Question about 5.0L Mods....
 

Hello,

I am looking into the following mods and I was curious about the benefits.

1) Convert to cone filter intake (K&N).
2) Ram air system.
3) BBK headers (non-shorty, stainless steel, equal length)
4) BBK exhaust.
5) Maybe custom chip.

I am curious about my estimated horses/quarter time for 1-4 (doing those for sure) and then what it would be with #5.

Any feedback/comments/opinions/other would be appreciated.

Thanks!

What year is the car, and what transmission does it have?

The first thing a Mustang needs is gears. Forget the custom chip for now. Advance the timing, throw on a set of pulleys and a K&N. The cold air kits really are no better than using a panel k&N with no silencer.

Then add headers, an H-pipe, and a cat-back exhaust system.

See my car at:
http://www.mustangworks.com/cgi-bin/moi-display.cgi?179



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1988 Mustang GT
11.8 @ 123 (7/14/01)
1992 BadAzz Wrangler
1993 Explorer

See my car at: www.mustangworks.com/cgi-bin/moi-display.cgi?179

Dude.........no under drive pulleys, they dont add much and they can mess up your car. Everyone i know who has had them has had problems.

I totally disagree about the pulleys. They are great as long as your cooling system is in good shape, and you have a decent alternator. I have no problems with mine and they add a decent amount of power for cheap money.

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93 Police Package, Tremec 3550, Centerforce Clutch, Pro-5.0 Shifter, FMS Aluminum Driveshaft, 373's, Headers, H-Pipe, Strut Tower/G Brace, K&N, Maximum Motorsports brake upgrade kit 14.65 @ 96.8

Underdrive pullies do help. They are a good bang for the buck. But, I would recommend you upgrade the charging and cooling systems before adding underdrive pullies. That depends on what year your car is though. Forget the chip too. It's not going to do anything for you until you actually need to chip after moderate modifications.

If you click on the image in my signature and go to my site click on the Tech link. I have an article there called The Basics just for topics like this. The direct link is here... http://www.indianastangers.com/2FastLX/tech/basics.htm

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Gunning for 12's!
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ICQ# 42269241

Hello,

It's a 1990 Mustang 5.0 LX. What does an H-pipe do for me? Not interested in pulleys... I know it is cheap, but I don't like the trade-off.

I actually already have the K&N with heatsheild and RAM air thing....Just wondering how much I can expect to gain from really good headers/exhaust.

Thanks.

Oh yeah, and it's automatic...

I installed a set of mac underdrive pulleys on my 95 gt and I saw a very noticeable difference in the performance and get up and go. Some people have told me that their headlights would fluxuate at a idle while playing their stero but if your alternator is good I believe they are worth the investment. I also this weekend am putting on the off road h pipe for better flow and have been told this is one thing I needed to do, but if you put the h pipe on be dang sure to get a set of mil eliminators from dallas mustang (or wherever you can find them) so your computor dosen't get mixed codes from the O2 sensor.

#1 Gears Gears Gears!!!!!

My cousins car went from a nice looking ok fast mustang to a screamer with a change from stock gears to 3:73's....

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Black,84 GT,ground effects,shorty headers, 'open' dual exh.,302 HO(no pollution control crap)bored .060,T5,89 ported heads,edelbrock Performer manifold, Edelbrock 2122 cam,600 Holley, high volume oil pump...

Some day (3:73 gears & N2O)!!!

will this ever end????

Exhaust will probably help a lot. If your catalytic converters are plugged new exhaust will make a big difference. I'd recommend you do the whole exhaust system at once.

I'd probably do a set of 4:10 gears too. After that go for a torque converter and shift kit.

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Gunning for 12's!
http://www.indianastangers.com/2Fast..._brd_logo2.gif
Buy your parts here
ICQ# 42269241

[This message has been edited by 2FastLX (edited 08-24-2001).]

With that auto, especially, you need to swap out those stock gears....what ratio depends on what your future plans are. As for the non-shorty headers...I guess you mean you want longtubes. If your car's stock, I'd get the shorties if I was you, you'll lose too much low end torque at this stage of the game. I'd also agree w/ 2Fast....do the entire exhaust at once. Wait on the chip.....spend the $$$ on much more worthwhile mods right now.

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'90 LX 5.0;12K original miles (no sh*&);3.55 gears; March pulleys;Edelbrock Performer Heads;BBK 1 5/8" equal length shorties;MSD 6AL ignition w/ blaster 2 coil;FMS E303 cam;Pro-M 75mm MAF;BBK 70mm TB; Eibach drag-launch spring kit;Southside welded subs;9" K&N cone filter charger;Hurst shifter;Cervini's 3" turbo hood;A/C delete; gutted cats;2 chamber Flomasters;Corbeau racing seats;FMS 30# injectors;JMS chip; Holley 190lb fp;TFS track heat Intake (12.299 @ 113 - 1.78 60')

I am not really interested in gears. Most of my driving is at 70+ mph. I don't really want to kill my top end even though I know it will give me better acceleration.

Someone told me that I would only gain 15 hp from headers & exhaust combined (which I thought was ridiculous). I am wondering what would be a conservative gain and an ideal gain...

Thanks.

15-20HP is about right with out new heads sorry http://www.mustangworks.com/msgboard/frown.gif

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14.62@96.9 Engine: Steal Mounts, Under drive pulleys, K&N, Home ported Lower Intake, No power steering, No A/C
Drive Train: 3.55, World Class T-5,
NOW it is time for Real power STUFF I Have and will put on after I get everthing: Accel DFI:)Mac cold intake, 70MM TB, Valve covers (COOL ONES)255 Fuel pump.
Next to get: rocker arms,Cam,TFS Heads,Injectors 26,Holley intake, What might I need???

I was told I'd lose low end when I went to long tubes on my then completely stock engine. Not only did I not lose low end, but it actually gained some. Plus, a lot of people I have talked to who have installed shorties have wished they had gone with long tubes. Your choice.

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Gunning for 12's!
http://www.indianastangers.com/2Fast..._brd_logo2.gif
Buy your parts here
ICQ# 42269241

Sonic, what exactly are you looking for in performance gains?????????

you first asked about HP/ 1/4 mile times, uderdrive pullies and gears were recommended, you said no to the pullies and no to the gears, because you spend your time driving at 70+....


so to help you, we need to know specifically, what do you intend on doing with the car??????

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Black,84 GT,ground effects,shorty headers, 'open' dual exh.,302 HO(no pollution control crap)bored .060,T5,89 ported heads,edelbrock Performer manifold, Edelbrock 2122 cam,600 Holley, high volume oil pump...

Some day (3:73 gears & N2O)!!!

will this ever end????

I just want to make my car as fast as possible without losing my top end. I am interested is pure HP gains.

This is still a commuter car (as it is my only car). Don't want gears cause I will go threw more gears (and I like the occassional high speed stints). Not interested in pulleys because I have had problems with the alternator in the past, and I have a fairly large system and I am not interested in having my car die while waiting at a stoplight while the subs are firing.

Does this make sense?

Thanks.

Sorry...that didn't make any sense...
"I will go threw more gears" = "I will go through more gas"

Your fuel economy will not be significantly impeded by the addition of 3.73's. Your top speed will actually increase with those gears. Without gears, you don't stand a chance at waking that 5.0 up, not with the AOD anyway.

You might see 15hp from headers and exhaust, but an off road or hiflow H will give you 15-20 alone. Screw the headers, you need the low end. Go for an off road or hi flow H pipe catback, and gears. A good high stall converter will cut your fuel economy a little, but the performance gains are well worth it.

3.73 gears will make my top end higher?!?!? How? Also, won't the h-pipe make my emissions illegal?

Thanks,
DoranW

I was going to say what Unit said. So listen to him, he actually knows what hes talking about.

3.73s will give you more topend because you dont have the HP to utilized the gears that you have you'd need 600+ hp.

Skyler

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-1989 Saleen Mustang #406-
TFS TW Heads, E-303, Edelbrock intake, 70mm TB, 73mm MAF, 24lb injectors, 1 5/8 shorties, Off Road H, 3 Chamber flows, Jaz Race seats, Back seat removed, sub-frames, Roll Cage, and a 80 shot of N20.
12.54@107.4 Motor
332RWHP, 350rwtq

sorry bro, but the best performance gain anyone can get from a mustang is GEARS!!!!!

stock gears suk!!!!!! To wake up the performance on the stangs these guys know their **** !!!!!

3:55's, 3:73's or 4:10's...........

from what i've heard and read 3:73's are about the best overall gear in a stang, and you won't loose top end.... running my 2:73's, T5 in 5th at 70, i'm only runnin 2100 on the tach, so there is alot of room..... my cousin running 3:73's is only running about 2300 at 70, top speed we've had is 130+......

yes pullies MAY cause a MINOR problem, but 10hp for $$80, is a good deal....

there are some free hp gains achievable (pulling the silencer, advancing the timing etc, etc, etc).. but gears are the best $$$$ spent, will do far more than headers and exhaust....

then again for $400+, there is 100hp in the bottle...........

good luck..

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Black,84 GT,ground effects,shorty headers, 'open' dual exh.,302 HO(no pollution control crap)bored .060,T5,89 ported heads,edelbrock Performer manifold, Edelbrock 2122 cam,600 Holley, high volume oil pump...

Some day (3:73 gears & N2O)!!!

will this ever end????

PS... more horsepower does'nt always mean better performance....

------------------
Black,84 GT,ground effects,shorty headers, 'open' dual exh.,302 HO(no pollution control crap)bored .060,T5,89 ported heads,edelbrock Performer manifold, Edelbrock 2122 cam,600 Holley, high volume oil pump...

Some day (3:73 gears & N2O)!!!

will this ever end????

Unit and Sky are right. Gears will increase your top end, believe it or not. I have had my car upwards of 140 mph since the gear swap. Before it was struggling to get to 130mph. They will eat up a little more fuel if you do mostly highway driving, but through town they won't make any difference because you will more than likely drive in a higher gear. Mine gets close to the same gas mileage it did before and it sees between 50 and 70 miles of highway driving a day.

You're looking at about the same price for a full exhaust which most people can install themselves, versus a set of gears, traction-lock rebuild kit, and assembly kit plus labor. Gears are going to make the biggest difference though. I would suggest that if you do the gears make sure you rebuild the traction-lock while you're in there.

------------------
Gunning for 12's!
http://www.indianastangers.com/2Fast..._brd_logo2.gif
Buy your parts here
ICQ# 42269241

Pulleys, gears, torque converter and shift kit will probably do more for you DOA Stang than anything else.

I think the best mod I did was the pulleys, I couldn't believe the difference they made (not collossal, but there was a noticable difference) In my experience with gears, I went from 2.73's to 3.73's and lost a WHOOPING 9 http://www.mustangworks.com/msgboard/wink.gif miles per hour off of my top end, and I didn't notice any real loss in fuel mileage, mostly because I didn't have to put as much foot into it during commuter mode when I pulled away from the rabble at the light.

My old exhaust consisted of 1-5/8 make shorty equal lengths, SVO off-road, and Flowmaster Force II exhaust. It helped out since my stock mufflers were rotted, but a stock powerplant isn't to taxing.

IMO unless its a custom chip, chips are for chumps, don't waste your money

What does a torque converter do? And what does a shift kit do for a AOD?

Thanks.

...

go to www.cartechbooks.com they have some info.one is 5.0L ford dyno tests.lets you know what helped and what didnt