GT 95 needing some horsepower improvements!!!

[jsanches]

I can't tune my ECU and I don't think I would be able to find someone else to do. So I think I should find mods that do not need my ECU to be tuned.
I've read some very important above! My car is a street car, not a race car. I really want to have some fun on it.
Considering this, I need some exhaust which are able to deliver good broad torque curve making a good average number than a peak.
I think that LT's will deliver this, wont it? I think everybody agrees...
Good heads like AFR 165 or TrickFlow, right?

Does Edelbrock make good heads too?

Thanks! This thread is very productive to me!

 

[jsanches]

Andy,

What is that in the middle of the exhaust tubes? Looks like a box in place where we usually see the x-pipe.

 

[revhead347]

I can't tune my ECU and I don't think I would be able to find someone else to do. So I think I should find mods that do not need my ECU to be tuned.
..
Good heads like AFR 165 or TrickFlow, right?

Does Edelbrock make good heads too?

Thanks! This thread is very productive to me!

I don't think tuning will be an issue. You can order a piggy back chip from the US just like you can order any other part. If you go with an experienced Mustang tuner, he's going to be able to deliver you a chip for around the $300 mark that will make the car very streetable and enjoyable to drive. It might not squeeze every single last hp out of the engine without putting the car on the dyno, but it will definately get rid of all the driveability issues.

In theory, longtubes promote high rpm hp for a sacrifice in low end torque because they lose back pressure. However, the shorties are too much of a flow restriction. I have never seen a car that didn't pick up hp and tq across the entire power band after longtubes were installed. They really are just better all around.

The Edelbrock castings are fine, but the hardware (valves, springs, retainers,etc) they are packaged with is just crap. Going with an Edelbrock head would be dangerous in your situation, because there is a good chance one of those hardware components will fail on you, and it will be hard to replace. If you have good hardware installed on them before they are shipped, they end up costing a lot more than the AFRs or Trick Flows, and they don't flow any better.

Kurt

 

[RIO5.0]

Its another style of mid pipe...you have X's and H's...this is a Prochamber.

 

[revhead347]

I also run a ProChamber. Suposedly it's the most efficient design.

Kurt

 

[ratio411]

In theory, longtubes promote high rpm hp for a sacrifice in low end torque because they lose back pressure.

Longer tubes promote torque and broader power band.
Short tubes create high rpm power and a peaky power curve.

Assuming tube diameter is the same, and the collector isn't just a crappy design, there is no change in back pressures that mean anything to the power band.
Short tubes are exactly what a street car doesn't need, but the factory is more interested in fit and ground clearance. Most of us are too, so the shorties remain popular, even if they are a compromise.

 

[Venom351R]

For the longtube headers, there are extensions available, but they are expensive enough that it is more cost effective to buy new O2 sensors if your current ones have any kind of mileage on them. If you get a set of O2 sensors for a 92' Ford Explorer V6 (3.0 or 4.0 doesn't matter) the sensors are identical except they have the correct pigtail length for a Mustang with longtubes. One sensor will have a slightly longer pigtail which works out perfect.

Kurt

wow I didnt know that Kurt thanks. I'm hoping to get my long tubes next month and was ready to buy new 02's and the extensions for them.

 

[jsanches]

wow I didnt know that Kurt thanks. I'm hoping to get my long tubes next month and was ready to buy new 02's and the extensions for them.

Agree! That is really nice!

 

[jsanches]

Thank you everybody for all information and suggestion on this thread. I really apreciate it.
I am convinced to buy some good longtube headers. I have one more question here: the brand.
Do you suggest some brand?

Kurt,
I wrote about to use some piggyback chip and I would like to know where I could find some.

Thank you,

 

[Bullitt95]

I have the MAC 1-5/8" long tubes.

 

[ratio411]

Those MACs fit amazingly well from the pics.
I was reading posts where folks were saying LTs fit like crap on our cars. ???
Those MACs were tucked away nice and neat. Impressive.

 

[final5-0]

I got just a few seconds now
but
I'll post up some stuff about my Mac LT's later tonight
and
General LT info for our 94-95 Stangs that just might shock some folks

Grady

 

[revhead347]

Longer tubes promote torque and broader power band.
Short tubes create high rpm power and a peaky power curve.

My understanding is backwards from that, but I'm not going to argue. For the purpose of this discussion, I've never seen any mustang loose any torque or power anywhere on the powerband when switching from shorties to longtubes. It always works out to be a gain across the board.

Kurt

 

[revhead347]

I didn't get a PM on the chips. I went through JMS Chip & Performance Center. The guy was extremely helpful over the phone and was able to get me a very nice chip. When I had my last 347 it had a Trick Flow 3 cam, which is very large. It wouldn't even run without the chip. It would idle at 1700rpms and stall as soon as you tried to move it in gear. After I put the chip in, it idled at 900rpms and had no driveability issues whatsoever. I think I paid $265 for the chip, but that's 1999 prices. I know a lot of people are going with Bamatunes who is an SCT dealer. If you go on SCTs website, it will list a multitude of chip dealers. Be careful though, the list just lists people who have been qualified by SCT to burn a chip for you. It doesn't guarantee that they have a lot of experience with Mustang's specifically.

For the headers, I always have gone with BBK longtubes. The fit is excellent on the BBKs. I've had some bad experiences with Mac headers fitment in the past. I have no recent experience, so I don't know if they have improved their design. I don't think you can beat the BBKs for the price. I think they actually fit better than Accufab headers that cost twice as much. You will have to make some minor tweaks to get them in. The AC line on the passenger side has to be relocated upwards a little to keep it from burning on the headers. It's just a minor bracket relocation, but if you aren't aware of it ahead of time, you are going to end up burning up that AC hose, and end up replacing it.

Kurt

 

[final5-0]

I have no complaints about my Mac LT's

They fit with no issues what so ever

Now ... A bit more info about LT's on our cars

Its been like 3 years ago or there abouts when I posted up some findings
about my LT's and some folks questioned what I had to say

I said ... The LT's hugged close to the floor pans and they had no worse
ground clearance than my previous e system with shortys

You see a lot of peeps say ... LT's hang so low
You don't wanna use em on a street car

I asked for help from members of the forum to conduct a little fact finding
survey cause I've always hated it when peeps wanna go with hear-say as
opposed to looking into facts

I found a reference point on our cars to take measurements from

The idea was to go with a method that would not make ground clearance
the focus as some have their cars lowered, and not every 94-95 Stang
sits at the same height for one reason or another

I asked everybody to find the difference between that reference point and
the lowest point of the e system

We had data from Mac and BBK LT's, all kinds of shorty header based e
systems, and OEM e systems

Most of the time, the lowest point of the e system wasn't even anywhere
on the header it self but somewhere else like the muffler or mid pipe

A good bit of the time, those with shorty based header e systems had
a lower point measurement than those with LT's

Anyway ... Thought you might find that interesting

For the record ... my e system is .......

Mac 1 5/8 LT's ... Mac catted H Pipe ... OEM catback

Grady

 

[revhead347]

The LTs on my car definately don't hang low at all. How are the Macs on your car Grady? I'm glad Mac has improved their fitment. About a decade and a half ago they introduced their true fit design. The true fits fit horribly. Rubbed all over the steering shaft. I swore they weren't designed for a Mustang when we put them in. Mac refused to take them back, so we ended up beating the snot out of them with a hammer to get them to fit.

Kurt

 

[Stangstroke]

Don't waste your money on those upgrades they end up costing alot of money with marginal gains. You'l spend anywhere from $1000 to $1300 for exhaust depending what you buy heads will cost you another $1300 to $1500 for a good set of heads with the price of those 2 items your already at the price of a supercharger my suggestion is go by the supercharger and have fun with it you'll be close to your 300hp mark with out cracking a bolt on you motor.

 

[Bullitt95]

Don't waste your money on those upgrades they end up costing alot of money with marginal gains. You'l spend anywhere from $1000 to $1300 for exhaust depending what you buy heads will cost you another $1300 to $1500 for a good set of heads with the price of those 2 items your already at the price of a supercharger my suggestion is go by the supercharger and have fun with it you'll be close to your 300hp mark with out cracking a bolt on you motor.

Your last statement is a strong argument in favour of the supercharger but I disagree with your other statements. You can do a good headers-back exhaust for little over $500 (long tube headers, shorten stock midpipe, high-flow mufflers with stock tailpipes), buy a good pair of used aluminium heads for ~$800, and a good used intake for ~$300. With bigger injectors, bigger fuel pump, and a Moates Quarterhorse, the total cost is near $2500 but you can at least spend it in stages as your budget allows.
When you buy a supercharger kit you also need to add the cost of the same aforementioned supporting mods so the whole exercise ends up costing over $4000, and you have to spend it all in one go.

 

[final5-0]

The LTs on my car definately don't hang low at all. How are the Macs on your car Grady?

Kurt

They fit just fine

Nothin rubs against nothin or anything like that

They hug the floor pan tight

Grady

 

[final5-0]

Yes ... The talk above to go with a blower is made to seem like .......
all ya gotta do is bolt it on and go fast

Then there is the idea about for the price of exhaust and heads ..........
you can go fast or faster with the blower

First of all ... Strictly speaking about making horse power

The e system is restrictive ... No Doubt about it
but
Only the headers and 4 cat mid pipe is the bottle neck

therefore

You really don't have to replace the catback
Again ... we are talking about making power ... NOT ... sound

So you see ... There is more to this than it seems at first

Now ... About going the blower route

Yes ... you could go the entry level route ..........

BUT

You are gonna be runnin that doo-dad (i can't remember its name at this
moment) that makes your fuel pressure be SKY HIGH

AND

You'll still be runnin the OEM ignition system so you most likely
will blow the spark out

Last thing here .......

I ain't against the blowers and I ain't sayin NA is the best

I'm just sayin ... There is more to each method ... thats all

Grady