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View Full Version : Modifying your Marauder:



BillyGman
12-07-2003, 11:59 AM
what I'm about to say here in this post is my opinion. However, it's an opinion that's based on my own experience of modifying my own Marauder. If anyone has a different opinion of what modifications can do for the Marauder, then you can cetainly feel free to voice them in this thread. But if you do, then please let's all keep in mind that these are simply our viewpoints of the same car. And that ultimately, it's up to the readers of such a thread to decide for themselves which viewpoint sounds best:

For those of you who haven't modified your Marauders yet, but are thinking of doing so, this is what you can expect IMO. There are a number of mods that are available to us as Marauder owners, thanks to the great vendors that we have here on the board, who BTW also have their own forums on this same board. Keep in mind that HP costs money. That's all there is to it. The faster you want to go, the more money you'll have to spend. it isn't cheap. But tell me what hobby is. many of the mods available for our cars, will make your car faster. But unless you're going to spend the money for a Supercharger, or perhaps a turbo(although I much rather have the Supercharger) then don't think that when you jump in your car and fire it up after the installation was performed, that you're going to feel a night and day difference when you hammer down the gas pedal, and that your car will feel like a whole different vehicle than it did before. Now please allow me to clarify that statement by explaining that you WILL see a difference in the quartermile ET if you take your car to the track before and after the installation, and you WILL see a difference in the Dyno chart if you go to the Dyno before and after also. Furthermore, you WILL experience a difference when you get into a rat race w/that guy that you raced before you performed the mod in question. And that goes for most of the mods that are available through the vendors here on this board. If you're into spinning the tires from a dead punch on the street when the light turns green, then there are some MODS that will enable your car to do that too, or do that better. But all is I'm saying, is don't expect the world if and when you decide to spend merely a few hundred dollars in attempt to get your car faster. yes, it will move better, but unless you're prepared to get up some substantial cash, then don't think that when you hit the accelerator, that your car is gonna pin you back in the seat so hard that it will be scary, or that it's going to compare to that 1100 cc rice rocket motorcycle that you used to have. No my friends, a 20 or 30 HP increase isn't going to do that. But 2 or 3 tenths of a second difference at the track? That it will do. Which will also make the difference in winning or losing that rat race you'll engage in on an uncongested open road w/that pick up truck that you lost to on the way to work last week(IF the loss that you've experienced was a close one). So my entire point here is that you should keep your expectations realistic, and keep inmind that HP costs money. And that goes for no matter where you go to buy your go fast parts from. The faster you want to go, the more $$ it's going to cost you. Don't expect to get something for nothing. The only cheap way out of gaining HP that I've ever heard of is Nitrous oxide, but I think there's good reason why some companies sell engine rebuild kits specifically for Nitrous motors which include forged pistons, and forged cranks. The lack of a strain that an NO2 kit will initially put on yout wallet, will be put on your motor IMO. And I'm very skeptical that even a mild NO2 kit wouldn't decrease the longevity of your motor, which will cost you $$ later on down the road. Remember this simple fact....HP costs $$ and you don't get something for nothing. I hope that this post helps some people out.

SergntMac
12-07-2003, 12:23 PM
Well said, Billy. And don't leave out those few mods that won't make the MM any faster, but will help you keep your MM around longer, like the MMC driveshaft?

Agent M79
12-07-2003, 12:40 PM
There are a ton of mods that are not powertrain mods. Brake mods, suspension mods, illumination mods, cosmetic mods, audio/visual mods, and even olfactory mods (gotta love that ever-so-new leather smell from Zaino and other leather conditioners).

BillyGman
12-07-2003, 01:02 PM
points guys;)

TAF
12-07-2003, 01:08 PM
There also is the "law of diminishing returns" for a N/A Marauder...the 1st 40-45 HP are easy...then eaking out 2-5 turns into a challenge. Same would go for blowers...first 130-150 are there...then it's time for them to eak out whatever would be safe.

Speed cost $...you're right...but the increased , overall enjoyment of the car is the reward. I'd never modded a car until this one. My wifes favorite saying is "Why does a brand new car need to spend so much time in the shop?"

If she only knew why :lol:

jspradii
12-07-2003, 01:09 PM
I would llike to know if there's anyone else out here that has opted for nitrous performance besides myself. With the new kits, and proper tuning, nitrous is just as safe as a blower. That having been said, it is true that any nitrous application over 100 hp is going to requre, at a minimum, an upgrade of the internals, mods which Dennis and others can do for a reasonable price. Going with a forged steel crank and other additional "hardening" items will strengthen the motor, and as long as you don't run it at its maximum capacity too often, an engine should last a good while. But, Billy's right. HP cost $$$$, and if ET racing is somethng one wants to do frequently, either competitively or just for fun, all these upgrades (and $$$$) MUST be anticipated. Just my .02, FWIW. So...any other nitrous guys out there?

TAF
12-07-2003, 01:11 PM
Hey Jim, my friend...I've been meaning to tell you for some time...THAT^^^is one impressive mod list!!!

It makes Marty's look like "childsplay".:D

jspradii
12-07-2003, 01:19 PM
I'm looking forward to getting it ready for the spring, and then getting with all you guys to "show off". Seriously, the more I do to this car, the more fun (and more expensive) it is. The first time I can do an 11.5 without killing anyone, I'll stop, and send me and the car out to pasture. (no stud fee jokes, puleeeeze). Besides, Marty's reaction times are better than mine ( he is SOMEWHAT younger than I), so I have to make up for it somewhere!

martyo
12-07-2003, 01:25 PM
Originally posted by TAF
It makes Marty's look like "childsplay".:D

Jim's law practice is obviously much more successful than mine!

:D

BillyGman
12-07-2003, 01:27 PM
that definately is a very lengthy mod list. It's amazing how many of us(myself included) have performed sooo many mods on our brand new cars. But hey......the "need for speed" ya know?

RVT04
12-07-2003, 02:38 PM
hey jim did you get that mm at harter lm and do they honor your warranty LOL

Logan
12-07-2003, 03:45 PM
All I can say is.... Billy! Good god man! Ever hear of a paragraph!! ;)

CRUZTAKER
12-07-2003, 07:46 PM
Originally posted by jspradii
I would llike to know if there's anyone else out here that has opted for nitrous performance besides myself.

I was always under the impression the if we ran NOS on our MM that we could not have any other mods in the order of chips, etc.

With my having the stage one and header/cats, and 4:10's....am I able to hook up one of these tanks?

Someone enlighten me please!!! This would be very handy at the track and those occational pesky vipers:D

BillyGman
12-07-2003, 09:14 PM
Originally posted by Logan
All I can say is.... Billy! Good god man! Ever hear of a paragraph!! ;)

LOL......yeah, I know I know......I just never know where to end the paragraph, or where to start the next one. So I have a tendency to just write one MARATHON one.:D
Ofcourse I could've also kept the entire post much shorter too if that's what you mean. But then again I seem to find that pretty challenging too, and besides, I wanted to cover all grounds so that I wouldn't leave this thread open for any knock down drag out debates(if you know what I mean;) ).......uh oh! There I go again w/one of my run-on sentences(it's hard to help)......

MM03MOK
12-07-2003, 09:26 PM
I told Santa to bring you one of these, Billy. ;)

http://www.mc3.edu/it/fac/training_enter_key.JPG

No need to shorten your posts, just hit "Enter" any time you have a new thought or subject. Keep the posts coming!

:D

BillyGman
12-07-2003, 09:32 PM
yeah, I know how to



do that




but

I just never know when to




hit it cuz one thought

just kinda blends in w/the





next one.



How's that???:D :D :D

MM03MOK
12-07-2003, 09:46 PM
Then you must already have one of these........;)

http://acg.media.mit.edu/courses/mas961/people/vemuri/ps10/blender-icon-larg.gif

:D

jspradii
12-07-2003, 09:57 PM
RTV04-

Got the car at Southpoint Ford-Mercury. It's out of warranty now, but the onlywarranty work I've had done was minor stuff the weekend at Ennis in Sept at John Eagle in Dallas. I can't recommend them enough for the work they do! just ask Logan or Hemlock.

BillyGman
12-07-2003, 09:58 PM
it's inside my skull, and there are buttons in the back of my head. I guess I could use someone to push one of those buttons once in awhile while I'm typing.....trouble is I seem to meet people(especially of the opposite gender) who have a tendency to push the wrong buttons:rolleyes: ....but that's another story for another thread...ooops I mean, that's


another story for another



thread.......;)

Logan
12-08-2003, 05:51 AM
Eagle rocks. They treat us marauder folk like their Aston Martin customers... :)

SergntMac
12-08-2003, 06:11 AM
Originally posted by BillyGman
....but that's another story for another thread...ooops I mean, that's


another story for another



thread.......;)

Hey
it's
a
start...

duhtroll
12-08-2003, 07:15 AM
Sarge -

You made the comment that getting the driveshaft upgrade would keep the MM around longer.

Since I am not a mechanical type of guy - could you explain this a bit for me and anyone else who might find it useful?

I am more about longevity than I am about performance. I bought this car because of the look and feel it gives, and I want to keep it around for a long, long time. (I also love dusting ricers, but it's a side-effect. Here in IA there ain't much competition. I rule the road by default. :( )

Is there something about the stock shaft that will not make it last long? I thought about the upgrade just for those high speed times on the barren highway, but if this is something that lengthens the car's life, I may bump it up the priority list.

Thanks,
-A

BillyGman
12-08-2003, 09:24 AM
I can answer that w/my 2 cents, and if MAC wants to add anything to this then fine:

At aprox. 120 MPH w/the stock 3.55 gears in the rear the stock driveshaft will begin to vibrate, and you'll feel or hear it doing so. trust me, you will. But if you aren't insane enough to travel that fast on the public highway(and I hope that you aren't) then you're okay w/the stock driveshaft. But it's when you start changing the gears that you run into this vibration at lower speeds than 120 MPH since the lower rear end gears (numericaly higher, such as 4.10's) will make the driveshaft turn faster at any given speed than it did w/the stock 3.55 gears did.

Some guys run into this vibration after installing the 4.10 ratio gears. However I didn't, but I did run into that vibration when I installed the 4.56 gears at 90MPH. And you'll know it when you hear it. So I installed the Dynotech metal matrix driveshaft, and now w/the 4.56's I don't hear the vibration anymore until I hit 120 MPH, which is fine w/me because by that time I should be letting off the gas anyway, because like I've said, that's just crazy. But that doesn't happen very often.

That vibration if left alone to continue can eventually cause the seals in the tailshaft of the transmission to leak, as well as the pinion seal in the rear end to leak too. Perhaps it can eventually cause more serious damage in the transmission. Who knows?

Agent M79
12-08-2003, 09:37 AM
If you'd like to learn more about the drive shaft topic, I'd suggest getting plenty of sleep, a good hearty meal, and a big cup of coffee and go HERE. (http://www.mercurymarauder.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=5163)

duhtroll
12-08-2003, 10:01 AM
That means the MMX driveshaft is a good idea for anyone with 4.10s if you ever plan on going 100 MPH.

Since I do, I'll plan on this mod.

Of course, after I get my snow shoes off the thing - THEY are only rated to 89 MPH. The WOTs end at 85 until spring.

Great on snow, but only Q-rated. :bigcry:

Thanks for the help,
-A