Mach 1 A10 as Time Attack/Time Trials Car?

[mustangsallys550]

I have been researching the Mach 1 10R80 a lot as my next track car and I have not found any posts about the transmission overheating in it. Is it because no one is tracking that car in an auto? lol. Does the Mach1 have a better cooler placement than other cars? I've seen posts about PP cars overheating with the 10R80 (and the detailed build thread which is awesome) and posts now about the Dark Horse 10R80 overheating but nothing on the Mach 1.

Any other issues to be aware of with the Mach 1 for use with time trials/time attack and some open lapping? I go to about 10-15 events per season and drive there and back with the car. My previous car is a modified base S550 GT with upgraded suspension, brakes, and tires.

Thanks!

 

[JDee]

I have been researching the Mach 1 10R80 a lot as my next track car and I have not found any posts about the transmission overheating in it. Is it because no one is tracking that car in an auto? lol. Does the Mach1 have a better cooler placement than other cars? I've seen posts about PP cars overheating with the 10R80 (and the detailed build thread which is awesome) and posts now about the Dark Horse 10R80 overheating but nothing on the Mach 1.

Any other issues to be aware of with the Mach 1 for use with time trials/time attack and some open lapping? I go to about 10-15 events per season and drive there and back with the car. My previous car is a modified base S550 GT with upgraded suspension, brakes, and tires.

Thanks!

I have a 6 speed Mach 1 and it has a full suite of driveline coolers as delivered. My car is on a lift in the garage so I see the fine work Ford did with all the coolers buried down there. I have never had any cooling issues with it whereas with my '16 PP1 it was constant trouble on hot days and I ended up putting coolers on everything. I could hardly hear the engine for the howling of all the Tilton pumps.

I didn't even know Ford put a slush box, er, automatic, in the Mach 1. Seems a shame, at least half of the art of track driving is being able to heel/toe/blip/downshift. My old man showed me how to do that 57 years ago and even with a wonky right ankle I can still git 'er done.

I would expect that if anything Ford would have put an upgraded trans cooler on an auto Mach 1, given how complete a job they did on the 6 speed Mach 1.

Before you pull the trigger get them to put it on a lift and show you what driveline coolers are there. Should be engine, trans and diff, if not you're going to have to add them.

 

[bronco100]

I have been researching the Mach 1 10R80 a lot as my next track car and I have not found any posts about the transmission overheating in it. Is it because no one is tracking that car in an auto? lol. Does the Mach1 have a better cooler placement than other cars? I've seen posts about PP cars overheating with the 10R80 (and the detailed build thread which is awesome) and posts now about the Dark Horse 10R80 overheating but nothing on the Mach 1.

Any other issues to be aware of with the Mach 1 for use with time trials/time attack and some open lapping? I go to about 10-15 events per season and drive there and back with the car. My previous car is a modified base S550 GT with upgraded suspension, brakes, and tires.

Thanks!

What I've found is that not a lot of people take S550's to the track at all.. and if they do it's typically drag racing or open lapping - so there's limited reference data for us to use. Either way, I'm not sure how at 10R80 would be a good option for track use.

 

[byronj]

@flyhalf would probably be your best resource for this.

 

[flyhalf]

It all depends on... speeds. The faster you are the more it will suffer.
You have a bigger cooler that pp1. And direct fresh air. But the issue is the trans thermostat opens just too late.
You can do 3 things.
1. Leave like it is and just do 2 or 3 laps.
2. Install a bypass being sure to warm it up good when really cold also using some airblock (Avoid this solution if u are 30 40f often. )
3. Bypass thermostat and then install a after market sandwich thermostat with a 140f opening.

The car is fast
Upshift is great. Downshift is really bad. (Almost zero rev match)
You always are in the power band needed.
I paddle shift only. Some do it automatically but I believe is wrong cause car runs too high in rpm and can't use the rpm for better turn exit traction.

Hope this help.
Alessandro

 

[IanKar64]

It all depends on... speeds. The faster you are the more it will suffer.
You have a bigger cooler that pp1. And direct fresh air. But the issue is the trans thermostat opens just too late.
You can do 3 things.
1. Leave like it is and just do 2 or 3 laps.
2. Install a bypass being sure to warm it up good when really cold also using some airblock (Avoid this solution if u are 30 40f often. )
3. Bypass thermostat and then install a after market sandwich thermostat with a 140f opening.

The car is fast
Upshift is great. Downshift is really bad. (Almost zero rev match)
You always are in the power band needed.
I paddle shift only. Some do it automatically but I believe is wrong cause car runs too high in rpm and can't use the rpm for better turn exit traction.

Hope this help.
Alessandro

I get better lap times when I use paddle shift in my A10.

 

[flyhalf]

I get better lap times when I use paddle shift in my A10.

Paddle shifting is the way to go.

 

[grigorie888]

I have been researching the Mach 1 10R80 a lot as my next track car and I have not found any posts about the transmission overheating in it. Is it because no one is tracking that car in an auto? lol. Does the Mach1 have a better cooler placement than other cars? I've seen posts about PP cars overheating with the 10R80 (and the detailed build thread which is awesome) and posts now about the Dark Horse 10R80 overheating but nothing on the Mach 1.

Any other issues to be aware of with the Mach 1 for use with time trials/time attack and some open lapping? I go to about 10-15 events per season and drive there and back with the car. My previous car is a modified base S550 GT with upgraded suspension, brakes, and tires.

Thanks!

I've tracked my Mach 1 with the 10R80 and haven't had any issues with transmission overheating. Maybe the cooler placement is better on the Mach 1? Brake pads can get worn out quickly, so keep an eye on those. Otherwise, it's a solid platform for track use.

 

[flyhalf]

I've tracked my Mach 1 with the 10R80 and haven't had any issues with transmission overheating. Maybe the cooler placement is better on the Mach 1? Brake pads can get worn out quickly, so keep an eye on those. Otherwise, it's a solid platform for track use.

It is. However and I apology if I say this is also depending on what type of laptime we put down.
I do Agreed Mach 1 has a better placement of transmission cooler. Better than dark horse for sure.

 

[grigorie888]

It is. However and I apology if I say this is also depending on what type of laptime we put down.
Indo Agreed Mach 1 has a better placement t of transmission. Better than dark horse for sure.

No need to appologize when your're stating the facts

 

[mustangsallys550]

It is. However and I apology if I say this is also depending on what type of laptime we put down.
I do Agreed Mach 1 has a better placement of transmission cooler. Better than dark horse for sure.

Thanks so much for all of the info.

Curious on where the Mach 1 trans cooler placement is compared to the Dark Horse? There seems to be very limited info online.

 

[JDee]

Thanks so much for all of the info.

Curious on where the Mach 1 trans cooler placement is compared to the Dark Horse? There seems to be very limited info online.

I can post pictures of the locations in the Mach 1 later today. Just have to take care of some life junk this morning. Hopefully the plumbing is visible to see what matrix is doing what, been a while since I had the car on the lift and the old guy memory is not great.

 

[flyhalf]

Thanks so much for all of the info.

Curious on where the Mach 1 trans cooler placement is compared to the Dark Horse? There seems to be very limited info online.

The problem is not the cooler per se. The dark horse has a big (but thinner) cooler in radiator area.
The issue is : it has also a little boiler (water to oil ) similar to the engine oil little boiler that s550 has.
They say is an additional cooling. But actually it is not. It helps warm the fluid even more for smoother shifting (on regular use) and better mileage.
How it works.
The oil recirculates between trans and boiler.
When reach 192f the external thermostat opens and send fluid to cooler.
After the cooler I Believe goes back to the boiler and then trans (not 100% sure on this)
The point is when u at the track your water temps goes up Let's say 215.
So no matter how much u cool down you start from 215. And after 3 laps. People have seen trans temps up
To 280f!!

And with a ULTRA LOW VISCOSITY fluid. You can imagine ain't the best. And you destroy your clutches.