Select-able Cam Timing part of the performance pack?

[Norm Peterson]

It is not about impressing people or not knowing what it does. For some people it is not just about performance, no matter what a car looks or sounds like, but about sound (and look), too.
For example, to me, the sound is pretty high on the list of the most important things in a car.
And am I right in thinking you will shake your head over a Boss with activated Track Key?


No hard feelings.

Alex

If the difference in sound is enough to distinguish the Track key from the normal key, I probably would. I do that already when an exhaust note gives away the fact that the car or truck I'm hearing is an automatic. Damn near every time.

I really am that much of a function over subjectives kind of enthusiast, and I'd realize that anybody idling and slowly cruising around on the Track key wasn't doing so for any performance reason.

That's not to say I want dead-quiet cars - having enough 'voice' to distinguish a 6 from a 4, an 8 from either of those, and a V8 X-pipe from a V8 H-pipe is part of any given car's basic character.

Dunno, either I'm not extroverted enough to want to show off things about my cars that aren't obvious to the casual observer or maybe I'd rather not have my cars hint at having more performance than they really have. Maybe both.

I know that many or perhaps most enthusiasts think somewhat differently than I on this and other topics.


Norm

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[alexx205]

There is plenty of research you can do on your own regarding Ti-VCT.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWXdISsxrlw

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Variable_Cam_Timing
http://www.fordmuscleforums.com/2011-ford-mustang/496202-ti-vct-engine-technology.html
www.at.ford.com/news/.../ti_vct_engine_technology_fs.pdf ‎

The bottom line, variable cam timing allows maximum performance, fuel efficiency, and driveability, all at the same time. No flipping switches are necessary.

First, thanks for the links.

What you state is not wrong. But, as it is done with the Track Key, even the variable cam Timing (besides many other things) can be changed to result in a different (for some driving situations better) driving experience. (Like I stated above.)

"The TracKey PCM software, installed by an authorized Ford dealer after a customer takes delivery of the car, adjusts variable cam timing, spark maps, engine braking, fuel control, throttle response and other engine parameters – more than 600 in total – to provide a complete race car calibration. The result is an aggressive, race-bred driving experience all the way down to the lopey idle rumbling through the Boss quad exhaust." - Ford Racing
(http://fordracingparts.com/trackey/)

I guess, they did this for a reason. And I think, this could be done with a switch instead of the key. That is all there is to it. Or am I missing something? :headbonk:

Alex

 

[alexx205]

If the difference in sound is enough to distinguish the Track key from the normal key, I probably would. I do that already when an exhaust note gives away the fact that the car or truck I'm hearing is an automatic. Damn near every time.

I really am that much of a function over subjectives kind of enthusiast, and I'd realize that anybody idling and slowly cruising around on the Track key wasn't doing so for any performance reason.

That's not to say I want dead-quiet cars - having enough 'voice' to distinguish a 6 from a 4, an 8 from either of those, and a V8 X-pipe from a V8 H-pipe is part of any given car's basic character.

Dunno, either I'm not extroverted enough to want to show off things about my cars that aren't obvious to the casual observer or maybe I'd rather not have my cars hint at having more performance than they really have. Maybe both.

I know that many or perhaps most enthusiasts think somewhat differently than I on this and other topics.


Norm

Yes, I think it is possible to distinguish the track key by the sound.
[ame]
But I feel not this is pretending to have more Performance than the Mustang has got.
And this is not about the loudness, but the tone. Even though I have to admit, I like it a little bit louder than a Standard say VW cruising around, but just still not screaming/begging for Attention

But this is obviously a thing of personal preference

Alex

 

[Norm Peterson]

Thanks, alex. Even as the audio on a video clip there's enough to distinguish.

If I heard that sitting in grid waiting for my session out on the track I'd think one thing - which could vary depending on what run group he was in. If I heard it while driving through the center of some small town I'd probably think the other driver wanted people to think he's got more power under the hood than he really has. Around town it's much like the 'Thumpr' cams from Comp Cams for pushrod motors, more for image than performance.


Norm

 

[TorkN8R]

Lope cam Idle

My understanding is the Ford Track Key/ Lope Idle sound dod make the car run rich and ping a little.

Later Ford service bulletin recommended the installation of a oil catch can on the passenger side of the motor to compensate.

What does that tell you? Just like Grimace427 said...unburned fuel in the cat means shortened life of the cat. $$$ ouch!

 

[B-Fox]

considering the track key is available for the 2014 GT now, i'm sure Ford Racing will make it available for the new GT as well, I wouldn't be surprised to see one for the ecoboost either.

 

[scottpe]

My understanding is the Ford Track Key/ Lope Idle sound dod make the car run rich and ping a little.

Later Ford service bulletin recommended the installation of a oil catch can on the passenger side of the motor to compensate.

What does that tell you? Just like Grimace427 said...unburned fuel in the cat means shortened life of the cat. $$$ ouch!

The ping had nothing to do with the car running too rich. AFAIK the problem is/was that oil vapors were effectively lowering the octane of the air/fuel mixture, causing premature ignition at lower RPMs. The catch can simply removes the oil vapor from the intake stream, mitigating that effect.

 

[KGrGunMan]

If the difference in sound is enough to distinguish the Track key from the normal key, I probably would. I do that already when an exhaust note gives away the fact that the car or truck I'm hearing is an automatic. Damn near every time.

I really am that much of a function over subjectives kind of enthusiast, and I'd realize that anybody idling and slowly cruising around on the Track key wasn't doing so for any performance reason.

That's not to say I want dead-quiet cars - having enough 'voice' to distinguish a 6 from a 4, an 8 from either of those, and a V8 X-pipe from a V8 H-pipe is part of any given car's basic character.

Dunno, either I'm not extroverted enough to want to show off things about my cars that aren't obvious to the casual observer or maybe I'd rather not have my cars hint at having more performance than they really have. Maybe both.

I know that many or perhaps most enthusiasts think somewhat differently than I on this and other topics.


Norm

I think I love you, and I'm a straight male. If you have a daughter or don't have a wife anymore, let me know. :love:

I don't really care much what anyone other than myself thinks of my vehicle. On the other hand I do find it beneficial when 'johnny law' thinks my car doesn't deserve another look. It's also enjoyable when my competition is caught off guard.

I build my cars like I build my business, "Under promise, over deliver."

On the same note however, I had a lot of friends in highschool who would try to make their slow car look faster than reality, I called them "Ricers" (and I drove a stock looking 80's japanese car that was slow in a straight line, but would laugh at 'vettes down a twisty mountain road.) Yet every single time I found, the owner of the car MUST build the car for themselves, when one builds a car to please others, they never end up happy, do what makes you happy...

 

[Grimace427]

The ping had nothing to do with the car running too rich. AFAIK the problem is/was that oil vapors were effectively lowering the octane of the air/fuel mixture, causing premature ignition at lower RPMs. The catch can simply removes the oil vapor from the intake stream, mitigating that effect.

Only the Procal tunes had that issue though, pretty much eliminating the oil vapor idea. I've been running 28k tuned miles without pinging and without a catch can. My tunes have been datalogged to ensure accuracy.

 

[scottpe]

Only the Procal tunes had that issue though, pretty much eliminating the oil vapor idea. I've been running 28k tuned miles without pinging and without a catch can. My tunes have been datalogged to ensure accuracy.

The pinging only affected some people, and IMO was most likely attributable to Ford's specific tune combined with variations in fuel formulation/octane (and the oil vapor). I'm guessing that all of that extra low end torque (50+ lb/ft according to their ads) Ford squeezed out was gained with a pretty aggressive fuel/spark map at lower RPMs. The oil vapor was probably just enough to cause ping issues for a subset of users, when combined with a borderline fuel formulation. Could also depend on the amount of oil vapor being ingested into the intake stream, which would vary by car. I recall some people reporting some pretty significant oil consumption for the first several thousand miles. Others had very little.

Anyway, given that IIRC the catch can solution was actually recommended by Ford for their Procal/Trackey customers, I think it must have been more than just an 'idea.' They wouldn't recommend such a solution unless they had a pretty good idea what was causing the problem and that the proposed solution would work.

 

[B-Fox]

Rather than start a new thread, our online resource book is now available to dealers. One of the bullet points under the selectable driving mode "track": Engine responds directly to your inputs and takes on a more powerful tone.

 

[Chameleon]

Rather than start a new thread, our online resource book is now available to dealers. One of the bullet points under the selectable driving mode "track": Engine responds directly to your inputs and takes on a more powerful tone.

Eh, Was hoping for more than that for the track mode.

 

[B-Fox]

That was one of many listed, but it sounds like that may explain the "lopey" idle we've heard on some of the GTs

 

[fionic]

That was one of many listed, but it sounds like that may explain the "lopey" idle we've heard on some of the GTs

wha? what video did you watch where the s550 had a lopey idle?

 

[B-Fox]

one of the first videos we heard of that red gt in CA it sounded lopey to me at least..

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