My Mustang is screwed up!

[The Green GT]

I think losing top speed is a bit of a myth about gears. I was able to run to 140 mph (GPS verified) with 4:10's. Somehow I don't think the car would go much faster if I had the original 3:27's still in. What I believe happens to maintain the same top speed is that the taller gears enable you to run to a higher engine rpm than you could with shorter gears. For example, the AOD-E in 4th and at 5000 rpm your speed will be 138 mph whereas if you had 3:27's and were able to reach 5000 rpm your speed would be 173 mph, not very likely. You would reach the 138 mph though at 4000 rpm and at 4500 rpm your speed would be 156 mph if you could get the engine speed to that level.

I dont see how it could be a myth. I mean, thats what they do. Maybe they allow you to get to a tops speed that you couldnt get to with stock gears because of the distance you had to have to get it. But you redline sooner in 5th with higher gears. You cannot go as fast. And when I say top speed, Im more talking about the speed that the gears can take with the motor redlining. Im not taking HP, aerodynamics, ****ty Mustang suspension, etc into effect.


All I know is that I hit ~145 on the speedo with my stock 2.73's, and it winds out WAY too much with my 3.73's to try it again.

 

[El Horsepower]

Another question, I don't have the biggest budget, so what would you recommend I upgrade first with regards to getting the best bang for the buck? I am assuming upgrading the brakes first would be a good idea. Then what?

 

[The Green GT]

Another question, I don't have the biggest budget, so what would you recommend I upgrade first with regards to getting the best bang for the buck? I am assuming upgrading the brakes first would be a good idea. Then what?

Best bang for the buck

Gears

PERIOD.

I waited a while to do mine, and I was mad I waited so long when I got them.

This is pretty much the order I did stuff.

Headlights (NEVER get one piece projectors FYI )

Wheels and tires

Springs

Gears

C/C plates

New headlights (because the first ones I got were crap.


I did my gears myself, but i had some very knowledgeable people helping. It was around $330 for the gears, install kit, and the traction lock rebuild kit. Which is all you will need besides 3 qts of oil.

Installs usually run around $300 but if you know people you can get it done cheaper.

 

[juiced_94gt]

GEARS FIRST!!!!!!!

 

[xr8d302]

100% agree with Eric on the gears answer.

Trust us, you'll be thankful.

Brakes will be an expensive, but reasonable purchase. That's something I have to start aiming for in the next year as well.

Springs will make you feel ten times better about driving your car, guaranteed...and they aren't that expensive to buy. Eibach and H&R make some pretty decently priced, and durable lowering kits.

Wheels and Tires, search forum classifieds for a good deal, you'll be sure to find something.

Looks like you've already started working on the exhaust, and with no emissions testing in your area...go catless - less expensive, and lots of good sound to it. Just don't move to California any time soon afterwords

For power, look for a wrecked 5.0 explorer and rape it. The heads, cam, and intake out of the explorer are significantly more powerful peices than the mustang versions. Hell, if you can get the whole block...take it.

Hope that helps

 

[El Horsepower]

100% agree with Eric on the gears answer.

Trust us, you'll be thankful.

Brakes will be an expensive, but reasonable purchase. That's something I have to start aiming for in the next year as well.

Springs will make you feel ten times better about driving your car, guaranteed...and they aren't that expensive to buy. Eibach and H&R make some pretty decently priced, and durable lowering kits.

Wheels and Tires, search forum classifieds for a good deal, you'll be sure to find something.

Looks like you've already started working on the exhaust, and with no emissions testing in your area...go catless - less expensive, and lots of good sound to it. Just don't move to California any time soon afterwords

For power, look for a wrecked 5.0 explorer and rape it. The heads, cam, and intake out of the explorer are significantly more powerful peices than the mustang versions. Hell, if you can get the whole block...take it.

Hope that helps

Wait, all the parts from an explorer are compatible?

 

[xr8d302]

Wait, all the parts from an explorer are compatible?

I can't go on and say ALL parts are, but the block, and all the components that make an engine do it's thing are interchangeable (heads, cam, intake)

I can pretty much guarantee there's differences there, but I'll let somebody who's actually got an explorer block answer that part of the question...anybody?

What I'm sure of, is that the h/c/i are all GT40 parts and will give a lot more breathing space for your car if all 3 are swapped in

 

[Bosko5.0]

WOW you guys are swamping him with info!

Where are you located?
Are emissions a factor?

Do brakes FIRST! there is a big difference in stock and cobra brakes!

 

[gcomfx.com]

I would post. But I think his budget is blown now.

GEARS....

 

[El Horsepower]

WOW you guys are swamping him with info!

Where are you located?
Are emissions a factor?

Do brakes FIRST! there is a big difference in stock and cobra brakes!

I'm in Columbus, OH and I'm pretty sure emissions aren't a factor

 

[The Green GT]

Id check your local laws first. Unless you want to have to swap your stock H back in when you have to get an e-check.

 

[The Green GT]

Mandatory in Seven Counties
Currently, E-Check only affects residents of seven of the state's 88 counties. At least until 2008, if you live in Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, Lorain, Medina, Portage, or Summit counties―and if you own a vehicle―you will need to have its emission system checked before you renew your registration.

(After 2008? We'll have to wait and see.)

Even if you do live in one of the seven counties, however, there are some exceptions that will permit you to skip the testing:

* Your vehicle is brand-new (new vehicles are exempt for the first four years from manufacture date)

* Your vehicle weighs more than 10,000 pounds (anybody have a big scale?)

Additionally, if you recently purchased a used car (model year 2001 or earlier), you may bypass the test if the seller gave you a valid E-Check compliance certificate. The certificates are valid for one year from the date of issue.



Just make sure you dont live in those counties. And you will be safe.

For now.

 

[Pokageek]

Ok, so glad you are being safe about it..no more speeches from me lol. As to gears taking away top speeds...my 3.90's blew through 135 no prob (on a closed course of course), it just tops out in 5th instead.

With the 5.0 engine gears are a must if you want to go fast or quick. 3.73's are ideal but without beefing up rear end traction you will spin so u have to upgrade that and it will fly. The other mod that made a huge impact on my car acceleration was getting rid of the stock cats. You don't need to go no cats, just get good high flow cats (2 not 4) unless you dont mind the stink and the decibels.

Headers without heads and cai last time I'll say is a waste of $$.

 

[El Horsepower]

Yeah, we don't have testing here so I'm all good without cats. Another question, kind of dumb. I replaced the spark plugs recently and then all kinds of crazy happened. If you are facing the engine from the front of the car, all of the spark plugs boot on the right melted and the caps on the end of the spark plugs seem to have screwed off all but the front one . The back two on the left did the same thing. The only two reasons I can think of are that I gapped them improperly or because I failed to use dielectric grease in the boots? I gapped them to .055" like the hayes manual said but the guy at jegs told me .045"? Who is right? Also, I uncrewed most of the sparkplugs but I ran out of light and didnt have time to put in new ones. Is it bad to leave them open like that? Also, I bought an autolite professioanl spark plug wire kit, but it comes with 10 wires. One of them doesn't look like the other at all and then 9 wires? What am I supposed to do? You guys have no idea how much I appreciate the help!:SNSign: RULES

 

[The Green GT]

As far as the wire boots melting, they probably we touching a header. You gotta watch for that.

 

[gcomfx.com]

The extras are usually coil wires. Some coils are close to the dizzy, others are not.

I would not leave your spark plug holes open. You can put a piece of tape over them if you have to.

As far as the plugs breaking up like that. You could have cracked them when you put them in and not realized it. Make sure your plug socket has the rubber piece in it to cushion the top of the spark plug.

Also on gap, it won't hurt the car to the close up the gap a little. With a power adder this is a common thing so you don't melt the eletrode off when it gets hot in the combustion chamber. I personally run mine at .035 because I have nitrous on the car. But I obviously don't spray it all the time, so the car runs N/A a lot and it runs fine.