2001 Cobra 3.73 ?

[rshap2000]

Hello, I just purchased my 1st Mustang, a 2001 Cobra Conv. I called a recommended shop in Maryland to get a price for a 3.73 installation. I was told that to change to 3.73, a new chip must also be purchased for the speedo change. Has anyone ever heard of this? Need some help, new to this.

The shop I spoke with told me the only thing I could do was get the chip, I asked if there was anything else to use to calibrate the speedo, but they said no. The price to do this is now rising another $300, plus the price f the 3.73 change. We are talking close to $1000 total!!! I was also going to add a K&N, Steeda shifter and pully's, and possibly Bassani x pipes, but now I have to make some choices, can't afford all.

[DrunkFireman]

Yea your speedo will be off. With the new gears the car will be moving at a different speed with the same rpm so it will be off. As for what to do to fix it im not totally sure.

[StoplightWarrior]

You need to get your speedo recalibrated, but you don't need a chip for that. You can just get a new speedo gear. Im almost positive on that one. I wouldnt go with wimpy 3.73's though. The mod cobra's love gear, so go with at least 4.10s if not 4.30s. As far as the install, it shouldnt be more than $300 at the most + the speedo gear. The X-pipe is a great mod, as are the k&N, shifter and pulleys. With all those mods intalled, you're snake will show stock vettes it's taillights.
Those mods are tried and true, and not too expensive:

Gears + install: ~$500
Pulleys: $200
Filter: $45
X-pipe w/cats: $450
Shifter: $200

So that's about $1400 in mods, and you could definitely pull a 13.1-13.2 with them in place. Stock vettes go about 13.3-13.7. Good luck.

I don't know SLWarrior... I think you do need a chip for the newer ones. That's what I heard, I think the cpu does the calibrating. You can ask this in the Modular Forum or Girls Can Too. I think I read about it over there..

Just read that other post in Modular Madness, looks like the Speed Calibrator is the way to go..

[Rocket 99GT]

"rshap2000",
I had my gears changed at the ford dealer. It is the one in Rockville (across from Marlo). They charged me $750 everything included.
The dealer never told me anything about about chip.

[blue00gt]

Check out this website:
http://www.dallasmustang.com/earlyspecials.htm

It says 96+. It didn't specify whether it works on Cobras, GT's, or both. I would give them a call.

[rshap2000]

I appreciate everbodys input here. It still seems as though there are mixed reviews. And the price that I have been quoted for all of this work is about $2800. It's very high, but I think that is the pricing in the Washington D.C. and Baltimore markets. As I said the gear change is close to $1000 due to the chip, and the Bassani X pipes are $610 just for the parts. Also, now I have a bigger warranty issue with changing the chip on a brand new car.

If anybody can help, let me know? Thanks for the help so far, I really enjoy being a new Cobra owner.

[Mustangmom2k]

Ok, I can help you. Not only did I get 3.73 gears installed with a chip on my GT, but I also live in the DC metro area.

The chip is ONLY necessary with AUTO trannies to calibrate the speedo in 99+ models. Mine is an auto, hence the chip. There is NO other way to correct the speedo. The VSS [vehicle speed sensor] and the OSS [output shaft sensor] were combined in the 99+, therefore, auto trannies shift based on the SPEEDOMETER. The computer then seperates the combined signals and does the math. When you change the gears, the speedometer reads about 15 or so mph higher than what you're actually travelling, but the tranny thinks it's time to shift, which causes it to shift way too early. That's why you have to use a chip to correct the speedo in these cars. (I could have left the speedo alone and gotten used to the incorrect reading, but I couldn't live with the extra miles racking up on the odometer that aren't really there.)And by the way, there is NO speedo gear in these models like in earlier ones.

However, your Cobra is a manual tranny, so you can just use the SpeedCal gizmo. It retails for about $99 from Dallas Mustang, and you do NOT need a chip. We put TWO of these on my car before we learned they don't work on autos. It will work beautifully on your car, though, and is a very simple install.

The cost of my gear/chip install came to $725 total.....$450 for the gears, $275 for a custom burned chip. If your shop won't install the SpeedCal for you, bring your car here to Manassas and you can get it done. If you have any questions, feel free to shoot me an email. Hope this helps.

[Hammer]

Couldn't have said it any better Mustangmom...

Rshap,
Feel free to call me at Dallas Mustang on Saturdays (when I work) and I'll get you hooked up with a speedcal. (Ask for Adam)

For future reference.... there IS a modular forum around here somewhere...

j/k

[rshap2000]

Thanks guys, I appreciate the advise, which I will take. The chip thing scares me as the car is new, and I am worried about the warranty.

[Girls can too]

I completely understand not wanting to spend that kinda cash to fix one problem.

- The SpeedCal will correct the calibration issue for your new gears.

- The MIL Eliminators are going to be necessary if you're adding an off road X-Pipe to your new car. This will shut off the annoying check engine light.

However, I see the issue of warranty popping up numerous times in here. If this is important to you, which I'm sure it is, then I would suggest a simple computer chip.

Superchips Computer Chips WILL NOT void your warranty. I don't care what the dealership told Joe Blow's sister or what they told that man down by the river...It can NOT and will NOT void your warranty through Ford.

Not only will it correct those two issues it will also add approx. 22hp to the vehicle. Think about the two above peices (one of which will have to be replaced over time). What do you think the warranty co is ganna say when they see these two gizmos wired up in there?

I've had hands on with all of these products at work and have seen what comes back from the public. The Superchips (by far) has been one of the best products (next to the EEC Tuner) I've seen. I just got off a project talking to other S.C. dealers and heard nothing but rave reviews too.

Whatever you choose, good luck...There's nothing worse than wasting good mod money. See ya! Nicolle

[ReefBlueCoupe]

As far as if those mods will allow you to beat stock vettes, maybe the early C5s, and some C4s, but 13.3-13.7 1/4 times for new onew? That is not accurate. Here is a video of my friend's bone stock 2001 6 spd: www.lxcoupe.com/multimedia/scott4.mpeg From a stop, if you had traction, you could probably get him in the 1/8th, but look at that mph.. his best run that day had a 114.7mph trap speed. If you guys went from a roll you wouldnt have much of a chance. This is a bone stock vette! Even Bob Cosby's modified and mad powershifted 99 only traps 112mph. I'm not a chevy fan, just stating what's faster. that's why the vette costs 45,000 dollars.

The Speedcal will calibrate the computer for the new gear, but the Superchip will not add 22hp to a stock engine.. i don't care what any magazine ad says. If someone has dyno charts to prove otherwise I will gladly restate that last statement. If you've supercharged the car or otherwise heavily modified it, that's a different story. A chip can really help out.

Listen to the others as far as gear ratios go. 4.10 minimum! 4.30 would probably be my choice and if you wanted, 4.56s would be the best choice for acceleration. My cobra bolt on package would consist of: 4.30 gear, shifter, bassani cat x pipe, borla cat back, drag radials, UD pulleys, mass air meter, and throttle body. Top that off with a set of headers and a Vortech and you're looking at low 11s with a stock engine

just my 2 cents.