127mph top speed?

[Mels]

A fellow SHOforum member and I were "airing out" my '89 a couple weeks ago and nailed 140 at just under 7000rpm's, 6800 or so in 4th gear. The problem we have out here in my area is a lack of long straight stretches of smooth, open road. That coupled with an awful lot of traffic is not condusive to 5th gear runs in a typical stock SHO. Now if I only lived out by my sister in New Mexico... thumb

 

[DHMag]

svtman is on track with an explanation, unless the owner has verified the speedo register. or maybe it was verified and then the tire/wheel setup was changed.

 

[Doug Waschenko]

I have never experienced it personally but the stock CPU will reduce the fuel to the engine as you approach max RPM in 5th.
I thought that the max was 139 though.
A chip will eliminate the cut off and probably most of those MTX cases with the pin through the case are a result of the eliminated restriction.

 

[FordLover]

HopefulSHO:
Dosen't 4th wind out to around 138 or 140?

4th goes to about 130. You gotta use 5th to top out the car. But it helps to have the rev limiter removed so you can take 4th gear just shy of 8K RPM. Then you can just shift into 5th and you should be able to go much faster, unless you've got a supercharger or perhaps a turbo.
-Martin

 

[FordLover]

Doug Waschenko:
I have never experienced it personally but the stock CPU will reduce the fuel to the engine as you approach max RPM in 5th.
I thought that the max was 139 though.
A chip will eliminate the cut off and probably most of those MTX cases with the pin through the case are a result of the eliminated restriction.

The 139 limit is for automatic 93-95's only, not sure about the gen 3 cars. The only speed limiter on MTX cars is drag. RPM limiter begins it's cutout around 7,100 RPM, and can really be felt by 7,300 RPM.
-Martin

 

[Machspeed]

FordLover:

HopefulSHO:
Dosen't 4th wind out to around 138 or 140?

4th goes to about 130. You gotta use 5th to top out the car. But it helps to have the rev limiter removed so you can take 4th gear just shy of 8K RPM. Then you can just shift into 5th and you should be able to go much faster, unless you've got a supercharger or perhaps a turbo.
-Martin

4th goes out at 130? You can go at least 137 in 4th. Itd pull faster the 5th thats for sho.

 

[NotSoSlowSHO]

yep,

I have buried the speedo more than once in 4th gear.

And on a NA SHO, shifting into 5th @ 140 leaves a lot to be desired squint

Well, guess there isnt any reason to go any FASTER

it almost feels like the old '89 hits a wall (aerodynamics wise) at 140. Just not enough umph to get 5th to pull wink

 

[Trojan Man]

4th gear @ 7000RPM is 137MPH per Road and Track when they did the road test back in 88 or 89. Therefore redlining 4th should easily take you over 140MPH.

I've had my '92 to 157MPH if my tach is accurate... speedo was pegged and I figured out my speed from the RPMs, gear ratios, and tires. It was in 5th and down a 2 mile long hill

 

[Doug Waschenko]

TrojanMan, that must have been YOU who passed me on the Thruway? I was only doing 125.

 

[SHOguy 92]

according to car and driver 3rd tops out at 101mph 4th tops out at 137mph and 5th tops out at 143 thats for a 90' samething as mine but right now if i was to go that fast my front tires well are bald when i burn out chunks of rubber come flying off lol i got new ones there goin on today thank god. then maybe i'll be visiting the interstate at 2am to find out for sure.

 

[billyshoe]

the SHO is a import

 

[Machspeed]

billyshoe:
the SHO is a import

No the sho drivetrain is. Havent you seen the sticker on the left rear 1/4 window that says made with pride in atlanta georga?

 

[Mels]

Car and Driver, huh? Well, I guess these are those folks that believe everything they read in the local newspaper too... shrug

Freshly back from the dyno yesterday, my basically stock '88 topped out at 145mph in 4th gear at 7400rpm, as read on the dyno. MY instruments were off though - speedo read about 5mph slower than the dyno, and tach read about 5krpm faster than the dyno at top speed when my rev limiter took over and I shut it down each time (6 runs). My tire size is in my sig, if anyone wants to calculate correction. (Math isn't my forte )

Now of course if you "If it's in the paper it must be true" guys still want to jump up and down on your soapboxes, go ahead and tell Dean his dyno is off. His number at New England Dyno and Tuning is (508)752-5557. wink

Every car has subtle differences right from the factory, but I've got to agree with the other guys here - the rated top speed of 143 in the December '88 edition of C&D magazine must've been in 4th gear, and that 5th is simply a "gas gear". Recently, I requested and received a copy of that article from C&D. I'll dig it out and have a look in the next couple days, see if it mentions 5th gear in respect to PUBLISHED top speed, and let y'all know. thumb

<small>[ September 15, 2003, 12:34 PM: Message edited by: Mels ]</small>

 

[SolidState]

back in its healthier days I had the ATX bury the needle on a slight downhill. I have found that the ATX will go almost to 140mph in 3rd gear. When ever I get 'in the mood' with the ATX and take it up past 110mph, I always lock out 4th. High speed runs in an ATX is a good way to **** the OD bands and drum quickly.

Funny story about the MTX, though. I was driving it home after and emissions test and it was SERIOUSLY down on power. it simply had no balls and was stuttering like a ****. Turns out that I forgot to replace the SPOUT connector. Timing is everything.

 

[SHOtimer]

What do u mean it burns up an ATX to go over 110 with 4th not locked out? What exactly does it do to the bands and drum. I do that quite frequently but I don't lock out 4th, am I damaging it? Thanx, Doug

 

[Mels]

My apologies everyone, my post kinda turned the way of a rambling rant.