03-04 Cobra Actual bhp Horsepower

[marcobra]

The advertised horsepower for a stock 03-04 Cobra is 390 bhp. Given that the 390 bhp is underrated (so I'm told) and all the dynos and what, what is the actual bhp as found by members? I would like to get input here to see what the consensus is and generate an average. Thanks....

[dwtalso]

The average of the baseline stock dyno's I've witnessed, participated in, or read about is right about 360 rwhp (~424 bhp). I've seen one car that turned out to have an issue with its MAF that dyno'd about 345 rwhp (~406 bhp) and I've seen a couple of freaks make just over 380 rwhp (~447 bhp). Most hit between 355 rwhp (~418 bhp) and 370 rwhp (~435 bhp).

Unfortunately, I didn't do a pure stock dyno on my car the first time. I had parts at home and they went on the second day I had the car :). However, with an FR500 catback and a K&N filter in the stock air box with the snorkle removed my car made (SAE) 384 rwhp (~452 bhp). I'm pretty confident that I didn't begin at the advertised output of 390 bhp because that would have been about 332 rwhp and that would mean that I got around 52 rwhp with the mods I had at the time ;). Optimistically I probably saw at most around 25 to 30 rwhp total which would put my baseline at a minimum of 354 to 359 rwhp.

[slow lane]

The 355-370 average sounds about right.

My baseline was with a UPR cold air intake, at 390 / 390 SAE at the wheels. Based on other peoples testing of the UPR CAI, I figured I was 365-370 stock with less than 1000 miles on the odo. The car really woke up after it was fully broken in.

[smize]

So we have a Mustang dyno at my shop and I did a baseline pull the day I got my snake. Three runs one was 298, the second was 292, and the third was 296 bone stock every thing, even the oil. Well i started to have a miss fire it got progressively worse and the ecm never picked it up. Since I'm (blowing my own horn) a ase master tec I figured out that I had a bad coil pack and fixed it. I've since put on 4000 miles and I can feel the engine has loosened up some ( it revs easier)I wonder if that bad coil had any thing to do with the low #'s ? I'm ready to try it again, I'll let you know wat kind of numbers i come up with :D "O" by the way it is still stock, ecept the oil.

[Mystic Cobra]

Bone stock right down to the air filter and exhaust my car dyno'd 373.3 SAE RWHP at about 3,800 miles. Somewhere I've read that these cars have a 12.9% drive train loss. That would put it at about 428 at the motor.

[dwtalso]

So we have a Mustang dyno at my shop and I did a baseline pull the day I got my snake. Three runs one was 298, the second was 292, and the third was 296 bone stock every thing, even the oil. Well i started to have a miss fire it got progressively worse and the ecm never picked it up. Since I'm (blowing my own horn) a ase master tec I figured out that I had a bad coil pack and fixed it. I've since put on 4000 miles and I can feel the engine has loosened up some ( it revs easier)I wonder if that bad coil had any thing to do with the low #'s ? I'm ready to try it again, I'll let you know wat kind of numbers i come up with :D "O" by the way it is still stock, ecept the oil.

Try again. A bad coil will definately affect power. Also, the Mustang Dynamometer loads a vehicle differently and it's measurements are generally 5% to 10% lower than a Dynojet, which is what most people advertise on the forums :).

[smize]

True a Mustang dyno does load a vehical diffrently but less than 300 hp seems like a big deal since most are well above 300. Any way besides the coil my cobra was a factory tested model. its got 3700 on it now and it feels diffrent i wonder if it need broken in? oh well when i get an hour i will strap it down again. if you want to see pics check out tpscustoms.com, under products.

[marcobra]

I appreciate everyone's input. I found this on the web which agrees pretty much with Mystic Cobra (Jeff): http://www.mystichromecobra.com/pages/2/

[dkumashiro]

Don't know if you still need numbers.

Mine stock on a dynojet was 342 rwhp sae around 1700 miles on it.

Denso plugs, UPR CAI, Magnaflow catback resulted in 390 rwhp sae

a month later I dynoed it again on a different one and got 392 rwhp sae

The guy for kicks disconnected by battery and connected it back and did another run and it got 408 rwhp sae.

Around 20k miles, had bbk long tube headers and matching high flow x-pipe added. Dynoed at 400 rwhp sae. Noted clutch slipping at this point.

A month later I got it tuned with sct excalibrator. Dynoed at 428 rwhp sae. Noted clutch slipping even more :(

[Jkelly123]

My 2003 DSG with 11,500 miles and a SLP loudmouth catback and K&N Filter in stock box on a 83 degree evening with approx. 70 % humidity checked 382 RWHP at Kenny Browns.

[XFIRECHIEF]

I would think with limited mods like maybe cold air intake & exhaust, say like magnaflows or Borla, u should be looking at 400 HP+ at rear wheels.

[SVTkel]

Don't know if you still need numbers.

Mine stock on a dynojet was 342 rwhp sae around 1700 miles on it.

Denso plugs, UPR CAI, Magnaflow catback resulted in 390 rwhp sae

a month later I dynoed it again on a different one and got 392 rwhp sae

The guy for kicks disconnected by battery and connected it back and did another run and it got 408 rwhp sae.

Around 20k miles, had bbk long tube headers and matching high flow x-pipe added. Dynoed at 400 rwhp sae. Noted clutch slipping at this point.

A month later I got it tuned with sct excalibrator. Dynoed at 428 rwhp sae. Noted clutch slipping even more :(

I also have a UPR CAI and a Magnaflow cat back. Why did you change the plugs to Denso? What made you make that decision?

[Kafn8td]

Completely stock with 600 miles I dyno'd 367/371. Put a RWTD mail order tune on while still on the dyno and picked up 19/19. Now it sits at 527/500 and I still get 22 mpg with the A/C on!!

[EbloomPonycar]

Just dunoed with 6000k this week. 2.8 pulley and steeda idler. SCT Custom Tune FR500 catback and stock airbox with K&N filter. 415 rwhp and 448 rwtq. I am sure I can pick up a few more hp taking out the silencer or maybe adding a CAI. I was impressed with the torque although a little short on the HP. Runs like hell.

[04cobravert1975]

The advertised horsepower for a stock 03-04 Cobra is 390 bhp. Given that the 390 bhp is underrated (so I'm told) and all the dynos and what, what is the actual bhp as found by members? I would like to get input here to see what the consensus is and generate an average. Thanks....

mine dynod 377 to the wheels with a lower tq rating,

[marcobra]

mine dynod 377 to the wheels with a lower tq rating,

Thanks. Can we assume then 433 bhp?

[dwtalso]

Thanks. Can we assume then 433 bhp?

A drivetrain loss of [15%] is typically what's assumed (SAE specs this out their correction factor as well), so maybe even as high as 443 bhp :).

[Greg@SVTOA]

85% loss? Holy cow!!! ;)

[dwtalso]

LOL! Sorry. 15% loss :). Not enough caffien in the bloodstream this morning.

[marcobra]

A drivetrain loss of [15%] is typically what's assumed (SAE specs this out their correction factor as well), so maybe even as high as 443 bhp :).

Thanks for catching the typo. I meant 443 bhp. (377 = 0.85x443)

If that is the case, I wonder if the 03/04 will be just as fast as the new Shelby GT500. Cubic inches doesn't necessarily mean faster car. Look at the 1971 429 Cobra Jet rated at 370 hp that was tested by Sports Car Graphic to be marginally (0.1 seconds) faster than the 330 hp 351 Boss.

[dwtalso]

It's going to be close, imho. The average '03/'04 coupe in stock trim puts out around 420 bhp but looks like it's 150 to 200 lbs lighter. How close will depend on what the GT500's are actually putting down when they hit the streets. If they are really putting out 500 bhp, as some folks have rumored :), then they will have an edge, even with the extra weight, but it won't be a lot.

And there are plenty of us modded Terminators to keep the Shelby's humble for a bit ;). But that won't last long because there's a ton of potential in that car :D.

[marcobra]

It's going to be close, imho....:D.

I find it strange that Ford boasts 450+ hp and the Shelby name ad nauseam but is silent about the quarter mile.

[RMitchell12]

mine dynod 377 to the wheels with a lower tq rating,

My dyno'd 434/385, SAE corrected (supposedly). With just exhaust and intake I was expecting lower HP and higher TQ. Something like 400/400.

Bob

[alfish1]

Just completed a dyno run today on my STOCK '03 Cobra Vert. It ran 371 RWHP/ 390 RWTQ. I'm pretty impressed considering that this vehicle has absolutely no mods.

[gx00850]

I dyno'd my '03 Vert yesterday and I thought the dyno was off, but after reading these posts I see that it must have been dead on.

Completely Stock - No Mods posted 371 HP / 375 Torque.
I was very impressed!

A friend of mine had a '97 Cobra that posted 275 HP. Stock except for Flowmaster Cat backs.

[brock_t]

i have a completely stock 04 cobra, that dyno'ed 349rwhp on a mustang dyno...was happy with that till i got on here and seen 360-380 to the wheels....thanks guys!!! someone told me in another thread that, that was pretty low and to check the rocker arms to ensure they were all on and tight, said mm&ff did an article about how 03-04 cobra's rocker arms were sometimes not torqed down good and come loos...anybody hear thaat? also herd people were finding there cobra's timing off when the car was brand new

[SVTIM]

Correct me if Im wrong but, There is a big differences in the Mustang and the Dynojet dynos?

[brock_t]

yes, dont know exactly how to explain it though. I know that the jet dyno will give you higher numbers than the mustang dyno. has something to do with the jet dyno doesnt put a full load on the car, like the mustang dyno, causing the car to seem like it has more hp....thats why i stick with the mustang, lower numbers, but they are more true

[vger]

This is the answer dwtalso gave me on another thread.

"Mustang Dyno runs an adjustable load and is typically loaded higher than a Dynojet. The Dynojet 24x series have a static load of 3000 pounds, I believe. Usually Mustang Dyno results are lower than Dynojet results by anywhere from 5% to 15%".

[03cobra3801]

I got an 03. When I had the MAC CAI and Bassani Cat Back i dynoed at 396/397 at JBA in San Diego with no tune. The tech there said he would gaurantee me 25 more HP if I had it tuned. Since then I have added JLT True CAI, 2.9 Lethal Performance Pulley, and a Boost Bypass Valve kit. I have yet to get it tuned but that is coming in a few days. I am hoping there is another 50 HP (or maybe more) or so in those mods plus the 25 from the tune.