Thinking about moving into a 08-12 Stang. Opinions on any significant differences relative to exhaust sound, spirited driving, shifting, handling etc. for these two engines/years. Exhaust deep throaty sound is most important so not that sure an update over the current 5.0 93 Fox with O/R H etc is worth the change.
4.6 vs 5.0 Perf - Sound Diff ??
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You try out a new 5.0 and you'll dump your Foxstang like a girlfriend who cheated on you with your best friend. A tick over 4 seconds to 60 stock, 12 second quarters as delivered, quiet, smooth riding, actual brakes, suspension and chassis rigidity, plus good gas mileage in the bargain. Car is really quiet on stock mufflers but a pair of axle-backs later and all will be right. Same goes for the turkey 4.6, at least as far as the note goes. I wouldn't bother buying a 4.6 'stang, no matter what year but, that's me. They are gas-sucking turds.
God almighty speed is good to have as my current fox has a blower, crane cam, headers, edlebrock heads/intake, 4:10 etc. So it appears the 5.0 should be good to go there. Aftermarket exhaust will be a must for sure and 95% it will be cammed.
There is an interesting point regarding chassis rigidity, suspension and gas mileage. The Fox is certainly no prize winner there and really the strong points in changing as long as I can get a decent sound. Probably a little gun shy after having a 01 Cobra that never sounded right. Had a 65 Hi Po FB but, my favorite was the Forest Green 68 GTA FB alla a 2012 5.0 hey
There is an interesting point regarding chassis rigidity, suspension and gas mileage. The Fox is certainly no prize winner there and really the strong points in changing as long as I can get a decent sound. Probably a little gun shy after having a 01 Cobra that never sounded right. Had a 65 Hi Po FB but, my favorite was the Forest Green 68 GTA FB alla a 2012 5.0 hey
My '88 5.0 was modded from the headlight to the taillights and the new 5.0 smoked it in stock form. I will put a real drag slick on this car for next year, a touch of rear suspension work to control the axle hop (upper and lower control arms) and there's a pretty fair shot of this car hitting 11s, under warranty. It did mid 12s this year on 7 year old drag radials that couldn't hold more than a 1.9 60. This is a fully loaded car with every option except glass roof, 3.73 rear. These are the good old days. The sound of a new 5.0 with exhaust at song near 7000 rpm is pretty intoxicating, I assure you. It's not a pushrod wedge-head 1960s sound, it's more DTM quad-cam sound; it's wicked.
Axle hop was terrible in the cobra, forgot drags and concentrated on Road Atlanta, Miller and Nashville road courses where Ind Susp worked OK. With your times my spirited street sessions should be fine. What lowering springs would work well providing best ride. I can run no cats (H O/R with stock mufs seem decent) but, will that mess up the computer and engine light or is there a tune that will work and still be safe under warranty.
Don't feel bad, axle hop is still terrible...it's been a Mustang trademark since 64-1/2 so, why should now be any diff? At least with the SRA it's easily cured with some better control arms.
The only tune with real warranty support is Procal from Ford Motorsport. They cover the remainder of your 3/36 btob on anything that fails in the PT because of the tune. That's as good a warranty as it gets. It's a sweet tune on a stock car. It's not super potent but, it's got alot of low end torque added, which is fun. I'd stack it up against any 91 octane tune out there. It's not designed to support additional mods, though. Removing cats will throw a light pretty much no matter what you do. You'll have to work around that, if it bothers you.
I have a Brembo stang and I'm not lowering the car, not with the cratered road around where I live. I put 55D springs in the back from Brembo5o.com, to level the car but that's it.
The thing is, when you start with something as good as this car is, there just isn't the motivation to go crazy on it. Frickin' Fox, basically Ford sold you a car and then you built the car yourself: no brakes, no chassis, no suspension, no power, zippo; just a good canvas to draw your own picture on.
The only tune with real warranty support is Procal from Ford Motorsport. They cover the remainder of your 3/36 btob on anything that fails in the PT because of the tune. That's as good a warranty as it gets. It's a sweet tune on a stock car. It's not super potent but, it's got alot of low end torque added, which is fun. I'd stack it up against any 91 octane tune out there. It's not designed to support additional mods, though. Removing cats will throw a light pretty much no matter what you do. You'll have to work around that, if it bothers you.
I have a Brembo stang and I'm not lowering the car, not with the cratered road around where I live. I put 55D springs in the back from Brembo5o.com, to level the car but that's it.
The thing is, when you start with something as good as this car is, there just isn't the motivation to go crazy on it. Frickin' Fox, basically Ford sold you a car and then you built the car yourself: no brakes, no chassis, no suspension, no power, zippo; just a good canvas to draw your own picture on.
TheShabz
Member
Pretty much this. The new 5.0s are so good from the factory that the only things they truly need are an exhaust and hood struts (damn prop rod). That's it. Anything else, other than a gear swap, will gain you little to nothing as far as actual performance because there's so little hidden horsepower to be squeezed out of the Coyote. You pick yourself up a 55D GT and you're set.
What I like is also, insane power is available through the aftermarket easily. 600-ish road HP is completely reasonable for this car. You couldn't get 600 out of that boat-anchor 4.6 without a complete race build and gigantic power adder. The 4.6 stock block is hitting the self-destruct at the power level a simple tune provides on the 5.0.
You'll have to forgive me but, I hate that 4.6 engine. I've owned many Mustangs in my life but, I was never, ever going to buy one as long as that engine was in there.
You'll have to forgive me but, I hate that 4.6 engine. I've owned many Mustangs in my life but, I was never, ever going to buy one as long as that engine was in there.
The comment about the canvas and draw a picture is quite appropriate, I know it well. My wife has been a professional water color and oil painter for over 10 years.
After the 01 Cobra 4.6, a least dual cams, I came away with same bad taste and moved into the Fox temporarily. Thanks for your input as I know which way to go next.
After the 01 Cobra 4.6, a least dual cams, I came away with same bad taste and moved into the Fox temporarily. Thanks for your input as I know which way to go next.
Clair Smith
Active Member
The new 5.0 is good at everything. I run 12.7 with stock engine, tires and suspension. I threw a Fays 2 Watts link on the back and I love the handling during track days. I'm even going to do some auto crossing with it next season. This car is awesome out of the box, and its fun to work on. I love this car.
Oh, and for the noise. Depends on what you want, I just threw some straight pipes on the back of it and I love the sound.
Oh, and for the noise. Depends on what you want, I just threw some straight pipes on the back of it and I love the sound.
Maybe I have worn suspension compnents but the handling on my GT/CS is kind of subpar. It's generally squishy and has lots of body roll. It could be the fact that this whole platform is new to me as well. Hopefully soon I can get under the car and see what's going on. Everything I've read about the new 5.0 seems to state that it's a superb handling car... 
Breddman
New Member
The new Mustang 5.0 made even myself go out an buy one and i’ve never owned a pos ford! lol J/k J/k
Ford did an amazing job on the new mustang! I was dead set on buying a 2013 camaro 2ss/rs until i drove this car. It is a lot of car for the money. I put on the gt500 axle back and it sounds great. You will love this car! Go out and drive one and you’ll see what the hype is about!
Ford did an amazing job on the new mustang! I was dead set on buying a 2013 camaro 2ss/rs until i drove this car. It is a lot of car for the money. I put on the gt500 axle back and it sounds great. You will love this car! Go out and drive one and you’ll see what the hype is about!
rexallenavery
New Member
Well i can tell you from experience of having had 5 mustangs ive modified from the ground-up that the 2011-up 5.0 is the way to go. Each car I purchased new, each car I modified to varying degrees. 88GT, 91LX, 2003 Cobra SVT, 2006 GT (4.6), and now the 2011 5.0. The 91LX ran 14.54 when i took it to the strip the first time, and 8.68 @ 161 12 years later when i sold it. The '03 SVT ran 12.90s stock with a decent hook, then finally took the car into the high 9's with kenny belle, solid axle, (D&D modded 6-spd) , the 06 obviously took a built shortblock, aftermarket o/d trans, and alot of boost to finally hit the mark (barely 9.998), and i invested a small fortune. The '11 has ran 9.88/138mph (712 rwhp) and has done it cheaper than any of the previous ponies ive owned. Basically a great front/rear suspension, a clutch from hell (lol), a whipple 2.9, headers, high flow cats, shell urt. as of now, i have ran stock mufflers, Gt500's, and now the new dynomax vt, which has offered about 11rwhp better than the other two and is pretty quiet, surprisingly. im a big fan of quiet. the american racing headers, even when connected to stock exhaust, picked up the exhaust note, but the 3" exhaust with high flow cats and the new dynomax vt muffs seem to be the best combo of sound, torque, and hp. My friend Doug has a '13 Automatic with the same exhaust system, and automatic with a circle d converter (3200) and 3.73s, aluminum driveshaft, front swaybar removed, c & l cold air, and weld rts and drag radials all around. THATS IT for his mods....with n20 from jms chip corp and a custom tune, on pump gas, he's already gone 10.54 @ 129 mph. You can make the new 5.0 as loud.....or as quiet.....as you want to. There at least 10 muffler/exhaust combos to tailor to you the sound you desire. My car still pulls 23 mpg with 93 octane. The efficiency of these new cars is just insane. I'd check the listings here, and auto trader, and find an '11 to your liking. You can go fast with either auto or 6-spd. Should be able to get in one starting about 21k. 25k being pretty common. Hope i helped a little.
Clair Smith
Active Member
Last weekend was my first time running Drag tires on my car and what a difference. They were a used set of bias ply tires and I made six passes. I still have to come to grips with them and find my pressure sweet spot. I managed to run a 12.36, with a 1.80 60'. My engine is stock, 3.73, Brembo package, K&N filter (I like to clean my filter often), straight pipes (axles forward is stock), MGW shifter, and a Fays 2 Watts link. I'm more into road courses, but I do drag racing just for fun. This car is great at both 
rexallenavery
New Member
hey, clair, a 1.80 short time is in incredible off drag radials.....is your car a stick or automatic? we only have one really good roadcourse in alabama (barber motorsports park), so dragging is how most folks set up their car. it really is awesome, like you said, how these cars seem to do both extremely well.
Clair Smith
Active Member
It is a stick, and that makes launching it interesting to say the least
I'm working on cheap speed, getting rid of extra weight, and trying to get it to hook up, while not compromising handling. I really am trying to work on controlling heat on the car. Increasing flow through the radiator, figuring out an over flow for the rear end, and putting an oil cooler. I would like to get this done before my next track outing this spring. As for drag racing, I am sold on Bias Plys. I'm not making another pass until I get a set of my own
I'm working on cheap speed, getting rid of extra weight, and trying to get it to hook up, while not compromising handling. I really am trying to work on controlling heat on the car. Increasing flow through the radiator, figuring out an over flow for the rear end, and putting an oil cooler. I would like to get this done before my next track outing this spring. As for drag racing, I am sold on Bias Plys. I'm not making another pass until I get a set of my own
