street car, best bang for $$$

[97predator]

i am thinking of swaping or going with a used vortech. should I A) do a full PI swap to itake/heads/cams and do all the bolt ons - pullies,TB,plenum,cai or B) get a used vortech, PI cams ( really want VT stage 2), PI intake?

mind you this is not a Mustang, its a 97 Cougar 4.6L....... stop laughing! but seriously, any help and input is appreciated.

 

[lazerred02]

I would have to say go with the S/C and all the P.I. swap, actually it would be a easy decision for me.

 

[BlackenedSVT]

I would have to say go with the S/C and all the P.I. swap, actually it would be a easy decision for me.

I would agree. Unless you are installing all of those bolt ons yourself, the gains and best-bang-for-your-buck mod would be the supercharger. Buy it, have it installed and be done with it. It would cost (i'd say) more to get those bolt ons bought and installed, then it would to just buy and install the S/C and PI stuff.

Not to mention the bolt ons might not "do it" for you, and after you finish installing all the bolt ons, you might have the typical problem of searching for more power

I personally LOVE N/A cars. I think it would be cool to have an N/A car that could be a power added one, so I am keeping my GT N/A, for now. But i think you should get the S/C because if you buy and install that, you'll have more power, and then when you get more money you could install the PI stuff. Bolt ons might not satisfy your need for speed =)

BUT THEN AGAIN, if you *ARE* installing all those mods yourself, then the bolt ons would be cheaper and would also help make some serious power if you added a s/c on top of that later down the road

 

[97predator]

But if I've been researching right, doesn't the PI swap raise compression to 10.5:1 or there abouts? Isnt that in the danger zone for running boost....? Or does something like the Snow Methanol Injection/Water system make it safe to run? Or does a good tune eliminate the danger?

 

[stangman]

But if I've been researching right, doesn't the PI swap raise compression to 10.5:1 or there abouts? Isnt that in the danger zone for running boost....? Or does something like the Snow Methanol Injection/Water system make it safe to run? Or does a good tune eliminate the danger?

exactly. that is high compression for boost. it's 'doable' with a kickin' tune, but not recommended by any means. for the amount of boost you'll be able to run "safely" you are better off with the PI swap with everything. now if you want to change the pistons then by all means do both

 

[Superhereaux]

go with b

also, keep a look out for any used s/c not just a vortech. you can still do alot of the bolt-ons even with the s/c. new maf, tb, plenum, lt's, full exhaust and maybe even, if you got the money, a k&n

as for the cams, get what you want, not just what you can afford at the time. save up a little more money and buy the vt's. i would also clean up the heads a little bit. that'll also cost more but since you'll have most of the engine out anyway why not?

 

[97predator]

Maybe pick up a pair of NPIheads and P&P them myself. buddy of mine does it. save some scratch for VT cams and springs. then add on a used s/c and do bolt ons overtime. It's a Cougar so I dont have aspirations of wheelstands, just want to run with you mustang guys...at least while your fairly stock.

 

[9646gt]

If I am not mistaken (corrent me if I am wrong) but don't 99+ gts have a dished type piston to lower compression back down where as a non PI motor only has a flat top piston?

 

[justin01gt]

I dont think its a flat top(not positive) but im pretty sure its not the 17cc dish that comes in the 99+. I was going to run a 3cc dish in my 99gt and that would be 11.75:1 compression so i was told. so maybe its mre like a 6-7cc dish? not positive tho