Why's my cougar a fattie?

[Tygerr]

Pretty much like the topic. It has to be weight that's making my car so slow. I was comparing 1/4 times yesterday w/ other automatics, for example.
MercuryCougar's 1/4 time slip stock:
60': 2.609
1/8: 11.078 @ 65.28 mph
f1/4: 17.071 @ 81.92 mph

vs.

My car (I/H/E):
60': 2.576
1/8: 11.082 @ 65.25 mph
1/4: 17.024 @ 82.24 mph

So basically i've modded my car to make me as fast as a stock atx. Which is lame. I've read the weight reduction info, but it doesn't say why the newer cougs are heavier... I figure every 100lbs is a 1/10th of your 1/4, correct? So, why exactly are the newer cougs heaver, i can't see my spoiler, rims, and hood scoop being heavy enough to weigh me that much.

[AEMCougar]

Did you do any weight reduction for your track runs? Simple seat removal, speaker box,spare tire and jack, excess crap, and with 1/4 tank of gas will definetly help your times, as it did mine. It took all of an hour to pull it all out and i could feel a difference the second i drove it. At my track, there is a scale at the end of the 1/4 mile, pretty close to the time slip booth. My car with me in it weighed in at 2910(me weighing 160), with the weight reduction listed above. I also ran with a full body kit, WW hi-rise and pretty hefty 17 inch rims.

I dunno man, from reading your posts in this section regarding your times, I still think somethings wrong with your car engine wise. Hell, with intake,exhaust, ypipe, SVT UIM and TB, you and me should be putting out around the same kind of power numbers. A .7 difference in our best runs and about 3 mph trap difference definetly supports that theres something wrong here.
Have you driven any other cougars or any cougar owners driven yours? Im sure you'd be able to feel the difference from a healthy cougar versus yours. How many miles on your car? Any problems with it? Have you done all the maintenance work(plugs, wires, synthetic oil, fuel filter, fuel pump definetly will make a difference).
I really hope to see you figure this out man. Good luck.

[Tygerr]

Yea, i'll be doing my fuel filter here soon. Yesterday i ran out of gas, so that's def. no good. My fuel pump isn't covered under the recall, i only have 38,000 so i dunno if wires and plugs would do any good and i always use synthetic. I know my secondaries wouldn't open up before sometimes, but now they do, for the most part... but i haven't taken it to the track after i fixed it. I've never had any probs though that i know of. That makes sense to drive in someone elses car, next time i hit the track i'll throw out my spare/seats/ w/e else. I wanted to see how fast my car was on a daily basis, so no weight reduction was done at all, and i only weigh 140lbs so i don't contribute too much weight.

I dunno... i'll figure it out hopefully. Thanks man.

[tropiccougar01]

Tygerr, it all depends on track conditions also. I am an 01 owner and there is a slight weight difference. However, i made a 15.227 pass without any weight reduction to my car. I did not have a sub box or anything else. I even left the spare in, if i remember correctly. I had SCA CAI, Gutted precats, STV UIM/TB/LIM, and a 3" customer exhaust. The previous time at the track, i had ran a 16.0 and the only changes were SVT UIM/TB and gutted precats. Understand that the difference is not that drastic but the weather conditions went from 90 degrees with 90% humidity to 50degrees with about 60% humidity. The changes in the weather were the big change that helped my speed, IMO. Try and going in colder weather and get the SVT UIM/TB, they will increase your throttle response drasticly.

[Tygerr]

That's the thing though, the first time i went it was really humid and i ran like a 17.4, but later on i ended up running a 17 flat. The second time i was running pretty much straight 17.0's and 17.1's. There was another cougar there, Taylor, he's a member here. He's got some sort of 99 cougar i believe w/ a drift kit i think, the only thing he had done to his car was a muffler and he ran a 16.7 the same night i was there. It's frustrating i tell ya. He also stuck on his 15" swirlies by the way.

[Outlaw4Shrt]

weight reduction helps a lot, colder denser air is always a plus, but the best thing you can do to help your times, especially since you have an atx, is to get a chip from ADC. The benefit of raised shift points as well as improved timing and fuel maps will make a HUGE difference in the performance and feel of your car.

A

[Tygerr]

yea, i'm waiting to get the svt uim first, than i'll get the chip, my funds lack

[Ness1216]

you might be like me, and be way out of tune, I ran faster with less mods, I will be tuning in next couple of weeks though.

[GrandMasterKhan]

the 01/02 ATX cougars are about 180lbs heavier than the 99s. (due to various interior/exterior cosmetic changes, including upsizing to 17" tires in some cases)

Keep in mind that the weight and diameter of your wheels plays a large roll in your performance. Larger & Heavier wheels can really dog you in the 1/4. If the rule of +100lbs = +.1 second....with the wheels. +25lbs = +.1 seconds. Not to mention a larger diameter wheel will have more rotational mass on further out on the wheel. Which will slow acceleration. Unsprung weight such as wheels also plays a hugefactor in your cars handling performance as well.


Dont forget that if your IMRC fails to open you will be loosing 30hp. It has been dynoed and proven. The heat buildup in the engine bay during while waiting in the staging lanes can take a real toll on a worn out IMRC.

[Tygerr]

hmm, ok... this is still depressing, but i need to hit up some 15's, or even 16's. Thanks GMK.

btw ness, you have a cam correct? that's prolly why your out of tune, that's pretty much a major mod there, everything i have should be accounted for mostly by the maf i would assume.

[tropiccougar01]

Tyger, while waiting in the pits for your car to cool down, put a bag of ice on your UIM. It will help cool the intake track for colder air. Since its a type of metal, it will also stay cool through the staging process if you keep your car off and push it in the lines. I had a big of ice on mine for over an hour to allow for cooler air.

[Tygerr]

I did have my hood up and tried to always push it till i had to start it, which helps a little. I'll try the ice, not sure how much it'll help but it's worth a shot. I might just get a cai, it's much cheaper than a svt uim, than later i can get the uim when i have more money.

[gyger]

Run the heat if you have to drive it. The heater core is a mini radiator it will help drop temperature.

Also while you are sitting there with ice on your manifold run the heat while the car is off until
it starts to blow cool air. This works.

[Tygerr]

oh sweet, thanks man, will do... i should have a bit more done by the time i hit the track in the summer

[cdnkitty]

Im not sure why but i ran my 99 mtx v6 up here at bud park the temp was 20 celcius with 40% rh and with my stock car (k&n stock air box filter) and i ran 16.25 @86 mph, unless that extra bit of weightmakes that much of a difference.

[Tygerr]

ok, after reading malibu's post i guess i never thought to correct the et 1/4 for standard or w/e... anyway,

w/ columbus oh being app. 830 ft above sea level, it turned out my time would be 16.7 @ 83mph... which i guess is much better, but... i still have a question, does anyone know if in the drag post w/ everyones times, are they already corrected, or they just post what the track told em?

anyway, after a few tweaks here and there i'll be heading to the track here soon and we'll see if i fixed the problem... if there is a problem

[ilovemycar]

mine are not corrected...but i dont think it would matter much cause i race in Savannah, GA and we are pretty much BELOW sea level aroung these parts.