cheap performance directions please
- Thread starter chriscash
- Start date
Welcome.
Use the search bar or flip through the talk section, there's a few recent threads asking the same question
Use the search bar or flip through the talk section, there's a few recent threads asking the same question
87GT Drop Top
Member
Welcome.
Remove the air silencer in the fender, behind the air box. Get a K&N air filter. Advance the timing to 14*.
Remove the air silencer in the fender, behind the air box. Get a K&N air filter. Advance the timing to 14*.
Celeb
20+ Year Stangneter 
Toss some gears in it. While it won't give you any more power on paper, it will help add some grunt to the butt dyno. 
bmo37
Founding Member
There's only so much you can do for freebie mods which have already been stated pretty much. I'll list a few mods most people take in a price order.
Freebies
silencer removal - free
advance timing - free
Beginner Mods
k&n panel filter - $15
under drive pulleys - $75-150
battery relocation kit - $200
cat back exhaust kit - $200-600
mid pipe (x,h,box) - $120-400
header pipes - $150-300
maf sensor - $200-400
throttle body - $200-300
Moderate to Advanced
Camshaft - $150-250
Rocker Arms - $200-300
Upper and Lower Intake - $300-800
Heads - $1000-2000
Stroker Kits - $1200-1600
Supercharger kit - $1800-3500
Turbo Kit - $2000-4000
Best Bang for your buck
rear end gear swap - $180 for gears and $200 for shop install
There are tons more mods from fuel addons to cooling upgrades, electrical upgrades and weight savings, not to mention driveabiltly mods but pretty much I listed the most common ones I could think of and usually the order most people attempt them. As you go further down the list the cost is usually higher and takes more technical knoweldge to do yourself.
Good luck
Freebies
silencer removal - free
advance timing - free
Beginner Mods
k&n panel filter - $15
under drive pulleys - $75-150
battery relocation kit - $200
cat back exhaust kit - $200-600
mid pipe (x,h,box) - $120-400
header pipes - $150-300
maf sensor - $200-400
throttle body - $200-300
Moderate to Advanced
Camshaft - $150-250
Rocker Arms - $200-300
Upper and Lower Intake - $300-800
Heads - $1000-2000
Stroker Kits - $1200-1600
Supercharger kit - $1800-3500
Turbo Kit - $2000-4000
Best Bang for your buck
rear end gear swap - $180 for gears and $200 for shop install
There are tons more mods from fuel addons to cooling upgrades, electrical upgrades and weight savings, not to mention driveabiltly mods but pretty much I listed the most common ones I could think of and usually the order most people attempt them. As you go further down the list the cost is usually higher and takes more technical knoweldge to do yourself.
Good luck
On a budget? do the junkyard upgrade...
Gears - 87-88 T-Bird Turbo Coupe rear axle - 10.5" vented disc brakes and 3.55 or 3.73 gears in one package for $125-$300. Uses the stock 4 bolt lug pattern, 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 or if you have an electric fan. You’ll need a 4 gauge power wire and a 125-135 amp fuse to go with it - about $25- $50 for the wire, fuse holder and fuse.
Lincoln MK VIII electric fan -$40-$160. Free up some HP by not having to drive the stock fan. The 3G alternator upgrade is a must have prerequisite before you do the MK VIII fan. You won’t have enough electrical power if you don’t do the 3G upgrade.
Aluminum driveshaft: (courtesy of shawn13) It needs to be from a 92-95 AeroStar AWD or Electric 4 wheel drive. It measures 45 ½” center of the front U-joint to center of the rear U-joint. You will need the U-joint, part #PUJ353 from NAPA. The Canadian NAPA pat number is 1-0134BF. It should bolt right up after the U-joint swap.
bhuff30b’s input: However, no information was given for the 96-97 AWD aerostar driveshaft. I picked up one of these this weekend, for about 20$ from the local scrap yard. It already has the proper 27/28 spline yoke and needs no modification to install on a mustang. Also, the ends are securely welded on, as opposed to previous driveshafts which were pressed on. I'm not sure if the 92-95 driveshaft is pressed or welded though.
Note: This driveshaft is not an exact duplicate of the Ford Racing part. It is 3” in diameter while the Ford Racing part is 3.5” in diameter.
*1.) Metal flange adapter Kurtz Kustomz Motorsports, Inc. KKM Buy the TR70 for $44.95. Or spend some time on eBay looking for one that may fit.
Try AutoZone and ask for 81413 - Spectre / 3 in. Aluminum Intake Mass Air Flow Sensor Adapter at $12.00. You may have to order it online.
*2.) MAF & sensor interchange
The 94-95 Mustang 5.0 MAF & sensor is also found on:
1994-95 Mustang 3.8L F2VF-12B579-A2A,
1992-94 Crown Victoria 4.6L F2VF-12B579-A2A,
1994-95 Mustang, Mustang Cobra 5.0L F2VF-12B579-A2A,
1992-94 Town Car 4.6L F2VF-12B579-A2A,
1992-94 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.
Gears - 87-88 T-Bird Turbo Coupe rear axle - 10.5" vented disc brakes and 3.55 or 3.73 gears in one package for $125-$300. Uses the stock 4 bolt lug pattern, 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 or if you have an electric fan. You’ll need a 4 gauge power wire and a 125-135 amp fuse to go with it - about $25- $50 for the wire, fuse holder and fuse.
Lincoln MK VIII electric fan -$40-$160. Free up some HP by not having to drive the stock fan. The 3G alternator upgrade is a must have prerequisite before you do the MK VIII fan. You won’t have enough electrical power if you don’t do the 3G upgrade.
Aluminum driveshaft: (courtesy of shawn13) It needs to be from a 92-95 AeroStar AWD or Electric 4 wheel drive. It measures 45 ½” center of the front U-joint to center of the rear U-joint. You will need the U-joint, part #PUJ353 from NAPA. The Canadian NAPA pat number is 1-0134BF. It should bolt right up after the U-joint swap.
bhuff30b’s input: However, no information was given for the 96-97 AWD aerostar driveshaft. I picked up one of these this weekend, for about 20$ from the local scrap yard. It already has the proper 27/28 spline yoke and needs no modification to install on a mustang. Also, the ends are securely welded on, as opposed to previous driveshafts which were pressed on. I'm not sure if the 92-95 driveshaft is pressed or welded though.
Note: This driveshaft is not an exact duplicate of the Ford Racing part. It is 3” in diameter while the Ford Racing part is 3.5” in diameter.
*1.) Metal flange adapter Kurtz Kustomz Motorsports, Inc. KKM Buy the TR70 for $44.95. Or spend some time on eBay looking for one that may fit.
Try AutoZone and ask for 81413 - Spectre / 3 in. Aluminum Intake Mass Air Flow Sensor Adapter at $12.00. You may have to order it online.
*2.) MAF & sensor interchange
The 94-95 Mustang 5.0 MAF & sensor is also found on:
1994-95 Mustang 3.8L F2VF-12B579-A2A,
1992-94 Crown Victoria 4.6L F2VF-12B579-A2A,
1994-95 Mustang, Mustang Cobra 5.0L F2VF-12B579-A2A,
1992-94 Town Car 4.6L F2VF-12B579-A2A,
1992-94 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.
striker911
Member
3G alternator from 94-95 Mustangs or other Ford. $20-$120. A must have to make the electrical system work like it should or if you have an electric fan. You’ll need a 4 gauge power wire and a 125-135 amp fuse to go with it - about $25- $50 for the wire, fuse holder and fuse.
[/QUOTE] Very good info jrichker. I guess the $20 price tag would be the junk yard deal? like going to the junk yard and pulling the wires and alt? I have a 86 GT. Its had a electric fan on it for like 6 years and its been fine so far. Anyways so I had the 95 3.8 stang too and wish I would have known about the mass air, alt and wiring before I sold it. Never fails when I get rid of something Its needed right after.
One more thing. I am guessing that the alt is identifiable with the number (3G) that you gave? I needed one for my 95 and just looked for a 3.8 in a t-bird or cougar.
Oh ya the wires needed are not just from the alt to the battery (+) and battery to the block (-)? Will the other wires be fine with a bigger fuse? Thanks for clarifying.
[/QUOTE] Very good info jrichker. I guess the $20 price tag would be the junk yard deal? like going to the junk yard and pulling the wires and alt? I have a 86 GT. Its had a electric fan on it for like 6 years and its been fine so far. Anyways so I had the 95 3.8 stang too and wish I would have known about the mass air, alt and wiring before I sold it. Never fails when I get rid of something Its needed right after.
One more thing. I am guessing that the alt is identifiable with the number (3G) that you gave? I needed one for my 95 and just looked for a 3.8 in a t-bird or cougar.
Oh ya the wires needed are not just from the alt to the battery (+) and battery to the block (-)? Will the other wires be fine with a bigger fuse? Thanks for clarifying.
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