Top End ?

[nhinterceptor]

Anyone know what the top speed is? Another Marauder owner said his won't go over 100 mph (bone stock).

Thanks,
- Dan

[Logan]

Stock, they're limited to 116mph.

Dennis's chip removes the speed limitation, which pretty much means it'll go as fast as you have the courage to.

[nhinterceptor]

Re: Logan

Thank You for the FAST! response. I passed on the info. and let them know that a Dennis chip will remove the ceiling

Regards,
- Dan

[Wags]

Why did they limit it to 116? My Impala is limited, but only after you hit ~5600 rpm, or you hip ~150 mph! It cruises nice at 130! You hit 80 at around 2100, 100 @ ~3000, 125 @ ~4000 and 140 at ~5000. Haven't taken it over that. Why would they limit a car like the Marauder? Now I have to get the chip in there, there is no option! :D

[mtnh]

the supposed driveshaft instability is the issue that limits the speed to a probable figure that's well within the safe operating limits of the driveshaft speed. It's probably limited to 80% of their observed safe ceiling, so it may be fairly good up to 130 or a little more, but from what I have gathered in the past 8 months, it's probably a safe bet that the stock driveshaft cannot be safe at speeds above 130 mph. To be safer, you need a police interceptor aluminum or other specially prepared driveshaft to exercise the car through its achievable speed range. The 80% of safe speed figure above is purely a guess on my part, but why would anyone make a driveshaft that could safely do no more than the limited speed of the car from the factory? So 80% would be my SWAG at how fast the driveshaft can turn in stock form.

Speaking of this engine's power and the competence of the drive train, has anyone managed to bark the rear tires on a manual upshift from 1 to 2 with around 3/4 throttle besides me? I never expected it to happen, but it did, to me. That was slick, and I hadn't seen that happen to a stock automatic since my brother had routinely done it with his 1967 Firebird 400 with 3-speed auto (a TH400 transmission??).

Mike

[Logan]

Personally, I think the whole driveshaft instability thing is a crock. The marauder has a very nice 4" aluminum driveshaft in it from the factory and certainly didn't notice any driveline vibration above 120...

But, just for kicks, I'm installing the metal matrix driveshaft to compare against. It looks almost identical to the stock unit, but has stronger u-joints and is spun balanced to tighter tolerances.

We'll see if it's worth it or not this weekend.

[eng1neer]

Im a top end freak.. and that was the first thing I did when I got mine was run it to the limit. first off stock with the 3.55 gears, U need to keep it out of overdrive to get the max out of it. Mine speed limits on the factory calibrations at 124. With Dennis' chip in, Ive had it to 135 I was out of road but not out of power and I have the stock drive shaft in it.. Did not notice too much vibration on mine at that speed. If U just let the car shift into overdrive on its own, It has a hard time pulling the car up from 115 or so and won't downshift at that speed even if U put it to the floor. If U hammer it to the floor and KEEP it there, the car will pull nicely to the top but if U get out of the throttle a bit around 110 or so, the car will drop into overdrive and won't downshift again. The 20 or so ponys that U get from the chip makes a difference on the top end and how it pulls at that speed. I'm pretty sure its a 140+ car but I have yet to have the right conditions to prove it up.

[JerseyVics]

not a Marauder owner here but this fat boy likes speed...

the other day I took the 1998 Police Interceptor to about 122mph and made this observation. I basically got onto the highway (I80) and just stepped on it, not too hard and with Overdrive on. The car climbed beautifully from 80mph to 115mph, at 115mph it seemed to shift, I was like whatta hell???? but when it shifted (smoothly) it kept on climbing effortlesly to 120mph and a little above. I had to let go because I was approaching traffic fast, and once they got out of my way I was back up to 115mph in no time...

now what was that shifting all about? I thought I was already in 4th gear doing 115mph, the tranny is a 4 speed... so what was it?

thanks,
--Russ :)

[kilr95ss]

A few months ago, me and a 2001 Lightning had a go at it. I dont know if he was playing with me or the gears were getting him. We started at 70mph. We were side by side until 120, that's when my Impy shifts into overdrive. I was pulling ahead of him until 130 then he slowly started coming back around me. At 140 he was still pulling so I got out of it.

Was he playing around or were those 3.73s holding him back until I started running out of torque?

[Logan]

He was playing with you or thought y'all were done.

I've owned two lightnings, a 99 and an 02. The L pulls like a freight train all the way through 140 and beyond.

[VaderSS]

Yeah, I raced a Lightning last time I was at the track. I got a major league hole shot, and he still reeled me in by 1/2 track. I don't know what his time was, but mine was a 14.9 with a .5 RT.

[Logan]

My 99 would run 14.0 all day in stock trim. The 02 was good for 13.8's from the factory!

Getting back on topic, I should mention to those following this thread that I've posted an extensive review of the new driveshaft in the Reviews Section (http://www.mercurymarauder.net/reviews.php)

[kilr95ss]

I knew the 1/4 mile times were great. A few of us in our local GM club went to Silver Dollar Raceway last year for a Buick, Olds, and Pontiac meet. Our pres has a pure street , it's DRIVEN to cruise ins and shows in excess of 50 miles away, '87 GN that ran 10.32, anyway another member has a 2000 C5 but also has a 2001 Lightning. He ran a 12.87@113 early in the morning. He had his fair share of wins over the GNs.

Well maybe next time I run into a Lightning, I'll have the equalizer: TNT's 100 shot of NOS.

[Logan]

Yeah, I miss my L sometimes. They're so easy, and so cheap to modify it's ridiculous... Getting into the 12's takes no more than $1000 worth of mods, getting into the low 11's can be had for less than $5k... Not bad for a 4800lb truck. :)

Here's my 99:

http://www.ccolon.com/oldsite/svtontrack/Img_0026.jpg
...and my 02:
http://www.logansgarage.com/lightning/IMAG0001.JPG

[RCSignals]

I've searched and can't seem to find the answer. I've read about possible driveshaft virations in the Marauder, and the Aluminum MMX 'cure' Question is, is the stock Marauder driveshaft not the same as the Police Interceptor driveshaft?