Stock vs. Pullied Cobra Drivability

[subobo0411]

Hey Guys,

In a few weeks I'm planning on installing a 2.76 upper pulley and getting the car dyno tuned. Currently the car is mostly stock with just intake and catback. I love the way the car drives right now, it's so comfortable and runs smoothly compared to previous f-bodies that I've had in the past. I want to try to keep it that way the best I can, but also increase the power a bit. So I'm just wondering, when you guys have pullied your cobras, did you notice any difference in the drivability? Obviously more hp/tq is great and everyone sounds very happy with that aspect, but what about the drivability? I don't always drive with the pedal to the floor, lol, so just curious how the car is the other 99% of the time. I've read mixed reviews, and I know most of you guys are pullied or have been at some point, so I'm hoping to get a lot of thoughts!

Thanks,
Bryan

 

[b_dike]

Drivability will or should be exactly the same as stock. Really it all comes down to the tune. A quality tuner will street tune a car for the drivability factor.

 

[Yulla]

Drivability will or should be exactly the same as stock. Really it all comes down to the tune. A quality tuner will street tune a car for the drivability factor.

That sums it up really. You can go pretty far in mods and hp and not lose drivability as long as it was tuned well... and through all parameters, not just WOT. My whipple Cobra is super smooth, solid idle, and easy going until you get on it (then hold on!) thanks to the tune.

 

[Blueline]

My Whipple 2.9 with a fuel system etc.... ran better than stock after my tuner did the tune. Its all in the tune.

 

[Comp281]

If you don't want to install an additional pulley to eliminate belt slip, just go with a 3.0 upper pulley. Going all the way down to a 2.76 on a stock eaton isn't necessary because it lacks efficiency at that point. I've always done a 3.0 and made 460-470 rwhp with the factory pulley cover on and no belt slip. I have always done an aftermarket intake, TB, and exhaust - just to be clear about the mod list at that hp level. I've had 3 cars set up that way. The 2.76 will make more heat and not much more hp.

 

[subobo0411]

That sums it up really. You can go pretty far in mods and hp and not lose drivability as long as it was tuned well... and through all parameters, not just WOT. My whipple Cobra is super smooth, solid idle, and easy going until you get on it (then hold on!) thanks to the tune.

I really hope my tune is good then! After doing this work I've heard of some cars stalling when the car is idling and cold and just not running right otherwise. Hoping I have the same experience as you Yulla when it's all done.

 

[whitedevil95]

Mine felt exactly the same around town

 

[Bdubbs]

It's all in the tune. My car with tvs blower drives like stock, until I open it up.

 

[MBoyle1]

Only difference is about 100 HP

 

[subobo0411]

Mine felt exactly the same around town

It's all in the tune. My car with tvs blower drives like stock, until I open it up.

Only difference is about 100 HP

Thanks guys for assuring me I'm doing the right thing and won't regret it! Makes me even more excited for when I get this done in a few weeks!

 

[Yulla]

Just find the best tuner in your area and they will take care of it. A good start would be searching through the local forums on here.

 

[Kyle_KleinSS]

From Chicago? Go to Tim Barth. Did an awesome job on mine. He was in Rockford but now he is in freeport.

 

[subobo0411]

From Chicago? Go to Tim Barth. Did an awesome job on mine. He was in Rockford but now he is in freeport.

I'm from the burbs. I've heard nothing but good things about Tim Barth. I've also heard really good things about Kurgan, who tunes remotely through Dean's Performance in St. Charles.

 

[cj428mach]

Any tuner thats decent should be able to tune a pullied car to run like stock. Basically they don't have to touch anything in the stock tune that would alter driving out of boost which is the most crucial for driveability.

One of the reasons I went with a Terminator instead of another Fbody was because I wanted forced induction power. I had dealt with trying to make power NA and all you do is kill driveability. I love that my car makes tons of power and it starts, idles, and drives like stock until you hit the accelerator.

 

[KLeech]

I'm from the burbs. I've heard nothing but good things about Tim Barth. I've also heard really good things about Kurgan, who tunes remotely through Dean's Performance in St. Charles.

Kurgan is the man, he tuned my Eaton 2v GT and the car drives like a stock GT. You wouldn't even know it was a supercharged car until you open it up. He's definitely one of the best.

 

[subobo0411]

Any tuner thats decent should be able to tune a pullied car to run like stock. Basically they don't have to touch anything in the stock tune that would alter driving out of boost which is the most crucial for driveability.

One of the reasons I went with a Terminator instead of another Fbody was because I wanted forced induction power. I had dealt with trying to make power NA and all you do is kill driveability. I love that my car makes tons of power and it starts, idles, and drives like stock until you hit the accelerator.

That makes sense to me!

I completely agree with you on the Fbody thing and that's why I created this thread. It got to the point with my last fbody where it wasn't even enjoyable to drive anymore. What's the fun in that then and even having the car!? I remember back in 2003 when these cars came out and how I've wanted one ever since. Finally I have one and I've vowed never to modify it to the point where it's no longer fun to drive on the street.

 

[subobo0411]

Kurgan is the man, he tuned my Eaton 2v GT and the car drives like a stock GT. You wouldn't even know it was a supercharged car until you open it up. He's definitely one of the best.

That's good to hear!

 

[black 10th vert]

On an unported Eaton I wouldn't go any smaller than 2.93 as that seems to be be kind of a sweet spot pulley. If you port the blower later, then you can just throw a 4# lower on and have an awesome, well proven combo that will make a solid 500rwhp. Trying to spin an unported blower that hard (with a 2.76) is just going to heat soak it very quickly and honestly won't net you any more real power than the 3" that someone else suggested. The other thing is you WILL have belt slip with the 2.76 if you don't run a snub idler (I would recommend it anyway), but with a 2.93, or 3", you can probably get away without it if you size the belt correctly. As said the actual drivability is almost entirely based on the tune so don't worry about the pulley affecting that.

 

[Kyle_KleinSS]

I'm from the burbs. I've heard nothing but good things about Tim Barth. I've also heard really good things about Kurgan, who tunes remotely through Dean's Performance in St. Charles.

My main thing with Tim is he is always here if you need him. Not saying anything against Kurgan, he definitely knows his stuff. Kurgan himself told me that he sends all his customers he cant get to that need a tune before he comes up here again to go to Tim.

 

[subobo0411]

If you don't want to install an additional pulley to eliminate belt slip, just go with a 3.0 upper pulley. Going all the way down to a 2.76 on a stock eaton isn't necessary because it lacks efficiency at that point. I've always done a 3.0 and made 460-470 rwhp with the factory pulley cover on and no belt slip. I have always done an aftermarket intake, TB, and exhaust - just to be clear about the mod list at that hp level. I've had 3 cars set up that way. The 2.76 will make more heat and not much more hp.

On an unported Eaton I wouldn't go any smaller than 2.93 as that seems to be be kind of a sweet spot pulley. If you port the blower later, then you can just throw a 4# lower on and have an awesome, well proven combo that will make a solid 500rwhp. Trying to spin an unported blower that hard (with a 2.76) is just going to heat soak it very quickly and honestly won't net you any more real power than the 3" that someone else suggested. The other thing is you WILL have belt slip with the 2.76 if you don't run a snub idler (I would recommend it anyway), but with a 2.93, or 3", you can probably get away without it if you size the belt correctly. As said the actual drivability is almost entirely based on the tune so don't worry about the pulley affecting that.

Thanks for the suggestions guys. After reading everything I could find on a 2.76 pulley vs. a 2.93 pulley, I've decided to go with the 2.93 pulley. Based on what I read, it really sounds like people are 50/50 split on the 2.76 vs. 2.93 only. I decided to go with the 2.93 because:

1) As mentioned above, the 2.76 creates a lot more heat and I don't plan on doing any cooling mods (for now)
2) With the 2.93 I'm less likely to max out the stock MAF and stock fuel system
3) I'm in Chicago and it'll still be rather cool here later this month when I get it tuned which means more air, less humidity and better chance of maxing out the MAF or fuel system
4) Along the same lines as #2 and #3, there's less supporting mods that I MIGHT potentially need that I don't want to end up buying and then not really needing (i.e. MAFia, BAP or injectors)
5) in general there's not a big rwhp/tq difference that I saw between the 2.76 and 2.93
6) Reliability is important to me and it just seems like the 2.76 puts more stress on the car overall
7) The 2.93 is the stock size pulley on the Lightning

Can you guys tell I've done some homework?

I hope I don't regret the decision! I'm getting the work done next week and I'm going to ask the shop what their thought is. I have both the 2.93 and 2.76 in hand, so either will still be an option when I get there.

No matter what, looking forward to seeing what the cobra can put down. Hoping for 450 rwhp/tq.