Engine mods for a 2008 V6 Mustang?

[Rupert]

To which vehicle are you referring too, or is this in general.

Above mentioned 5.0 I drove.

[FlatBlackCaddy]

Above mentioned 5.0 I drove.

Ahh, ok. The reference to checking the miles gave me the impression of a car you are currently driving. Sorry.

[Rupert]

Ah, no, I just Google Mapped the route I took.

[MX793]

112mph governor!?  Really!?  Is that easy to remove?

The governor is there due to the V6 being fitted with a cheaper, 2-piece driveshaft instead of a sturdier 1-piece like the V8 models.  The driveshaft can't reliably withstand high speeds (I've read 120 mph is the safe limit).  There have been a few videos of driveshafts blowing apart at high speeds (130+ mph) on cars that have had their governors removed (like the one below).

2011 Ford Mustang V6 Driveshaft Fails At 135mph

Jalopnik article (with above posted video featured)
http://jalopnik.com/5869650/why-do-2011-ford-mustang-driveshafts-keep-exploding

[MX793]

It is a ridiculous speed cutoff, but lesser V6s have crappy S-rated tires, so all V6s are saddled with it.

Actually, it's due to the driveshafts, not the tires.  See my other post.

[FlatBlackCaddy]

The governor is there due to the V6 being fitted with a cheaper, 2-piece driveshaft instead of a sturdier 1-piece like the V8 models.  The driveshaft can't reliably withstand high speeds (I've read 120 mph is the safe limit).  There have been a few videos of driveshafts blowing apart at high speeds (130+ mph) on cars that have had their governors removed (like the one below).

2011 Ford Mustang V6 Driveshaft Fails At 135mph

Jalopnik article (with above posted video featured)
http://jalopnik.com/5869650/why-do-2011-ford-mustang-driveshafts-keep-exploding

Wow, now the guy has to get a new driveshaft and a new seat/pair of jeans.

Is this a ford/mustang specific problem? My 300ZX has a 2(or maybe 3) piece shaft as well as the EVO(2 or3, either way mutli piece).

Kinda of makes me wonder.

[SVT666]

In 300 800 (I checked) enthusiastic miles, I can count on one hand the number of times I used more than 1/2 throttle. To me, more than enough means replacing the "1/2" in the previous sentence with "full".

I did 200 miles in one day in a 2013 Mustang V6 Vert and I was on the throttle a lot and it wasn't nearly enough power to satisfy my horsepower addiction.  I drove a 5.0L Vert for roughly 20 miles and used full throttle 3 times and it was wonderful.  Judging by the cars you drive and the cars I drive, we like different things, so let's just leave it at that.

[SVT32V]

Actually, it's due to the driveshafts, not the tires.  See my other post.

I don't think a few videos proves that it is a driveshaft problem more so than that the factory tires have a low speed rating.

Also all 2005-2010 mustangs had two-piece driveshafts including 3V 4.6.

Edit: All Current V8s still have a 2-piece with the exception of the GT500.

[MX793]

Wow, now the guy has to get a new driveshaft and a new seat/pair of jeans.

Is this a ford/mustang specific problem? My 300ZX has a 2(or maybe 3) piece shaft as well as the EVO(2 or3, either way mutli piece).

Kinda of makes me wonder.

You can make a 2-piece driveshaft that works at higher RPMs, but it's harder than if you run a 1-piece shaft because spline joints introduce instability.  Based on what I've read/seen, Ford formed the spline of the slider by deforming fairly thin, hollow tubes into a spline shape using an electromagnetic pulse rather than machining splines into thicker sections.  The benefit is there is apparently less slop in the spline than in a traditional machined spline.  However, it's not as strong as a solid shaft.

[MX793]

I don't think a few videos proves that it is a driveshaft problem more so than that the factory tires have a low speed rating.

This has some more info (and a photo of a failed driveshaft).
http://www.allfordmustangs.com/forums/2011-v6-mustang-tech/326583-driveshaft-shop-looks-v6-shaft-info-stock-one-our-solution.html

Other cars offer different governor settings depending on what tires the vehicle is fitted with from the factory.  Since all MT-equipped cars are fitted with at least H rated tires (and the Track Pack is only available with the 6MT), Ford could have at least given all MT cars a 130 mph governor if they didn't want to worry about different governors based on a few select packages.  They didn't do either.  The one common trait among all V6 Mustangs is the cheap driveshaft, and they all have the same speed governor.

[SVT32V]

This has some more info (and a photo of a failed driveshaft).
http://www.allfordmustangs.com/forums/2011-v6-mustang-tech/326583-driveshaft-shop-looks-v6-shaft-info-stock-one-our-solution.html

Other cars offer different governor settings depending on what tires the vehicle is fitted with from the factory.  Since all MT-equipped cars are fitted with at least H rated tires (and the Track Pack is only available with the 6MT), Ford could have at least given all MT cars a 130 mph governor if they didn't want to worry about different governors based on a few select packages.  They didn't do either.  The one common trait among all V6 Mustangs is the cheap driveshaft, and they all have the same speed governor.

Well there are several different issues:

1. Ford seems to have put a rather weak 2-piece driveshaft in V6 mustangs or it is having manufacturing problems. I don't think they would design that close to the edge of failure or not update it, and they haven't. Although forums often say they have updated it to a one-piece, they have not.

2. One piece vs 2 piece. Ford certainly made many strong two-piece shafts for the mustang including those on the 2007-2012 GT500, Boss, all S-197 GTs. So the two-piece isn't itself a problem for this chassis and Ford.

3. Different speed limiters on current mustangs with different tires. The only different speed limiter setting that I know of is the GT500 convertible is different than the GT500 coupe.

[MX793]

Well there are several different issues:

1. Ford seems to have put a rather weak 2-piece driveshaft in V6 mustangs or it is having manufacturing problems. I don't think they would design that close to the edge of failure or not update it, and they haven't. Although forums often say they have updated it to a one-piece, they have not.

Supposedly 2013 introduced a revised driveshaft.  Still not 1-piece, but different from what was used in the '11 and '12 models.

2. One piece vs 2 piece. Ford certainly made many strong two-piece shafts for the mustang including those on the 2007-2012 GT500, Boss, all S-197 GTs. So the two-piece isn't itself a problem for this chassis and Ford.

As I said, you can make stronger 2-piece driveshafts, this particular one isn't.

3. Different speed limiters on current mustangs with different tires. The only different speed limiter setting that I know of is the GT500 convertible is different than the GT500 coupe.

I was referring to other companies and other model lines, not Ford or the Mustang line specifically.

[SVT32V]

Supposedly 2013 introduced a revised driveshaft.  Still not 1-piece, but different from what was used in the '11 and '12 models.
This has been shown not to be true.

As I said, you can make stronger 2-piece driveshafts, this particular one isn't.
Well you did say that the V8 mustang models have one-piece, they don't with one exception.

I was referring to other companies and other model lines, not Ford or the Mustang line specifically.
Ford doesn't seem to do this with the mustang with the exception of the niche gt500 for whatever reasons, cost, logistics etc. We all know many other manufacturers manage it.

BTW, what kind of mileage are you getting?

Have you ever taken it to the drag strip, I know you did some autoxing.

[MX793]

BTW, what kind of mileage are you getting?

Have you ever taken it to the drag strip, I know you did some autoxing.

In mostly city driving ~21 mpg.  With more highway driving it's typically 25-26.  On longer trips, I've gotten over 30.  My best tank was 35.x, worst was 18.x.  The new tires seem to have hurt mileage slightly, but I haven't done a long enough highway trip with them to see just how much.

Never been to the strip.  Honestly, I'm not hugely interested in going to the strip.  Outside of the launch, there's not really much skill involved in going fast in a straight line.  Too 1-dimensional for me.  And just in talking with some other people, seems like most have pretty lukewarm opinions of the local dragstrip anyway.

[MX793]

Regarding the 2013 driveshaft, it looks pretty much the same, but it apparently has a different part number.  Says to me Ford did something to it.  The overall design and geometry may have stayed the same, but they could have changed to a different grade of steel.  If you go to Ford's parts website and look for a 2013 drive shaft, there are 3 different shafts given for the V6 model depending on build date.

[Raza]

It is a ridiculous speed cutoff, but lesser V6s have crappy S-rated tires, so all V6s are saddled with it.

I'd bounce off a 112mph governor like weekly. 

[SVT32V]

Regarding the 2013 driveshaft, it looks pretty much the same, but it apparently has a different part number.  Says to me Ford did something to it.  The overall design and geometry may have stayed the same, but they could have changed to a different grade of steel.  If you go to Ford's parts website and look for a 2013 drive shaft, there are 3 different shafts given for the V6 model depending on build date.

If it were an update to a address a concern regarding failure, safety etc., it wouldn't matter what build date, they would sell you only the new improved unit. So the build date differences suggests something else.

[Mustangfan2003]

you can definitely find 2011+ Mustangs for under 20K.  There's over 1000 of them listed on cars.com.

At one local lot they were selling 2013 V6 models for that much before the 2014 came out.  I had a rental car with that 4.0.  It's alright for regular driving but as far as performance the newer 3.7 is the way to go and would likely be cheaper too than doing the mods to the 4.0. 

[Northlands]

Get a 3.7! Or a used 5.0.

As for too powerful for the street, I'm sure I can get myself into all sort of trouble in cars only pushing 100+ small change horsepower and arrested all the same. Just go easier on the throttle on the 5 point Oh.