Highly modded N/A 4.6 GT owners

[esandes]

Hey people. I'm modding my 98 GT with a vengence right away and I'd like to get some idea of what kind of HP and tourqe I can expect. I'd also like to know what chips you have used for your highly modded N/A 4.6 GT and what kind of luck you've had with them.

My bank breaking mods are:
-FR shorty headers (ceramic coat)
-Steeda U/D pulleys
-Bassani X-pipe w/ cats
-Bassani Catbacks
-FR heads
-FR intake
-FR 3.73 gears
-Pro-M 80 mm w/ K&N
-180 Stat
-FR windage tray
-SHM GT Cam (2730)
-Steeda 8mm Ignition Wires
-Autologic chip? Diablo chip? Superchip?

Since I am going to invest so much money into my stang I will also be getting my engine balanced and blueprinted. Any more recommendations? I have looked into the aluminum driveshaft and billet flywheel...sounds like a waste of cash.

Cheers

SSS

[tireburner163]

Well if you going to have the motor apart anyway......

Replace the factory flat tops with forged dished, then instead of getting the FR heads get 99+ PI heads(I think they flow the same), and instead of a FR intake get a Bullit intake(same thing as FR, just made for 99+ heads). This will give you more money towards a blower

Also have the heads and intake ported too

If your gonna get headers and your looking to make maximum horse power, get a set of longs tubes. They are way better than shorties.

From what I've heard the aluminum drive-shaft is worth the money. As for the aluminum flywheel, your car is pretty heavy, a aluminum flywheel is gonna make it a good bit harder to get that sucker moving off the line. I'd stick with the stock one.

[95mustanggt]

The 4.6 responds great to boost, why not consider a blower for you car?

[Mustang92]

Originally posted by 95mustanggt
The 4.6 responds great to boost, why not consider a blower for you car?

Probably for two reasons. One he wants to keep the car in one piece for more than 3 months and two he would rather run low 13's high 12's NA than mid to low 13's with a power adder.

Bill

[Mercury]

Yeah, them Pre PI 2V's dont respond to boost like the PI 4.6's do. And they dont seem to handle it all that well also.

Some Pre PI 2v's (With Pre PI heads and all...Dont want Hammer killing me) with a blower on it only make a little more power than a slightly modded PI 4.6.

[SD Wheeler]

Originally posted by esandes
Hey people. I'm modding my 98 GT with a vengence right away and I'd like to get some idea of what kind of HP and tourqe I can expect. I'd also like to know what chips you have used for your highly modded N/A 4.6 GT and what kind of luck you've had with them.

My bank breaking mods are:

-FR heads
-FR intake

-SHM GT Cam (2730)

Since I am going to invest so much money into my stang I will also be getting my engine balanced and blueprinted. Any more recommendations? I have looked into the aluminum driveshaft and billet flywheel...sounds like a waste of cash.

Cheers

SSS

First and foremost.......if you don't want to break the bank then I highly suggest doing the PI headswap. You will get a much better bang for the buck from that than you would from the FRPP heads/intake. Plus you can get a fully ported headswap package for only $1500. (PM me for details on that).

The SHM GT cam is an absolute waste of money also. It just sucks. Period. Go with a quality set of regrinds and you'll have much better low/mid range power and throttle response.

Chip? Autologic or Diablo.

Let me know if I can help.

[Hammer]

Yeah, them Pre PI 2V's dont respond to boost like the PI 4.6's do. And they dont seem to handle it all that well also.

Some Pre PI 2v's (With Pre PI heads and all...Dont want Hammer killing me) with a blower on it only make a little more power than a slightly modded PI 4.6.

LMAO
Actually, it's been my experience that while the 99 and up modulars put a bit more HP to the pavement with a blower than an early modular, the early modular setup seems to "live with" the blower a bit better.... It might have something to do with the compression differences...

Actually, we did a side by side dyno of these setups....
98 with FRPP Heads\Intake\Procharger (Yellowjacket) against a 99 with PI Heads\Procharger....

I came out ahead by about 24-26 horses (rear wheel) with less compression and running dog rich.... While not a great bang for the buck.... There IS a difference between the FRPP and PI pieces.... Now with the porting used in SD Wheeler's package, we could be playing with some different #s here....

Hammer, Defender of early modulars everywhere...

[esandes]

Thanks for the info guys.

SD Wheeler, I'm complacent about the 99+ PI heads because of the higher compression ratio compared to FR heads. I want to be able to keep my car for a long time-just as Mustang92 said. Plus I don't like the idea of the oil cap getting in the way of the intake as is the case for 99+ heads. Personally, I just think the FR parts are better for performance and for convenience..just pop it in and forget it. I'm disappointed to hear about your experience with the SHM cam. That said, check their website under dyno results and you will see an AUTO 4.6 with similar mods to mine and with 293 HP! I like how the SHM cam makes the HP rise steady with RPM. It will just keep wanting to go. I'll see how the cam is and I'll let you all know what my mods will give for numbers.

Boost or juice are out of the question just because I want this car to last another 20+ years.

Hammer, what heads and intake combo are you using?

Tieburner (wicked name man), you're right on the money about the pistons...I'll let my engine builer know about the forged dished pistons. I made a mistake about the shorty's...bought them already. :-(

Cheers guys and have a fun and safe St. Paddy's day. Green beer!!!

SSS

[Hammer]

I'm running the Ford Racing Heads and Intake combo...

[Mercury]

The FFRP heads have diffrent shaped intake runners, and combustion chamber than the PI heads dont they hammer?

You have much more knowledge than I do on this, on many things for that matter. Your not going to kill me are ya?

[tireburner163]

Originally posted by esandes
Tieburner (wicked name man), you're right on the money about the pistons...I'll let my engine builer know about the forged dished pistons

Thanks

I was refering to using dished pistons to lower you compression ratio, if you used PI heads. If your going with FR heads, get forged flat tops.


Just my opinon, but a well set up blower will not cause very much wear on the motor

[SD Wheeler]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by esandes
SD Wheeler, I'm complacent about the 99+ PI heads because of the higher compression ratio compared to FR heads. I want to be able to keep my car for a long time-just as Mustang92 said.

Ok......don't like having 10.5:1 compression? With about another two hours of combustion chamber work I can lower the compression all the way down to 9.25:1. Simple.

Plus I don't like the idea of the oil cap getting in the way of the intake as is the case for 99+ heads.

That's why I designed my kit to utilize the '01/02 heads. Reuse your stock valve covers and no front cover bolt issues.

That said, check their website under dyno results and you will see an AUTO 4.6 with similar mods to mine and with 293 HP! I like how the SHM cam makes the HP rise steady with RPM. It will just keep wanting to go. I'll see how the cam is and I'll let you all know what my mods will give for numbers.

Yeah.......I just love how Sean uses FRPP heads and intake when he tests camshafts. Makes his cams look even better. Why doesn't he run tests with stock heads to get a REAL idea of how good the cams are. If you have similar mods......why are you worrying about which heads to run. That would mean you already have the heads. Try to get SHM to run their cams on stock headed 4.6 engines and see what happens. Good luck.

I'm not trying to sell anyone on anything. And if it sounds as if I have a problem with SHM then your dead on correct. The main reason I got back into the cylinder head/camshaft/engine business was due to the way Sean treated me at the 2001 Spring Break Shootout FFW race in Bradenton, Florida. I won't go into verbatim quotes here but it was something like.........."I am Sean Hyland..........you are human scum." Some people in the modular industry treat these engines as if they are a Black Art. They also charge people accordingly. I personally was sick and tired of it. I don't like it and I won't do it. Also, I will try at every turn to debunk the garbage that people try to use in justifying their ultra-high prices and snotty customer service attitudes. You have questions? I'll answer them all day long. Even if I don't end up with another customer, you will be well-informed. Information is knowledge. Knowledge is power. If you know the information then you can make your own decisions based on fact rather than propaganda.

[SMOKE]

Preach on brother Game.

I hear ya.

Thanks Hammer for defending the early modulars everywhere.

[esandes]

One thing that bothers the ^%*# out of me is how Crane and Lunati and Canfield and Trickflow are still stuck in the 5.0 time warp. Get with the program and make 4.6 parts guys! It's things like that that will drive me into the parts and building business too. This is also the reason why SHM cams were my only choice. I don't like the idea of regrinds. I'm sure he's making hand over fist with his cams simply because there is no real competition. Ford racing have the best out of the box heads for 4.6L's and they really have no competitors so the can charge whatever they want. The is a huge gap in the 4.6L aftermarket products and I'm glad that there are people around like yourself, wheeler, who can step up and do it your way. And your way happens to be our way too.

[Hammer]

SD, Thanks for everything you're doing for the modular cause.
Believe me, you're helping more than you know...

The modular engine has SO much potential, its a shame to see a limited number of companies make so much money off of enthusiasts while giving absolute crap out for support and customer service.

I have suffered through the earliest and worst days of the modular performance era, and things finally seem to be working themselves out (albeit slowly). Prices seem to be slowly coming down as more companies join in the fray of modular performance products.

I admit that sometimes its hard to be a modular enthusiast. I was losing my mind going to the track on the weekends, testing and tuning different mods, seeing my ET slowly get faster, but still seeing near-stock LS1s laughing at the traps.

Its funny, as small as our after-market is right now, its STILL much larger than the LS1's after-market choices. I've seen guys driving Camaros, Firebirds, and Vettes who used to wipe the floor with Yellowjacket see their leads get smaller and smaller until one day they saw me pull right by in the middle of the track.

The rewards come to those who are patient and serious about their hobby. It doesn't matter what kind of car your drive...

We WILL get there folks, its just a matter of time...

[Rally]

I also would like to thank both you guys, Hammer and SD, for all your help, so consistantly. I am new to the modular scene, and am very appreciative of the experience, advice and services that both of you convey to people like myself.

SD, you can rest assured that I will be contacting you in the next few months about the head/intake swap. I want to make sure that it goes off with the correct parts, and in the most efficient manner possible. I doubt that I could find someone else who would help as much as you with my needs, so unselfishly.