Best Bolt on HP gains?

08blueskunk

New Member
May 8, 2008
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Maine
So my old 1997 cobra was easy to get HP out of it with the basic bolt ons (intakes, exhaust, throttle bodies ect.), However these new fangled 08's are a different story. What should i focus on that allows me to do a little here and there as i go? without dropping thousands into S/C kit.

1.I am getting a CAI and Tuner.
2.thinking axel back exhaust (mainly for sound)?
OR should/can i start piecing a full system starting at the exhaust, then cats/x pipe, then headers?
OR is it better to do a full system all the way back all at once ( i don't want to be too loud with unwanted attention, and buget is a factor.)
3.What would be the next steps for HP gains? that are at a reasonable budget.
 
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So my old 1997 cobra was easy to get HP out of it with the basic bolt ons (intakes, exhaust, throttle bodies ect.), However these new fangled 08's are a different story. What should i focus on that allows me to do a little here and there as i go? without dropping thousands into S/C kit.

1.I am getting a CAI and Tuner.
2.thinking axel back exhaust (mainly for sound)?
OR should/can i start piecing a full system starting at the exhaust, then cats/x pipe, then headers?
OR is it better to do a full system all the way back all at once ( i don't want to be too loud with unwanted attention, and buget is a factor.)
3.What would be the next steps for HP gains? that are at a reasonable budget.

More economical to do headers+h/x-pipe/mid-pipe as a system I would think.
 
An intake and a tune are the most popular mod for the new mustangs, gains are usually in the 20 hp range with a good tune. Short tube headers have not shown any real gains, long tubes are expensive for the amount of power you get, usually around 7 for a NA car. Mid-pipes seem to be pretty popular as well. A set of 4.10 gears will be a very noticeable change. One piece drive shafts are usually about 20 pounds lighter than the stock shaft and are supposedly good for .2 seconds in the quarter mile. Unless you are getting a lot of axle hop, you can probably hold off on control arms.
 
I have also heard nothing but bad things about aftermarket throttle bodies, they all seem to throw check engine lights constantly, I don't think the throttle body is very restrictive unless you get into some high boost forced induction. Stage3motorsports.com has Roush billet lower control arms for $279 if you are looking to get rid of $300, they usually sell for like $400.
 
CAI w/ tune (brenspeed or bamachips)
UDP
O/R X or Catted (then muffler of your choice, headers wont due much till you SC)
4:10s /3:73s
NSR Cams (kinda pricey)

all in all if your looking for seat of the pants notice and a great improvment over stock all that right there will net you about 50-60hp with an AWESOME TUNE. GOod luck !
 
CAI w/ tune (brenspeed or bamachips)
UDP
O/R X or Catted (then muffler of your choice, headers wont due much till you SC)
4:10s /3:73s
NSR Cams (kinda pricey)

all in all if your looking for seat of the pants notice and a great improvment over stock all that right there will net you about 50-60hp with an AWESOME TUNE. GOod luck !

what would all this do to gas MPG? say if i kept stock gears?
 
It shouldn't really affect mileage much, UDPs should help it a little, but the most productive tunes require 91 or 93 octane. A one piece driveshaft could help mileage as well because there is less rotating mass. Don't really know how much the cams would affect mileage.
 
First off a tune and intake is the best mod for a bolt on car, by far. My personal recomendation is a Xcal2 or Xcal3 from VMP Tuning and a C&L intake with 88mm maf tube that you can buy from VMP Tuning. I made 290 rwhp and 302 rwtq on that set-up.

I've tested a bunch of axle back mufflers and none of them made a difference, even running no mufflers makes no difference. A offroad set-up, ie: no cats, will make 2-4 rwhp. Shorties make about 8-10 rwhp and long tubes will make about 20 rwhp.

Two other good mods are UDPs and CMCVs. I gained 12 rwhp from the both of them. I highly suggest letting Justin do the tune for the CMCVs. I don't know anyone else who can tune for them better than him. Everyone complains about loss of part throttle power, torque, and gas mileage. I don't have ANY of that with my CMCVs and his tune. I gained power every where, even part throttle power, and I gained .5 mpg with them.

Besides that, dollar for dollar nitrous is the best way to go IMO. It's not going to be causing wear and tear on your car all of the time and for close to a thousand dollars you can have a sick nitrous set-up capable of making another 125 rwhp.
 
would catted x-pipe and stock GT mufflers, give me a better sound?

I am hearing the Gt mufflers are as good as any aftermarket, so to get a better sound and some hp gains? would an aftermarket x-pipe do it?

Or

What about O/R (no catts) with stock mufflers. I don't want obnoxiously loud though.