Modifications (newbie)

[SkammyManX]

Whats up?

I'm new to the board and I'm learnin my way around the board..I can't find what performance products are the best.

I found a website called Thunderracing.com or whatever, and that had specfifc products, but some of course are better than others.

Which is the best:
-Cold Air Intake
-Cat-back
-Headers

Thanks
Skamz

[GodStang]

I think that 3.73 or 4.10 gears are a good place to start and also headers and better flowing exhaust system. If you have alot of money than go with a Blower.

[surfbeast]

Cold air is for looks only ( basically ) cat back is for sound ( basically ) and headers will not help without the rest of the exhaust changed out. Here is what I would do if you are on a budget and don't plan on spending 4-5K on a blower and all it's accessories. !. 3:73's - full exhaust - underdrives - from there on it's just having fun playing with putting new parts on your car.


Have fun!

[SkammyManX]

Thanks, yeah I'm on a budget...and a blower/supercharger are in the distant future!

OK, so is there an internet site I can price out the gears, full exahust would be headers--->back? and the underdrive pulleys?

I heard that the chip is good?


Thanks

Skamz

[GodStang]

web sites:
Mustangsunlimited.com
buyfordmotorsports.com
gefracing.com
saleen.com
steeda.com

these are all different sites. Some have better prices in different catagories than another. I agree 100% with Surfbeast.

As far as a chip I have heard both sides. Some people say that it gave them tons of power. Most say that it messes there car up. It seems to me that if you put a chip on a pretty stock car it has a good chance of messing it up. I was always told that it is best to put a chip on if you have many mods and you need it to blend your mods together better.

I have not looked into a chip in about 2 yrs so the technology may be better now. So what I said above may be wrong. Just giving you what I have heard.

[SkammyManX]

Great, thanks for the sites!


I thought full exhaust was from exhaust manifold to the end of the tips? So why would changing headers--->back...do nothing but make better sound? Unless I misunderstood.

[GodStang]

The stock exhaust systems now a days flow so well that putting on after market only help some not as mush as the old days. It mostly adds sound with a little power.

[Hammer]

Exhaust:
Cat-back\Muffler systems change sound only....

X or H-pipes will give an increase in HP (anywhere from 5-15 HP at the crank depending on the engine setup)

I would only recommend after-market headers if you plan on major N/A mods or a blower....

[Tim Lester]

You would need a full exhaust system so you can get the car to breathe better. With a Magnaflow Cat-back you should see about 7-10hp gain because its a straight though muffler. ( http://www.magnaflow.com/01home.htm )

Then you would want a different gear because you would need to get up to your power-band faster.

I also seen that the Densecharger ( http://www.densecharger.com/ ) would give a fair power increase.

Shifter for shorter throws. ( http://www.steeda.com/ )

Pulleys are good for a few extra ponies. ( http://www.steeda.com/ or http://www.marchperformance.com/ )

A bigger mass-air would help too. ( http://www.pro-flow.com/ )

Finally, the last thing you should do is get a chip once your done putting parts on the car. ( http://www.jmschip.com/ )

Good Luck

[96_4.6]

Originally posted by Hammer
Exhaust:
Cat-back\Muffler systems change sound only....

X or H-pipes will give an increase in HP (anywhere from 5-15 HP at the crank depending on the engine setup)

I would only recommend after-market headers if you plan on major N/A mods or a blower....

HOW can you say sound only???? They provide much better flow then crappy stock mufflers, i mean depends on the brand of course, flowmaster is proberly most common on stangs

[The Deuce]

Originally posted by 96_4.6
HOW can you say sound only???? They provide much better flow then crappy stock mufflers, i mean depends on the brand of course, flowmaster is proberly most common on stangs

What he is saying is that cat back systems cannot change the fact that there are 6 cats on the car, and so while yes, the CAN flow much better, they are not as useful as people think.

Now, rip off the cats, (o/r H-pipe) and we have a whole nother story.

[SkammyManX]

Great info! You guys have been really helpful.

One more quick question.

Throttle Bodies? Intakes? What's the deal...how we can we approve on the air ratio?


Skamz

[Titan]

Depends...if you're a 96-98, then you can do a headswap and get a 2001 intake. This, however, increases your compression...so you'd have to run premium gas. Throttle bodies = waste. Unless you've done everything else and you have $200 sittin around, I wouldn't mess w/ it.

[Hammer]

HOW can you say sound only???? They provide much better flow then crappy stock mufflers, i mean depends on the brand of course, flowmaster is proberly most common on stangs

What he is saying is that cat back systems cannot change the fact that there are 6 cats on the car, and so while yes, the CAN flow much better, they are not as useful as people think.

I can say it because I've seen tons of stock modular stangs on the dyno with catback system changes.... Have you?

Most of your flow restriction comes from the H-pipe\cats combo. Stick an after-market cat-back system on there and the cork is still on the bottle. If you want to free up a whole 3 rear wheel HP, then buy into the hype and buy those loud *** flowmasters.

The time to change the mufflers is the same time you change your H-pipe.....

Some other things about hype....
A cold air kit is a waste of money. Buy a K&N, remove the silencer and be done with it.

These bolt-on product companies advertise the absolute BEST result on any car or configuration they can find. Please keep that in mind when you are considering these products.....

and use some common sense, if it sounds to good to be true it probably is....

I had a lady come in one weekend with her brand new 02 GT. She absolutely HAD to have an aftermarket chip, as someone told her it would give her anywhere from 75-100 HP!!
Cold Air Kit (It IS NOT an intake)- 25 HP....

This is all marketing and rice boy math folks....

Get the vehicle on a dyno, get your hands dirty, and lets WORK ON SOME CARS!!!

[SkammyManX]

I work at a Ford Dealership and this guy came in with his 02 GT and it had a K&N intake, I don't know if it was Cold Air since it didn't go down to the outside of the car like a true CAI would do. Is that the K&N your talking about or the drop in filter? What's the silencer?

Skamz