Need help choosing mods....

90STANGPONY

New Member

Feb 16, 2008

6

0

0

Apr 20, 2008

#1

• Apr 20, 2008

• #1

Well I talked with my wife and she finally gave me the go ahead for doing some beginning mods. I should probably have some cash ready in about the middle of July or so. I am looking at about $1200-$1400 to start. I am also going to buy tires at the same time. So on that note, I know that Dave has heard my car along with a few others and the first things I think I need to do are; lifters, roller rocker arms, upper and lower intake, push rods and the seals to stop the leaks. If cash permits then i am also looking at a set of headers and doing the shifter kit. Let me know what you guys think. Also If I could borrow some people for wrench time that would be great. I can trade time with you if you want. Thanks in advance.

 

M

mikevm78

Member

Jul 2, 2007

50

0

6

Arlington,WA

Apr 20, 2008

#2

• Apr 20, 2008

• #2

what mods are on the car right now? and i assume its and auto correct?

 

LordMustangGT

Member

Jan 9, 2006

118

0

17

Port Orchard, WA

Apr 20, 2008

#3

• Apr 20, 2008

• #3

Exhaust is one of the first things you should do to those things. You have a cat back which is better, but a set of long tubes and an O/R H pipe will make a huge difference. Also if you're going in that deep, look for a cheap low buck cam, like FMS line up. I had an F-303 with all stock vavle train and I could se a huge difference, "also did all my exhuast upgrades at the same time." get rid of that manual fan, save you a few HP. All in all, if you save a few more bucks and just get a whole HCI kit!!! that would be an awesome route to start you off too.

A set of 3.73's for t-5 or 4.10's for auto's will wake them up too.

 

M

mikevm78

Member

Jul 2, 2007

50

0

6

Arlington,WA

Apr 20, 2008

#4

• Apr 20, 2008

• #4

+1 on the cam. Might as well while your in there with the intake and valve covers off doing push rods and lifters.

 

wythors

Get off my lawn!!!

Founding Member

May 17, 2000

2,277

35

69

C Addle

Apr 20, 2008

#5

• Apr 20, 2008

• #5

Long tubes will kill the bottom end on a stock engine. Shorties are a much better choice in this case.

My recommendation for the first mod would be a set of 3.73 gears. Of all the stuff I've done to my car, gears were the biggest bang for the bucks spent and I wish I did them years before I did.

 

Steel Steeds

New Member

Aug 31, 2005

234

1

0

Portland, OR

Apr 21, 2008

#6

• Apr 21, 2008

• #6

You can't change lifters without changing the cam too. Or, at least you SHOULDN'T do it. Can damage the lobes. Cams are relatively cheap, do it while you're in there!

 

90STANGPONY

New Member

Feb 16, 2008

6

0

0

Apr 21, 2008

#7

• Apr 21, 2008

• #7

wythors said:

Long tubes will kill the bottom end on a stock engine. Shorties are a much better choice in this case.

My recommendation for the first mod would be a set of 3.73 gears. Of all the stuff I've done to my car, gears were the biggest bang for the bucks spent and I wish I did them years before I did.

Click to expand...

You heard that nasty lifter or rocker arm tap I have. Thats why im checking into doing more of the top end work and then the headers. Do you think that might work for now? Im really trying to keep the car on the road until I can afford to put it down for a little while. I figure the work should be a good weekend worth of work.

 

S351Saleen77

Member

Jun 27, 2002

423

0

16

Washington

Apr 22, 2008

#8

• Apr 22, 2008

• #8

You have a roller lifters so it won't damage the cam changing the lifters. I have used the same low mile lifters on different cams. Thats what's so nice about roller lifters you don't have to replace them on cam swaps!!

 

Bullitt347

I have been doing it wrong this whole time

15 Year Member

Mar 23, 2007

3,975

2,958

194

Middle of Maine

Apr 22, 2008

#9

• Apr 22, 2008

• #9

Do not forget about underdrive pullys, also a low buck 5-8 h.p. at the tires. For the $ the rear gears will give the best e.t. improvement. With a Auto Trans, I like to go with 4.10:1, still not to bad with the O.D. at highway speeds. I think about 2,300 rpm at 70 mph depending on tire size.

 

90STANGPONY

New Member

Feb 16, 2008

6

0

0

Apr 23, 2008

#10

• Apr 23, 2008

• #10

So heres the next question then. I currently have either a lifter or rocker arm tap that is nasty. So does everyone think that I need to swap those before anything else? Just for now so I can keep the car on the road. It is my daily driver so I kind of need it. Thanks.

 

billh

New Member

Sep 8, 2006

0

0

0

marysville

Apr 23, 2008

#11

• Apr 23, 2008

• #11

you would probably be better off fixing the lifter noise first before doing the other mods, that way you don't spend your money on the other stuff then find out it will cost more to fix the problem you are having right now. if you install a new cam, lifters and or rocker arms and the noise goes away then i would start doing the other mods. as far as the lifters go you can re-use them on a new cam but if you have one making noise now would be the time to replace them.

 

90STANGPONY

New Member

Feb 16, 2008

6

0

0

Apr 23, 2008

#12

• Apr 23, 2008

• #12

billh said:

you would probably be better off fixing the lifter noise first before doing the other mods, that way you don't spend your money on the other stuff then find out it will cost more to fix the problem you are having right now. if you install a new cam, lifters and or rocker arms and the noise goes away then i would start doing the other mods. as far as the lifters go you can re-use them on a new cam but if you have one making noise now would be the time to replace them.

Click to expand...

Thanks. That is what I was trying to figure out. I want to make sure that certain things get fixed first before I start doing heavy mods and then everything breaks and I dont have a car for a while. I think the lifters will be first and then probably a few other parts while I have the top opened up. Thanks for the info and advice.

 

M

mikevm78

Member

Jul 2, 2007

50

0

6

Arlington,WA

Apr 23, 2008

#13

• Apr 23, 2008

• #13

maybe you should pull the valve covers and make sure its not just a loose rocker arm. That is a cheap fix. Might help take some of the worry away too. Just a thought!

 

90STANGPONY

New Member

Feb 16, 2008

6

0

0

Apr 23, 2008

#14

• Apr 23, 2008

• #14

mikevm78 said:

maybe you should pull the valve covers and make sure its not just a loose rocker arm. That is a cheap fix. Might help take some of the worry away too. Just a thought!

Click to expand...

Good call. I have been contemplating doing this for while now and I figured that I go ahead and get the rocker arms and lifters and get them replaced while its apart. The sound is coming from the drivers side head, definitely not the bottom end. Im trying to keep from doing the job twice. I already have all the gaskets, just dont want to do the job more than once . Thanks