Back at the track, we managed a 14.67 at 96.59 mph on motor, and with the 100hp jets, the coupe picked up to a 13.21 at 108.99 mph. Weather conditions had a big part in the slower elapsed times, as the ambient temperature was now some 25 degrees warmer than our previous nighttime track excursion. On our next attempt, we heated the tires a bit more. Installing the 150hp jets took all of a few minutes, and our fi rst effort with the big hit was a 13.06 at 112.48 mph. We encountered massive wheelspin at the nitrous hit, though, and subsequently had to pedal the car to get it to hook up again.
On our second attempt, we put more heat into the tires during the burnout. The tires spun, but not as much, and e.t. fell to a 13.04 at 111.84 mph. Unfortunately, we couldn't improve beyond that, as our next three passes came in at 13.14, 13.10, and 13.12. All three runs lit up the tires at the nitrous hit.
Drain The fl uid from the transmission pan. Start at the back and remove the bolts until you get to the front. Leave the last two in and slowly back them out. This will drop the back end of the pan so you end up with a gentle pour instead of a messy splash. | 
Flushing Out the lines is next. We used compressed air, but you'll also want to run some sort of trans cleaner and fresh fl uid through the lines to make sure you remove any contaminants. | 
It's Time to fill the new converter. It should take about 3 quarts, and we're using TCI's Max Shift performance fluid. Once the converter is filled, slide it onto the input shaft and turn it while pushing inward. Listen for two clicks, with each one allowing the converter to move in farther. |
Obviously, we needed to remedy the traction issue, but we also wanted to give the engine itself a bit more gusto. To do that, we installed a set of FRPP 1.7:1-ratio roller-rocker arms, a 65mm throttle body, and a mass air meter upgrade from C&L Performance. Since the dragstrip was closed for a couple of weeks, we trekked to HP Performance in Orange Park, Florida, to perform before-and-after dyno tests of the components.
Our baseline came in at 228 hp and 276 lb-ft of torque, which isn't bad given the mild modifications in place and the fact that we're cranking the horsepower through an AOD transmission. With these new parts, we picked up 15 hp and 8 lb-ft of torque at peak, with even greater gains seen across the powerband. A custom SCT chip for the A9P processor improved horsepower and torque by 9 and 14, respectively, for a total of 243 hp and 284 lb-ft of torque. Cracking open the nitrous bottle for the 150 shot produced 378 hp and 486 lb-ft of torque at the wheels.
Before Installing the transmission, swap over all of the sensors, brackets, and cables, as it's a lot easier to do so without the trans tunnel in the way.
To address the traction situation at the track, we called Nitto Tire and ordered a set of larger drag radials. Our car's owner, Brian Bohnsack, had just upgraded the coupe with Wheel Replica's new Saleen 17X9-inch replica wheels, which led us to the 275/40/17 size. We complemented the drag radials out back with a pair of Nitto 555s up front. Bohnsack also scored a deal on some suspension parts, including Strange adjustable front struts, Lakewood 50/50 rear shocks, and some UPR lower rear control arms.
As the tracks hadn't yet opened for the new season, we still had time to do more work to the engine. We called FRPP and picked out a set of its GT-40X extra performance Turbo Swirl cylinder heads. The heads were a no-fuss installation, allowing us to retain our 1.7:1 bolt-down roller-rocker arms. With 1.90 intake and 1.60 exhaust valves, the heads picked up 24 more horsepower and 22 lb-ft of torque at the wheels.
Finally, the track opened, and we hit the local test and tune evening event-nitrous bottle loaded and ready. Traction was never an issue on motor, and the car ran a 13.78 at 101 mph. We didn't waste much time before the 150 jets were slid in the NX Shark nozzle, and our fi rst pass scored a 12.70 at 114 mph. The transmission took so long to shift that it ended up tagging the rev limiter on the 1-2 exchange. Our next pass, sans rev limiter, picked up to a 12.62 at 115 mph.
To remove unwanted drivetrain slop, we ordered energy suspension's motor mount and trans mount kits. The polyurethane construction lasts longer and makes them Stronger than the factory rubber pieces. | 
Carefully pry the plastic bushing out of the shift lever, and insert it into the arm on the new transmission. | 
With All of the sensors hooked up and the converter installed, the transmission is ready to go back in. Thisis a good time to pull the fl explate and replace the rear main seal. Most begin leaking by 40,000-50,000 miles, so yours is likely due for a replacement. |
We called it a night after that, as the Mustang began making a noise from the transmission area. It turned out to be the starter, but we knew the transmission couldn't be in that great of shape either, since we'd shift at 4,000 rpm and it wouldn't complete the gear change until 6,000 rpm.
With the nitrous-oxide delivery on a 3,000-rpm window switch, we knew we wanted a higher-stall converter to get us into that range sooner. We also knew we had to tighten up the shifting. Both of these should drop elapsed times greatly, so we contacted TCI Automotive to see what they had.