Throttle Body And Future Mods

[Sean91LX]

Hello all,
I am slowly building my '91 to have some tasteful mods and I have come to a stump on what to do next. I recently added a CAI with a new MAF sensor and would like to put on a new throttle body. I've heard BBK is good but they tend to stick after awhile. I was looking into Acufab or however u spell it and they seem pretty legit. Any suggestions on what to go with and what mod I should do next? Don't really wana do too much internal engine stuff since it's my daily and I'm not planning to run it super hard. Just want some fun mods. Thanks!

 

[mikestang63]

Before you start spending money throwing parts at the car, tell us what your current setup is and what your goals are. Many will be happy to help. If you have an otherwise stock motor, don't waste your money on a throttle body.

 

[Sean91LX]

Before you start spending money throwing parts at the car, tell us what your current setup is and what your goals are. Many will be happy to help. If you have an otherwise stock motor, don't waste your money on a throttle body.

I have a stock motor 91 LX 5.0 that has suspension.
Mods include:
tokicos all the way around
Maximum Motorsport lower control arms, caster/camber plates and panhard bar.
BBK subframe connectors, strut tower brace, springs, CAI/MAF sensor, off-road h-pipe
Eibach front and rear sway bars
UPR torque box reinforcements
Moser 28-spline axles
And a TRANSGO shift kit.

I plan to do engine internals but not soon and I want to have some better throttle response while I'm driving through the mountains. I want to eventually autocross the car or just keep it set up for trips up the mountain

 

[mikestang63]

best thing to do is swap in some lower rear end gears- 3.73 would be my choice. Put a trans cooler on that AOD. You will get minimal HP increase from a throttle body swap with stock intake and heads. Shorty headers add maybe 10 HP.

I would wait until you pull the engine and then do an H/C/I swap at the same time.

 

[90lxwhite]

Gears will definately change how the car feels BUT you probably won't be able to outrun anyone you couldn't before. Gears get you into your powerband faster but when you're stock it's not making enough power to do much damage anyway. I was kinda disappointed when I swapped from 2.73 to 3.73 in my t5 car when it was making 205 rwhp. Yeah it redlines faster but it was still slow.. 1st gear sucks, it redlines when you're barely moving, and I'm in 5th gear between stoplights. On the highway you kinda lose your over drive. If it's a street car that .01 if a second gained in the 1/4 from gears is hardly worth the price of admission. Not very much "bang for buck" unless you're gonna put em in yourself. I hate to be the bearer of bad news but pretty much all "bolt-on mods" are worth diddle with out a better set of heads. You could throw on every bolt-on in the book and spend more $ and gain less horsepower if you were to skimp on the bolt-ons and just buy heads. That being said, the bolt-on stuff is to be looked at as "supporting mods." Get a set of heads, the bolt-on crap and everything is in perfect harmony and voila, you're making power. The bolt-on stuff will keep the hobby alive and give you something to tinker with but if you have e7 heads and no sort of forced induction you're fighting a losing battle. Stock the fox is around 190-200 or so rear horsepower. Say you spend $300 on a new throttle body and another $300 on a maf and $150 on a cai, and another $500 or so on a cat-back exhaust, is that $1,250 spent really worth the 15-20 generous horse gain? Eh i dunno..
You'll still be getting spanked by the other brands mid 90's v8's and most modern v6's and a select modern 4 cylinders but at least you'll be loud doing it.
If you're bored and wanna tinker to keep the hobby alive bolt-on away but don't expect too much from the results. To me a "fun street car" is being pseudo competive with the other riff raff on the road and bolt-ons won't get ya there.

 

[Sean91LX]

Gears will definately change how the car feels BUT you probably won't be able to outrun anyone you couldn't before. Gears get you into your powerband faster but when you're stock it's not making enough power to do much damage anyway. I was kinda disappointed when I swapped from 2.73 to 3.73 in my t5 car when it was making 205 rwhp. Yeah it redlines faster but it was still slow.. 1st gear sucks, it redlines when you're barely moving, and I'm in 5th gear between stoplights. On the highway you kinda lose your over drive. If it's a street car that .01 if a second gained in the 1/4 from gears is hardly worth the price of admission. Not very much "bang for buck" unless you're gonna put em in yourself. I hate to be the bearer of bad news but pretty much all "bolt-on mods" are worth diddle with out a better set of heads. You could throw on every bolt-on in the book and spend more $ and gain less horsepower if you were to skimp on the bolt-ons and just buy heads. That being said, the bolt-on stuff is to be looked at as "supporting mods." Get a set of heads, the bolt-on crap and everything is in perfect harmony and voila, you're making power. The bolt-on stuff will keep the hobby alive and give you something to tinker with but if you have e7 heads and no sort of forced induction you're fighting a losing battle. Stock the fox is around 190-200 or so rear horsepower. Say you spend $300 on a new throttle body and another $300 on a maf and $150 on a cai, and another $500 or so on a cat-back exhaust, is that $1,250 spent really worth the 15-20 generous horse gain? Eh i dunno..
You'll still be getting spanked by the other brands mid 90's v8's and most modern v6's and a select modern 4 cylinders but at least you'll be loud doing it.
If you're bored and wanna tinker to keep the hobby alive bolt-on away but don't expect too much from the results. To me a "fun street car" is being pseudo competive with the other riff raff on the road and bolt-ons won't get ya there.

I appreciate the feedback. I'm not too sure what heads to get or what else I would need with a new set of heads. I'm not too familiar with engines. Mostly just suspension but if I can find a solid set of heads for a decent price i would do that for sure.

 

[Sean91LX]

best thing to do is swap in some lower rear end gears- 3.73 would be my choice. Put a trans cooler on that AOD. You will get minimal HP increase from a throttle body swap with stock intake and heads. Shorty headers add maybe 10 HP.

I would wait until you pull the engine and then do an H/C/I swap at the same time.

What headers do you recommend? I kinda wana stay away from the BBK ones. I was thinking Mac or ford racing headers. And when I do a gear swap is it recommended to change the diff? Like how solid are these stock differentials with aftermarket gearing?

 

[FoxMustangLvr]

What headers do you recommend? I kinda wana stay away from the BBK ones. I was thinking Mac or ford racing headers. And when I do a gear swap is it recommended to change the diff? Like how solid are these stock differentials with aftermarket gearing?

What is your timing at? For best performance bump it between 12-14 degrees. Do shorty headers and the 3.73's as mentioned earlier and that will make the car a bit more fun to drive.

The rear end is plenty solid for what you got going on. What's wrong with BBK headers? They're Made in the USA and the fit and finish is great. I have their ceramic long tubes and I've had their chrome shorties with no issues but there is nothing wrong with your other choices just wondering why your anti BBK.

Shop over at Corral for a good deal on a used set of heads and intake manifold. Going HCI is a big undertaking and involves a lot of changes and a decent budget including some kind of tune to dial it in tight. Piece it together over time if you're in no hurry.

Post some pics of your LX.

 

[Sean91LX]

What is your timing at? For best performance bump it between 12-14 degrees. Do shorty headers and the 3.73's as mentioned earlier and that will make the car a bit more fun to drive.

The rear end is plenty solid for what you got going on. What's wrong with BBK headers? They're Made in the USA and the fit and finish is great. I have their ceramic long tubes and I've had their chrome shorties with no issues but there is nothing wrong with your other choices just wondering why your anti BBK.

Shop over at Corral for a good deal on a used set of heads and intake manifold. Going HCI is a big undertaking and involves a lot of changes and a decent budget including some kind of tune to dial it in tight. Piece it together over time if you're in no hurry.

Post some pics of your LX.

I actually don't really have a problem with bbk at all that was actually my first choice because they are relatively cheap and seem to fit perfect I just wanted to do something different cuz seems like most ppl have those headers. Nothing wrong with that tho. I mean I have several bbk parts on now so might as well stick with the brand since they haven't failed me yet. I'm not too sure how to check timing.. Any help would be cool. I'll post some pics when I get home and get it washed! Lol I don't wana show off my dirty girl

 

[NOS1543]

I've had cars with stock gears (I think 2.73), 3.73, and my current car has 3.55. I'm with you 90lxwhite on the 3.73s. I didn't consider driving the car with them to be an enjoyable experience at all.

3.55 to me is a nice balance of good street characteristics, a comfortable cruise in 5th gear on the highway, and a more sporty feel when you want to get on it.

 

[Sean91LX]

I've had cars with stock gears (I think 2.73), 3.73, and my current car has 3.55. I'm with you 90lxwhite on the 3.73s. I didn't consider driving the car with them to be an enjoyable experience at all.

3.55 to me is a nice balance of good street characteristics, a comfortable cruise in 5th gear on the highway, and a more sporty feel when you want to get on it.

Yea the 3.55s seem to be the ones that would be the best bet especially if I'm not really itching for that extra .01-.02

 

[NOS1543]

Yea the 3.55s seem to be the ones that would be the best bet especially if I'm not really itching for that extra .01-.02

Actually if you have an auto you may have 3.27s already, in which case you may want to consider whether or not you do anything.

 

[FoxMustangLvr]

I've had cars with stock gears (I think 2.73), 3.73, and my current car has 3.55. I'm with you 90lxwhite on the 3.73s. I didn't consider driving the car with them to be an enjoyable experience at all.

3.55 to me is a nice balance of good street characteristics, a comfortable cruise in 5th gear on the highway, and a more sporty feel when you want to get on it.

Do you have a t-5 or auto trans? @Sean91LX has an auto trans. 4.10s for an auto is the equivalent to 3.73s for a T-5 from what I understand. So a 3.73 gear should be a decent improvement while retaining fair freeway manners. In the Bay area it's all about the freeway.

In reference to a different post by somebody else,
I disagree about bolt ons being a waste of money. You're going to need them anyway when it comes time to do your HCI if that is your goal and it's realistic. Not everyone can just make one big single purchase and buy everything. I know with my Coupe build I buy parts with every paycheck. Besides a 15-20 rwhp gain on a stock 225 hp motor is a decent improvement and adds a fun seat of the pants feel to your 5.0.

 

[Sean91LX]

Do you have a t-5 or auto trans? @Sean91LX has an auto trans. 4.10s for an auto is the equivalent to 3.73s for a T-5 from what I understand. So a 3.73 gear should be a decent improvement while retaining fair freeway manners. In the Bay area it's all about the freeway.

In reference to a different post by somebody else,
I disagree about bolt ons being a waste of money. You're going to need them anyway when it comes time to do your HCI if that is your goal and it's realistic. Not everyone can just make one big single purchase and buy everything. I know with my Coupe build I buy parts with every paycheck. Besides a 15-20 rwhp gain on a stock 225 hp motor is a decent improvement and adds a fun seat of the pants feel to your 5.0.

What part of the bay are you from?? Cuz yes it is all about the freeways because u need those damn things to get anywhere around here! Haha. But yea I have an auto. That's what my dad tells me to. He says I'm wasting my money buying parts but I'm gona need them in the long run. Why not buy what I can afford for now with my checks and have it ready for when I wana do something big! Cuz with those emissions laws here it's hard to do anything that doesn't affect the smog issue. I know I have an off-road pipe but that can be switched out when needed. Not all parts can just come on and off when I need to smog this beast

 

[89oem]

Your current mods are top notch and selected well. So why not go proven reliable and get something like the Trickflow topend kit. Would support a DD car well, and is proven to add plenty of power and reliability. Its common/popular because it works! This will give you an idea......

http://www.latemodelrestoration.com...g-50L-Trick-Flow-Track-Heat-Top-End-Kit-Black

 

[FoxMustangLvr]

What part of the bay are you from??

Formally from San Diego. I've been to the Bay Area a couple times, Oakland, Napa, etc.

Why not buy what I can afford for now with my checks and have it ready for when I wana do something big!

Exactly!! Why take the fun out of it, it's exciting to get paid and buy a part here and there over time. Some you can install now and some will sit in a box and wait for the HCI.

 

[NOS1543]

Do you have a t-5 or auto trans? @Sean91LX has an auto trans. 4.10s for an auto is the equivalent to 3.73s for a T-5 from what I understand. So a 3.73 gear should be a decent improvement while retaining fair freeway manners. In the Bay area it's all about the freeway.

In reference to a different post by somebody else,
I disagree about bolt ons being a waste of money. You're going to need them anyway when it comes time to do your HCI if that is your goal and it's realistic. Not everyone can just make one big single purchase and buy everything. I know with my Coupe build I buy parts with every paycheck. Besides a 15-20 rwhp gain on a stock 225 hp motor is a decent improvement and adds a fun seat of the pants feel to your 5.0.

Yea you got me--I have a T5. For the auto obviously it would be different.

 

[90lxwhite]

Actually if you have an auto you may have 3.27s already, in which case you may want to consider whether or not you do anything.

my 90 had an aod and 2.73's.

Do you have a t-5 or auto trans? @Sean91LX

In reference to a different post by somebody else,
I disagree about bolt ons being a waste of money. You're going to need them anyway when it comes time to do your HCI if that is your goal and it's realistic. Not everyone can just make one big single purchase and buy everything. I know with my Coupe build I buy parts with every paycheck. Besides a 15-20 rwhp gain on a stock 225 hp motor is a decent improvement and adds a fun seat of the pants feel to your 5.0.

I'm not knocking bolt-ons and believe me I understand saving up for a cold air intake and such and the excitement one feels when they click submit order. But the after they're bolted on the fun only last a little while until the throttle response placebo wears off. When new fellas on a budget get into "hot-rodding" The first thing they tend to seek out are the bolt-on stuff because that is what they can afford and according to manufactures claims they add 20 hp a piece. Then he gets on a forum to find out why he's still slow. There he learns that well I'm gonna need these parts for the future anyway so they purchase on. *To the budget guy* You'll need about $3,000 give or take to be competitive in today's world. So pick and choose which bolt-ons you would benefit from and which not so much. A couple examples that I wouldn't bother with are an aluminum drive shaft, and headers. As far as gears go call around a few shops and get an install estimate before making a purchase. Then decide if the bang is worth the buck. Gears are cheap, the install not so much.

 

[A5literMan]

3.73 gears,bump timing,trans cooler,and save your money for some "smog legal" aluminum heads/intake/tb/cam/headers. Fwiw gears always picked up the most performance for me. Every fox body I bought(except my present one) had stock gears. I took every one to the track for a baseline. With a timing change and gears I picked up .3-.5 sec improvement in 1/4 mile et. So to say they don't add performance is ignorant and will work with all future mods. Just make sure you don't add to low of a ratio for any future plans for example if adding forced induction vs staying n/a. If you just can't wait and buy some boltons, the tb and shorties are ok. They just won't really add much performance until you add the h/c/i.

 

[90lxwhite]

No one said they don't add performance but $500-$600 is a lot of money to spend to still be getting spnked. He's not going to noice that .3 of a second when the new hyundai blows by him on the expressway. But he will notice crusing on the highway at 2,500 rpm. Say he runs a 14.6 in the 1/4 and then he swaps to 3.73's and he runs a 14.3, man he's hauling azz now huh!? The guy who has to save up for bolt-ons rarely sees heads. Fwiw sending my stock lower intake for porting picked up the most gain for me. About 20 hp for about $200.