about 10 hours of labor later....

[fullrearview]

and I finished my x-pipe install.

I know that is A LOT longer than it should take, but I had major issues with the passenger side and the tools I had. I'm a F-body guy, so I took my time.

Man it's freakin' loud! Jegs off road x-pipe into flowmaster 40's.

I olny broke two swivels and one extension in doing so... One was a 1/2 inch swivel!!!

 

[slayerripkdc]

Don't feel bad! It took me a long frigging time as well! Especially laying on your back.

 

[fullrearview]

I literally had to push on the old mid pipe with my foot and lift with a long extension on the pipe to get the 22mm wrench between the frame and k-member just to barely break loose the o2 sensor... And that was the easy part!!!

I wanted a challenge though, and so far I've got it.

 

[slayerripkdc]

Thats the second time I did a mid pipe on a stang. I also did long tubes on my old 5.0. Never again without a lift!!!! lol.

 

[Maxpowers]

Mine was really simple. I did it with a floor jack because I didnt have help. Used my feet to hold up the back. Probably took an hour or two most.

 

[fullrearview]

Mine was really simple. I did it with a floor jack because I didnt have help. Used my feet to hold up the back. Probably took an hour or two most.

That's about what it took for me to swap an engine on a LT-1 powered F-body.

 

[Maxpowers]

How was the fit on tour pipe? That may have a lot to do with it. My Magnaflow fit perfectly. The old mid pipe bolts were not rusted either, so that helped.

 

[fullrearview]

How was the fit on tour pipe? That may have a lot to do with it. My Magnaflow fit perfectly. The old mid pipe bolts were not rusted either, so that helped.

The bolts were very rusted... I soaked them well too! It was funny... I had exhaust leaks when the old pipe warmed up... 1st time I have ever seen that... Maybe another Ford thing.

The new pipe I am very happy with. ZERO leaks!!! I really thought I would have have a few as the passenger side nuts didn't grab as much thread as they did with the stock mid pipe.

I bought the jegs OR/X because it came in three sections and I felt I might be able to sell them when or if I did LT's in the future and I would be able to use the existing x pipe. The fit is good but it did take a bit of time... I know if I had a jack I probably could have cut out at least 5 hours of this project.,

JEGS Performance Products 30606 JEGS Mustang Off-Road X-Pipe Kits

 

[JymboSlice]

whyd you switch to a NPI 96-98 mustang from an Fbody?

 

[fullrearview]

whyd you switch to a NPI 96-98 mustang from an Fbody?

I kind of didn't... I had to sell my 94 formula in 2008 just to put food on the table. I could have bought anything I wanted this past winter, but we needed a SUV so we bought an expedition.

I then traded our 05 neon for the GT. The neon was overdue on routine maintenance (timing belt, tranny service, etc.) and the kid I traded the GT for had to sell the it (parents refused to pay insurance after he got a few speeding tickets). The kids dad was a mechanic so he knew knew about the timing belt being overdue (I didn't until he said something).

I could have sold the neon and got whatever I wanted, but I wanted a challenge, so I got a NPI car.

Honestly, I'm tired of building F-bodies. Very little work and I would have been in the low 13's for an LT1 and in the 12's for an ls1. Not to mention the squeeks, rattles, and creaks even with sub frames. I know these engines are stout and take a pounding, so that was also a deciding factor. Besides, firebirds headlights suck!

 

[slayerripkdc]

Whats your plans after the mid pipe install?

 

[Maxpowers]

You have to admit, the exhaust sounds so much better. If only they could back it up stock.

 

[fullrearview]

Whats your plans after the mid pipe install?

I want to make it a mid 13's car... It probably wont see the drag strip much at all though. It will see auto cross and maybe in the distant future (That's when the new 5.0 becomes readily available and affordable), wheel to wheel road course (Camaro Mustang Challenge), but that's a whole nother story.

I know everyone will say gears next, and that may be a possibility the beginning of next year.

 

[fullrearview]

You have to admit, the exhaust sounds so much better. If only they could back it up stock.

True that!

 

[03_TrueBlue_GT]

I know your pain my first time installing my x pipe it took us a good afternoon to do it. *about 5 hours*

The hardest thing for me was not to strip the bolts which would really suck, but I have taken and installed a midpipe about 4 times on this car and the bolts look overdue for new ones...