MotoIQ TESTED: Ford Power Packs 1-3

[Eritas]

This article is ever better:
http://www.stangtv.com/tech-stories...old-shootout-gt-gt350-boss-302-and-cobra-jet/

;)

That's been around a while and was one of the best resources until this motoiq one. The big problem I had with that stangtv article was that they used a gen1 F150 engine with different pistons, cams, long tube headers, and they couldn't control the stock and GT350 manifolds charge valves, plus they started the dyno at 3,500RPM, so you cant see the power down low.

The charge valves and cams made that a big deal breaker and not that relevant to my S550. Otherwise it was a nice comparison.

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[Eritas]

I finally got PP3 installed this week. WOW. What a difference! It pulls hard all the way to redline and I love how it sounds at 7,500RPM. The car drives just as good as stock with no driveability problems and I don't feel it has lost anything at low revs or the mid-range. It actually feels a little stronger at low RPM if anything.

I'm very happy with the PP3 and GT350 intake manifold. My Mustang now feels more like my old M3 but much stronger. I highly recommend it!

 

[saf1]

I'd wager those that track their car on road courses and reaching their rev limiters would greatly benefit with the PP3 package. I've watched a few videos over there in the sub-forum and hear them hitting it. Personally I think Ford did a great job offering the three. Seems like the owner just needs to make their pro/con list and then purchase.

Personally speaking just because I like the RPM's I'd go with the package behind door number 3 ;)

 

[SVT Wylde]

Has anyone tried the PP3 on an automatic car with 3.15 gears? I'm thinking the added torque of the PP2 might be better in my case. It takes forever to get my car to 6800rpm's unless I'm in 1st gear. lol

 

[VooDooDaddy]

Has anyone tried the PP3 on an automatic car with 3.15 gears? I'm thinking the added torque of the PP2 might be better in my case. It takes forever to get my car to 6800rpm's unless I'm in 1st gear. lol

For me the PP2 makes the most sense. I'm not gonna race my car, especially 1/4 mile, therefore my engine will rarely see anything north of 7K rpm.

My car is street-driven exclusively and the extra torque in the meat of my rev range is where it will make my car more enjoyable to drive AND I would like to ditch the 3.15 rear gears in favor of 3.55 ratio which the PP2 will allow me to do as well.

The combination of PP2 and 3.55 should wake up my street ride? Maybe a Circle D converter too.....?

 

[SVT Wylde]

For me the PP2 makes the most sense. I'm not gonna race my car, especially 1/4 mile, therefore my engine will rarely see anything north of 7K rpm.

My car is street-driven exclusively and the extra torque in the meat of my rev range is where it will make my car more enjoyable to drive AND I would like to ditch the 3.15 rear gears in favor of 3.55 ratio which the PP2 will allow me to do as well.

The combination of PP2 and 3.55 should wake up my street ride? Maybe a Circle D converter too.....?

I've read several posts here that suggest saving the money on a gear swap and installing a 4C converter instead. This makes sense for drag racing but I'm not sure how easy it is to live with a converter in a daily driver. Maybe get a 3C? I have a lot of research to do lol

 

[NvrFinished]

I'd wager those that track their car on road courses and reaching their rev limiters would greatly benefit with the PP3 package. I've watched a few videos over there in the sub-forum and hear them hitting it. Personally I think Ford did a great job offering the three. Seems like the owner just needs to make their pro/con list and then purchase.

Personally speaking just because I like the RPM's I'd go with the package behind door number 3 ;)

This is exactly why I'm considering this package. I just wish they had a flex fuel tune for it as well.

 

[Optimum Performance]

I'd wager those that track their car on road courses and reaching their rev limiters would greatly benefit with the PP3 package. I've watched a few videos over there in the sub-forum and hear them hitting it. Personally I think Ford did a great job offering the three. Seems like the owner just needs to make their pro/con list and then purchase.

Personally speaking just because I like the RPM's I'd go with the package behind door number 3 ;)

^^^This exactly. For roadcourse or even Auto-X that 500-700RPM is huge in lap times when you don't have to either short shift, up shift for a couple of seconds just to down shift twice in a braking zone.

That flat torque curve is also easier to manage on corner exits.

If you run a shorter tire on a 3.73 equipped MT82 car you constantly need 5th with the stock limiter which from my data is 6800 even though my tach says 7000. The PP3 and a switch to 3.55's would be a nice combo if the road courses are high speed. Less down shifts make bad drivers like myself faster ;)

 

[Chad11491]

Thanks for taking the time to do this. Always awesome articles. Since you’re local to PBD, i think it would be interesting to compare the ford tunes to theirs as well.

 

[GNN60GT500]

Has anyone tried the PP3 on an automatic car with 3.15 gears? I'm thinking the added torque of the PP2 might be better in my case. It takes forever to get my car to 6800rpm's unless I'm in 1st gear. lol

I'm having same decision issues as you..of course revving higher in first will put the rpms higher when you shift to second...but then again that long second and third...grrrrrr ahhh need more input!

 

[earlingy]

Thanks for this amazing article!

 

[accel]

After reading through this I'm thinking more and more that PP1 is the steal of the group for a daily driver (at least in my case)

I also do not like the idea of removing the sound pipe in pp2+...

I do like to hear engine sound feedack in the cabin. It is not the same as exhaust sound. Pretty useful at autoX and track. I'm not a track guy though.

 

[JeffreyDJ]

I also do not like the idea of removing the sound pipe in pp2+...

I do like to hear engine sound feedack in the cabin. It is not the same as exhaust sound. Pretty useful at autoX and track. I'm not a track guy though.

This is not a valid reason to not get PP2. You can still hear the engine just fine. Yes, you're losing some of the original intake noise, but that's it. My car isn't that much quieter inside.

Plus it's incredibly ugly just sitting there in the engine bay doing nothing but routing a little air noise through 3ft of over engineered plastic piping and a few pieces of foam.

 

[accel]

This is not a valid reason to not get PP2. You can still hear the engine just fine. Yes, you're losing some of the original intake noise, but that's it. My car isn't that much quieter inside.

Plus it's incredibly ugly just sitting there in the engine bay doing nothing but routing a little air noise through 3ft of over engineered plastic piping and a few pieces of foam.

Old sports cars weren't that insulated and so you could hear engine sound and exhaust. Both of these give you extra information... So if the sound pipe solves it - I do not consider it just sitting there for no reason. Now, sound through speakers is a different story. I wouldn't look in EcoBoost direction for this one reason.

Good to hear you can still get sound in the cabin.... I probably should block this pipe with something just to see what kind of a difference it makes before removing (or keeping) it.

I remember watching some gt350 review at youtube where the guy complained on hearing the exhaust only and missing the engine.

My previous ultimate driving car was only letting me hear some whine in the cabin. Now, that was very irritating...

 

[JeffreyDJ]

Old sports cars weren't that insulated and so you could hear engine sound and exhaust. Both of these give you extra information... So if the sound pipe solves it - I do not consider it just sitting there for no reason. Now, sound through speakers is a different story. I wouldn't look in EcoBoost direction for this one reason.

Good to hear you can still get sound in the cabin.... I probably should block this pipe with something just to see what kind of a difference it makes before removing (or keeping) it.

I remember watching some gt350 review at youtube where the guy complained on hearing the exhaust only and missing the engine.

My previous ultimate driving car was only letting me hear some whine in the cabin. Now, that was very irritating...

If your exhaust gets too loud it'll decrease the ability to hear the engine, but I think your overestimating what you hear, which is why I say its not a valid reason. It is true, at low RPMs mine is quiet (but it was before too).

You're NOT hearing the "engine" with the sound tube, your hearing an approximation of some intake noise as filtered and changed through the plastic and foam tube post air filter, pre-throttle body. While it's not "fake" noise like an EB per se, it isn't exactly "real" either.

If you're listening to the engine sing via the RPM changes (which is what I want to hear), you're not gaining (or losing) any of that.

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