Well the weather didnt end up being as cold as it should have been. The forecast was for low 40s and it ended up being mid-high 40s. I got a new best tonight...still not what I wanted, and of course I got it on my first pass down the track. I ended up making 7 passes over the course of the night. I met a really cool guy that has a 99 Lightning. He was running 12.6s@107 and another guy with an 02 that was running 13.2s@102. So I had alot of fun out there even though I didnt break the elusive 15 second barrier. I could not get traction on any of my launches. I tried rolling into the gas, I tried torque braking it, I let the converter flash on its own. I did everything. Just the cold weather combined with the fact that the track wasnt prepped well is what got me. Like I said before, my first pass right off the interstate was the best. I also raced in full street trim tonight, no weigh reduction at all. I also found out that I trap higher mph with the tailgate up rather than down. So my best run was:
60 - 2.215
330 - 6.610
1/8 - 10.258
MPH - 67.87
1000 - 13.433
1/4 - 16.159
MPH - 82.31

So I guess it was alright. I really wanted a 15.9, but maybe next time. And sorry guys, I didnt make and passes without a chip...I forgot my sockets at home so I couldnt remove the E-Brake assembly. But I should have some stuff coming soon that will put me in the mid 15s for sure. Hopefully they will fix the problem with my truck falling on its face halfway through 2nd and all through 3rd

 

Well if you could drop .1 off that 60' time...you'd pick up about .2 from what I understand.

I always keep street tires at normal pressure. Avoid the water box...burnouts are fun for showing off or big Hooiser slicks. Maybe a quick spin of the tires to clean them.

I launch off the flash stall or a slight brake torque to 1000-1200rpms then go. You may wanna try to manually shift your tranny for more shift extension too.

What other mods do you have planned next?

 

I do always manually shift it. If I let the comp do it on its own....im like .4 slower. I still dont know what the best rpms to shift at are, but from my many many runs, I get the best times doign the 1-2 @ 4700 and the 2-3 @ the same. And longer in each gear and I can feel the truck doesnt pull any harder. I have alos tried keeping the torque converter unlocked when in 3rd, but it doesnt do anything. I do always avoid the water box then do a real real quick burnout to simply clean the tires off, then I practice launching once or twice then stage. The track simply doesnt hook up good enough. And if I roll into the gas to much I get 2.3 60s. I am going to be getting some GT-40 heads and an Edelbrock cam....220/220 .498/.498 @.050. So I think that should help out the truck a little lol. Then I will probably pick up 2 15" rims and some 26" tall Hoosiers. Then I wont have to worry about traction at all. Either the Hoosiers or some Nitto 555Rs.

 

Heres what I think.....Get better heads like an edelbrock performer with 2.02 1.60 valves or have the GT-40s proted and a slightly bigger cam. I have a lunati 51014 in my truck 500 510 lift and 218 226 @50. It has a nice choppy idle and pulls good all the way aroung. You notice it more up top though.

Put gears in the back.... Like 4.10s and an eaton differential.
Slocks are your friend.... 28/10.5/15 MT drags or ET streets.... they stick nice.

And never rule out a power adder.... 100 shot or a powerdyne... either will make good power.

 

That Edelbrock cam sounds a lt like a Crane 2040/Ford E. It is not the cam of choice for a truck. Not enough mid-range, makes all it's power gains at high revs, not designed for a heavy vehicle, etc.

Didn't you do a dyno pull? Where did it show your peak HP occurring? Your shift point is about 100-200 RPMs above that

 

MnvlMat,
When I get the GT-40s I was going to get them ported. I have a great deal on the GT-40s(fully assmebled) and the cam/lifters....FREE. Also he is going to give me some 1.6RR and help me install everything so I cant really pass up the deal. Right now I have 3.73 gears and an Auburn Pro Limited Slip. I figured I'd go with some 26" tall slicks so that at the track that would equal a 4.10 ratio becuase of the shorter tires.
Strange,
My peak torque was at 4400 rpms and at like 4500 it had only dropped off 2hp. But since then I have added the longtubes and ditched the cats so I dont know where it is now....but I would guess around the same. Do you think I should go with a 2030 over the eddy?

 

It seems to me that last time you posted some 1/4 mile times, you were aound 16.7 if I recall correctly. What have you done to your truck since then to get it down to a 16.1? Is it just practice and cooler weather or have you added mods since then? Just curious. 16.1 is still a good time for an "ol' full size truck".

 

Well I havent really done anything different. The only thing that comes to mind is that I put a 180 tstat in it. But other than that I have just gotten better at driving it. I ran a 16.3 a couple months back in 80* weather. The truck has a 15 in it for sure....I just need to be able to launch it better and then I need to get my shifting down pat. Because my 2nd run of the night.....I had a 2.212 60' and at the 1/8 I was a tenth faster and almost 1mph better than the 16.1 run, but then I went into 3rd to early and I ended up running a 16.2. tha twould have been a 15.9xx pass but I did the 2-3 at like 4350rpms.....WAY WAY to low.

 

You KNOW I'm a big fan of the Crane 2030, so you know what my answer is going to be on that issue. Do yourself a favor. Call the techs at Edelbrock and see what they think of their cam in your application. I'm willing to bet that they make an alternative suggestion (if E'brock even has a mid-range cam.) The 2030 with the GT-40s is a potent combination, of that I can assure you. Only problem is, you'll have to upgrade your fuel system to 24# injectors, etc. in order to feed those hungry heads

I assume you are using the stock column-mounted shifter? That's a BIG mistake. They uniformly suck. They are designed mostly to keep out of the way and have no considerations whatsoever for control or performance. Either get a floor shifter or get a chip that raises your automatic WOT shift points. Or both.

Are your rear tires merely spinning or are you getting some axle tramp when you launch? If you're spinning, then you need more weight transer, which is tough to do with a truck. If you're getting axle tramp then you need a set of traction bars. You can't use slappers with a spring-over but the Shelby style bars work and may help a little with weight transfer as well.

 

Well I'll probably just go with a 2030....I dont mind if I have to upgrade the injectors. and I am spinning off the line. No acle hop just tire spin. I dont know what to do. I was running with everything on the truck so that is as much weight as it has. Do you think 2" drop shackles would help any?

 

Please don't take my word for it. I don't want you blaming me if you don't like the 2030. Really, do some research on your own with the cam grinders. Check the specs on that E'brock and see if it is as close to the 2040 as it sounds. Call Crane and ask them whether you should put a 2030 or a 2040 or something entirely different in a truck. Call Crower, Isky, CompCams, ect or e-mail them. They want to put you in the right cam the first time. Be sure you list the other mods, including the GT-40 heads, and the fact that you are interested in performance/racing not just daily driving and towing/hauling. The use makes a big difference in the cam recommendation.

As to your other question, drop shackles wil do absolutely nothing to improve your launch traction or your 1/4 mile performance. They will improve cornering slightly, (but you probably shouldn't push a truck hard enough to find out) and they will reduce your load carrying/towing ability by decreasing rear axle travel.

Check out Cal-Trax traction bars. They are 'spensive but they claim to promote weight transfer by changing the center of rotation of the rear axle. I have no experience with them but their claims seem quite plausible. They essentially convert the leaf spring into one bar of a 4-link. They are essentially an improvement on the Shelby style bar
http://www.calvertracing.com/

 

Thanks for all your help Strange.....I greatly appreciate it. I will probably call up a few cam places and see what they recommend. That eddy cam I can get....it is the one they include with the truck performer kit (cam,heads,intake manifolds), but that seems to be their only roller cam also. I have a friend with a 95 Lightning with the traction bars that you are talking about and he said they only stopped axle hop and didnt do anything as far as wheel spin. I may just build my own that are similar to that, and use my friends as a template.

 

I am a bit skeptical. Technically, Edelbrock does not have a camshaft specifically for the 5.0 truck power package. They have cams for the Mustang 5.0 power package and the 5.8 truck power package, but nothing is listed for our specific application. Most likely the Edelbrock camshaft you mentioned is for the Mustang application, unless this is a VERY recent addition (like within the last month or 2) because I have been on the phone with them a number of times, I own their catalog and have visited their website a countless number of times researching their parts for my (our) 5.0L trucks. Not too long ago, I asked them why they didn't have any dyno information on their 5.0L truck power package and their reply was "we only provide dyno information on power packages that include a camshaft as well as cylinder heads. Since we don't offer the camshaft, we don't have any specific dyno information for the 5.0L truck." I would recommend looking into another camshaft if I were you.

 

I couldn't take it anymore. i went out to the E'brock website and checked specs on that cam. Nominal duration, duration @ .050, lift, lobe centers and opening and closing events are all identical to the Ford "E"/Crane 2040. There MAY be some minor differences in profile but nothing to write home about. They do not include it in their 5.0 truck power package and with good reason. It's a medium-high rev cam and makes it's best power at around 5500. That's a full 500 over the peak for the 2030 or 2031 and probably 1000 over the peak for the 2020.

Looking at the specs and considering weight, tire diameter and the fact that this truck is a daily driver, I'm actually leaning slightly more towards the 2020 for your application. The GT-40 heads might push things into the 2030 range though. Both are EPA legal so you're cool with the smog ***** either way. Just call Crane and ask.

 

Well don't forget the cam of 220/220 .498/.498 110LSA isn't good for any Ford EEC-IV comps. They freakout pretty badly with an LSA under 112*...besides idle suffering like that vac is very low...not good for the brakes. I ran that cam a LONG time ago in a EEC-IV controlled car and I DO NOT recommend any of the FMS Alhpabet cams. They are all veryold designs.

I'd look for a 214/220 .470/.490 (w/ 1.6:1) 114LSA. The wider LSA will keep a nicer idle, still have chop, and pull very well from the hole to 6000rpms.

BTW...I'd go for the AFR-165cc heads if you are sticking with the 302 block. CNC ported stock and outperform the 'Brocks. If you get the 'Brocks for cheap then I'd get them and have the massaged a bit.