Why is my car so slow?

I ran my mustang at the 1/8 mile track this past weekend and it was horribly slow!It ran a best of 9.68 at 74 mph.

A little info on the car and drive train may help determine why its so slow so here it goes.

Its a 1988 mustang coupe originally a 2.3 it now has a rebuilt 78 302 out of a thunderbird bored .060 over,stock heads,bbk shorty headers,cam is a 270-363512
Z-268-2 Hydraulic Flat Tappet Camshaft & Lifter Kit
Lift: .490''/.504''
Duration: 268°/274°
RPM Range: 1800-5600
UD's,C4 tranny,3.73's in the stock 4 cylinder7.5 open rearend,edelbrock 600 carb,performer 289 intake,stock duraspark 2 ignition,crown vic electric fan,true 2.5 duals into 40 series flowmasters,power steering and air are deleted,last there are cobra r's with 275 40 ZR17 drag radials.

I cant figure out why its so slow my buddy at work has a bonestock 91 with a 5.0 and 5 speed with a stock engine and he runs 8.30's why is that?Everyone including myself agrees it should be faster.Any ideas why its so slow?

I do have an edelbrock 100 shot of nitrous (WET SYSTEM) i can throw on but id like to do the best on motor anyone got any ideas?The car runs great just isnt fast where do i start?

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: foxbody50 on 9/14/05 4:13am ]</font>

I don't beleive your buddy's car is stock for a second...I was running heads up with some late 80's mustangs at the track... they were good for 10 second runs, I was managing 9.14's at 80.8x traction limited.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: thekingofazle on 9/14/05 4:22am ]</font>

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: thekingofazle on 9/15/05 3:18am ]</font>

He claims it is i assume he isnt lying.

Another tech i work with has an old fairmont wagon with an 88 GT motor carbned with a 150 shot running 7.67 but it has slicks.

Everyone agrees i should be running faster wouldnt you agree as well?How can i get it to run quicker.Ive played with timing and the best was still 9.68.That seems horribly slow for what ive got done.

Whats your converter??? maybe its slipping to much try a converter to match your cam and engine 2500 stall or somthing. while your in there throw in a shift kit.Also what are your time slip 60 foot ect.

<TABLE BORDER=0 ALIGN=CENTER WIDTH=85%><TR><TD><font size=-1>Quote:</font><HR></TD></TR><TR><TD><FONT SIZE=-1><BLOCKQUOTE>
On 2005-09-13 16:12, foxbody50 wrote:
,stock heads,bbk shorty headers, 7.5 open rearend,,performer 289 intake,
</BLOCKQUOTE></FONT></TD></TR><TR><TD><HR></TD></TR></TABLE>

The stock heads are a serious cork. It won't go much faster with those.
The shorty headers aren't the best, but they will do at your power level.
The open rear will seriously limit traction. 60ft times are the most important part of 1/4 mile et. Get a posi.
The Performer 289 intake is also a cork. It's not really any better than a stock 4bbl intake.

Replace the heads with some good ones, install a Performer RPM intake and get a Edelbrock 750 or a 650 double pumper. Get good traction, and you're good to go.

<TABLE BORDER=0 ALIGN=CENTER WIDTH=85%><TR><TD><font size=-1>Quote:</font><HR></TD></TR><TR><TD><FONT SIZE=-1><BLOCKQUOTE>
my buddy at work has a bonestock 91 with a 5.0 and 5 speed with a stock engine and he runs 8.30's why is that?</BLOCKQUOTE></FONT></TD></TR><TR><TD><HR></TD></TR></TABLE>

Because his car is NOT stock. Stock 5.0's run mid 9's in the 1/8.
[addsig]

I'm gonna go along with N2OMike on this one. Your car is just about in line with what stock 5.0's of the mid-late 80's run in the 1/8 mile...mid 9's. The heads you have aren't great, but they'll work for a budget build...they just need a little massaging with a grinder and at the very least some flat top pistons. They're right, for every .1 improvement in ET at the 60' mark, you can expect another .2-.3 downtrack. 60' times are IMPERATIVE in 1/8 mile racing....a good 60' gives you a running start so to speak. Even with an open rear, you could use slicks and that'll help a BUNCH most likely. Posi would be even better, best of all would be a spool (but they dont' like street driving) There are literally thousands of things you can do to improve ET, without touching the motor's internals.

And lastly, reducing weight is a BIG key to a faster car.

BTW, mid 9's in the 1/8 isn't all that bad, well, it's not "horribly slow" anyway.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: mavman on 9/14/05 5:38am ]</font>

If your buddy has stock heads like you, remember he has E7 heads which are a "slightly" better head...not much...but better.
I agree with everyone else. Get rid of the performer intake, get an 8.8 rear and rebuild the trac-loc, get a mild converter and slicks and your're set.........for now.
If I remember correct, 1978 Ford engines did not have very high compression ratios. They were like 8.4:1 or 8.5:1 or something like that...which isn't helping you either.
If you plan on making serious power, then eventually you will have to have higher compression pistons and better flowing heads and exhaust.

[addsig]

<TABLE BORDER=0 ALIGN=CENTER WIDTH=85%><TR><TD><font size=-1>Quote:</font><HR></TD></TR><TR><TD><FONT SIZE=-1><BLOCKQUOTE>
On 2005-09-13 16:46, foxbody50 wrote:
i assume he isnt lying.</BLOCKQUOTE></FONT></TD></TR><TR><TD><HR></TD></TR></TABLE>

thats your first mistake.
[addsig]

There isn't a single untweaked GT here that runs in the 8s on street tires. If you ddn't do anything to the 78 302 other than bore, your compression is in the dirt. 78 302's SUCK in the power department, most were rated under 150HP. The cam is not too big, but the motor is still likely weak.

Our 70 Mustang has 302 (.030 over), GT-40 iron heads, 216/228 Crane, 9:1, air-gap, Ed 600, 10" TCI, 4:11's and weighs 2900 w/o driver. It clocks 8.70's in the summer and 8.50's in cold weather. When I get a Boss scoop on it and a sealed air pan, we might knock .1~.2 off that. 2.00 60's are normal. 9.5~10 compression would take another .1 off.

Car ran 8.80's with stock 1970 302 heads.
[addsig]

Stock stang coupes should run 8.8's in the 1/8 mile. Maybe 8.3 if its gutted. How can I say that you ask...

My ext cab 351w Ranger ran 8.9's in the 1/8 and my friends 5.0 stang had a ALL STOCK motor etc "but he had flowmasters and no cats" and I could take him by 2 car lengths untill I hit about 55mph then he would take me by 2 car length by 80 mph

Your heads suck, your intake is ok for the cam but your cam is no where near a performance cam, but for stock heads your cam is ok.



<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: fogged408w on 9/14/05 7:25pm ]</font>