Any aftermarket performance add-ons/kits for Taurus?

I just inherited (kind of) a V6 4-speed 2002 Ford Taurus. Nice family
car for a family oriented driver. However, I'm not a family oriented
driver. I'm not content with just getting from point A to B. I also like
to drive for the sake of the pleasure and satisfaction that driving can
often bring. And with this particular car, my driving satisfaction is
somewhat hampered by its delivering a lack of a more responsive and precise
driver control over its acceleration. This seems due in part to the
transmission's shifting characteristics (which are neither rapid nor always
precise enough for me) compounded by the number of times it has to shift
gears during mere casual acceleration.
However, due to arrangements (which I won't go into here) I'm kind of
stuck with driving this car for a while. Therefore I'm curious if anyone
can tell me off hand if there are any aftermarket products available for the
Ford Taurus in the way of ready made performance kits and such. For
example: (1) replacement computer chips (which replace the car's computer
presets and engine/transmission management algorithms with tested
performance/drivability oriented settings). (2) Bolt-on supercharger kits
not requiring internal engine modifications [instead, merely the use of a
higher octane gas perhaps] (to increase low end torque thereby making way to
implement the following...) (3) A differential kit providing a slightly
taller gear ratio. This goes to possibly decreasing the annoying multitude
of gear shifts that currently take place during merely modest accelerations
to within ordinary (lawful) street speeds.

Oh and BTW: (4) NOT a different engine. NOT a different car (not for a
while yet, that is). NOT a nitrous oxide kit. <g>

Thank you,
Ken


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"Ken Moiarty" > wrote:

> I just inherited (kind of) a V6 4-speed 2002 Ford Taurus. Nice
> family
> car for a family oriented driver. However, I'm not a family oriented
> driver. I'm not content with just getting from point A to B. I also
> like to drive for the sake of the pleasure and satisfaction that
> driving can often bring. And with this particular car, my driving
> satisfaction is somewhat hampered by its delivering a lack of a more
> responsive and precise driver control over its acceleration. This
> seems due in part to the transmission's shifting characteristics
> (which are neither rapid nor always precise enough for me) compounded
> by the number of times it has to shift gears during mere casual
> acceleration.
> However, due to arrangements (which I won't go into here) I'm kind
> of
> stuck with driving this car for a while. Therefore I'm curious if
> anyone can tell me off hand if there are any aftermarket products
> available for the Ford Taurus in the way of ready made performance
> kits and such. For example: (1) replacement computer chips (which
> replace the car's computer presets and engine/transmission management
> algorithms with tested performance/drivability oriented settings).
> (2) Bolt-on supercharger kits not requiring internal engine
> modifications [instead, merely the use of a higher octane gas perhaps]
> (to increase low end torque thereby making way to implement the
> following...) (3) A differential kit providing a slightly taller gear
> ratio. This goes to possibly decreasing the annoying multitude of
> gear shifts that currently take place during merely modest
> accelerations to within ordinary (lawful) street speeds.
>
> Oh and BTW: (4) NOT a different engine. NOT a different car (not for
> a while yet, that is). NOT a nitrous oxide kit. <g>
>
> Thank you,
> Ken
>
>

www.tauruscarclub.com/

www.ford-forums.com/Taurus/

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you pay..DEAL with it!

Ken Moiarty wrote:
> I just inherited (kind of) a V6 4-speed 2002 Ford Taurus. Nice family
> car for a family oriented driver. However, I'm not a family oriented
> driver. I'm not content with just getting from point A to B. I also like
> to drive for the sake of the pleasure and satisfaction that driving can
> often bring. And with this particular car, my driving satisfaction is
> somewhat hampered by its delivering a lack of a more responsive and precise
> driver control over its acceleration. This seems due in part to the
> transmission's shifting characteristics (which are neither rapid nor always
> precise enough for me) compounded by the number of times it has to shift
> gears during mere casual acceleration.
> However, due to arrangements (which I won't go into here) I'm kind of
> stuck with driving this car for a while. Therefore I'm curious if anyone
> can tell me off hand if there are any aftermarket products available for the
> Ford Taurus in the way of ready made performance kits and such. For
> example: (1) replacement computer chips (which replace the car's computer
> presets and engine/transmission management algorithms with tested
> performance/drivability oriented settings). (2) Bolt-on supercharger kits
> not requiring internal engine modifications [instead, merely the use of a
> higher octane gas perhaps] (to increase low end torque thereby making way to
> implement the following...) (3) A differential kit providing a slightly
> taller gear ratio. This goes to possibly decreasing the annoying multitude
> of gear shifts that currently take place during merely modest accelerations
> to within ordinary (lawful) street speeds.
>
> Oh and BTW: (4) NOT a different engine. NOT a different car (not for a
> while yet, that is). NOT a nitrous oxide kit. <g>
>
> Thank you,
> Ken
>
>

Before you worry about any "performance" add ons, get the transmission
serviced! I've heard about so many Tauri with dying transmissions that
it's silly.

nate

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Ken Moiarty wrote:

> I just inherited (kind of) a V6 4-speed 2002 Ford Taurus. Nice family
> car for a family oriented driver. However, I'm not a family oriented
> driver. I'm not content with just getting from point A to B. I also like
> to drive for the sake of the pleasure and satisfaction that driving can
> often bring. And with this particular car, my driving satisfaction is
> somewhat hampered by its delivering a lack of a more responsive and

I rented one of those things when I visited your country on a business trip
a few years ago. I remember the sloppy handling, the gutless engine and
third world build quality.

I think the best aftermarket accessory you could use on it would be a couple
of sticks of gelignite.

Ken Moiarty wrote:
> I just inherited (kind of) a V6 4-speed 2002 Ford Taurus. Nice family
> car for a family oriented driver. However, I'm not a family oriented
> driver.
<snip>
> (2) Bolt-on supercharger kits
> not requiring internal engine modifications [instead, merely the use of a
> higher octane gas perhaps] (to increase low end torque thereby making way to
> implement the following...) (3) A differential kit providing a slightly
> taller gear ratio. This goes to possibly decreasing the annoying multitude
> of gear shifts that currently take place during merely modest accelerations
> to within ordinary (lawful) street speeds.
>
> Oh and BTW: (4) NOT a different engine.

Even though it violates your #4, if you're willing to bolt on a blower
and drop the drivetrain module to change the diff, I'd seriously
consider finding a V8 SHO drivetrain/system and doing a swap. Or, spend
about the same money and find a V6 5sp SHO, or something else you'd
rather drive.

Jim

Ford's transaxle differentials suck. Do a couple of good wheelspins, and
you'll prebably break it. Anything you do to the motor would have to
keep this in mind.

There's kits available to add forced induction to just about anything,
as long as you don't mind spending $5000 to buy it.

I'm wondering if what you spoke of as annoying downshift on throttle
application is actually the torque convertor jumping in and out of
lockup, another thing the Ford transaxle is annoying at. It's supposed
to go in and out of lockup on demand, it just seems real noticeable on
the Ford transaxle, especially with the A/C on...

There are inline drivetrain controllers that just plug in between the
harness and the ECM that change shift points and such...maybe something
like that?.


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Whoops, hit post before I was done...anyway, as I was gonna say, car
like that (I'm not dissing the performance sedan idea, you see what I
drive...) I'd stick with a couple of simple mods to enhance driving
enjoyment.

1. Get a nice set of performance tires on good wheels, in othwords get
rid of the steel wheels if yours has that. Not talking crazy, just
slightly wider and lighter than stock.

2. Replace all the black rubber suspension bushings with the stouter
Energy Suspension bushings, or something similar, and get the largest
diameter stabilizer bars you can find. This will make the car stay flat
and plant the tires on cornering, braking, acceleration, etc. and take
the mushy passenger car feel out of it. Some adjustable struts are nice
too if you really wanna go hog wild...

3. Let the motor breathe...passenger car design is biased heavily
towards quiet operation, sacrificing some performance. You can get it
back with a freer flowing, less convoluted air intake, and a good
quality exhaust system THAT MAINTAINS SOME LEVEL OF LOW RPM
BACKPRESSURE...sounds better and you don't loose low-mid range
torque...


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"jeffcoslacker" > wrote in message
...
>
> Ford's transaxle differentials suck. Do a couple of good wheelspins, and
> you'll prebably break it. Anything you do to the motor would have to
> keep this in mind.
>

Yikes! Any aftermarket upgrades for this that you know of?

> There's kits available to add forced induction to just about anything,
> as long as you don't mind spending $5000 to buy it.
>

That much just for a kit? Too much for my budget.

> I'm wondering if what you spoke of as annoying downshift on throttle
> application is actually the torque convertor jumping in and out of
> lockup, another thing the Ford transaxle is annoying at. It's supposed
> to go in and out of lockup on demand, it just seems real noticeable on
> the Ford transaxle, especially with the A/C on...
>

Yes, must be that then, as when the A/C is on is when it's at its worst.

> There are inline drivetrain controllers that just plug in between the
> harness and the ECM that change shift points and such...maybe something
> like that?.

Are you referring here to "performance chips", which plug into the ECM,
replacing a removable factory-installed chip module there? I read in a web
forum that these control both engine settings and transmission shifting
behavior. Supposedly a good one will improve engine (provided I use Premium
gas) and transmission performance quite nicely. Any recommendations? Chip
brands to stay away from?


Thanks,
Ken
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The best aftermarket purchase I can think of for a Taurus would be an
Extended Service & Repair Plan.......

Ken Moiarty > wrote in article
>...


> I'm not content with just getting from point A to B. I also like
> to drive for the sake of the pleasure and satisfaction that driving can
> often bring.


> .....my driving satisfaction is
> somewhat hampered by its delivering a lack of a more responsive and
precise
> driver control over its acceleration.


> This seems due in part to the
> transmission's shifting characteristics (which are neither rapid nor
always
> precise enough for me) compounded by the number of times it has to shift
> gears during mere casual acceleration.

> For
> example: (1) replacement computer chips (which replace the car's computer

> presets and engine/transmission management algorithms with tested
> performance/drivability oriented settings). (2) Bolt-on supercharger
kits
> not requiring internal engine modifications [instead, merely the use of a

> higher octane gas perhaps] (to increase low end torque thereby making way
to
> implement the following...) (3) A differential kit providing a slightly
> taller gear ratio. This goes to possibly decreasing the annoying
multitude
> of gear shifts that currently take place during merely modest
accelerations
> to within ordinary (lawful) street speeds.
>


I think you've been reading too many mags like Motor Trend and Car &
Driver, or watching too many television advertisements. You sound like a
"driver's reaction" report...

"Precise driver control" and "Taurus" (Think of "bull" - as in china shop)
do not go together.