Sooo...now What

[TheStang04]

Im pretty new to the mustang community, buying my 2004 v6 3.8L mustang just not even 6 months ago.

So far I have a catback exhaust system, cool air intake, short throw shifter, stage 2 spec clutch, RAM billet aluminum flywheel, and some raxiom LED halo head lights.

I really want to get this thing into top notch performance shape, mostly because a friend of mine wants to race me with his Cummins truck.

Now considering I am only 18 and just getting out of high school...a.k.a barely have money. I want to know what performance I can get that wont bust my bank..Thank you for your feedback.

 

[Deleted member 38176]

I personally think that it is a complete waste of money to mod a 3.6 V6 to even keep up with most mini-vans nowadays. Your best bet is nitrous. You're at around $1000 for a complete kit and a tune. Dont have the money then dont even bother. The Cummins will eat you alive

 

[TheStang04]

I personally think that it is a complete waste of money to mod a 3.6 V6 to even keep up with most mini-vans nowadays. Your best bet is nitrous. You're at around $1000 for a complete kit and a tune. Dont have the money then dont even bother. The Cummins will eat you alive

Wow, just wanted to see how knowledgeable this community was on Mustangs, not impressed by the first response. Obviously without busting your bank you can go many different directions on opening up some power in your Mustang....even if it is only a v6. Things you can add are some BBK's shorty manifolds, a chip/tuner, upgraded slip differentials. You could also add a throttle body spacer, maybe doesn't add power but it can give you some better gas mileage. I'm really not impressed with the first response I received. It seems to me the community members on here dont really help, they just tear down other mustang lovers. Maybe other responses will be better than yours Nightfire.

 

[squeak93]

Agreed on not wasting time with the Cummins. My BONE STOCK 15 crew cab will wipe the floor with a v6 and likely put a stock 2v to shame as well. Which is saying a lot for an 8,000 pound flying brick.

There is no shame in owning a v6 but to get it to perform is going to cost a lot more than likely is desired.


It's your car so do as you wish. I would recommend keeping it stock and saving for a v8 car of your choosing and going from there.

 

[TheStang04]

Agreed on not wasting time with the Cummins. My BONE STOCK 15 crew cab will wipe the floor with a v6 and likely put a stock 2v to shame as well. Which is saying a lot for an 8,000 pound flying brick.

There is no shame in owning a v6 but to get it to perform is going to cost a lot more than likely is desired.


It's your car so do as you wish. I would recommend keeping it stock and saving for a v8 car of your choosing and going from there.

Are you people even Mustang fanatics. Like...damn. Try asking for help and all I get is a response feed on SUPER DIESEL TURBO MAX 2015 SUPER BED trucks. Nice to see this site was a waist. And if we really want to talk shame I would love to see you try and put a 2015 Eco boost mustang with a four cylinder into shame with your brick mobile.

 

[OneWheelPeel]

Are you people even Mustang fanatics. Like...damn. Try asking for help and all I get is a response feed on SUPER DIESEL TURBO MAX 2015 SUPER BED trucks. Nice to see this site was a waist. And if we really want to talk shame I would love to see you try and put a 2015 Eco boost mustang with a four cylinder into shame with your brick mobile.

These guys aren't trying to dog on you. They're just trying to give some advice from experience. You can spend money on all the little bolts ons and in the end you will realize you might of gained a tenth in the 1/4. If you want to keep up with v8 cars then you have to make v8 power somehow. And that costs money. My vote would be for the nitrous if you really do want to stick with your car. I wouldn't waste any time or money on bolt because they won't get you what you want.

 

[TheStang04]

These guys aren't trying to dog on you. They're just trying to give some advice from experience. You can spend money on all the little bolts ons and in the end you will realize you might of gained a tenth in the 1/4. If you want to keep up with v8 cars then you have to make v8 power somehow. And that costs money. My vote would be for the nitrous if you really do want to stick with your car. I wouldn't waste any time or money on bolt because they won't get you what you want.

Thats great with comparing...but my argument is I can build a four cylinder higher than a v8...bigger engines dont mean more power. We've seen this from multiple cars. Including the Subaru WRX, the Ford Focus which can reach up to 350 hp stock, and the Ford Mustang Eco Boost. All of which have four cylinders and are only 100 hp short of a 2015 GT mustang...my other argument wasn't whether or not I need a new car, it was asking for help on different performance mods I could get without spending a pretty penny, it wasn't to be berated by a community who could only talk about trucks on a Mustang forum.

 

[Gearbanger 101]

Thats great with comparing...but my argument is I can build a four cylinder higher than a v8...bigger engines dont mean more power.

Son, you have a lot to learn. I know it's a teenage thing to "know it all", but why do you bother asking the question when already think you've got all the answers?

The 3.8 L V6 for the most part, is not a performance engine. There is the reason it was sold as an economy option to the GT. You can do whatever you want to it but you're not going to be outrunning a worked over turbo diesel without spending a pile of money. I don't know how many more times you need to be told?

Nitrous is your only option if you want to go fast, cheap. I'd explain to you why, but something tells me I'm already wasting my time even having explained this much to you? If your'e really interested in knowing "THE TRUTH" and not some regurgitated internet babble, then open you ears and lose the chip.

 

[Mustang5L5]

Swap out the rear end gears. I believe the V6 got 3.27's. A swap to 3.73's or 4/10's might give you some SOTP feel.

Beyond that though, regular bolt ons for the V6 are expensive and don't really give you a whole lot of power. You could do a 4.2L swap for more torque, but most people looking to go fast slap a supercharger on the 3.8L/3.9L. A lot more bang for your buck vs spending thousands on N/A bolt ons. Problem with the blower is cost as you would expect

I'd do a gear swap, but you probably looking at $400-600 for parts/install.

 

[Noobz347]

Wow, just wanted to see how knowledgeable this community was on Mustangs, not impressed by the first response. Obviously without busting your bank you can go many different directions on opening up some power in your Mustang....even if it is only a v6. Things you can add are:

some BBK's shorty manifolds - Zero HP on a 3.6
a chip/tuner - with no other mods, maybe 5 HP at the wheels and little better shift response from an automatic. Combined with a real tune a throttle body and headers, Now you might see a little increase.
upgraded slip differentials - Zero HP. The driver mod is cheaper and will net you a better gain on dry pavement.
You could also add a throttle body spacer - Zero HP.
maybe doesn't add power but it can give you some better gas mileage. - Probably not.

I'm really not impressed with the first response I received. It seems to me the community members on here dont really help, they just tear down other mustang lovers. Maybe other responses will be better than yours Nightfire.

You will discover that "most" here are realists. This forum doesn't exist to impress anyone. What we generally do is to try and answer questions that are applicable in the real world on real Mustangs. Care to guess how many 400 HP V6 Mustangs there are on the internet? Care to guess how many are 400 HP in real life? Do you want replies as straight as folks can think to give them or do wish to be entertained?

 

[squeak93]

Are you people even Mustang fanatics. Like...damn. Try asking for help and all I get is a response feed on SUPER DIESEL TURBO MAX 2015 SUPER BED trucks. Nice to see this site was a waist. And if we really want to talk shame I would love to see you try and put a 2015 Eco boost mustang with a four cylinder into shame with your brick mobile.

Waste.....


But that being said I'm making no claim that my truck is fast. I have a blown 2v for those duties.


Good day.

 

[90sickfox]

A lot of those Cummins trucks are lucky to see 14s.... Stock its about 16-17. The 3.8 mustang ( stock motor could see same numbers.

You could home port the heads, slap a cam in it, bigger injectors, gears, and tune.

The cheapest would be gears....next would be nitrous that's if you can do the work.

If he leaves in 4wd ( and he probably will ) you'll be chasing him down.

Most of the guys active here are twice your age. Me being one of them. Folks here will help you figure out what you need to do....but it seems like you're trolling.

If you don't have any respect don't expect to get it. Not everyone is going g to agree with spending money in a v6. I do appreciate well built v6 Stang's...because they are different. A friend of mine has a v6 mustang that runs high 12s- he's also got a lot of money in it.

That's my post....

One thing I won't do is allow anyone to disrespect people that have grown to be almost like family to me. You can feel free to return to whatever Facebook group you came from. We're real adults over here.....and you've disrespected yourself in front of all of us. Hope you feel good about yourself ;shame

 

[Gearbanger 101]

I do appreciate well built v6 Stang's...because they are different. A friend of mine has a v6 mustang that runs high 12s- he's also got a lot of money in it.

We're about half way though a swap with my brothers 96 SN95 V6 right now. Blew up the original "pre-split port" 3.8L (no surprise) and installed a complete donor engine from an early-90's Supercoupe. If we ever get around to figuring out the tuning, it should be a fun little car with an Eaton blown 220hp/315tq. Might even have to do a pulley swap.

 

[IIGood]

Thats great with comparing...but my argument is I can build a four cylinder higher than a v8...bigger engines dont mean more power. We've seen this from multiple cars. Including the Subaru WRX, the Ford Focus which can reach up to 350 hp stock, and the Ford Mustang Eco Boost. All of which have four cylinders and are only 100 hp short of a 2015 GT mustang...my other argument wasn't whether or not I need a new car, it was asking for help on different performance mods I could get without spending a pretty penny, it wasn't to be berated by a community who could only talk about trucks on a Mustang forum.

And all of which have power-adders. Turbochargers. Strip that turbo setup off of those engines and you'll mostly be left with a nearly anemic 4-cylinder. The V8 in the GT makes all that power all by itself.

I'm a fan of all Mustangs...I had a '99 V6 coupe at one point. And I, too, can appreciate a well-built sixer when I come across one. But as stated before, there really isn't a "budget-friendly" way to build a six cylinder to make tons of power. You're gonna be spending some good amount of money.

 

[Noobz347]

Magnuson used to make a kit for the 3.8L but I don't see it out there now. It looked similar t this kit:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Jeep-Wrangl...on-Supercharger-01-13-36-005-BL-/231148624000

If you can find one used, that would be the route that I'd take. That kit would make the car act and feel like a V8.

Then there's:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Ford-Mustan...ger-Intercooled-Tuner-Kit-99-04-/321795627103

You'd still need a gear change. Good time to throw that previously mentioned traction lock in too. Cobra brakes and a KR hood to finish it off.

 

[Gearbanger 101]

Problem with the non Supercoupe 3.8's, is that the top end of the engine doesn't handle boost very well. The early Essex 3.8L especially was hard on head gaskets. They got better when they went to the split port design in the late-90's, but they still won't take a lot of punishment before the head gasket crys uncle.

What a lot of guys used to do was swap the 4.2L V6 truck engines into their cars. Big horsepower and torque gain over the early 3.8L. Still a good amount of work to be done though.

 

[Brady's 2003GT]

First off I hope you're racing at a track and not the streets. Street racing is a bad habit especially for teenagers. And I suggest just take care of your mustang. It sounds like it's your first car and you should just love it, keep it clean and have fun. Learn how to perform regular and preventative maintenance and discover what tools you need. From what you've said you have plenty of upgrades to your car and that should be fun for you. But I know how it feels when you want to give a car your own mods. Make it your own, ya know? Yeah anyway a v6 mustang is designed for economy so if you want to race... you're out luck because you bought the wrong car for that..... but hey, just read the rest of your posts and it seems like you already know every thing. I mean seriously you must have seen like every episode of top gear or something.

 

[Deleted member 38176]

Wow, just wanted to see how knowledgeable this community was on Mustangs, not impressed by the first response. Obviously without busting your bank you can go many different directions on opening up some power in your Mustang....even if it is only a v6. Things you can add are some BBK's shorty manifolds, a chip/tuner, upgraded slip differentials. You could also add a throttle body spacer, maybe doesn't add power but it can give you some better gas mileage. I'm really not impressed with the first response I received. It seems to me the community members on here dont really help, they just tear down other mustang lovers. Maybe other responses will be better than yours Nightfire.

Dont you worry how knowledgeable we are.....you need to worry about educating yourself on "cars 101". You clearly know absolutely NOTHING about cars and how they operate. Im one of the most "knowledgeable" mustang enthusiasts that you will ever meet, ask anyone here. You're just an idiot. I have no patience for idiots

 

[Rusty67]

LOL
You guys just got trolled so hard.

 

[Gearbanger 101]

Trolled.....naw, I don't think so I think his question was genuine. I think we just scared the little turd away with a big dose of reality. He's probably over at MustangWorld right now telling him what assholes the group over at Stangnet are.