Heres what im planning on waking up my GT with...

[BurningRubber]

I think ive got it all set out in my mind. Im on a budget, but I want this car to haul ass without going deep into the engine and getting into stuff that I cant do myself.

Right now the GT has a K&N FIPK and a mufflerless catback, so basically im starting with just the FIPK.

Keeping the costs low is importiant, but so is bang for the buck... Gears are out of the question for now due to installation prices and getting the speedo tuned for the gear.

So ive come up with this... UPR or Dr. Gas offroad X pipe with Ford Racing's 2.5" catback, Professional Products 70mm TB with the C&L intake plenum, and either a MGW or Tri-ax short throw shifter. Maybe a tuner or programmer after all of that.

Does that sound like a good start? I think it would help wake the car up pretty good.

The only real question I have is... Would a 70mm throttle body be enough, or is there any reason to go to a 75mm throttle body? I dont really plan on going forced induction anytime soon, so I figure the 70mm TB wont be too much air going into the engine. Is that right?

If any of you have suggestions for better parts than what im listing then let me know... any help is appreciated. Any guesstimation of hp and tourqe gained is cool too.

Edit: Just read some reviews on the Professional Products TB, more than half of the reviews said they have gotten stuck at wide open throttle. It was on 5.0's, but thats not good... haha. BBK or maybe churn up for the Accufab.

 

[BurningRubber]

No one has any imput..?

 

[thomas91169]

youre prolly gonna be pissed you spent around 1000 bucks and didnt feel much in terms of gains.

get some gears(200 for gears+install kit or rebuild kit) and then get them installed(300) and youll feel more of a difference than all of that put together, and spend half the money.

a x/h pipe and exhaust, however, might get you more smiles since itll sound so badass. everything else is what i have and im not impressed. my favorite mod was the spintech mufflers that make it sound like eleanor from gone in 60 seconds. thats about it though.

 

[BurningRubber]

Damn... that sucks, haha.

Well whats the best way to get power out of these 4.6's?

Dont have enough money to go forced induction... Not going the nitrous route...

Have you ran your car at the track...? If so what did it run with everything?

Mine ran a 9 flat in the 1/8th with the previous owner... I need to learn how to drive it to its fullest.

 

[tomustang]

yeah really, just get the gears. that should keep you at bay for a while, and save up some dough until you start getting tired of the gears, you should have enough for cams/porting

 

[the98stang]

Yep, get the gears. You won't feel sh1t with the TB/plunum combo considering your current mods. Get the gears, and then smile.

 

[dustang50]

:Word:

 

[BlackenedSVT]

You could get some long tube headers as well. Header installs are time consuming, but its really straight foward and easy to do

 

[propellerhead]

If you get the tuner before the x-pipe, you won't need MILs (about a $35 savings). You also won't need a speedcal when you change gears later (about a n $90 savings). You also won't need a timing adjuster to advance your timing (about a $120 savings).

Oh yea.... remember the rule: Cheap, Fast Reliable... pick two.

 

[Justin03GT]

if you want to go fast and not break your bank go nitrous...

 

[tomustang]

You could get some long tube headers as well. Header installs are time consuming, but its really straight foward and easy to do

So why don't you have them? Think about the advice before you say it, emission laws are around in most states

 

[GettinThere]

If you get the tuner before the x-pipe, you won't need MILs (about a $35 savings). You also won't need a speedcal when you change gears later (about a n $90 savings). You also won't need a timing adjuster to advance your timing (about a $120 savings).

Agreed. Wish I could have done it this way, back in the day...

I know you are on a budget, but if I were you, I would start with the SCT Xcal2 tuner. You will get some performance gain right off the bat (unfortunately not the ass-hauling kind), and you will be set for future mods. A shifter is also a good start. Properly installed subframe connectors are another good start. Then a mid pipe, or gears. Skip the plenum/tb for now.

 

[BurningRubber]

I dont have any emissions testing or vehicle inspections to deal with so basically anything goes, haha.

Its kinda dissapointing to know that the tb and plenum wont do jack... I still want to pick up the C&L plenum cause its only 150 or so.

As far as longtubes go... I dont really have a place to install them at aside from a driveway with two small ramps, so that doesnt help too much, haha. Dont have anyone to help me either, none of my freinds are into working on cars.

About the nitrous... I know its the best bang for the buck, but im staying clear of it. I want an all time power increase, not just at WOT with the push of a button, and I dont really want the extra strain on the engine.

And gears... I know they feel like alot, but how much do they actually do for performance... say in the 1/4 mile? If I went the gear route id probaly go with 3.73's because I do aalloott of highway driving around 65-70 mph.

You guys dont think all of the parts ive listed wont give a decent gain at all? Not just one of them, but all of them together...

 

[AmBo]

Don't bother with the tb/plenum. Seriously. Don't ask for our input if you are just going to go with what you want to spend your money on.

GET FOOKIN GEARS! I just my 3.73s on and holy balls it makes the car haul ass. I paid $150 for the FRPP gears and $175 for the install. I chose to get an xcal to fix the speedo ($400) because I'm buying a blower in June, but you can get a speedcal for $100 new, $60 used.

Gears $150
Install ~$200-$300
Speedcal ~$60-100
Total ~$410-$550

TRUST ME! WORTH EVERY PENNY! I WISH I DID THIS 2 YEARS AGO!

 

[thomas91169]

About the nitrous... I know its the best bang for the buck, but im staying clear of it. I want an all time power increase, not just at WOT with the push of a button, and I dont really want the extra strain on the engine.

And gears... I know they feel like alot, but how much do they actually do for performance... say in the 1/4 mile? If I went the gear route id probaly go with 3.73's because I do aalloott of highway driving around 65-70 mph.

You guys dont think all of the parts ive listed wont give a decent gain at all? Not just one of them, but all of them together...

1. if youre going to want a full-time power increase, youre either going to have to go forced induction, or save up a couple grand and drop into a nice set of heads/cams and a stroker, though youll still top out at ~350hp.

2. as far as numbers, gears DO NOT increase horsepower. youre changing your final drive ratio, which in turn gives you a higher torque multiplication factor, and allows you to go through your powerband faster.

3. depends on your verson of "decent gains". i come from the dsm world, where a decent gain was turning up the boost a few psi witht he turn of a
10$ knob, adding more fuel (or running race gas) and timing and seeing the dyno go from 350 to 410hp.

when i sold the dsm and got the stang, i had around 4k to play with in terms of mods. i used 2k to pay off random bills, bought some pc stuff for 500$, and put the other 1500 into mods into my stang. spintech side mufflers(for roush kit), steeda tri-ax, demolet CAI, mac 75mm tb/plenum, diablo predator, march UDP's. im glad i didnt have to save for those mods, or i wouldve been pissed.

though they must do something, i ran a 14.022 and 140.033 back to back with 2.4 60fters at the track a while back, when i planned on not running faster than mid 14's.

 

['03GTinFLA]

Since your on a budget, my advice would be to bookmark the classified sections of several web pages and check them every day. I have an extensive list. PM if interested. I've had good luck so far, O/R prochamber $100, Tri-ax $110 and the best one yet and not done deal but soon, would be the KB 1.7 I/C for $3800 with everything and it's local so no shipping.
The time spent searching the boards was worth it for me.

 

[DerekStangGT]

So why don't you have them? Think about the advice before you say it, emission laws are around in most states

he does have headers, Tom. and i dont really understand why L/Ts will make anyone fail the emmisions test except if you have to have a sniffer shoved up the tailpipe. however, a lot of states (i can only speak for Texas for sure) dont use a sniffer on OBD II cars, they just check for codes and the MIL light. thats how mine passed the emmisions portion (i love MIL simulators ). during our state inspection training class, we hardly even covered two speed idle tests.

 

[thomas91169]

its not emissions, its visual.

as long as they dont look under the hood(or you have them ceramicoated black) and/or dont notice them, and you still have cats in place, you WILL pass.

however, california smog stations are becoming more lenient and less willing to "overlook" certain aspects if the customer pays a little extra, due to the stricter laws on modified vehicles. while longtubes in no way will change the amount of emission going out the tailpipe(unless you run L/T's without cats), some states just are too stupid to realize that and just want everyone to drive a bone stock boring ass toyota corolla.

 

[edbo]

Don't bother with the tb/plenum. Seriously. Don't ask for our input if you are just going to go with what you want to spend your money on.

GET FOOKIN GEARS! I just my 3.73s on and holy balls it makes the car haul ass. I paid $150 for the FRPP gears and $175 for the install. I chose to get an xcal to fix the speedo ($400) because I'm buying a blower in June, but you can get a speedcal for $100 new, $60 used.

Gears $150
Install ~$200-$300
Speedcal ~$60-100
Total ~$410-$550

TRUST ME! WORTH EVERY PENNY! I WISH I DID THIS 2 YEARS AGO!

:Word:
First mod I ever do with a car - GEARS! Because it's the biggest seat of the pants mod for the money! My '98 GT got 3.73s (from 2.73's) and you talk about a HUGE difference! My '98 Cobra went from 3.27s to 4.10s and it was like night and day as well. The exhaust mods are fun, but I'd do them AFTER the gear mod. It makes the exhaust mod that much more awesome.