Got $1,500 to spend

conrad61 · Jan 22, 2008

I have a bone stock 97 Mustang GT. The only thing after market is the flowmaster mufflers. I'm looking for the most horsepower for my buck. What do you think I should go with

Dragstr05 · Jan 22, 2008

If you could do a PI head swap for $1500 you'd be up 40+ HP right there.

If you arent gonna do the headswap, I would look at a midpipe, shifter (if 5spd), gears, tune/programmer, plenum and throttle body.

joshheat25 · Jan 22, 2008

If I were you I'd save up more money and buy a Blower and not waste your time. But if you really really want to spend it now.

1st thing is to get some gears either 3.73's or 4.10's depending on how much hwy driving you do. Then a hand held tuner. Don't waste your money on an intake. If you feel like installing headers yourself those and a midpipe would be good. But if you pay for someone else to install your probobly spending most of that 1500.

04YELLOWGT · Jan 22, 2008

I would do the PI swap if you got the cash if not do gears, tuner, and exhuast.

SVT32VDOHC · Jan 22, 2008

Head's cam's intake. I don't know if 1500 will get you all that, but if it doesn't save more! That is the foundation for more bolt ones. You will see more from the little bolt ons if you do this first.

98E9GT · Jan 22, 2008

What about just buying the PI cams and Intake, your out only roughly ten horsepower with swapping the heads over . Then I would get gears and a Tuner, K&N drop in filter & a Tri-Ax or MGW shifter if you haven't already. If there is any left i would put the rest for gas money

N8Dogg98 · Jan 22, 2008

5.4 swap j/k had to do it... Seriously though, if I could do it over again, I would have done the PI swap first. I've probably spent just as much money, if not more, on my mods and would get worked by a PI'd 96 - 98 GT. I am trying to get the funds together to do the PI swap soon, but owning a home and being married makes it really difficult to afford it.

Gearbanger 101 · Jan 22, 2008

joshheat25 said:
If I were you I'd save up more money and buy a Blower and not waste your time. But if you really really want to spend it now.

1st thing is to get some gears either 3.73's or 4.10's depending on how much hwy driving you do. Then a hand held tuner. Don't waste your money on an intake. If you feel like installing headers yourself those and a midpipe would be good. But if you pay for someone else to install your probobly spending most of that 1500.

How do you figure the intake is a waste of money. Probably the most bang for the buck mod on an early 4.6L engine there is. Where else can you pick up 30+hp for around $200? If anything, I'd say the headers are the biggest waste of time and money in that equation. You'll gain next to "zero" horsepower on a NPI engine with headers and mid pipe alone! The exhaust ain’t coming out any faster if you're not getting the air in there to begin with!

If it were my money, I'd do a PI intake/Cam/Tune/Gear swap all in one shot, then start saving again and go with the a Centrifugal style blower next.

deftsound · Jan 22, 2008

Gearbanger 101 said:
How do you figure the intake is a waste of money. Probably the most bang for the buck mod on an early 4.6L engine there is. Where else can you pick up 30+hp for around $200? If anything, I'd say the headers are the biggest waste of time and money in that equation. You'll gain next to "zero" horsepower on a NPI engine with headers and mid pipe alone! The exhaust ain’t coming out any faster if you're not getting the air in there to begin with!

If it were my money, I'd do a PI intake/Cam/Tune/Gear swap all in one shot, then start saving again and go with the a Centrifugal style blower next.

i think he meant a cold air intake

fobra559 · Jan 22, 2008

PI Swap. That's the weak link in your engine. It will put you up to par with at least the stock 99-04 gt's.

forum155pl · Jan 22, 2008

i did my PI swap with all new parts from jegs.com for a few dollers under a grand.. thats not including the oil, coolant and beer..

Mustang5L5 · Jan 22, 2008

PI swap with 4.10's and a shifter

CobraRed_96_GT · Jan 22, 2008

I assembled:

174/154cfm PI heads (bronze guides) w/ 1 year warranty
Comp Cam beehive springs
NEW CMS (VT) cams
New PI intake manifold
FRPP head changing kit
1 - TUBE ASY- HEATER WAT
1 - Thermostat, f150, w/supercharger - f150 1997-03, heritage 2004 (4.6l, 5.4l) 1999 180 degree
1 - HOSE ASSEMBLY-HEATER
1 - BRKT-ALT SUPT
1 - Valve cover gasket, mustang, left - 4.6l sohc 1996 - 1998
1 - Valve cover gasket, mustang, right - 4.6l sohc 1996 - 1998
2 - Manifold gasket, all models, sohc 2003 - 2004
8 - AWSF-12C's

all for about $1534 w/out shipping. And that's with new cams that alone are over 500 and other non essential goodies - of course a SCT X-cal II and some dyno time adds another 500 though.

IMO, and it's been said before, blowing a NPI GT is like forcing air through a straw.
And ive heard 10rwhp from heads too, but how can a better flowing head plus more compression = 10hp? might be 10 or around there on a stock GT, but i've seen much higher numbers from full pi swap'd cars w/ bolt ons than no heads and every other bolt on.

04YELLOWGT · Jan 22, 2008

Take into consideration too that the PI heads will help if/when you do a blower.

CobraRed_96_GT · Jan 22, 2008

04YELLOWGT said:
Take into consideration too that the PI heads will help if/when you do a blower.

my point exactly. So if you want it fast n/a, go PI swap - if you want it fast forced induction, go PI swap. Although when at 10.3-10.5:1 compression you'd better run 5-7psi intercooled or build the bottom end.

the98stang · Jan 22, 2008

conrad61 said:
the most horsepower for my buck.

1. nitrous kit and gears
OR
2. save $500 more and buy a used supercharger kit

04YELLOWGT · Jan 22, 2008

the98stang said:
1. nitrous kit and gears
OR
2. save $500 more and buy a used supercharger kit

You have to remeber he has the NPI setup so the gains wont be near as big as a PI with a blower

Gearbanger 101 · Jan 22, 2008

04YELLOWGT said:
Take into consideration too that the PI heads will help if/when you do a blower.

Mehh, not tremendously. A lot of blown NPI guys prefer the NPI castings for the power adder because of the combustion chamber design and the fact that the PI heads really don't flow that much better by comparison. Just swapping out the intake and adding PI cams will put you just about on par with a '99-up GT.

The PI heads might help a little on a lower boost application, since the added compression might pick things up on the torque end a little, but that 10.4:1 compression you gain works against you when you start turning up the wick on the blower. For what you gain in added flow, you lose two fold in reduced timing.

bluestreak_96gt · Jan 24, 2008

Gearbanger 101 said:
How do you figure the intake is a waste of money. Probably the most bang for the buck mod on an early 4.6L engine there is. Where else can you pick up 30+hp for around $200? If anything, I'd say the headers are the biggest waste of time and money in that equation. You'll gain next to "zero" horsepower on a NPI engine with headers and mid pipe alone! The exhaust ain’t coming out any faster if you're not getting the air in there to begin with!

If it were my money, I'd do a PI intake/Cam/Tune/Gear swap all in one shot, then start saving again and go with the a Centrifugal style blower next.

Listen To this Guy here! Knowing what I know now, I'd do exactly how he listed it. PI intake/Cam/Tune/Gear swap. Because you can't supercharge/ turbocharge after the PI swap due to the compression being 10.5: 1 Then after those mods save money then SC/TC it.

04YELLOWGT · Jan 24, 2008

bluestreak_96gt said:
Listen To this Guy here! Knowing what I know now, I'd do exactly how he listed it. PI intake/Cam/Tune/Gear swap. Because you can't supercharge/ turbocharge after the PI swap due to the compression being 10.5: 1 Then after those mods save money then SC/TC it.

Its not that you cant add a supercharger its you cant run as much boost on stock bottom end.

Got $1,500 to spend

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waiting for the next hack atta

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Please ask me how much my supercharger cost

At least it's more erect and not floppy anymore.

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That is…until I whipped out my Bissell

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