Mod Decision Time

[85MustGT]

I will have about a grand to spend next month!

I need to make a decision on mods...
I will get a Speed-Cal and MSD wires first, then I have to decide among the following...

A. Rims & Tires
B. Subframes
C. Pulleys
D. CAI/Heater Pypass/thermostat
E. Cat Back System
F. High Flow Cats

A. Rims & Tires - I have the 16" Pony rims and will need tires soon, I would settle for some used 18" Bullet rims with tires that have decent tread. There are many cool rims/tires for sale

B. Subframes - Would have to decide on full length or standard

C. Pulleys - A cheap mod for 100.00

D. CAI/Heater Pypass/thermostat - Many say this did not do anything for them. I have also read that the 4.6 runs better when cool so if you had a CAI, bypassed the intake so the hot coolant will not run thru it and 160 thermostat?

E. Cat Back System - How much would this help?

F. High Flow Cats - Not much power for 98 and up I hear


I only have 45,000 miles and do not want to do the PI headswap/Intake yet until I have at least decent rims and tires and subframes. If I were to find a good price on a used set maybe. I think as the 99+ cars get older the PI heads will be cheaper and more plentiful.

 

[bdcardinal]

a. good idea
b. another viable option
c. cheap is good
d. not worth it,
e. a few hp
f. illegal in CA

get the heads and intake off of ebay.

 

[sarges_heroes20]

a & b are good. c will also be good for some powa. As far as a cold air kit, K&N has a good one. i saw another one for mustangs in a mag once, it included a bigger air box, k&n air filter, and plastic tubing. It also had a sticker withit that u could put on the lid if u want, it was carbon fiber look a like.
basani has the hyest flow cats that i know of, they have been tested against strait pipes and did a little better that those, so why not be legal??

 

[bdcardinal]

they are not CARB approved. so even if they shoot low numbers out the tailpipe, the car will fail emissions. the only CARB approved aftermarket cat so far is the magnaflow specific one and there is a list of criteria that must be met in order to use them. i work for a smog ref so we have to know whats legal, helps that the ref i work for is a mustang freak.

 

[sarges_heroes20]

didn't know that, thanks gues basani needs to get on that!

 

[bdcardinal]

well up until now the only legal cats on 96+ cars in CA are the OEM cats. also to get aftermarket cats put on a 96+ car here you must have proof that your stock cats are defective and that you are out of the state required 8year 80,000 mile emissions warrenty period.