Hi fellow gearheads!
Thanks for the great site! Been lurking for a few days and managed to get most of my questions answered using the search tool. Please endure a little newbie introduction if you will.
My name is Carl and I bought an 89 SHO back in 96. Some of you who used to frequent SHOTIMES may remember that I converted the car to run on Compressed Natural Gas (CNG). It was great having a performance car that used cheap, domestically produced fuel, HOV lane access, etc. But alas, my beloved old SHO was totaled last month by a hit-and-run ricer.
The EPA has changed the rules since 96 and I canâ??t just convert another SHO, So I needed to choose between a CNG econobox, or forget the alternative fuel gig and get a performance car. Thus I started looking at Contours because they were offered in a factory dual fuel CNG/Unleaded, although only with the Ztech and an automatic.
I drove one of those and (yawn) you know....Then I drove an SE sport with the Duratech and a MTX and It was fun! Not as much torque as the olâ?? Yamaha V6, but it was lighter and more nimble than the SHO, and has a rev happy engine. As much fun as my 280z beater and still has room for the wife and kid.
So, here I am and looking at Contour sports, SVTs and V8 SHOs. I have also considered a Mazda6, but I hate that new car depreciation. The ATX and cam sprocket issues with the SHO scare me. Likewise I see that the Duratech may be prone to spin a bearing and they seem a little less hardy than the original SHO (probably due to the higher RPM operating range). I also see that the SVT has slightly higher compression, different cam timing, and extrude honed intake on later years.
Sorry for the long intro, now the questions..
Does the SE Sport require premium fuel?
I read that the SVT had a â??close ratioâ? 5 speed, is this any different than the SE sport?
Lastly, I will need to occasionally tow dirt bikes or a jet ski. Since the SVT cam timing moves the powerband up, does the SE V6 have more torque? Or would I just have to spin the SVT a few hundred RPM higher?
I appreciate your input!
