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I put my 96 Cobra on a dyno. It came back with 184 Hp & 250 Torque. This seems like a lot of loss. What is the expected loss of Hp & T from the Flywheel to the tires?

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Best Regards
96 Cobra
Just getting started.

That is very bad. Either something is wrong with your car, or it was dynoed incorrectly. There is an approximently 15% loss from the flywheel to the wheels, which means you are only making about 210 hp and 285 ft/lbs of torque.

Most Cobras put out more like 260 hp and 255 torque at the wheels. Some more, some less, but you are way off.

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'97 Cobra, K&N, Flowmaster, subframes, 4.10 gears, Steeda Tri-Ax shifter, Steeda G-Trac 3, Cobra R wheels w/ Goodyear F1s

[This message has been edited by 97snakedriver (edited 05-01-2000).]

Sounds real bad. Are you the original owner? If not, maybe the engine was replaced with a 4.6 for a GT. Those numbers are awfully close to it.

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Best Regards
96 Cobra
Just getting started.

Let me reply so everyone understands that last reply. Sorry I am new to this.

No, I am not the first owner.

Does any one have any ideas for starting to trouble shoot this problem.

Well, could be three things:

1. The dyno was done incorrectly. Never heard of it happening, but it could.
2. Ripper is right, and you got seriously, seriously, sue the jerk who sold it to you, seriously, screwed.
3. The engine is very screwed up.

2 is easy enough to check. GTs have black intake and valve covers. Cobras have polished alum. intake and valve covers. There is also a large Cobra emblem on top of the intake. On the passanger side valve cover there also should be a little plaque, saying "Niche Line", "Romeo Plant", "SVT", "Mustang Cobra 4V" and "Hand Built with Pride" in some combination.

If it is indead a Cobra, it gets more complicated. You're about 80 ponies short of a snake, that's a lot.



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'97 Cobra, K&N, Flowmaster, subframes, 4.10 gears, Steeda Tri-Ax shifter, Steeda G-Trac 3, Cobra R wheels w/ Goodyear F1s

The engine looks very, very clean, it definitely looks like a Cobra engine, it even has signed stamp of the builder on it. There is also another stamp above the grill that says it was "reprogramed" by an SVT Mech. Engine sounds very nice. I looked under the car, it looks like it has and H-exhaust system. Doesn't look like the differential has been touched, bolts still looked sealed, tag is in place w/3L 23 for ratio.

Everyone keeps telling me I have a problem any ideas on how to resolve it??? http://www.mustangworks.com/interact...oard/smile.gif

Okay. I've never seen a "reprogrammed" plaque. I have no idea what that means.

The engine sounds good. Smooth idle and all that good stuff? Have you ever ran the car, or have any idea how fast it is? Any idea at all?

It may be all right. We need some more information before we can determine what is going on.

It seems to run very quick, but then I normally drive a 4-runner or a suburban. I have street raced a 90's? vette(from dead stop), and an SS camaro 90's(starting around 20 MPH), I had the vet for the first 1/8 mile start he pulled ahead but we did have to let up due to a red light and the camaro I had from the start he never caught me. I have had the car up to 130 MPH. It seems to respond very well as well as have plenty of kick 1st thru 4th, but I don't have the best frame of reference. The previous owner put both front and rear sway-bars on, along with Hotchkis suspension.

The dyno I used is listed in "Super Ford", April 2000 addition, article X vs H, Pg 34. Dan's performance in Hesperia, CA.

The SS would of destroyed you if you were only making 210 hp. If the car seems to be running okay, I'm guessing that nothing is so wrong that you would be that low on hp. I guess the dyno run was messed up somehow.

There was a recall for the 4.6 computer to be reprogrammed by Ford in 96. There is quite a noticeable difference between engines of the GT and the Cobra. For starters the valve covers for the Cobra are twice the size of the GT's. Try and reprogram the computer by unhooking the battery for 30 min. Then hook it back up and let the car run for about 10min to learn again. It'll also take a little bit of driving around (easy driving) to reprogram itself to engine idle speed, etc. A code may have popped up in your computer and the computer maybe holding the engine back. Take the car somewhere and have the computer scanned to see if any codes pop up. For instance, if the previous owner put on an off road h-pipe your check engine light/system would turn on and the computer would reduce the power of the engine to get the correct emissions. The previous owner could have removed the light bulb so he wouldn't be looking at the light all the time. I know of people that have done it. The new OBD-II computer is sensitive to stuff such as the exhaust modifications cause it's alot faster than the previous EEC-IV computers of the 5.0. Get the computer scanned. It should tell you whatever could be wrong with your car. http://www.mustangworks.com/interact...oard/smile.gif

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1996 Mustang GTS
K&N, removed air silencer, 3.73s, turndowns after H-pipe (no mufflers)