I've got and 86 5.0 Mustang.....short throw shifter, FRPP aluminum driveshaft, MAC off-road h-pipe, single case Spin Techs, and the timing set at 14deg base. No K&N filter (yeah I know I need one). But I'm on disability so money is tight/non existant. Can I add more timing? Can the factory fuel pressure regulator be turned up? Just looking for cheap/free power upgrades. Trying to put save up the cash for the March undrive/ram air kit ($250) In the mean time anyone got any ideas? Just kinda bored looking for something to do
cheap/free 5.0 power upgrades....
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yeah dont waste your time on the march stuff. they are cool if you are building a show car, but that's it. spring for a set of summit underdrives instead
oh the march kit comes with a complete ram air set up that picks up air from under the front bumper......so it's pulleys and a badass cold air set up http://store.summitracing.com/partd...908331+4294908282+4294840126+115&autoview=sku check it out...oh also I work for Olympic Tune/Street Rods Plus here in town so I won't be paying any where near $250 for that kit
Non-tuning issue - moved to 5.0 Tech.
The stock fuel pressure regulator is non-adjustable, but any gains that may be had with fuel pressure adjustments on a stock engine would likely be negated by the adaptive strategy in the EEC. Gears would really wake the car up, but without the money to do gears, I can see how that would be an issue. The ram air probably wouldn't help much anyway. Not nearly as much as a set of underdrive pulleys. Losing some weight off the car would help. Some have had success in removing the dog bone from the rear end assembly, but others have experienced vibration afterward. Removing unnecessary, or unwanted items from the car would be your best bet for free power. No AC or smog, short belt, underdrive pulleys, take off the dog bone, lose the heavy insulation, etc. It's all a matter of how many creature comforts you're able to live without, and how noisy you're willing to allow the cabin to become.
The stock fuel pressure regulator is non-adjustable, but any gains that may be had with fuel pressure adjustments on a stock engine would likely be negated by the adaptive strategy in the EEC. Gears would really wake the car up, but without the money to do gears, I can see how that would be an issue. The ram air probably wouldn't help much anyway. Not nearly as much as a set of underdrive pulleys. Losing some weight off the car would help. Some have had success in removing the dog bone from the rear end assembly, but others have experienced vibration afterward. Removing unnecessary, or unwanted items from the car would be your best bet for free power. No AC or smog, short belt, underdrive pulleys, take off the dog bone, lose the heavy insulation, etc. It's all a matter of how many creature comforts you're able to live without, and how noisy you're willing to allow the cabin to become.
bloopbloob
Member
as an owner of the march street vacuum, er um i mean ram air, i highly advise against this kit. i did notice a difference with my u/d pullies though, picked up a new polished aluminum set for about $70....
LiquidGT
Member
I running a set of ASP pulleys, I never had cooling issues with them, they were around $80 bucks. You could try an electric fan swap from a Taurus that would free up a couple of horses, but you would need a 3G alt to do it right.
ShortThrow50
Member
if i was u, i would just put a K and N filter in and be done with it. your not gonna actually FEEL any more power unless you do gears. those small cheap mods are only good if you go to the drag strip and your tryin to shave off a couple 10th's off you time
It is also good for a few miles per gallon and with gas at $4.00 per gallon we will need to squeeze whatever we can out of these V-8s.
People also need to realize that a mod that makes the engine more efficient will increase power, but it will also take less gas to make that power.
Mr. Rustypwnz
Advanced Member
free
Completely free mods:
Take out your plugs and make sure the gap on each one is correct, re-gap as needed.
Take a pocket knife and scratch the crap off each of the contacts on the underside of your distributor cap.
Check your tire pressure.
Take out your jack and spare tire.
Cheap mods:
Replace fuel filter
Replace plugs
Replace plug wires
Replace cap and rotor
Skip the snake oil march air kit you were looking at and get a K&N drop in and any cheap underdrive pulleys, use the savings to buy gas. The march air kit is a joke.
Not my business but if money is "tight/non-existant" (your words) is modding your car a good way to spend the money you don't have?
Completely free mods:
Take out your plugs and make sure the gap on each one is correct, re-gap as needed.
Take a pocket knife and scratch the crap off each of the contacts on the underside of your distributor cap.
Check your tire pressure.
Take out your jack and spare tire.
Cheap mods:
Replace fuel filter
Replace plugs
Replace plug wires
Replace cap and rotor
Skip the snake oil march air kit you were looking at and get a K&N drop in and any cheap underdrive pulleys, use the savings to buy gas. The march air kit is a joke.
Not my business but if money is "tight/non-existant" (your words) is modding your car a good way to spend the money you don't have?
ShortThrow50
Member
i hear ya buddy but i thought he was askin about powe upgrades. best advice i can give if you cant afford the fuel is to buy a 1500 dollar 4 cylinder beater. they pay for themselves within a couple months
Awesome guys!!! creature comforts are a must for me lol!!! Fuel here is $4.35 for 91 (checked on my way home at Shell) Gotta keep the A/C (just relpaced the evap. and heater core and all o-rings and re-charged with R-12, cause I have the correct liscence to buy it, and yes I put my machine on it first and it held twenty inches for thirty minutes before I charged it
). Going fast ins't a must...I've got a bracket car that I need to post pics and stats of (65 Galaxie that runs low 13's with a 289 and a single Holley 740 c.f.m. carb, and no power adders.) The 86 is my driver but, like most guys...it's never fast enough. I'm getting 16.7 m.p.g. avg and I almost never leave the city...gets 23 m.p.g. on the freeway. The diff was a fresh rebuild when I got the car a few months back, all new bearings, ring and pinion and the Trac-Loc had it's clutches replaced. (less than 8,000 on the diff and 6,000 on the Jasper T-5 and King Cobra clutch) I heard from some local guys today that the March air ram is great for picking up leaves and small rodents lol!!!! So I guess with my fuel milage and my ability to hang meat with the A/C on I should quit my bitching and enjoy driving my very reliable Fox Body huh? Anyway I paid 2k for the car cause it had "engine problems". Drove great just leaked coolant.......long story short.....one saturday....two pizzas, a 6 pack of "adult soda" a good friend and a new top end gasket set (with head bolts 'cause the culprit was a broken one on the drivers side) and she was good to go!!! 
). Going fast ins't a must...I've got a bracket car that I need to post pics and stats of (65 Galaxie that runs low 13's with a 289 and a single Holley 740 c.f.m. carb, and no power adders.) The 86 is my driver but, like most guys...it's never fast enough. I'm getting 16.7 m.p.g. avg and I almost never leave the city...gets 23 m.p.g. on the freeway. The diff was a fresh rebuild when I got the car a few months back, all new bearings, ring and pinion and the Trac-Loc had it's clutches replaced. (less than 8,000 on the diff and 6,000 on the Jasper T-5 and King Cobra clutch) I heard from some local guys today that the March air ram is great for picking up leaves and small rodents lol!!!! So I guess with my fuel milage and my ability to hang meat with the A/C on I should quit my bitching and enjoy driving my very reliable Fox Body huh? Anyway I paid 2k for the car cause it had "engine problems". Drove great just leaked coolant.......long story short.....one saturday....two pizzas, a 6 pack of "adult soda" a good friend and a new top end gasket set (with head bolts 'cause the culprit was a broken one on the drivers side) and she was good to go!!! take out the sound silencing material attached to the floor.
That should take a day or two and cost nothing . . .
if it isn't your daily driver, take off the heads/intake and port them. Would especially work well if you get a junkyard 87-93 intake like tmoss suggested.
Costs nothing but a lot of time if you already have the tools.
Also look into 1.7 rollers . . . I just sold a set for $80 on ebay
That should take a day or two and cost nothing . . .
if it isn't your daily driver, take off the heads/intake and port them. Would especially work well if you get a junkyard 87-93 intake like tmoss suggested.
Costs nothing but a lot of time if you already have the tools.
Also look into 1.7 rollers . . . I just sold a set for $80 on ebay
MCRParts.com
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If you want to pull times at the track on the cheap
Gears
cold air kit
tweak the timing
undo the sway bar (front)
ice the intake
if it runs warm 40 below will reduce radiator temps too.
Also electric fans are a PITA in the staging lanes.Been there done it.Do a DSO fan clutch on the stock 9 blade fan and shroud.
You'll run at 190 deg all day long,even with a blower. We have 3-4 foxes running around town up here with those police fan clutches they work awesome and are inexpensive at 109.00
Gears
cold air kit
tweak the timing
undo the sway bar (front)
ice the intake
if it runs warm 40 below will reduce radiator temps too.
Also electric fans are a PITA in the staging lanes.Been there done it.Do a DSO fan clutch on the stock 9 blade fan and shroud.
You'll run at 190 deg all day long,even with a blower. We have 3-4 foxes running around town up here with those police fan clutches they work awesome and are inexpensive at 109.00
Also electric fans are a PITA in the staging lanes.Been there done it.Do a DSO fan clutch on the stock 9 blade fan and shroud.
You'll run at 190 deg all day long,even with a blower. We have 3-4 foxes running around town up here with those police fan clutches they work awesome and are inexpensive at 109.00
uh, I guess . . .
my 2 speed taurus fan was $20 from pullapart.
It is never on when I am moving and stays on for 6-7 seconds and is off for a minute or so.
85Vertible
New Member
- Jun 1, 2007
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