[97Stang3.8L]

I am looking for a cheap way to increase hp on my 97 mustang and suggestions?

[ChingonStang]

K&N Filter, CAI, Exhaust, pulleys.

[97Stang3.8L]

i was told by local shop k&n doesnt make a CAI that fits the 3.8L only the GT...

[onebadsixxx]

........OR you can use the CAI piping from some cheap-o kit and use the K&N filter. I did. Worked for me.

Throw some Longtube Headers in the mix and a built rear-end with some 4.10s? ooooweeeee.

Simple bolt ons will do the trick, but youre gonna wanna go bigger and badder with modifications later down the road. If I did everything for the car again, Id do everything in reverse order. I spent SO much money on exterior looks before I went performance. I can just imagine the sleeper Id have if every penny went into performance and I left the looks of the car alone. Holy freakin crap. One word, though, "Save". Save your money and reasearch as your saving, so that way once you find the right type of power you want, youll have just about enough saved to get it. You gotta pay to play...

[Big Show 96]

Originally Posted by 97Stang3.8L

i was told by local shop k&n doesnt make a CAI that fits the 3.8L only the GT...

I bought one from AM for my 98 stang & it fits & looks good. I paid 65.00 for it to my door. Also has a reusable filter.

[MustangLX-5.0]

I never founf headers to be much of a performance boost on a V6. Mainly the 94-98 models. The headers that come on those years are stainless steel, have much larger diameter tubes and already flow pretty decently. I think using long tubes might move the power band up a bit. Currently it already sits around 2500 - 4300 RPM's. It gets piss weak after 4300. So, it just might bump the lower end of the power band up even further. Onebadsix, what is your experience with the long tubes....on a 3.8?

As for CAI, the shop telling you they aren't available for the 3.8 must not be doing their research. They are available at a variety of places. Heck, try Late Model Restoration Supply. I'll bet they have it.

[onebadsixxx]

The only noticeable difference I felt is there was less of a restriction. Hard to describe, but after the install, when I punched it, the car went. Before, it felt like I was dragging some weights. For exmaple, you can take a drinking straw and blow in it. Then compare that to blowing through the center roll of paper towels.

Of course, youre not gonna notice how sluggish it is to speed up in a stock 3.8L if you havent ridden in a 3.8L with a modifed exhaust from front to back. I guess giving the car room to breathe better was key.

[97Stang3.8L]

will i be pushing the engine past its power band with the 4.10s if i don't upgrade to the long tube headers?

[onebadsixxx]

Yea, that reply didnt make any sense, but Ima try to answer that anyway. 4.10s arent going to give you power, but itll make you get-up-and-go quicker. In theory, youll be using the same power output, youll just get off the line quicker.

Longtubes, however, comma, gives your car more room to breathe, youll pick up a few horses and torque pounds with LTs installed.

Powerband issues right now, isnt an issue..

[Calvin Hall]

I was thinking about getting headers, would shortys be worth it on the v6 or should i not even bother with it?

[strider115]

I have a 94 3.8L, and the first thing I did was add an AIRAID throttle body spacer and cold air kit (lots of these available online for between $75-250). It definitely proved to be a combo that added throttle response and some power, but still not enough, so I picked up all the parts today needed to do a Supercoupe conversion.

[03Stangr]

Originally Posted by 97Stang3.8L

I am looking for a cheap way to increase hp on my 97 mustang and suggestions?

Is your stang an automatic or stick ? if it's an automatic the stock torque converter isn't getting as much pwr to the rear wheels as a performance torque converter will. A quality one, and I don't recommend getting a cheap one when it comes to torque converters. it's going to be in there for a long time. A quality torque converter will have a 3yr warranty, a quality billet cover, be lighter, etc.. and will get you up to 40% more pwr to the rear wheels, you can get a single disc up to 3. Plus if you have a good tuner, it will allow you to adjust the valve body duties of the tranny like shift firmness, shift points, gear changes so you won't have to worry about buying a speedo gear to correct the speedometer, torque modulation in all the different gears etc...etc...the list is huge. You'll think you've bought a new transmission.

If it's a stick, get a short throw shifter, and a performance clutch, pressure plate kit etc... Just pick up a clutch alignment tool at the same time, if you've never changed your clutch or don't have one. Bottom line, is that you want to get all that pwr that's sitting at the flywheel back to the rear wheels.
Then you'll want to go with gears and traklok rear end. Most manual trans folks go with 3.73 or automatics go with 4.10's.
If you're planning on going with a supercharger, don't bother with a lower pulley, it will not work well with the supercharger. If you're shooting for naturally aspirated pwr, then the pulley set is a good thing. If you have Supercharger on your mind, visit supersixmotorsports.com or moranav6racing.com and get some better heads with stronger valve springs before you go with boost beyond 9psi. They of course have better flow as well and will give you more hp than stock. You can even go with some harlandsharp billet 1.8:1 rockers. Just make sure you get some hardened push rods at the same time unless you by his heads.
If you want to stay with a naturally aspirated engine, which is the most reliable, then go with a pwr pak from one of the above which will include a Cam, Heads and intake. Stage 2, stage 2+ or stage 3. from supersixmotorsports.com. Tom Yentzer is a really good man and will instruct you and inform you well. So will Tom at moranav6racing though too. Supersix just makes it a little easier with the matched pwr paks. Shoot they even short blocks, long blocks, complete stroker engines, it's like a toy heaven for 3.8L engines.