I have a 92 RS with the boat anchor 5.0L TBI.
I only autocross this car, but the engine is rather slow to respond to throttle inputs.
That slow response is really hurting my times as I have to gas it 1-2 seconds before I need power.

Is there a way to make it more snappy?

I know modifying 5.0L is a fools errand, but what can I do to make it less sluggish
I already rebuilt the TBI and injectors.
That helped a little but not much.

 

Exhaust, Throttle body spacer and injector pod spacer on as well as the "ultimate TBI mods". You can also put an adjustable fuel pressure regulator on the back of the throttle body.

https://www.thirdgen.org/ultimatetbi2/

 

What airfilter/intake system are you using?

 

Connect a scan tool, find out what is WRONG with that TBI system.

What is the fuel pressure?

What is the cranking compression pressure?

Having to apply gas pedal 1--2 seconds before the power arrives indicates a REAL PROBLEM to be fixed. Grinding the TBI casting and installing spacers is NOT the proper way to resolve this.

 

Depends on what you are comparing it to. I'm guess he is moving almost instantly but doesn't feel the kick in the pants (well slap its a 305 lol) for 1.-2 seconds. But you have to remember 197HP on a push rod V8 that doesn't make even that power until about 2500 RPM's is going to feel sluggish if you are use to more modern cars instant power off the line... If this is the case I would think just squeezing more power out of it would help. If this isn't the case and it really ia 1-2 seconds before your moving then yea you got big issues somewhere.

That said if you still have factory injectors then the spray pattern is probably shot etc.

You also have to remember you probably have a 2.72ish gear in the diff, its geared for high way cruising not 0-30-5-40-20-10-60 mph rapid changes that auto cross can require.

 

Of course I was not making those suggestions as an alternative to correcting real problems with the TBI. Just sharing some modifications I have done to TBI systems after I am satisfied they are running properly to maximum stock potential.

 

Interesting point about comparing to modern vehicles with drive-by-wire throttle systems - those things seem waaaay too sensitive to me after driving an LO3 5.0L with three cables attached to it and real springs, lol.

The best way to determine if there’s really something amiss or if it’s just subjective or if it’s simply the nature of the beast is to put a scan tool on it as Schurkey suggested and see exactly what the various readings are, preferably while driving it (carefully).

Start there and troubleshoot any system that is showing out-of-specification readings.