Can ya help a new guy out???

[K-9]

Hey all. I have plans on picking up a low mile 1991-1993 5.0/Auto Mustang...after I sell my 1996 Bronco. I'm fairly new to the modern muscle cars and could use a little help.

I'm interested in building up a Mustang so that it's streetable, but quick enough to run mid 13's...of course on a limited budget.

Here's what my options are so far...

Headers - Short or long tube?

Exhaust - H-Pipe or X-Pipe? Which mufflers (for sound and performance)?

Ring & Pinion - 3.73? Remember this is going to be an automatic equipped car that will be my daily driver.

Throttle Body - What size? 70MM?

Air Filter - K&N, but which design? Ram Air under the bumper? Conical? Etc?

Thermostat - Do I swap this out or just leave it alone?

Chip - I've heard good and bad. Is it worth the hassle and money?

Underdrive Pulleys - Do I replace all of them or does anyone have recommendations on this?

Anything else?

Thanks in advance!

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K-9
No 'Stang just yet, but looking.

[Smokedawg]

Here are my personal opinions..I am sure you will get a few different opinions from people on here.

I would definatly go with long tube..I bought shortys, they work well but I wish I had spent a few extra bucks and bought long tubes.

Not for sure which pipe to buy but I love my BBK off-road going through my flowmaster 40 series.

With a auto I would definitly go with 3.73

70MM throttle body I dont think will help you with this limited number of mods but it certainly wont hurt you at all..So I would go for it.

I would just stick with a fenderwell cold air mount with k&N filter..i think when u buy one it comes with the filter...

Leave the thermo alone unless you have heating probs, then switch to 160 degree

If you are all done with the mods on your car go have a chip burnt for your setup.

I would just buy a set of underdrive pulleys; waterpump, alt and crank for like 85 bucks..

I think another good investment would be a mass air meter. I know summit had vortechs for a nice price $125..If you can go without this car for awhile such as a few days, I would port and polish the intakes as well as the heads..A electric fan would also be another thing to do..Make sure your will be able to get traction!!!
Good Luck

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347 Stroker Motor: Balanced, A9P Computer, Cobra Transmission, Extrude Ported and Polished Upper and ported Lower, GT40 Milled Ported and Polished Heads, B303 Cam, BBK 1 5/8 Headers, 30lb Bosch Injectors, Holley Fuel Regulator, March Underdrive Pulleys, Perma-Cool Fan, 3-Core Radiator, Accel Performance Coil, Accel 300+ Racing Wires, Ram Air, K&N Filter, 79mm Mass Air Unit, FlowMaster Exhaust w/BBK Offroad H-Pipe, Hurst Short Throw Shifter, 3:55 Gears, Ram Clutch, Cross Drilled Rotors, AC del

Welcome to the Mustang scene....I'm sure you'll enjoy the ride. First off, I'd go w/ 3.73's (no more if it's a daily driver, no less unless you're gonna add a blower). Then, I'd go w/ BBK shorties/equal length - (once again...long tubes if you're gonna be blowing - long tubes will hurt you w/ a mild ap. Go with a MAC H-pipe set up (w/ flomaster 2 chambers). I'd then go w/ a MAF/TB combo that suits you best (won't help w/ out perf intake, but won't hurt either. Get a K&N system w/ fenderwell kit. Leave the thermo alone. Don't bother w/ a chip unless you're doing your intake/heads/injectors etc (wil only be a waste of $$$ otherwise. Underdrive pulleys are another questionable mod. Good luck....this should get you into the 13's.

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'90 LX 5.0; 12K original miles (no sh*&); 3.55 gears; pulleys;Edelbrock Performer Heads; BBK shorties; MSD 6AL box w/ blaster 2 coil; Motorsport E303 cam; Pro-M 75mm MAF; BBK 70mm TB; Eibach spring kit; Southside welded subs; K&N cone filter charger; Hurst shifter; fiberglass turbo hood; A/C-less; rear seat-less; cat-less; 2 chamber Flos; Corbeau racing seats (fronts);
30# injectors; JMS Chip; 190 lb fp; TFS track heat Intake (12.299 @ 113)

[SaleenGTS]

Here was my high, mid and low 13 sec combo...same car.

92 LX 13.80's@100-101 were my avg times
302
3.73's
MAC 1 5/8" Equal lengths
MAC 2 1/2" Off Road H-pipe
American Thunder 2 1/2" Cat-Back
Crane Hi-6 ignition
March Pullies
Home Made Ram Air
K&N
1.7rr's

Same car, ran a few 13.40's, and 13.50's@ 103's
306
Cobra Intakes
E303 cam
65mm TB
70mm MAF
all the above

Same car, ran a few 13.1's @ 106's
Ported and polished heads
same as above.

When I bought my 89 Saleen, and put TFS Heads, E cam, and a GT-40 Intake on it I ran up in the 108's, andwhen I got my TFS cam and Intakes, I ran 110-111's.

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Dustin
89 GT(Saleen Clone) 392 rwhp UNTUNED(TFS Intake, spacer,Heads and #2 cam, BD-11A 9#(only boosting 6???WTF),1.6 rr's,BBK 70mm TB,FMS 70mm MAF,MSD 6BTM,FMS 9mm wires,BBK longtubes and H-Pipe,American Thunder cat back,3.55 lots more...

12.564@118.49 on street tires is my best so far. Still untuned

[K-9]

I was thinking along the lines of adding, over time, a set of underdrive pulleys, K&N (with tube), H-pipe, Flomasters, and 3.73 R&P. Hopefully that'll put me somewhere in the low to mid 14's for starters. After that, I'll start adding to that...maybe headers. Sound like a good start?

When does a larger throttle body become important?

When do larger injectors become necessary?

How about roller rockers? Are those worth the dough and effort?

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K-9
No 'Stang just yet, but looking.

[QUIN]

for the most part i agree with smoke and saleen. well, you cant argue saleen's #ers, so there is no debating that.
i would HIGHLY cosider 4.10's with an automatic however.
cold air kit is the ticket.
underdrives, yes! (might already have them)
thermostat-no
chip~ DEFINITE NO!
as for your latest questions;
larger throttle body when upgrading intake and heads.
injectors when you need more fuel for the fire. (not necessary for what your planning)
roller rockers are not that hard to change and do make a difference. maybe not as much as you would like, but for the price they are a decent add on.
if you do upgrade the t.b., 65mm is ample unless your going to be blown.
my opinions,
Q

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Quin, 87 GT,306,forged pistons,edelbrock head\intak,steeda#18cam,1.7rr,MSD Blaster tfi coil,A9L,pro-m75mm,24#inj,accufab65mm,2.5"pipes,hooker headers,dynomax exhaust,3.73 gr,110 lph fp,180*therm,moroso cold air,ASP pullies, weld rims

See my engine on user rides.

I see your shwartz is as big as mine, now lets see how well you handle it!

[TheSloAod]

with a good track all you need is...
373 gears
asp street pulley set
bbk cold air fender kit
2.5" h pipe, flowmasters
timing and all the other freebies

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My slo aod- 3.73s, pullies, flowmasters, h-pipe, bbk cold air, and 13.42 in the 1/4 @ 103 mph

[This message has been edited by TheSloAod (edited 05-24-2001).]

[K-9]

Sweet advise...all of it. I especially like what "TheSloAod" had to say because his sounds just like mine will be set up in the beginning.

Another question, sorry, exhaust? My buddy used to have a 1991 LX 5.0 with the H-pipe and no cats. When emissions time came around he swapped the stock set-up back in. How easy is this? Is this a good idea or am I better off going with an H-pipe set up that includes cats? Thanks!

Sorry for the newbie questions.

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K-9
No 'Stang just yet, but looking.

[429mustang]

If your going to buy a new H-pipe, get the one without the cats, if you have to pass emissions it may take you a 1/2 to 1 hour to swith back to your stock H-pipe. You may not feel a major difference on the road, but if your looking to cut off a little extra time on the strip then go without cats, each little bit adds up.

[K-9]

Thanks, but how is the sound? I do want the exhaust to produce a deep throaty sound, but not be obnoxious. Will the Flomasters (2 chamber) quiet it down some?

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K-9
No 'Stang just yet, but looking.

[QUIN]

NO! flowmasters are about the loudest mufflers out there for stangs, falling short to only the good ol cherry bomb/glass pack setups all the camaro's used to roll with!
they are a good sounding muffler but i personally think they are too loud. the dynomax are a much more deep throat sound with much less "HEY, LOOK OVER HERE!" to them. if you WOT they will roar and rumble, if your cruising they will sound smooth and powerful.
flowmasters are good mufflers though. dont want to get anyone puffy on here! i like my dyno super turbo's though.
Q

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Quin, 87 GT,306,forged/cut pistons,edelbrock head\intak,steeda#18cam,1.7rr,MSD Blaster tfi coil,A9L,pro-m75mm,24#inj,accufab65mm,2.5"pipes,hooker headers,dynomax exhaust,3.73 gr,110 lph fp,180*therm,moroso cold air,ASP pullies, weld rims

See my engine on user rides.

I see your shwartz is as big as mine, now lets see how well you handle it!

[clearwaterms]

welcome to the world of mustangs...

you were looking at the K&N and pullies, that's a great start. Also the Bassaini (forgive the spelling) X pipe with a set of mufflers (your choice for sound: although im only like 25~30 minute's from your house, you can hear what my buddies 93 GT with no cats and MAC muffler's sounds like. Next I would spend the money on a gear 3.73 should be fine, 4.10's better. A torque converter, and a shift kit (these last two will give you more seat of the pants feel than anything your talking about bolting on.) A good place to check out when your ready to buy is Street Stuff in Addison @ 630-832-3773. Ask for Grant.

You have to remember things Subframes (put these on first) a rear suspension system (upper and lower control arms) a good tune up with new plugs, wires, and a new cap-n-rotor, fuel filter.

[JD93GT]

You have gotten some really good advice, i just want to put my .02 in... I would go with shorty equal length, unless you are going to go big and nasty, the long tubes will hurt you. Swap you cats for an off road h-pipe, but keep you cats, you might need them, you never know. For cat back i would go with dynomax, or magnaflow... i have tried flowmaster, and with an off road h-pipe and 2 chambers, the constant roaring gets old. I would say AT LEAST 3.73's with an automatic, if you arent going to be doing a whole lot of highway driving, then go with the 4.10's... Unless you plan on going with a supercharger, or stroker, i wouldnt buy any throttle body bigger than 70mm, and you dont need to go that big, 65mm is fine and it actually works a little better than the 70mm on mild applications... I agree about the fenderwell cold air kit, i personally dont like ram air kits cuz you can suck up rocks and leaves and damage your filter, and those k&n's arent cheap... Dont swap unless you have heat problems, and if you do... DONT i repeat DONT go any lower than 180, the lower the operating temp goes on an engine, the shorter its life... 180 is fine, but 160 is crossing the line a little. I wouldnt get a chip unless you do a heads cam intake swap, and you get a custom chip burned at a dyno shop to tune you engine to all the aftermarket parts... definatley underdrive pullies... Go with a 73mm or 75mm maf, and 24# injectors if you are gonna stay mildly modified. This will help your engine breathe, and give it a more ample supply of gas... I would also suggest an MSD blaster coil... help the spark a little...