I am interested in an estimate of the top speed of the following version of a 2006 Mustang Coupe with the 4.0L V6 and a manual transmission. Assume the base model -
1) As delivered. I assume Ford included a speed limit in the PCM
2) With a chip that removes the speed limit
3) With a chip, free flowing duals (cat back), and a K&N intake.
Would this last combo actually be able to exceed 120 mph?
Make sure your tires are good for whatever speed your car can do, plus a margin of safety. In earlier years, Ford limited the speed of some Mustangs because the factory installed low-speed tires.
{Since the W-rated tires currently on my bone-stock '98 GT are rated for 168 MPH, I'm relatively safe. :-) }
As delivered from Ford the V6 is limited to 113 MPH... You don't put a "chip" in this car. You will need to buy a handheld tuner and reflash the car. Most of these will either remove the limiter or allow you to raid the limit. The car should easily be able to hit 120 MPH...
Besides making sure you have the properly rated tires, I would also be leery of the stock drive shaft... they are pretty much junk... They vibrate like crazy.... also I don't remember exactly when Ford switched but the early drive shafts did NOT use C-clips to hold the u- joints in... instead they were staked in... but eventually the stakes would give way any the drive shafts would come apart... which is very bad thing to happen at 120 MPH... luckily the ones I know of were all on the dyno... but still caused a fair amount of damage...
Even if you drive shaft is clipped I would still recommend an after market drive shaft if you plan on doing a lot of high speed driving.... I couldn't keep a rear pinion seal in my car until i replaced mine...
Interesting comments. Is the drive shaft on the GT the same as on the V6? I have had my S197 GT upwards of 130 on a couple occasions and not a hint of any vibration at all.
Absolutely correct. You'll begin feeling vibrations in a V6 at something around 95-100 mph, and it quickly gets worse.
Another problem in the V6 is, at these speeds the car will start to feel very light and will begin to drift, and if you correct too quickly or in the wrong direction, well, it's called natural selection I think.
I suppose some of the V6s vibrated, but not mine (2006 convertible automatic), and with the BamaChips tune it was not top-speed limited at 113. It was stlll accelerating at 130 (5300 in 4th) when I chickened out.
As for the drift: even before shocks, springs, and sways were upgraded, no drift. The Classic front chin spoiler and lack of rear spoiler other than a "lip" may have had something to do with that.
I had my 99 gt up to a bit over 120 and didn't notice any vibration but it seemed to be nearly topped out for the road I was on, not sure how much grade there was, it was pretty flat but few roads out here are really flat. It's an automatic.
My '07 GT is stable at 130 but the hood vibrating in certain wind conditions sucks. Needs a set of hood pins to nail down the edges. It's a wind catcher with it's overhang and the plastic hood lifts at the edges. First car I've had that hood pins would be functional instead of cosmetic. Not happy with it at all. No issues under 100 mph.
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