and this thing needs it to get going.

What's the most horse power anyone has gotten out of one of these with the stock parts and lived?

 

Well I was planing on starting the turbo project a lot sooner and needed the money from the SC to pay for it but some things came up that pushed it back.

It is painful going back to NA although it is not as bad as it was stock in my case. I have headers, gutted cat, intake elbow removed, meth injection and the biggest thing, built tranny/high stall converter. The combo of all of those means that it is at least drivable as it sits. I can at least light up the tires NA now vs that being a joke stock, course I could light up the tires in awd mode with the SC. Top speed is much harder to reach now and only ~100mph on flat ground vs it flying to 110mph with the supercharger uphill.

The spool with the turbo will not be a problem at all. The turbo I have picked out is matched to my high stall converter. It should spool right as the converter stalls out meaning instant boost anytime I want.

If I had a stock converter I would have gone with a 5858 turbo which should spool great with the stock converter and give ultra instant spool and a ton more power then a supercharger. I highly doubt anyone would complain about lag with a setup like that.

Power these motors have made in stock form is something I have been trying to track down without much luck. There are only a handful of turbo 5vz's out there and a lot of those are built.

There have been a few stock motors in the high 300's but no one has really pushed them and found the limits yet, just a lot of guesstimates on where the limits are. The weak link is the rod bolts but they just seem to fail when they feel like it, not due to power ect.

I am sure that a good condition 5vz could make 500whp without much trouble, for sure if you upgraded the rod bolts. The stock transmission holding that kind of power would be a different story.

 

OK TA, I've started looking in to a water/meth kit for the Challenger DANG YOU LOL

I'm liking the SNOW kit and recently saw it reviewed on HorsepowerTV. They actually installed it on a supercharged Challenger. Looks like it has a nice digital controller, and the option to put in a safety solenoid that will vent the bypass should the system fault. Lifetime warranty on the components if you use their "boost juice".

What do you think?

Also, what about running water/meth AND race fuel as an added safety net?

 

Snow is ok but overpriced for what it is. The boost juice is also a scam. You can mix your own for about $3 a gallon vs $20.

I saw that same show and the results are well within reason if not understated. They just bolted it on, with retuning and more boost there were a lot more gains on the table for the taking.

Personally if buying a high end meth injection kit the coolingmist is a great bang for the buck and I like it's features list. I run it in my truck.

For the same price as the snow you can get an aquamist which has better failsafes from everything I have seen, the EVO/STI guys swear by aquamist.

Do you already have a boost gauge installed in the car? The coolingmist is nice since it will install right into a gauge pod and act as a boost gauge.

Any of the coolingmist/snow/aquamist options will work fine, just depends on what your budget and goals are. They all use the same pump now days so it is just down to the electronics. They also all offer a failsafe output to vent the bypass, how they decide to trigger it is what is different between them.

Nozzle size is something you will need to play with after you get it installed. Math will get you close (I would start out with a 10-14gph and go up from there) but trial and error is the only way to really know what works best for your car.

Lucky for you the stock ECU it tunable so you have a lot of room to play with nozzle size and fluid mixture.

Any questions feel free to ask, you will love meth injection. Combined with the extra boost you can run due to the high octane level I bet 50-100whp gains are within reason if the supercharger can handle that. On a turbo setup that is normal gains with many getting far larger gains.

 

Yeah I've got a dual pillar pod on the car with an analog boost and Innovate Interceptor gauges in it. Don't really wanna go to a 3 pod.

What about running race fuel WITH the meth injection. Does that hose it up or just add safety?

The Aquamist stuff I've looked at looks somewhat complicated. I just need something simple. I'm only going to use it at the track. I've run this thing around on 12 lbs of boost for 2 years in 100 degree ambient temps. The motor is professionally built, forged, balanced, and blue printed and good for 1000HP. I just want a little extra at the track.

I plan to use the washer fluid bottle as the reservoir.

 

You could replace the boost gauge you have now with the coolingmist unit like I did.

Running race gas with the meth injection would add more safety although not really needed. It would not hurt anything though.

If you want something a bit more simple then the coolingmist is what I would get. Lot cheaper then the snow and works just as good or better.

After you try the meth injection I have no doubt that you run it all the time, Free power with no downsides once installed, Also safer.

The washer fluid tank is perfect, I recommend this option for most people. Washer fluid is nothing more then water and methanol anyways so it will hold up fine.

I am sure that your car has good knock sensors and readouts? After installing the meth injection watch what happens to the knock readings. They will go down drastically.

 

Cool, thanks for the info. I use this car as a show car and a race car, and I don't really like the "looks" of that flow gauge coolingmist has.

Looks like this VC2 kit might be the one for me?

http://www.coolingmist.com/pagedispl...controllerkits

Do you know how the flow sensor works as far as a fail safe option? Do they have a solenoid or something that goes in the bypass line?

 

The VC2 will indeed work, it is the same thing as the CMGS just in a different package.

You have 2 options when picking it out. The one you have above which is the "old style". They also have the "autolearn" kit:

http://www.coolingmist.com/pagedispl...re_key=systemx

It costs more and to be honest I am not 100% sold on it working like they claim since they will not give any details on how it works. Too much "just trust us" going on with the autolearn kit for my tastes. That said I have not seen anything to say they don't work either.

If you go with the normal VC2 kit then get the flow sensor upgrade since that is what the failsafe is based on.

The failsafe will trip if flow is above/below a threshold you set (aka, a clogged or leaky line). This is where the aquamist has the advantage in the failsafe is a lot better. The "autolearn" kit supposedly equals the aquamist I just wish they would give details on how it works. The autolearn kit is also simpler to setup even though it doesn't look like it.

When the failsafe trips it will output a ground on a wire, this ground will go to a solenoid connected to the by-pass valve to open it (what noid you need and how it will be installed depends on if it is boost or vacuum activated). The noid costs around ~$20 depending on what setup you need.

Either VC2 kit will work, the old style kit is proven in how it works and a more "classic" approach. The new style is, well new. I think it could work but would really like to know how it is working.

If it works as advertized it is a better setup in that it is less moving parts and less parts in the methanol line, aka less chances for leaks/issues.

Whats your budget? you won't go wrong with either kit.

 

I haven't really set a budget per se'. I just want something simple and trouble free. My buddy just got an AEM kit for $400, but I really didn't like the controller.

Since my supercharger is a PD unit, it's gonna see almost max boost as soon as I hit the throttle so the progressive controller isn't REALLY necessary for me, but I like options.

I don't see any solenoids on coolingmist's site.

For $100 I can add a flow sensor to the base VC2 kit.

 

Stay FAR FAR away from the AEM kit, it is the worst kit I have used to date.

The progressive is nice for when at part throttle but you could get away with a stage 1 kit if you wanted. You would not have a failsafe if that was the case though. Also from experience a progressive kit is a lot "smoother" in general use.

The solenoid is not sold on the coolingmist site. Here is an example of one, you may need a different model though same basic design. http://airinc.thomasnet.com/item/air...12vdc?&seo=110

Yes, you would want the flow sensor added to the VC2 kit but at that point you are pretty close to the cost of the autolearn kit so something to think about.

I will admit I would like to see someone I trust test the autolearn kit out in the real world so I can see what it is really capable of. If you don't want to try it then the old style kit is proven. Either kit will make you happy.

Be sure to order the CM10 nozzle for either kit, that is the smallest you would want to go with your setup from my math. Adding a second nozzle would be a good idea down the road as well. I have found the more methanol you can inject the better, water on the other hand has a limit before you will start bogging, a pretty firm limit.