[04Venom]

Guys, can you believe that if you "baby" your Cobra (like I do) you can actually do it harm????? Ford recommends that you drive a Cobra at 3000 RPMs????? Is that really the case?

[Kyle F]

I don't know about running it that high, but yes... running an engine hard form time to time helps prevent carbon build up on the piston tops, Vavlve and valve seats, and in the intake tract.

You should routinely drive it "lively".

[04Venom]

Well Kyle, you were right on the money man! I didn't know about Carbon build up! learn something new everyday!

See below:


Mk10: "Hello."

Ford Dealer: "Hello Mr. Ottinger, this is Debbie. How are you today?"

Mk: "Gosh Debbie, we'll see. What have you got?"

FD: "Mr. Ottinger, how do you drive your car?"

Mk: "Why, what do you mean?"

FD: "Well, we know you take very good care of it, and were just wondering how you've been driving it."

Mk: "Yeah...well I told Jim that lately I've been kind of babying it, trying to keep it around 2000rpm when cruising in town to save a little on gas."

FD: "Well, SVT vehicles are meant to be driven hard. Before Jim tore down the engine, he had the SVT tech start up the engine. The sound was still there.

He then told the tech to take it out, and run it hard. If there was a problem in there, he wanted to take it as far as possible, and be as ****ounced as possible.

Our tech took it out, ran it hard, and then brought it back in. The sound is gone. Completely gone.

Mr. Ottinger what we think is that there was a carbon build up on one of the cylinders that was causing the piston to knock. It's running smoothly now with no problems whatsover."

Mk: "You're kidding."

FD: "I know it sounds strange, but we think it was just because you've been kind of babying it lately. SVT engines are made to run hard, and we recommend running these engines more along the lines of 3000rpm around town versus 2000rpm."

Mk: "You're kidding."

FD: <Laughs> "We'd like you to come by and pick it up, drive it around for awhile, and make sure you're comfortable with it. No matter what happens, you're covered by your warranty and your extended warranty, so there's not a problem, but really, we think it's because of the carbon build-up, and recommend you run it a little harder than you have been."

[Julian Moore]

Are you plulling my leg?? You seriously don't jump on your car once in awhile?? That's the best part about owning one. Get the blower working, running it up to redline and powershift that bad boy. You have a rev limiter...enjoy it!! As to your build up, you don't hear of it as much as in the old days with carb setups. But remember, these cars are meant to be stretched.

[04Venom]

Now I know!

[AUSTINSCOBRA]

Dont tell me, your Mr. Ottinger!

Check this out.. I did my first fill up today since I got the car, almost on E. I put about 120 miles on it..

Oh yeah, I bought the car with full tank of gas

Im just having too much fun with it..

[04Venom]

Originally Posted by AUSTINSCOBRA

Dont tell me, your Mr. Ottinger!

Check this out.. I did my first fill up today since I got the car, almost on E. I put about 120 miles on it..

Oh yeah, I bought the car with full tank of gas

Im just having too much fun with it..

AUSTIN, I am waiting for your first kill!

[AUSTINSCOBRA]

Originally Posted by 04Venom

AUSTIN, I am waiting for your first kill!

Just the other day I hit a red light and a CL65 AMG was sitting pretty right next to me.. He was rolling forward like he wanted to race. I was telling myself "GREAT my 1st race & it's a *****ING CL65 AMG, OMFG IM GONNA F***ING LOSE !!!! ".. Green light! I took off but he didnt bite.. If he did it wouldve been over, FOR ME!

[04Venom]

Originally Posted by AUSTINSCOBRA

Just the other day I hit a red light and a CL65 AMG was sitting pretty right next to me.. He was rolling forward like he wanted to race. I was telling myself "GREAT my 1st race & it's a *****ING CL65 AMG, OMFG IM GONNA F***ING LOSE !!!! ".. Green light! I took off but he didnt bite.. If he did it wouldve been over, FOR ME!

I googled that car. First glance, it doesn't look like much. Then i read the specs!!!

6.0L V12, 36 valve, 604 hp @ 5500 rpm

• 5 speed automatic transmission
• 13 mpg city / 20 mpg hwy
• Green Rating: 28

I take it this car is running with C6Z's!

[lxarlo]

Originally Posted by AUSTINSCOBRA

Check this out.. I did my first fill up today since I got the car, almost on E. I put about 120 miles on it..

Oh yeah, I bought the car with full tank of gas

Im just having too much fun with it..

hahaha thats the same mileage i get in the 5.0. too much fun indeed!

[JD04COBRA]

Originally Posted by 04Venom

Guys, can you believe that if you "baby" your Cobra (like I do) you can actually do it harm????? Ford recommends that you drive a Cobra at 3000 RPMs????? Is that really the case?

Wait until you change the exhaust. I used to not really baby it but, I was not always on it. But once I added the Kooks full lenght headers and x-pipe, I found myself struggling to keep my foot out of it. Besides every time I stand on the loud pedal I always turn heads and get thumbs up.

[Godlik3]

Originally Posted by 04Venom

I googled that car. First glance, it doesn't look like much. Then i read the specs!!!

6.0L V12, 36 valve, 604 hp @ 5500 rpm

• 5 speed automatic transmission
• 13 mpg city / 20 mpg hwy
• Green Rating: 28

I take it this car is running with C6Z's!

The net effect is acceleration that's out for blood. Despite channeling 22 psi of turbo boost, the SL65 doesn't snap you back into your seat like an American V8 — it rolls over you like roaring thunder. In the real world, a quarter-mile sprint of 12.46 seconds rarely ever happens. In a 4,500-pound car, it never happens. In the 4,564-pound SL65, it happened.

12.46!

[markwondi]

that piston knock you hear is not carbon buildup. It's the thrust side of the piston being pushed into the bore, wearing hte piston skirt. The 03/04 cobra's were built with a .001 piston to wall clearance, with a forged piston. It should be in the .0035-.004 range.