worth it....96-98gt mod???

[bosco]

Is it worth porting the heads and or intake on a 96-98 gt? would i see decent power gains?

[Hammer]

Hmm,
I don't know if the crappy intake can even be ported...

As far as the heads, I remember seeing an article on porting the stock heads... its about a 20-25 hp gain at the flywheel.

My suggestion would be to save up for a bullit intake and PI heads...

[bosco]

I think thats the route ill choose, the head swap. But another question....do i use the 96-98 headers, or the 99-01 headers?

[Hammer]

The 96-98 headers will work just fine.
But if you're determined to replace them, the motorsport headers flow well and sound really nice...

[bosco]

Ok, one last question, is there a pretty decent conversion kit available, or should i just go to a local junk yard and get some off a wrecked stang? Thanks for the help hammer, i appreciate it

[Hammer]

Well,
You're probably not going to find a Bullit intake sittin' around a junkyard. But the PI heads might be found quite easily.

Now if I remember correctly, there are at least 2 different kinds of PI heads out there, and you'll have to get the right ones. You'll also need some extra parts for the swap...

I believe there's some info over at Corral.net that actually has a parts list and cost estimate per part.

Also remember that you're compression ratio will go up with the new heads. How much of an increase it will be, I don't know.
But it might impact any forced induction you may plan on doing later on...

Overall, its a GREAT change (almost as good as my motorsport pieces...)

[cobrazex]

Here's a source for a set of 01 PI heads:MUSTANGS4LIFEJ65@AOL.COM

I think he's got a set with cams for $600

[Red Mustang Gt 46]

In reference to porting 96-98 heads, with all the time and effort, a set of 99+ heads would net a greater amount of HP with minimal effort and cash. BTW, the valves are tiny...smaller than valves on a HARLEY...really.
With a port job on the 96-97 heads, the shroud near the exaust port would be removed, lowering your compression.

[SD Wheeler]

Originally posted by bosco
Ok, one last question, is there a pretty decent conversion kit available, or should i just go to a local junk yard and get some off a wrecked stang? Thanks for the help hammer, i appreciate it

While junkyard shopping can be cheap, there are a few things you might not find or be able to use. Joe Charles at Parkway Ford in Georgia (www.parkwayfordga.com) (1-888-FORDSVT) has a complete package available to do this swap. The intake is a stock style intake from the '99 & up Mustangs. Kit is complete right down to the bolts & gaskets. Current price is $1100 I believe. Tell him SD sent you.

Another problem you're going to run into is the two temperature senders. On the '96-98 cars there are two senders. The drivers side sender is for the gauge and the passenger side is for the computer. On the PI intake manifold there is only one sensor opening. Some people are using a "T" fitting (pipe style) from a hardware store and plumbing both sensors into the one hole on the PI manifold. This is a big mistake in my book. Sometimes it works but most times there are major problems. The best fix is to simply relocate the gauge sensor into the block. On the drivers side of the block there is an NPT plug about 6 inches back from the front of the block. It goes directly into the water jacket. Unscrew the plug, screw the sensor in. Then, lengthen the wires on the sensor harness so the plug will reach. You get a direct reading and no computer foul-ups. Several people have had overheating problems with the T setup.

You might also consider having the heads ported while you're doing this. Gains on headswap cars are generally in the 50-70 hp range with ported heads. I've got a porting package for the PI heads priced at $400. I'm in Baytown (near Houston) so let me know if I can help.