87 5.0

arad03gt · Feb 26, 2007

I was thinking about purchasing an 87 mustang 5.0. It is a speed density car, and the guy claims it has great throttle response due to it, but is it better to scrap it for MAF? Also, it is an a/c car and he said the heater core may need to be replaced. I hear this is a terrible job to do, anyone know of a secret to do it faster or cheaper?

The car has around 170k miles and I would like to hit 12s N/A. I think my best bet would be to build another motor on the side while I am still driving it.

U2SLO450 · Feb 26, 2007

in my opinion, if you plan on doing any mods to the car then you need to do the mass air swap, as far as the heater core, its cheap anyways but i don't think there IS a "faster" way.

Mustang5L5 · Feb 26, 2007

Swap to Mass Air when you need to.

I have almost every bolt-on imaginable on my '88 and it's still speed density. I have no intention of swapping until Mass Air until I need it. usually a cam swap is when you will need it, but there are now speed density friendly cams out there

I don't know why people think Speed Density is "junk"

JChalfan · Feb 26, 2007

From everything that I've heard, SD is really a better setup for a stock car.

Like Mustang5L5 said, you can still do quite a few mods to a SD car. I almost bought a SD car that had GT40P heads, better intake (forgot what), bigger throttle body, headers, exhaust, stock HO cam, and maybe roller rockers. The guy said he had it on a dyno, and the dyno operator said it was right on the edge of being too lean, but still safe with the SD. The guy said the car ran high 12's (12.9's I think), and I'm inclined to believe him, though I never saw timeslips. It was a LX hatch, power nothing.

Basically yeah, swap to mass air when you need to.

HISSIN50 · Feb 26, 2007

I totally agree with both above (Mike, apparently we have unadaptable EEC-III SD cars though ).

I really do believe that the SD cars actually do have a crisper throttle response. And the sentiments about simply waiting until you *need* or don't want to work around the SD management is a very good one. You can really do a lot with SD.

Good luck.

85_built5.0 · Feb 26, 2007

I wouldnt let S,D stop you from getting the car if it is in nice shape and good price go for it. And for the heatercore is kinda a pain in the butt but can be done in a fair amount of time just takes patents.

lang williams · Feb 26, 2007

Just do what I do, park it in the winter! LOL ... I plan on stayin SD, You just have to watch cam swaps, lobe seperation is key, keeping vac good to keep a decent idle

arad03gt · Feb 27, 2007

Awesome, thanks guys. The car already has gears and exhaust so I would probably want to do cam/heads/intake. I'm just afraid the bottom end might not be so great since it has 170k on it.

84GT! · Feb 27, 2007

Here is a link to replacing heater core w/out removing ac dryer.

http://www.mustangmonthly.com/howto/5652/

It is a pita and takes a lot of time. Don't remove too many screws from the top (under the dash pad). These hold on the ac duct work and are a major pita to get back together if you take them apart.

So, to answer your q: faster? maybe. cheaper? a little

Buy a good quality heater core. It's a job you won't want to do often.....

W/ around 170K, I would rebuild it before spending too much on it. It will have some pretty deep groves at the top of the cylinder walls where the pistons top out and go back down (block will need to be bored out). Plus it will probably need new bearings to handle more hp anyway. Good bottom end = good foundation....

Just my .02.

Good luck

arad03gt · Feb 28, 2007

Thanks guys, best tech responces I have had on any forum!!! Is the heater core from summit good enough?

DMAN302 · Feb 28, 2007

I like the 50resto...IIRC the cores they supply are OEM, but I've been wrong before.

1990Coupe · Feb 28, 2007

I agree with everyone on the SD issue - i made the mistake back when i was a young lad rolleyes: ) to switch from SD to Mass air with a basically stock 86GT. It almost felt like the car lost power (probably did). I never ended up having enough mods to support the switch over and ended up wasting alot of money all for nothing. Figure out your combo first before you worry about switching to mass air. If your combo requires it, then go for it, but like other people have said SD cars can be made plenty fast!

Heater core is another story. i wish there was an easier way. You would think that spending all that time taking apart the dash would yeild results, i mean more results then just working heat and no antifreeze leaks . just take your time, lable EVERYTHING and you will be straight!

85ragtop · Feb 28, 2007

1990Coupe said:
Heater core is another story. i wish there was an easier way. You would think that spending all that time taking apart the dash would yeild results, i mean more results then just working heat and no antifreeze leaks . just take your time, lable EVERYTHING and you will be straight!

Make sure you take some pics, it is easy to forget were things go.

superhuaman · Feb 28, 2007

dont forget to install the heater core flow restrictor if there isnt one. will help the core last a lot longer.

arad03gt · Feb 28, 2007

thanks, you guys are awesome!

1990Coupe · Feb 28, 2007

superhuaman said:
dont forget to install the heater core flow restrictor if there isnt one. will help the core last a lot longer.

school me.. what is that?

superhuaman · Feb 28, 2007

http://pweb.netcom.com/~skent/mustang/1990/heater_core/hcore.html

"When you install a new core, make sure that is has a plastic restrictor on the inlet (the core may come with this, or your old core may have one that you can re-use). If you don't have one, get one from a radiator shop or other source. You need one because the Mustang's heater core's inlet is larger than its outlet. This means that a pressure drop is created across the core, and this is probably one of the reasons why they fail so often. Adding an inlet restrictor causes the pressure drop to occur before the core, and will hopefully lead to a longer life. Ford started putting the inlet restrictors on sometime in the mid-late eighties, but it's a good idea for any year of car."

Actually the one I got from Ford was metal. It is a small round piece of metal that you clamp inside the one heater hose (the inlet hose, hence the name). It has an orifice to limit coolant flow through the core, especially at higher RPMs. It was originally used only on police Mustangs.

1990Coupe · Feb 28, 2007

superhuaman said:
http://pweb.netcom.com/~skent/mustang/1990/heater_core/hcore.html

"When you install a new core, make sure that is has a plastic restrictor on the inlet (the core may come with this, or your old core may have one that you can re-use). If you don't have one, get one from a radiator shop or other source. You need one because the Mustang's heater core's inlet is larger than its outlet. This means that a pressure drop is created across the core, and this is probably one of the reasons why they fail so often. Adding an inlet restrictor causes the pressure drop to occur before the core, and will hopefully lead to a longer life. Ford started putting the inlet restrictors on sometime in the mid-late eighties, but it's a good idea for any year of car."

Actually the one I got from Ford was metal. It is a small round piece of metal that you clamp inside the one heater hose (the inlet hose, hence the name). It has an orifice to limit coolant flow through the core, especially at higher RPMs. It was originally used only on police Mustangs.

thanks man i didnt know that!

84GT! · Feb 28, 2007

87 5.0

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