Question, I have torn up several Civics, Accords, non-turbo Eclipses, and Grand Prix GTP's, but I have now been beaten twice by 5.0 Mustangs (old body style) after I hit third gear, once with the stock wheels/tires, once on the current 19" setup. Oddly, I pulled them both off the line and thought I was dealing out a nice @ss-whooping when I hit third gear and noticed them catching me and thinking "WTF is going on, my car is supposed to have most of it's power up top, why is this f-cking guy catching me?"

Has anyone else experienced this?

The main reason I am asking is because it is now obvious that I MUST do someting to prevent this in the future. Does anyone have experience with the Venom VCN-2000 computerized NOS System? What about the Comptech Headers, anybody put those on yet? They supposedly add 32HP up top! How about some info on that supercharger that's supposedly coming out soon?

 

spray 100 shot.. thatll show those puny 5.0s.. hehe

 

A 100 shot will turn the front tires into liquid in no time flat, I will do the Venom NOS as a last resort, at least it's progressive so I could roll up from 25-100 gradually so I don't eat tires or break the transmission. I'm not a big fan of NOS because Nitrous needs to be refilled , headers and a supercharger are always on.

 

I know what you mean about that upper end power. I have a completely stock 99TL, and I was racing my friend's eshift is300. I whooped him pretty well up to about 70, and then i felt like i wasnt getting nearly as much power as i had been up to that point, and he flew past me. This is why I would also like to get some performance mods so i can feel more power in the upper end.

 

That's weird, I find myself being able to win races due to our strong third gear. I definitely feel its the best gear on my car. I beat my brothers RSX type S and my friends 330 Ci Manual because I was able to walk on them in 3rd. Now 4th gear, THAT IS THE PROBLEM.

 

What I noticed was that they actually started pulling on me in third and as you stated after third comes fourth and the revs drop out of VTEC range and "sorry bout my sh!t luck"

Tonight, however, my car was pulling like a g*dd@mn freight train! I went five exits past my house just to wring it out and smack it off the limiter for a third time! I did it twice in one night a couple of months ago. Let me tell you guys, once you hit 5400 in fourth, this car WAKES UPand TAKES OFF! Especially with the AEM CAI!

 

Oh yes I agree with silvertl-s, I was doing fine up until 3rd gear, sorry i forgot to mention that. But when I got to 4th, that's when things went downhill...the rpm moved up pretty slowly it seemed, and I wasn't feeling the power I felt earlier. That is the thing I would like to improve.

 

I agree with you jbrown about 4th gear. If your racing, the key is to hold 3rd gear out all the way to about where the rev limiter hits. From about 110 MPH-125 MPH, the TL-S is asleep, but after that, it kind of starts picking up a bit. I wrung it out to 147 MPH. It was at about 6100 RPM's in 4th.

I can't wait to get those Comptech Headers!

 

I'm saving my spare dough, hopefully in another few weeks I'll be ordering them from snook, everybody I talked to said they are the BOMB!

 

Headers should help, it's supposed to add 32hp mid-range....I always beat my friends 5.0 Stangs(he'll start catching up when I'm in 4th), but it's those damn Camaro SS that makes me look bad.

 

I have no problem with 3rd gear. It's the 4th gear that takes forever. I can't wait to order the headers from Tim next spring/summer.
BTW, the AEM CAI does help a lot.

 

Get headers and intake, and if you have extra cash, get the exhaust too. Headers do add alot, especially at the top end (freeway speed).

 

i think 2nd pulls hardest on TLS... from 0 to 65 is sweet... third already kinda wimps out... on freeway dropping 5 to 3 is alrite... but fourth is just depressing...

are headers really that good?!? 32hp?!? @ the wheel or crank??

anybody kno anything regarding factory warrenty? and sound level... im a bit tired of roaring exhausts

 

The headers, intake, sticky tires and light wheels make for consistent sub 6 second 0..60 and car will pull through 3rd gear without any problem. (Oops, forget about 100 degree days)

The headers add about 24 HP to the wheels (depending on car and unknown factors). The AEM CAI will get 5-8 HP to the wheels. If you don't care about looks, just get the lightest 17" wheels and tires you WILL notice a difference in acceleration.

BTW -- Fourth gear is depressing. IMO -- a Level 10 rebuild (for strength) and a mystery-mod equivalent torque/hp boost is needed to even begin to fix that problem. (4th is just way too tall)

 

when racing agaist older muscle cars, u gotta remember that they have no traction control, so even though they are a lot more powerful, u'll usually be able to jump out faster. i was recently racing a z28, and the same thing was happening. i would take him off the start, but as i'm getting towards the end of 2nd, i see that he's gaining on me. what was basically happening is that he was spinning tires the first 2 gears. luckily this was an auto z28 with ****ty stock tires, so we still ran pretty evenly, and thats not bad considering he's got 340lbs/tq.

 

No question- add the headers, exhaust and CAI- make the stangs cry! I know from experience

 

wayne, i got a quick question for u:

i've been down to e-town several times, and i can never break 15.2, but i can consistently run it. granted i have about 200lbs of audio equipment, but, i still think i should run better times. i had headers installed at park ave, and i installed the cai, and i'm just wondering if u ran any strips with ur car and what kinda times did u get?

 

I posted this on a couple of other threads, but I gotta tell everybody!

"Last Night my car was pulling like a g*dd@mn freight train! I went five exits past my house just to wring it out and smack it off the limiter for a third time! I did it twice in one night a couple of months ago. Let me tell you guys, once you hit 5400 in fourth, this car WAKES UP and TAKES OFF! Especially with the AEM CAI!"

I can't wait to get some headers!

 

I haven't been able to run my current car, but my previous one- exactly the same only black, ran a 14.6 but the driver had a 1.3 reaction time- so if you factor in a good launch, I would expect about a 13.9- 14.1. If I ever get the time, we will run my new car and see if we can repeat that. It feels about the same now that it is broken in.

 

That depends on the stang I wish I didn't have to sell mine to get this car, I miss the balls to the walls power.

 

I agree about launching against muscle cars. When I was at the track I think I had a jump on every single car I raced, the fastest being a Saleen mustang that ran a 13.6. Many of them caught up to me and passed me, but that's another story. It's very easy to get good, consistent launches with the CLS.

 

I cant believe you guys are beating stangs. Crazy. My '93 5.0 coupe ran 13.5s all day any day with so-so tires and a few bolt ons (H-pipe, headers, flowmasters, pulleys, K&N, 3.73 rear end). Oh and it was an automatic, granted I had it rebuilt with a wide ratio kit and new valve body. Plus I always felt like I could of knocked that other half second off with a good set of tires.

I dont have a TL-S but I have driven a couple. I personally thought that the TL-S wasnt significantly faster than my TL. I really think the most significant performance feature the TL-S has over the TL was the extra 1000rpms.

I know for a fact that my 2000TL is no where near as fast as my 5.0 was. Not even close at any speed. Then again I used to beat alot of other mustangs in it too.

 

Sorry to burst a bubble Wayne, but you could sit at the light all damn day ant it won't affect your E.T. The R/T is added to your E.T. before they trigger the win light. You could run a 15.225 E.T. with a .525 R/T and BEAT a guy who ran a 14.925 E.T. on a .850 R/T. Your total time would be 15.750 seconds, his would be 15.775, you win even though he was faster. So, unfortunately, your 14.6 was probably pretty accurate.

Hey JZ39, I don't know too many TL's or CL's that are gonna beat a 13.6 at the track, but on the street it's a whole different story since most pony cars don't hook up as well as on the track. We get a much better shot at it, though I haven't beat any 'stangs yet that were worth a sh!t.

 

I don't think Reaction Time effects your E.T. The time 1/4 mile timer starts when you take off. You could be sleeping at the light and still run 10's in the 1/4 mile. Just thought I'd clear that up.

 

UPDATE! Much better results now on 1-2 and 2-3 shifts! READ THIS!
Without a doubt, the fastest times for me have been achieved this way:
1. Turn off VSA. THIS STEP IS VITAL!
2. Put car in 1 (NOT Sportshift BS).
3. Brake torque to 2,000 RPM or not at all. (With stock rims/tires DO NOT brake torque or you will spin like a mofo)
4. Green light - stab the sh!t out of the gas pedal. I use two feet or rock from brake to gas with one foot, but that takes practice.
5. Let the tires spin, when they hook you will want to be in the upper rpm's (4-5,000) anyway so you don't bog.
6. Slam it into 2nd around 6,500 - 6,600, the car won't actually shift until 7,400, should chirp stock tires. This will require a little practice to get right with your car to avoid the rev limiter. NOTE: do not race on a cold engine/trans - the b!tch takes forever to shift - REDLINE!
7. Nudge it into D3 at 7,000 - 7,100, but don't go into D4 yet.
8. Hold D3 until 115mph, you should have been able to stay in VTEC range the whole time until now, you will drop out slightly until 120mph, then it will start to pull again all the way to 150mph, when the computer will finally decide you've had enough fun and cut your ignition until you drop below 145.

It is a rare occasion for me to get beat through third anymore!

 

Could be you lost some torque due to 19 inch wheels.
Maybe your wheels spun too long off the line.

 

This is an old post, was getting killed way before 19's, they actually helped off the line, and the shift style mentioned above took care of the 2-3 ass-whooping I was getting. Headers and a full cat-back followed by a 75-shot of NOS will take care of the power issues.

 

I got smoke at the track with the SS Need more mods. NOS NOS NOS NOS but first I'll get some rims.

MR>T

 

SPORT SHIFT SUCKS, YOU WILL NEVER GO FAST WITH SPORTSHIFT, IT SHOULD BE RENAMED SPORTSH!T

 

I think that "SS" was supposed to mean "Camaro SS," not "SportShift."

 

I am surprised to see that no one really has the headers! I thought for sure that everyone would have had them by now. Anyway, I wanted to say hi as I have just bought a 2003 ABP TL-S NAVI with the comptech headers and exhaust from Park Ave Acura.

I know what you guys are talking about in reguards to the power. I havent recieved the TL-S yet but I know about missing the balls out power of my Z06 (I used to have a CL-S with headers exhaust, ect.) so I pretty much know of what this car is capable of. But you just cant beat it for the pure luxury of driving it

BTW - What are the biggest size wheels we can put on this car? I am guessing 19's? Thanks.

 

Comptech Headers definately help in the higher RPM's, but match that w/ AEM cai & Comptech exhaust.....

 

I got all that and pulleys. Still got smoke Dayam camero

Mr.T

 

Personally I don't think its our third gear. I actually think its pretty good.

I think it has more to do with V8 power (cubes) taking over.

RUF

 

u have said it all...it's the 5 liter engine
that 5 liter V8 is not a joke...they are very very strong with mods...
while TL is just a 3.2liter...not a big surprise if they smoke u...

read the S500 thread and u know y

 

hey guys.. being a big fan of japanese and european cars.. i really dislike the american power cars like the mustang and camaro that everyone gets beat by. this is only due to the fact that these cars are just all power, yet have poor handling. at least for me.. i don't find going really fast on a straight road as appealing when compared to outperforming in a track with turns.

however, i know that the average race with someone on the streets is usually all about the straight road.. so yeah.. i know where u guys are coming from

but i'm just saying.. don't feel so bummed with u lose to those muscle cars.. b/c i'm pretty sure a TL-S, RSX, or any jap or european car.. is much more versitile. performance isn't just about the 0-60 time.

(i wish our TLs came with.. rear wheel drive!! though of course, i don't think it'll be come true.. haha)

 

Rear wheel & that new manual tranny for the CLS...
Man i should have waited.. More than likely the TLS will get it sometime this year
Has any1 know if they make a turbo for the Tl yet?