Mustang modifications! Need Opinions!!

[AnthonyR23]

I have a 88 mustang gt convertible.. My car is pretty much stock other than a few things that I have just purchased and I am in the process of installing. I got new polyurethane motor mounts, bbk equal length headers, underdrive pulleys, I also got a kit to move the battery to the trunk.. and I got a a/c eliminator kit.. a new 130 3g alternator and a mark 8 electric fan. I currently have a 180 degree thermostate. I am going to purchase and install a 3 row aluminum radiator at the same time as I install the fan. What I would like to know is can I and should I be running a 160 degree thermostate. I have heard the reason I shouldn't in normal circumstances is because it will force the fluid to cycle to often and won't give it enought time to actually cool off in the rad..... that is the biggest problem.. but with a 3 row rad and this mark 8 fan which is said to be one of the most powerful fans with the option to run it at high or low. I intend on having it on high (I think 4500 cfm) which is great and I am going to wire it so it runs all the time when I turn the ignition on. The reason I went with the larger alternator is because I heard it is pretty much neccessary with underdrive pulleys, electric fan, etc. Any opinions about that? My next modifications other than the new rad are going to be a mac prochamber, a cold air system to replace the factory intake box (silencer already removed) a short throw shifter, 4.10 gears (manual trans), and a chassis stiffening kit. I also am giving it a new paint job and installing a new convertible top and weatherstripping. That's pretty much all I can afford this year!! Any thoughts about the thermostate?? (still speed density system not mass air)

 

[whtpny]

I would not go with the 160 thermostat as it will not let the car get into the proper loop for the fuel mapping and probably put too much fuel in. Chassis stiffening is a must with a vert. Take the time and set up the fan to come on when the temp requires it or at least switched in the car so you can control it. Sounds like you have a good plan and these guys here know there stuff.

 

[superhuaman]

Don't use a 160 degree thermostat or a 180, use a 195 like the engine is designed to run with.

The 3 row rad and the mark 8 fan are good. I wouldnt bother with the underdrive pulleys though. the very very slight power gain is offset by the marked decrease in cooling and charging.

Don't wire the fan to run all the time when the ignition is on. Use a fan controller module, or at the very least, a 180 degree temp switch through the core of the radiator. Always wire up a fan with a relay.

Don't bother with equal length headers, they dont really flow any better than unmatched tubes.

Poly motor mounts are great. Don't forget the trans mount.

130 amp 3g alt is good, 6g is even better...but theres nothing wrong with the 3g.

And finally, don't use 4:10 gears. Use 3.55's or 3.73's. Your car is stock right now and you can't take advantage of those gears. The rule of thumb is: Street car, 3.55 for manual, 3.73 for auto. Strip car, 3.73 for manual, 4.10 for auto. So I would recommend 3.55's would hold you for quite a long time.

 

[superhuaman]

oh i almost forgot, shifter and cold air intake are good too. shifter = especially good with the gears hehehehehe

 

[AnthonyR23]

ok I'll stick with the 180.. thanks

 

[HISSIN50]

Your mod list sounds excellent!

With the alt, the larger capacity should charge better at idle, and it certainly will replenish more quickly if it does discharge at idle. You can also OD the alternator if needed.

For the stat, 160's were quite in favor with the SD crowd back in the day.
However, you're cooling system sounds robust, especially for this time of year. I'd get a quality 180* stat (get a performance unit - I use Mr Gasket. It's an excellent way to spend an extra couple dollars over parts-store crap stats). If a 180 won't allow the car to stay at a decent temp, there's another issue that needs addressing.

Good luck with all the projects - post up picks and stuff as you go along.

 

[AnthonyR23]

hey thanks for all the replies.. we just built a big garage and I park the car every winter, this year I am just able to work on it rather than having it tarped up!! I initially just started with the equal length header install.. I had a hole in my old headers on the right side. I got the passenger side installed but it is a little to close to the frame so that's why I ordered the motor mounts (I read that it allows for a little more clearance!!) I would go with long tubes but with emissions rules here that wasn't an option.. Got the ceramic coated bbk equals.. anyways on the driver side just removed the steering shaft that was getting in my way and I have got them to fit. But I am not mounting them till the motor mounts are done and I think it will be smart to life the header up in place but keep it loose while I put the steering shaft back on that way I have a bit more play around the header. Its a little tight!! Anyways though we just purchased a 60 gallon air compressor so that should help me loosen the stubborn motor mount nut. I have always wanted to move the battery to the trunk so I went ahead and got the kit.. and while I was at it I got the underdrive pulleys.. I have heard the concept of why people go with underdrive pulleys the only problem I have read is about the alternator.. I am sure that the new 130 3g alternator will be more than enough!!! So I am sticking with the underdrive pulleys!!! So I have removed the rad, the rad fan and clutch and the unneeded shaft. I have both the crank and waterpump pulley installed now! I haven't been having any major cooling problems I just have always wanted to go with the electric fan, which I have heard is easier on the engine and free's up a couple of extra horse power. I also took of the compressor and the a/c cooler out and relocated the power steering pump where the compressor used to be. So that has probably helped with the front end weight issue along with the battery. I realize these little things alone don't make huge differences but all the little things do add up. The reason I went with the mark 8 fan was just because of the research about fans I have been doing and I got it for about 50 bucks on ebay. which is much cheaper than other places I have looked. I think with the larger 3 row rad that will help things too. I only drive during the summer so I don't drive during cold weather thats why I was planning on having it run all the time.. Alot of people go for the things that make the biggest difference but I prefer doing the small little things first. I personally would like to upgrade the suspension and brakes and obviously chassis stiffening before increasing horsepower by greater means! heads, cam, intake, blower!

 

[superhuaman]

you dont want the fan to run all the time, it wont let the engine warm up, since it pulls a lot more air than the stock fan.

 

[jrichker]

Some help for the rear mounted battery...

Rear mounted battery ground wiring. Follow this plan and you will have zero
ground problems.

One 1 gauge or 1/0 gauge wire from battery negative post to a clean shiny spot
on the chassis near the battery. Use a 5/16” bolt and bolt it down to make the
rear ground. Use a 1 gauge or 1/0 gauge wire from the rear ground bolt to a clean
shiny spot on the block.

One 4 gauge wire from the block where you connected the battery ground wire to
the chassis ground where the battery was mounted up front. Use a 5/16” bolt
and bolt down the 4 gauge engine to chassis ground, make sure that it the metal
around the bolt is clean & shiny. This is the alternator power ground.

The computer has a dedicated power ground wire with a cylindrical quick connect
(about 2 ½”long by 1” diameter. It comes out of the wiring harness near the
ignition coil & starter solenoid (or relay). Be sure to bolt it to the chassis ground
in the same place as you bolted the alternator power ground. This is an
absolute don’t overlook it item for EFI cars

Picture courtesy timewarped1972

Crimp or even better, solder the lugs on the all the wire. The local auto stereo
shop will have them if the auto parts store doesn't. Use some heat shrink tubing
to cover the lugs and make things look nice.

For a battery cut off switch, see
http://www.moroso.com/catalog/categorydisplay.asp?catcode=42225 is the switch
http://www.moroso.com/catalog/images/74102_inst.pdf
Use the super duty switch and the following tech note to wire it and you
will be good to go.

Use the Moroso plan for the alternator wiring and you risk a fire.
The 10 gauge wire they recommend is even less adequate that
the stock Mustang wiring.

There is a solution, but it will require about 40' of 18 gauge green wire.

Wire the battery to the two 1/4" posts as shown in the diagram.

The alternator requires a different approach. On the small alternator plug
there is a green wire. On the diagram it is #904, lt green/red wire that connects
to the alternator and dash light. It is the sense lead that turns the regulator on
when the ignition switch is in the run position. Cut the green wire and solder the
40' of green wire between the two pieces. Use some heat shrink to cover the
splices. See http://fordfuelinjection.com/?p=7 for some excellent
help on soldering & using heat shrink tubing.

Run the green wire back to the Moroso switch and cut off the excess wire.
Try to run the green wire inside the car and protect it from getting cut or
chaffed. Crimp a 18 gauge ring terminal (red is 18 gauge color code for the crimp
on terminals) on each wire. Bolt one ring terminal to each of the 3/16" studs.
Do not add the jumper between the 1/4" stud and the 3/16" stud as shown it the
Moroso diagram.

How it works:
The green/red wire is the ignition on sense feed to the regulator. It supplies
power to the regulator when the ignition switch is in the run position. Turn
the Moroso switch to off, and the sense voltage goes away, the voltage
regulator shuts off and the alternator quits making power.

See the following website for some help from Tmoss (diagram designer) &
Stang&2Birds (website host) for help on 88-90 wiring and lots more…

http://www.veryuseful.com/mustang/tech/engine/images/IgnitionSwitchWiring.gif

http://www.veryuseful.com/mustang/tech/engine/images/fuel-alt-links-ign-ac.gif

http://www.veryuseful.com/mustang/tech/engine/images/88-91eecPinout.gif

Diagram courtesy of Tmoss and Stang&2birds.