A couple of questions.

[RedFox5.0]

First off..
Are cold air intakes worth the cash? I already have a KN filter.
Secondly, what is the easiest and cheapest things to do to get my 1986 FI 5.0L to get to about 280rwhp? (NA and off the bottle)
I have the exhaust and the filter covered already.

Thanks!

BTW: Is a tuner worth the cash? I know on a diesel it can add LOTS of HP and TQ but on gassers it doesn't seem to do much. Also, what is a good shifter to get for my T5 transmission?

 

[86bluecobra]

well since your car is a speed density car to get 280 RWHP is going to take a lot of money. I guess a S/C would be the best way but a upgrade to a Mass airflow system is a good idea. Your stock heads are worse then the ones on the 87-93 cars. Your pistons are not notched so aftermarket heads and cam selection is a bit trickier.

 

[86bluecobra]

BTW welcome to the site. Basically convert that car to a MASS system and then get a good cam and heads that will work on the 86 with the pistons you have and bolt a s/c on it and you will make the power you want.

 

[bluevenom867]

Actualy,TrickFlow makes a kit that comes with heads,cam and intake and all the harware that will get you what you want,no problems.

Do that,MAF conversion,and get a set of long tubes and a "off road" H-pipe.

Or what Dan suggested,just bolt a supercharger on,then theres no need to tear into the motor.

 

[RedFox5.0]

Actualy,TrickFlow makes a kit that comes with heads,cam and intake and all the harware that will get you what you want,no problems.

Do that,MAF conversion,and get a set of long tubes and a "off road" H-pipe.

Or what Dan suggested,just bolt a supercharger on,then theres no need to tear into the motor.

I was looking in to the Trick Flow kit and I was kinda interested in it.
I am getting an H-pipe soon, since I believe it has headers and pipes I should be fine.
I was wondering if before I even start fiddling with the engine I should just swap it with a 351w or find a built 306 or something. I just don't know what would be the cheapest to do. My uncle will help me with this project and he used to be a mechanic but he isn't the best at everything. We believe we can rebuild an engine so I was pondering on getting the trick flow kit or whatever. The car has 105K on the body and engine so if I was to tear into the engine I feel I should rebuild it and possibly beef up the trans a little. I was told these Foxes were cheap to get running real good but I guess the 86 doesn't have the best engine for modifying.

Thanks for the help guys!

And BTW, where are some good places to get car parts? This is my first car and I'm moving from the ATV enthusiast to the Stang enthusiast so I'm not familiar with parts catalogs and prices yet. But soon I shall learn!

 

[RedFox5.0]

Also I don't want to strip the car to make it lighter and everything. I am trying to keep it street legal and fairly original. The car has interior that looks like brand new with original everything so I don't want to ruin the car or jerry rig parts together.

One day I'll have that cheap beater project car just for drags.

 

[bluevenom867]

RedFox,105K is nothing on these little ole' 302 motors,yours will just keep on going and going.Dont worry about rebulding it.

Now you bring up something of interest when you mentioned the built 351W,more cubes is more power.Its also generaly more money.

Do a search for the guys on here that run strokers,and you'll see what kinda power their making and if it intrest you PM them and ask questions,they dont mind.

Let us know about how much you wanna spend,but Ill say one thing,sometimes a little cheaper/slower combo is more fun and less miantance.Dont think you need a 1000hp blown stroker just to get into the hobby,start smaller,and you'll learn more and enjoy your self and your car more.

 

[86bluecobra]

Actualy,TrickFlow makes a kit that comes with heads,cam and intake and all the harware that will get you what you want,no problems.

Do that,MAF conversion,and get a set of long tubes and a "off road" H-pipe.

Or what Dan suggested,just bolt a supercharger on,then theres no need to tear into the motor.

I know trickflow and even edelbrock make heads that work on the non notched pistons but without a MAF conversion you are really limited on the cams you can run. Hard to get the true potential out of the heads and intake. I know you know Venom but so redfox5.0 knows the speed density cars do calculations on the vacuum in the engine so if you start swaping in cams it really screws up the drivability of a NA speed density car. The MAF conversion is a good idea if you want to have fewer problems while modding your 302.

 

[RedFox5.0]

I know trickflow and even edelbrock make heads that work on the non notched pistons but without a MAF conversion you are really limited on the cams you can run. Hard to get the true potential out of the heads and intake. I know you know Venom but so redfox5.0 knows the speed density cars do calculations on the vacuum in the engine so if you start swaping in cams it really screws up the drivability of a NA speed density car. The MAF conversion is a good idea if you want to have fewer problems while modding your 302.

http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?part=TFS-K514-350-370&view=1&N=700+

Would that "kit" work on my non-notched pistons?

For the most part I am just throwing some ideas in the think-tank. I want to get a Pro-5.0 shifter, 3.73 gears, and my off-road H-pipe for starts. I have a while to modify this car and get it how I want it so I am just thinking what all I can do. I was just wondering if I should put some money into my little 302cid or just move to a 351w.

Nitrous kits are fairly cheap too so I plan on getting one of them down the road.

On this project I don't want to dump assloads of cash into it but I do want a fast car and I can gather the cash up to put into it. I have another ride to get from point A to point B so I don't mind taking it slow and doing one upgrade at a time.

Since I cannot tell you straight out what my cash limit is on the car since I will be just going from one upgrade to another, could you give me a rough estimate on what I would be paying to get the car to crack into the 13's? I was also considering a supercharger but I don't know what a good price for one is and where to get it.

Are Ford Racing Kits any good? I was looking in MM&FF and saw a kit that consists of 2 X303 Heads, 1.70 Roller Rockers, E303 Cam, Cobra Intake, Gaskets, and ARP head Bolts for $1950.

Last but not least, how tough is the stock T5 trans? Should I invest in an aftermarket one, or atleast get some internals or whatever to put in it? How good are the Ford Racing Trans? Any suggestions?

Any other upgrades?

THANKS so much for the help guys. I'm very good with dirtbike and ATV engines but when it comes to these 5.0's I'm a little stumped.

 

[4G-KDMP]

First off..
Are cold air intakes worth the cash? I already have a KN filter.
Secondly, what is the easiest and cheapest things to do to get my 1986 FI 5.0L to get to about 280rwhp? (NA and off the bottle)
I have the exhaust and the filter covered already.

Thanks!

BTW: Is a tuner worth the cash? I know on a diesel it can add LOTS of HP and TQ but on gassers it doesn't seem to do much. Also, what is a good shifter to get for my T5 transmission?

everything i read says no.

 

[86bluecobra]

Yep that is the TrickFlow kit that will work on your 302. I do like my 351w if thats what you decide to do. But consider this. Building a 351w is actually very expensive. I mean buying all the efi stuff so that the new cubes can breathe. The factory 5.0L stuff chokes the 302 so you would need to buy a larger TB and MAF for the 351w. The intakes are not cheap aswell. You would want to go with bigger heads aswell. Not to mention swap header costs and accesory mounts. I don't regret doing a 351w swap into my 86. That being said it was going to cost me 2 much to keep it an EFI setup so I went Carb. My car is a summer only vehicle because of the slippery winters where I live. I did drive it year round a few years but as I installed more and more go fast parts it got silly to drive in the snow.

 

[bluevenom867]

13's is no problem,but you need to invest in a good set of TRACK ONLY tires (slicks) and rear wheels or try some BFG drag radils and don't do burn-outs and power slides on the street (wont last at all doing stuff like that).

Aside from that,that kit will get you deep into the 13's possable a high 12.Nitrous will achieve about the same effect on a 100-125hp shot.Both will probably put you in the low 12's,high11's.

The T5 is a good trans,but not once you get much over 400hp and got tires that stick,run it till you break it,who knows it might not break.If it does,Tremek TKO 500.

 

[jrichker]

On a budget? do the junkyard upgrade...

Gears - 87-88 T-Bird Turbo Coupe rear axle - disc brakes and 3.55 or 3.73 gears in one package for $125-$300. Add another $100-$200 or so to complete the brake upgrade.

94-95 Mustang GT MAF - $40-$100. It is 70 MM instead of the stock 55 MM on regular stangs built prior to 94. It uses a slip on duct on the side that goes to the throttle body and a 4 bolt flange on the other. You need a flange adapter to fit the stock slip on air ducting that goes to the air box. Wiring plugs right in with no changes. *1 *2

95-97 Ford Explorer intake manifold & throttle body $150-$300. The intake manifold flows 220 CFM +, much better than stock. Throttle body is 65 MM, bigger than the 60 MM on stock stangs. I got a 96 with EGR passages that match the stock setup, so my smog gear works just like factory. You’ll need a 65 MM EGR spacer & new gaskets for $65-$90 so you have a place to mount the EGR & throttle linkage.

3G alternator from 94-95 Mustangs or other Ford. $20-$120. A must have to make the electrical system work like it should. You’ll need a 4 gauge power wire and a 125-135 amp fuse to go with it about $15- $30.

Lincoln MK VIII electric fan -$40-$160. Free up some HP by not having to drive the stock fan. The 3G alternator upgrade is a must have prerequisite before you do the MK VIII fan. You won’t have enough electrical power if you don’t do the 3G upgrade.

Aluminum driveshaft: (courtesy of shawn13) It needs to be from a 92-93-94 Aerostar AWD and you will need the u-joint, part #353 from NAPA. It should bolt right up after the u-joint swap.

*1.) Metal flange adapter http://www.kustomz.com/cat3.html Buy the TR70 for $44.95. Or spend some time on eBay looking for one that may fit.

*2.) MAF & sensor interchange
The 94-95 Mustang 5.0 MAF & sensor is also found on:
1995-94 Mustang 3.8L F2VF-12B579-A2A,
1994-92 Crown Victoria 4.6L F2VF-12B579-A2A,
1995-94 Mustang, Mustang Cobra 5.0L F2VF-12B579-A2A,
1994-92 Town Car 4.6L F2VF-12B579-A2A,
1994-92 Grand Marquis 4.6L F2VF-12B579-A2A,
Evidently the –A1A, -A2A, AA, etc. on the end of the part number is a minor variant that did not change the operating specs. You should be able to ignore it and have everything work good.


Combine the above with a $600 set of Thumper ported stock heads ( www.thumperoforangepark.com/) and a good tune. Then you can run 12's without killing your wallet.

 

[RedFox5.0]

13's is no problem,but you need to invest in a good set of TRACK ONLY tires (slicks) and rear wheels or try some BFG drag radils and don't do burn-outs and power slides on the street (wont last at all doing stuff like that).

Aside from that,that kit will get you deep into the 13's possable a high 12.Nitrous will achieve about the same effect on a 100-125hp shot.Both will probably put you in the low 12's,high11's.

The T5 is a good trans,but not once you get much over 400hp and got tires that stick,run it till you break it,who knows it might not break.If it does,Tremek TKO 500.

The tires I plan on getting is the M/T Street Radials mounted on some centerlines.
Yeah I don't want to beat on this car so I won't be roasting a nice set of tires for fun.
I know someone that will sell me his 1989 Cobra intake for cheep. So thats a plus right there.
I figure if I get a set of heads and a cam along with some rockers and new head gaskets I should be getting up there.
How strong are these blocks? I don't want to throw a 100hp shot of nitrous on it just to see the engine blow into pieces. Id rather be slow and have a running car than be fast for a few seconds and have my engine in pieces.
I guess I'll just leave the T-5 in there then. Ill get a pro-5.0 shifter to improve my shifts.

If I can get into the 12's with that kit and some nitrous then I'd be happy. $7,000
including the car is a good deal in my eyes if I can get it to run 12's respectivley.

I figure I have a while to do these mods:
86 Mustang- $4200
Pro-5.0 Shifter- $165
X-Pipe- $170
3.73's- about $275
Ford Racing Kit (GT40 Heads, 1.70s roller rockers, e303 cam, Cobra intake, gaskets, and ARP headbolts)- $1950
Autometer Tach w/ shift light- $255


TOTAL (not including wheels, tires, and nitrous)- $7015 including the car

So I guess my budget it $10K including the car.
Thanks for the help guys...

Anything else that I didn't list that I'll need? Injectors? Throttle Body?

 

[bluevenom867]

Anything else that I didn't list that I'll need? Injectors? Throttle Body?

if its a wet nitrous kits your looking at,you only need a good fuel pump,in tank 255lph.If its a "dry" kit,then your want to step up to some 24lbs or 30lbs injectors.

 

[RedFox5.0]

Aww man Guys, sorry for using up your time. Thanks for the help, know I am informed, but here is my story.

The Red Fox I was talking about I was supposed to get last weekend. The guy kept stalling and we asked him what was up and I guess he had a loan through a credit union and couldn't get the title yet. So I started looking for some other cars.

I found a 1984 Mustang GT drag car, mid 11 second monster. N/A and no nitrous. came with all kinds of extras and the guy was the original owner, had 32k orgi. miles, and wanted $3300 for the car and the extra parts he had including a 351w and a 302cid block. I really want the car but its not practical for me because I need a street legal car and this drag car had 4.11's w/ a locker axle, no powersteering, no interior, etc etc. Good deal but I can't do it.

So today I went and checked out a 1998 GT coupe. It was real nice like ocean blue paintjob and a black fiberglass Cobra R hood, a set of brand new 18" cobra rims wrapped in BFG Gforce tires, brand new flowmaster duals, 5speed, comes with original wheels and tires, and some motor oil and stuff. This was at a half decent price and was very nice so I decided to buy it.

The car runs good and I will be picking it up tomorrow. I still love the old Foxes but this one was the only one I could find. Plus, I am trading two quads for it and he is giving me more than I was gonna ask for the quads so it was also a good way to get out from under them.

Thanks guys and have a good one.

 

[86bluecobra]

well at least you got yourself a mustang. Have fun on the 4.6L boards.

 

[fivespeedsteed]

i added it up and you can get the junkyard upgrade for around 550-600 dollars.

e cam 160
tmoss or thumper heads 250
explorer upper and lower intake manny 100 or so. depending on where you get it.

then all you should need is a convert to mass air.

leave your k&n right where it is, just take the silencer out.

 

[Yellowpnoy]

Hey man, i just installed a 427w in my car, i didnt want to stick with a 347 or smaller. All i can say is DO IT! You will love all the extra HP/TQ your car will have. You can build a mild 351 very affordably. If you have any questions feel free to PM me or reply back, i live in PA so if you are close i can give you hand/help if you need it.

Anthony