Autoweek Test: Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT-8
11-30-05, 10:19 AM
#1
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Autoweek Test: Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT-8
2006 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8
Grand Master: SRT8 version of the Grand Cherokee is the most potent Jeep yet
ROGER HART
Published Date: 11/28/05
2006 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE SRT8
ON SALE: Now
BASE PRICE: $39,995
POWERTRAIN: 6.1-liter, 420-hp, 420-lb-ft V8; 4wd, five-speed automatic
CURB WEIGHT: 4788 lbs
0 TO 60 MPH: 4.9 seconds (est.)
FUEL MILEAGE: (AW OBSERVED): 13.39 mpg
Grand Master: SRT8 version of the Grand Cherokee is the most potent Jeep yet
ROGER HART
Published Date: 11/28/05
2006 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE SRT8
ON SALE: Now
BASE PRICE: $39,995
POWERTRAIN: 6.1-liter, 420-hp, 420-lb-ft V8; 4wd, five-speed automatic
CURB WEIGHT: 4788 lbs
0 TO 60 MPH: 4.9 seconds (est.)
FUEL MILEAGE: (AW OBSERVED): 13.39 mpg
If Daimler Chrysler decided to make, oh, say riding lawn mowers, we’re sure an engineer there would find a way to stuff a Hemi in. Then DCX’s Street and Racing Technology division would follow that up with an even more over-the-top SRT version.
Crazy as that sounds, we would probably like it.
That’s because we really like the latest SRT-massaged product. While other manufacturers—BMW, Mercedes, Porsche and Land Rover—produce high-performance sport/utes, turning a Jeep into a 400-plus-hp screamer would have seemed, just a few years ago, as improbable as a V8-powered grass cutter.
The Grand Cherokee SRT8 is the quickest, most powerful Jeep ever. It is also the first Jeep to wear the SRT badge. With a 0-to-60 mph time of less than five seconds, the SRT8 is quicker than the Porsche Cayenne Turbo (5.16 seconds) and BMW’s X5 4.8is (6.8 seconds). That 60-mph sprint is even more impressive considering the Grand Cherokee weighs 4788 pounds.
Four-piston Brembo calipers cover 14.2-inch front rotors and 13.8-inch rears to bring things to a halt from 60 mph in 125 feet. Top speed is 155 mph.
The big Hemi starts life as a 5.7-liter powerplant that gets breathed on considerably, with a bigger bore, higher-compression cylinder heads, larger intake and exhaust manifolds, and larger camshaft profiles. A forged crankshaft, high-strength connecting rods, floating-pin pistons and a modified lubrication system round out the Hemi’s go-faster profile.
The 6.1-liter engine provides thrust and makes 420 hp and 420 lb-ft of torque. Maximum horse*power comes on at 6000 revs, just 200 rpm below redline, while peak torque comes on at 4800 rpm. Power is routed through a beefed-up five-speed automatic transmission. AutoStick is standard.
Because this is a Jeep, SRT engineers worked on the vehicle’s full-time four-wheel-drive system to handle its massive torque. They created a transfer case with a single-speed electronically controlled clutch to direct power to all wheels. An electronic stability program monitors wheel speed and throttle position to decide where to mete out the torque.
Under normal driving conditions 10 percent of the torque is sent to the front wheels. If conditions warrant, 100 percent can be routed to the wheels with traction.
Stepping hard on the throttle on dry pavement produces a minor tire chirp—at most—and then you’re gone, pinned into the SRT8’s firm leather contour*ed seats. Taking into consideration the vehicle’s heft, acceleration is stunning.
If the pavement is uneven, there is some tram-lining due to the huge 20-inch, five-spoke alumi*num wheels fitted with Goodyear W-rated all-season run-flat tires—255/45 in front and 285/40 in back.
Despite the low-profile tires and lowered suspension (the SRT8 rides one inch lower than a standard Grand Cherokee),the firm ride is not as harsh as could be anticipated; steering is direct with minimal body roll. The truck’s wide, lowered stance and big rubber urges you to attack corners like you’re in a sports car. But never forget that you’re not.
Exterior modifications to this Grand Cherokee include a lowered front fascia to reduce lift and provide airflow to cool the engine. A rear fascia with a center cutout is for the dual four-inch chrome exhaust tips. Interior refinements include the wraparound SRT seats and minor trim pieces.
As the Grand Cherokee SRT8 is not trail-rated—Jeep-speak for being a heavy-duty off-roader—the truck should not be on the shortlist for your next Rubicon excursion. But who cares? As a daily driver, the SRT8’s entertainment factor is extremely high. Averaging about 13 mpg in our stint, though, we recommend you don’t venture where the gas stations are too far apart.
Crazy as that sounds, we would probably like it.
That’s because we really like the latest SRT-massaged product. While other manufacturers—BMW, Mercedes, Porsche and Land Rover—produce high-performance sport/utes, turning a Jeep into a 400-plus-hp screamer would have seemed, just a few years ago, as improbable as a V8-powered grass cutter.
The Grand Cherokee SRT8 is the quickest, most powerful Jeep ever. It is also the first Jeep to wear the SRT badge. With a 0-to-60 mph time of less than five seconds, the SRT8 is quicker than the Porsche Cayenne Turbo (5.16 seconds) and BMW’s X5 4.8is (6.8 seconds). That 60-mph sprint is even more impressive considering the Grand Cherokee weighs 4788 pounds.
Four-piston Brembo calipers cover 14.2-inch front rotors and 13.8-inch rears to bring things to a halt from 60 mph in 125 feet. Top speed is 155 mph.
The big Hemi starts life as a 5.7-liter powerplant that gets breathed on considerably, with a bigger bore, higher-compression cylinder heads, larger intake and exhaust manifolds, and larger camshaft profiles. A forged crankshaft, high-strength connecting rods, floating-pin pistons and a modified lubrication system round out the Hemi’s go-faster profile.
The 6.1-liter engine provides thrust and makes 420 hp and 420 lb-ft of torque. Maximum horse*power comes on at 6000 revs, just 200 rpm below redline, while peak torque comes on at 4800 rpm. Power is routed through a beefed-up five-speed automatic transmission. AutoStick is standard.
Because this is a Jeep, SRT engineers worked on the vehicle’s full-time four-wheel-drive system to handle its massive torque. They created a transfer case with a single-speed electronically controlled clutch to direct power to all wheels. An electronic stability program monitors wheel speed and throttle position to decide where to mete out the torque.
Under normal driving conditions 10 percent of the torque is sent to the front wheels. If conditions warrant, 100 percent can be routed to the wheels with traction.
Stepping hard on the throttle on dry pavement produces a minor tire chirp—at most—and then you’re gone, pinned into the SRT8’s firm leather contour*ed seats. Taking into consideration the vehicle’s heft, acceleration is stunning.
If the pavement is uneven, there is some tram-lining due to the huge 20-inch, five-spoke alumi*num wheels fitted with Goodyear W-rated all-season run-flat tires—255/45 in front and 285/40 in back.
Despite the low-profile tires and lowered suspension (the SRT8 rides one inch lower than a standard Grand Cherokee),the firm ride is not as harsh as could be anticipated; steering is direct with minimal body roll. The truck’s wide, lowered stance and big rubber urges you to attack corners like you’re in a sports car. But never forget that you’re not.
Exterior modifications to this Grand Cherokee include a lowered front fascia to reduce lift and provide airflow to cool the engine. A rear fascia with a center cutout is for the dual four-inch chrome exhaust tips. Interior refinements include the wraparound SRT seats and minor trim pieces.
As the Grand Cherokee SRT8 is not trail-rated—Jeep-speak for being a heavy-duty off-roader—the truck should not be on the shortlist for your next Rubicon excursion. But who cares? As a daily driver, the SRT8’s entertainment factor is extremely high. Averaging about 13 mpg in our stint, though, we recommend you don’t venture where the gas stations are too far apart.
11-30-05, 12:19 PM
#3
Lexus Fanatic
Ordinarily I am not a terribly big fan of super-high-powered machines, especially on a rather unstable chassis like this that was designed primarily as an off-roader. I generally don't get my kicks from seeing low 0-60 times or high-G skidpad figures. However, in this case, given the arrogance of Porsche as a company, ( I have never been impressed with how they operate ) I'm glad to see a machine that costs less than half what a Cayenne Turbo does beat the Stuttgart Special at its own performance game. Granted, because of the Jeep's chassis and tire modifications, the Cayenne is likely to be somewhat better off-road, but most people who want a rugged and capable off-roader are not going to get the Jeep SRT or Cayenne Turbo anyway....they are going to go home with a regular Grand Cherokee or a VW Touareg ( built on the Cayenne's platform ), both of which are far better machines for the boonies. The Jeep SRT, for one thing, simply sits too low for off-roading....a concession made to handling......and the tires and wheels are unsuitable for driving over rocks.
One thing is obvious, though. Looking at this vehicle, and the upcoming Jeep Compass...a small, car-based SUV (another Jeep first ), it is clear that Jeep marketers have decided that it's time for the company to expand beyond its rough-and-tumble Rubicon-Trail image. Look for similiar marketing from Land Rover in the future as that company will also probably try to expand beyond its traditional Jeep-like off-road-only image. We already have the first evidence of this in the supercharged Range Rover Sport, which uses the 390 HP Jaguar R-series V8.
One thing is obvious, though. Looking at this vehicle, and the upcoming Jeep Compass...a small, car-based SUV (another Jeep first ), it is clear that Jeep marketers have decided that it's time for the company to expand beyond its rough-and-tumble Rubicon-Trail image. Look for similiar marketing from Land Rover in the future as that company will also probably try to expand beyond its traditional Jeep-like off-road-only image. We already have the first evidence of this in the supercharged Range Rover Sport, which uses the 390 HP Jaguar R-series V8.
11-30-05, 02:44 PM
#5
Lexus Fanatic
The Grand Cherokee V8 you test-drove ( most likely the 4.7L ) was probably a run-of-the-mill off-road Jeep and not set up like this one.
Autoweek apparantly did not test these two on the skidpad, or if they did, for some reason did not publish the figures. But considering the other test results of the Jeep vs. the Porsche, and ESPECIALLY considering that some $50,000 separates these two vehicles, I'd say that the people in Stuttgart have reason to be embarassed. The Jeep handily dusts off the $90,000 Cayenne Turbo to 60 MPH, stops in almost as short a distance, and, while we don't know the precise skidpad figures or cornering speeds at the limit, there is no reason to believe that the Jeep does badly there either....especially compared to its off-road going cousins.
No, the Jeep doesn't have the panache or the prestige of the Porsche nameplate, but then again you don't have to put up with Porsche dealers' snooty attitudes and insane prices for parts and service.
Autoweek apparantly did not test these two on the skidpad, or if they did, for some reason did not publish the figures. But considering the other test results of the Jeep vs. the Porsche, and ESPECIALLY considering that some $50,000 separates these two vehicles, I'd say that the people in Stuttgart have reason to be embarassed. The Jeep handily dusts off the $90,000 Cayenne Turbo to 60 MPH, stops in almost as short a distance, and, while we don't know the precise skidpad figures or cornering speeds at the limit, there is no reason to believe that the Jeep does badly there either....especially compared to its off-road going cousins.
No, the Jeep doesn't have the panache or the prestige of the Porsche nameplate, but then again you don't have to put up with Porsche dealers' snooty attitudes and insane prices for parts and service.
11-30-05, 03:31 PM
#6
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If the Cherokee SRT8 can beat the current M3 convincingly on the roadcourse (which I hightly doubt it) than it will maybe a threat to the Cayenne turbo.
There was a head to head comparision of the Cayenne turbo vs the current M3 on a roadcourse(can't remember exactly which mag) and the Cayenne handed the M3 its a$$.
There was a head to head comparision of the Cayenne turbo vs the current M3 on a roadcourse(can't remember exactly which mag) and the Cayenne handed the M3 its a$$.
Last edited by newr; 11-30-05 at 03:34 PM.
11-30-05, 03:42 PM
#7
Originally Posted by mmarshall
The Grand Cherokee V8 you test-drove ( most likely the 4.7L ) was probably a run-of-the-mill off-road Jeep and not set up like this one.
Autoweek apparantly did not test these two on the skidpad, or if they did, for some reason did not publish the figures. But considering the other test results of the Jeep vs. the Porsche, and ESPECIALLY considering that some $50,000 separates these two vehicles, I'd say that the people in Stuttgart have reason to be embarassed. The Jeep handily dusts off the $90,000 Cayenne Turbo to 60 MPH, stops in almost as short a distance, and, while we don't know the precise skidpad figures or cornering speeds at the limit, there is no reason to believe that the Jeep does badly there either....especially compared to its off-road going cousins.
No, the Jeep doesn't have the panache or the prestige of the Porsche nameplate, but then again you don't have to put up with Porsche dealers' snooty attitudes and insane prices for parts and service.
Autoweek apparantly did not test these two on the skidpad, or if they did, for some reason did not publish the figures. But considering the other test results of the Jeep vs. the Porsche, and ESPECIALLY considering that some $50,000 separates these two vehicles, I'd say that the people in Stuttgart have reason to be embarassed. The Jeep handily dusts off the $90,000 Cayenne Turbo to 60 MPH, stops in almost as short a distance, and, while we don't know the precise skidpad figures or cornering speeds at the limit, there is no reason to believe that the Jeep does badly there either....especially compared to its off-road going cousins.
No, the Jeep doesn't have the panache or the prestige of the Porsche nameplate, but then again you don't have to put up with Porsche dealers' snooty attitudes and insane prices for parts and service.
My parent's have a 5.7 hemi jeep cherokee, and here's my experience with it.
1) Ubelievably sloppy handling. The thing slides all over the place, steering is so unprecise its ridiculus. They leased an Acura MDX before they got the Jeep, and the MDX handled so much better.
2) Its super fast from the line, but it runs out of breath after 60 mph. It will probably get walked by your average v6 powered car after 70mph.
3) It sucks gas like no other!
Now, its not SRT8, but they cant be all that different.
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11-30-05, 04:07 PM
#8
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I think i may be trading in my Jeep for this one - WOW! I average 13-14mpg as is right now. Maybe i'll see 17 on the highway. If they averaged 13.xx overall, that's right where i'm at right now.
Those rear center exhaust tips are cool as hell too!
This is the only american car (other than the Vette) that I will ever own.
11-30-05, 04:22 PM
#9
Lexus Fanatic
Originally Posted by Och
Don't be excited about that jeep thing. Yeah, I'm sure its fast, but....
My parent's have a 5.7 hemi jeep cherokee, and here's my experience with it.
1) Ubelievably sloppy handling. The thing slides all over the place, steering is so unprecise its ridiculus. They leased an Acura MDX before they got the Jeep, and the MDX handled so much better.
2) Its super fast from the line, but it runs out of breath after 60 mph. It will probably get walked by your average v6 powered car after 70mph.
3) It sucks gas like no other!
Now, its not SRT8, but they cant be all that different.
My parent's have a 5.7 hemi jeep cherokee, and here's my experience with it.
1) Ubelievably sloppy handling. The thing slides all over the place, steering is so unprecise its ridiculus. They leased an Acura MDX before they got the Jeep, and the MDX handled so much better.
2) Its super fast from the line, but it runs out of breath after 60 mph. It will probably get walked by your average v6 powered car after 70mph.
3) It sucks gas like no other!
Now, its not SRT8, but they cant be all that different.
I don't doubt the experience you had with your parents' Grand Cherokee. Jeeps have never been very good handlers, for a number of technical reasons, among them live axles front and rear ( the Liberty has one only on the rear...the front is independent ) , high center-of-gravity, rather unsophisticated suspensions, and truck-type recirculating-ball steering. But when the SRT boys go to work, they change a lot of things....they don't just stuff in a bigger or turbo engine and let it go at that. Witness all the changes they made to the other SRT Chrysler products.....the SRT4 Neon, the SRT6 Crossfire, and the SRT8 300C, Magnum, and Charger. The Jeep benefitted from many of these SRT-related performance changes....though you are correct in noting that it was a handling dog to start with.
As far as your complaining about the 5.7L Hemi sucking gas, if you take it easy it has a 4-cylinder shutdown feature that saves gas at cruise...but it doesn't work with a lead foot. The SRT, unfortunately, does not have that feature.....the engineers couldn't figure out a way to fit it in with all the other engine changes.....and with drag-strip performance being one of the main objectives of SRT engineering, fuel economy was given little priority.
And just for the record, a Cayenne Turbo, with some 450 HP, is no economy champ either at the gas pumps.
Last edited by mmarshall; 11-30-05 at 04:29 PM.
11-30-05, 04:31 PM
#10
Originally Posted by mmarshall
Well...like I said in my first post, I don't get terribly excited over really high-powered vehicles...that is just not my forte. Just trying to be objective here. But I've never liked the way Porsche is run, though, and it is nice to see a vehicle, even with, as you say, inferior handling, equal or exceed it in a number of other areas...for less than half the price.
Originally Posted by mmarshall
I don't doubt the experience you had with your parents' Grand Cherokee. Jeeps have never been very good handlers, for a number of technical reasons, among them live axles front and rear ( the Liberty has one only on the rear...the front is independent ) , high center-of-gravity, rather unsophisticated suspensions, and truck-type recirculating-ball steering. But when the SRT boys go to work, they change a lot of things....they don't just stuff in a bigger or turbo engine and let it go at that. Witness all the changes they made to the other SRT Chrysler products.....the SRT4 Neon, the SRT6 Crossfire, and the SRT8 300C, Magnum, and Charger. The Jeep benefitted from many of these SRT-related performance changes....though you are correct in noting that it was a handling dog to start with.
In any case, SUV people probably don't care much for handling anyway.
11-30-05, 05:22 PM
#11
Dysfunctional Veteran
are yo kidding? next to the cavalier, the neon is the WORST american car ever built. have you ever driven a regular one? you are lucky to hit 45 MPH before the end of an on ramp in the automatic version. and handling? so much understeer you can hang it up. if you read up on the SRT4, the suspension was COMPLETELY redisigned. the only thing kept the same was the basic body shape.
i'll put it this way, My ZX-2, with stock suspension can take a regular left hand turn from a ligth at around 50 MPH (give or take a feew MPH) without a hint fo understeer. uyour regular cloverleaf on ramp that says 45MPH, i can take it at over 85, and the straight on ramp, ill be doing 100 before i hit the end...if not more.
the standard neon (or even the SXT model with auto) will get to sixty eventually, but dont count cause you will fall asleep. that corner I took at around 50 in the ZX-2? cut it in half...you might take it at 30 if you are lucky. the cloverleaf, yeah, you guessed it, 40-45 is MAX, and the straight on ramp, i think i already said you might be doing 45 by the end. how do i know, cause all of these things i did while i was awaiting delivery of my ZX2, i had a loaner 2004 Neon SXT with the auto. it was GARBAGE.
An SRT4 would walk all over my ZX-2 in every aspect, excpet weight. but if you put me next to a standard neon on the track, with a 1/4 mile time of 15.4, you can cancel christmas, cause im friggin gone!...
but i see that you may have meant, that it was a better platform that the jeep was to start with for this kind of application, that i agree with, but it was only slightly better.
neons are a joke. that is all.
i'll put it this way, My ZX-2, with stock suspension can take a regular left hand turn from a ligth at around 50 MPH (give or take a feew MPH) without a hint fo understeer. uyour regular cloverleaf on ramp that says 45MPH, i can take it at over 85, and the straight on ramp, ill be doing 100 before i hit the end...if not more.
the standard neon (or even the SXT model with auto) will get to sixty eventually, but dont count cause you will fall asleep. that corner I took at around 50 in the ZX-2? cut it in half...you might take it at 30 if you are lucky. the cloverleaf, yeah, you guessed it, 40-45 is MAX, and the straight on ramp, i think i already said you might be doing 45 by the end. how do i know, cause all of these things i did while i was awaiting delivery of my ZX2, i had a loaner 2004 Neon SXT with the auto. it was GARBAGE.
An SRT4 would walk all over my ZX-2 in every aspect, excpet weight. but if you put me next to a standard neon on the track, with a 1/4 mile time of 15.4, you can cancel christmas, cause im friggin gone!...
but i see that you may have meant, that it was a better platform that the jeep was to start with for this kind of application, that i agree with, but it was only slightly better.
neons are a joke. that is all.
Last edited by ArmyofOne; 11-30-05 at 05:29 PM.
11-30-05, 05:41 PM
#12
Lexus Fanatic
Originally Posted by ArmyofOne
are yo kidding? next to the cavalier, the neon is the WORST american car ever built. GARBAGE.
.
.
12-01-05, 04:09 AM
#13
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Originally Posted by ArmyofOne
are yo kidding? next to the cavalier, the neon is the WORST american car ever built. have you ever driven a regular one? you are lucky to hit 45 MPH before the end of an on ramp in the automatic version. and handling? so much understeer you can hang it up. if you read up on the SRT4, the suspension was COMPLETELY redisigned. the only thing kept the same was the basic body shape.
i'll put it this way, My ZX-2, with stock suspension can take a regular left hand turn from a ligth at around 50 MPH (give or take a feew MPH) without a hint fo understeer. uyour regular cloverleaf on ramp that says 45MPH, i can take it at over 85, and the straight on ramp, ill be doing 100 before i hit the end...if not more.
the standard neon (or even the SXT model with auto) will get to sixty eventually, but dont count cause you will fall asleep. that corner I took at around 50 in the ZX-2? cut it in half...you might take it at 30 if you are lucky. the cloverleaf, yeah, you guessed it, 40-45 is MAX, and the straight on ramp, i think i already said you might be doing 45 by the end. how do i know, cause all of these things i did while i was awaiting delivery of my ZX2, i had a loaner 2004 Neon SXT with the auto. it was GARBAGE.
An SRT4 would walk all over my ZX-2 in every aspect, excpet weight. but if you put me next to a standard neon on the track, with a 1/4 mile time of 15.4, you can cancel christmas, cause im friggin gone!...
but i see that you may have meant, that it was a better platform that the jeep was to start with for this kind of application, that i agree with, but it was only slightly better.
neons are a joke. that is all.
i'll put it this way, My ZX-2, with stock suspension can take a regular left hand turn from a ligth at around 50 MPH (give or take a feew MPH) without a hint fo understeer. uyour regular cloverleaf on ramp that says 45MPH, i can take it at over 85, and the straight on ramp, ill be doing 100 before i hit the end...if not more.
the standard neon (or even the SXT model with auto) will get to sixty eventually, but dont count cause you will fall asleep. that corner I took at around 50 in the ZX-2? cut it in half...you might take it at 30 if you are lucky. the cloverleaf, yeah, you guessed it, 40-45 is MAX, and the straight on ramp, i think i already said you might be doing 45 by the end. how do i know, cause all of these things i did while i was awaiting delivery of my ZX2, i had a loaner 2004 Neon SXT with the auto. it was GARBAGE.
An SRT4 would walk all over my ZX-2 in every aspect, excpet weight. but if you put me next to a standard neon on the track, with a 1/4 mile time of 15.4, you can cancel christmas, cause im friggin gone!...
but i see that you may have meant, that it was a better platform that the jeep was to start with for this kind of application, that i agree with, but it was only slightly better.
neons are a joke. that is all.
And no offense but spirited driving on the streets doesnt mean much since there are no reliable quantitive measures no to mention that you probably are more used to your escort then you are to the neon. At this level it all comes to how fast your comfortable at fooling around.
Those shamrock like intersections if youre talking about the ones that unite between freeways well they're speedlimits are placed on the extremely conservative side since you have to remember that even 18 wheelers with a full load can make that turn at that speed with still a few mph of margin to spare.
Going around 85-90 mph on those things.. (ok ok I done it too.) In my car is not that eventful, im pretty sure it could be done with any mechanically sound vehicle with tires with that still have thread or are not extremely cheap. Just basing on the fact that the g load felt at that constant speed at that open wide constant turn hard for me to measure but it can't be much more then maybe 0.5 G's. I known of people that were foolish enough to try this things at 115-120 mph on slightly sportier vehicles.... The real danger here is the fact that this things are somewhat blind turns for the most part and sometimes it ends with a merge from another onramp... I know my car is more capable then turning on this things then 85-90... But woudln't want to try it....
No offense but I would not be knocking on the neon's in terms of its merits of its performance... (in my experience a zx2 is the same damn concept only ford's attempt.). I have seen them plenty of times at local road courses and track events much more often then the escorts. Bone stock with exception of dot slicks and or sport tires depending on class they are going for I seen some drivers post some very respectable times like any small nimble car they are probably near equal to other economical gas sipping grocery getters. Noting to sing home about, but still fun to mess around. I just dont get it when people with like cars bash on it like its somehow extremely inferior to their... civic's DX, Cavalier's Corollas, escorts, foci's etc etc in term of performance... all of them are near the bottom of the barrel in the car food chain. In this category. Id be looking more at reliabity track records....
Last edited by Inabj2; 12-01-05 at 04:14 AM.
12-01-05, 07:36 AM
#14
Dysfunctional Veteran
I had a timeslip, i have since lost it (will look for it the next time i clean out the car), it would make no difference anyways as i have no way to post it, no scanner, i live in the barracks, so i dont even have a computer, i access from the library or classroom. library here has no scanner either.
I had nearly new tires, and empty car and 45 degree day. perfect. There are people here who can attest to it. I'm going tot he dyno in the spring, so we will see what she does with her new mods. should be somewhere around 170 HP. and my engine DOES NOT have 110 HP, i have the DOHC Zetec. not the SPI SOHC, or the OHV pusrod 4.
Do not lecutre me about the platform this car is built on, i know the designer of the platform, Terrence Haines. I had a ford contour for a nunmber fo years, durning which time i tore down and put it back together many times, because i could, to learn. I know these cars inside and out.The CDW-27 platform houses various different models fo fords cars, and the ZX-2 shares more in common, (motor/transmission/subframe/suspension) with the focus/contour/mondeo/cougar, than it does with the 4 door escort. it is a ZX-2, if you have ever driven the non base model, you would see 16.2-16.4 seconds in the 1/4 is easy, 16 flat with a good driver, STOCK. hit a few mods with it, and your good to go. I can drive a stick better than anyone i know. better than my father even, who has been drag racing his whole life. SO dont underestimate, it can be done. on the dyno, i expect somewheres around 160-170 HP. Pm Phoneix, if you have questions, he can personally vouch for what has been done to my car.
Just remember, power to weight is everything.
the 11:1 compression compression ration from the new, thinner copper headgasket helps too 
Did you know a P&P can add over 30 HP? Its the single most effective mod for the money on most cars, on mine it ran $250, plus another $200 for the valve job. some labor dont myself, the machining was paid for.
I had nearly new tires, and empty car and 45 degree day. perfect. There are people here who can attest to it. I'm going tot he dyno in the spring, so we will see what she does with her new mods. should be somewhere around 170 HP. and my engine DOES NOT have 110 HP, i have the DOHC Zetec. not the SPI SOHC, or the OHV pusrod 4.
Do not lecutre me about the platform this car is built on, i know the designer of the platform, Terrence Haines. I had a ford contour for a nunmber fo years, durning which time i tore down and put it back together many times, because i could, to learn. I know these cars inside and out.The CDW-27 platform houses various different models fo fords cars, and the ZX-2 shares more in common, (motor/transmission/subframe/suspension) with the focus/contour/mondeo/cougar, than it does with the 4 door escort. it is a ZX-2, if you have ever driven the non base model, you would see 16.2-16.4 seconds in the 1/4 is easy, 16 flat with a good driver, STOCK. hit a few mods with it, and your good to go. I can drive a stick better than anyone i know. better than my father even, who has been drag racing his whole life. SO dont underestimate, it can be done. on the dyno, i expect somewheres around 160-170 HP. Pm Phoneix, if you have questions, he can personally vouch for what has been done to my car.
Just remember, power to weight is everything.
the 11:1 compression compression ration from the new, thinner copper headgasket helps too Did you know a P&P can add over 30 HP? Its the single most effective mod for the money on most cars, on mine it ran $250, plus another $200 for the valve job. some labor dont myself, the machining was paid for.
Last edited by ArmyofOne; 12-01-05 at 08:01 AM.
12-01-05, 07:48 AM
#15
Lexus Fanatic
Originally Posted by ArmyofOne
Just remember, power to weight is everything. the 11:1 compression compression ration from the new, thinner copper headgasket helps too Did you know a P&P can add over 30 HP?
the 11:1 compression compression ration from the new, thinner copper headgasket helps too Did you know a P&P can add over 30 HP?