SVO MkII
Well-Known Member
- Thread starter
- #1
Finally got a chance to get the Ecoboost out on the track, at Autobahn CC, Joliet, IL (full course). I've been doing HPDE for over 20 years (mainly PCA), but this was the first full track day with the Mustang. I thought I'd share my impressions.
My vehicle...
2018 Ecoboost, Performance Pack, 6spd manual. Only modification is GT PP front brakes (Brembo 6 piston, 15" rotors).
Pros...
- Car ran great. Easy to drive hard, under-steered (as expected). Predictable, stable, decent power to weight.
- I experienced no problems with the ECU pulling boost due to intercooler heatsoak, as some other owners have described (and it was a 90 deg day!), i.e., always maintained 20 psi.
- As an experienced driver, I had no problem keeping up with much faster cars (new 911 S, Cayman S, even a Viper), driven presumably by less experienced drivers. But at the same time, a better driver in a full race Spec Miata was faster than me. "It's not the size of the tool, it's how you use it!"
- I put the "nannies" into Track Mode and I didn't see the light coming on much at all. There were some nice high speed corners where you could just hold the throttle to the floor and the car just stuck, powering out of the curve. In reality, too much hp can make it more difficult to drive, and is also used as a crutch for poor race-craft.
- The 6 piston Brembos worked great. This is a nice upgrade if you plan to track it.
Cons...
- As many others have noted on these forums, the differential oil got hot. During a couple of the 30 min sessions, the warning message came on with the temp around 270 deg. This usually didn't happen till the very end of the session, and the ECU did not put the car into limp mode. It was just a warning.
- This might not be a real issue, but the engine oil temp did move up to the very top of the normal (green) range, and stayed there. Never moved higher, never got any warnings, but it hovered very close to the yellow zone (not sure what the actual calibrations are for these gauges). It's worth noting that I was short-shifting the engine as well (usually around 5000-5200 rpm), and the temps still got this hot. Had I pushed this to 5500-6000, the temp may have risen further.
- Tires. The stock P-zeros are not track tires. After one lap they started losing grip. But they didn't come apart, and they remained pretty consistent throughout the session, just not as grippy as they could be. They're a fun street tire, and I have really enjoyed driving on them for the last almost 12K miles. After they wear out, I will get a better track oriented tire.
Overall, I'm pretty happy with this experience. I think you'd be hard pressed to find a better looking car, that performs this well, for anything close to what these cars sell for.
My vehicle...
2018 Ecoboost, Performance Pack, 6spd manual. Only modification is GT PP front brakes (Brembo 6 piston, 15" rotors).
Pros...
- Car ran great. Easy to drive hard, under-steered (as expected). Predictable, stable, decent power to weight.
- I experienced no problems with the ECU pulling boost due to intercooler heatsoak, as some other owners have described (and it was a 90 deg day!), i.e., always maintained 20 psi.
- As an experienced driver, I had no problem keeping up with much faster cars (new 911 S, Cayman S, even a Viper), driven presumably by less experienced drivers. But at the same time, a better driver in a full race Spec Miata was faster than me. "It's not the size of the tool, it's how you use it!"
- I put the "nannies" into Track Mode and I didn't see the light coming on much at all. There were some nice high speed corners where you could just hold the throttle to the floor and the car just stuck, powering out of the curve. In reality, too much hp can make it more difficult to drive, and is also used as a crutch for poor race-craft.
- The 6 piston Brembos worked great. This is a nice upgrade if you plan to track it.
Cons...
- As many others have noted on these forums, the differential oil got hot. During a couple of the 30 min sessions, the warning message came on with the temp around 270 deg. This usually didn't happen till the very end of the session, and the ECU did not put the car into limp mode. It was just a warning.
- This might not be a real issue, but the engine oil temp did move up to the very top of the normal (green) range, and stayed there. Never moved higher, never got any warnings, but it hovered very close to the yellow zone (not sure what the actual calibrations are for these gauges). It's worth noting that I was short-shifting the engine as well (usually around 5000-5200 rpm), and the temps still got this hot. Had I pushed this to 5500-6000, the temp may have risen further.
- Tires. The stock P-zeros are not track tires. After one lap they started losing grip. But they didn't come apart, and they remained pretty consistent throughout the session, just not as grippy as they could be. They're a fun street tire, and I have really enjoyed driving on them for the last almost 12K miles. After they wear out, I will get a better track oriented tire.
Overall, I'm pretty happy with this experience. I think you'd be hard pressed to find a better looking car, that performs this well, for anything close to what these cars sell for.
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