well this is my first mustang and i already did a good bit of mods to it like 3:73 gears,shorty headers,o/r x-pipe,underdrive pullies.i think i have decided to save for a new crate motor,not sure which one yet.since most of them dont come with an intake i was goona get that now.will putting that on a stock motor help at all.............92 coupe with a tremec by the way
trick flow intake on stock motor
- Thread starter sspnotcback
- Start date
gearheadboy
15 Year Member
You're better off having your stock motor rebuilt. Take it apart have a shop clean up the block and install all new internals, you can even turn it into a 347 if you want. Then build the top end. It'll be cheaper than a crate motor and a much better combo. As for the intake, yea it'll help, will you notice it? Probably not, but it definitely wont hurt. Keep in mind a stock throttle body is pretty much a bottle neck for any intake.
- May 8, 2006
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I’m not quite as experienced as some of the other guys here, but agree with MOB. I’ve pulled two stock motors apart and both still had the cross-hatch pattern in the cylinder bores. Now I do not think this is going to happen in every mustang, but believe the factory bottom end (within reasonable treatment) deserves more respect than it gets. The point is that you can pull your heads, look down the bore and get a reasonable idea if it really needs rebuild. If it does, you can find a shop to do your work for far cheaper than most “crate motors”. When you do it yourself, you know how it was built and if it was done right. It’s a great possibility that you can put your money in an area more deserving such as HCI. Just my 2 cents.
HuskerNation
Member
Pre '93 bottom ends are pretty stout. Save the money, tear off the heads, buy some new ones that will fill your build plans and inspect the cylinder walls like rdharper02 stated. With the money you could save doing it this way, you could buy an E85 setup, blower and MS setup (or whatever you prefer). Much better gains, and you know how its all done.
Also, don't forget, with all these plans you have, make sure you think about your frame/suspension first. Reinforcing your torque box, Subframe Connectors, U&L Control Arms, Poly Bushings, Poly Motor/Trans Mounts. As much as it is nice to gain power, its worthless if you can't put it to the ground and keep from tweaking your frame.
My current plan, after I get my car street/track setup done, is a blown 331. This is my everyday car, so I am doing all I can to stiffen the frame up, without doing a cage.
Also, don't forget, with all these plans you have, make sure you think about your frame/suspension first. Reinforcing your torque box, Subframe Connectors, U&L Control Arms, Poly Bushings, Poly Motor/Trans Mounts. As much as it is nice to gain power, its worthless if you can't put it to the ground and keep from tweaking your frame.
My current plan, after I get my car street/track setup done, is a blown 331. This is my everyday car, so I am doing all I can to stiffen the frame up, without doing a cage.
So....to answer the O/P's original questions. Gains from a Trick Flow intake bolted to a stock engine at this point would be minimal. Your horsepower and torque gains (depending on which intake you choose) will be measurable and your curve will likely move upwards about 300RPM with more emphasis on the top end of the spectrum.
The intake you buy will depend on what you plan on doing later on down the road. If you're just gonna stick with basics, the Street Burner will do you well and help retain some of your low end toruqe. If you're gonna go all out with decent aluminum heads and cam or even a mild stroker, I'd look into a Track Heat. If you're gonna take it further than that....The R-series is what you'll be looking for.
I've got a Track Heat sitting in my garage right now, ready to bolt onto my mild 331ci build this spring. Should do me about perfect.
The intake you buy will depend on what you plan on doing later on down the road. If you're just gonna stick with basics, the Street Burner will do you well and help retain some of your low end toruqe. If you're gonna go all out with decent aluminum heads and cam or even a mild stroker, I'd look into a Track Heat. If you're gonna take it further than that....The R-series is what you'll be looking for.
I've got a Track Heat sitting in my garage right now, ready to bolt onto my mild 331ci build this spring. Should do me about perfect.
HuskerNation
Member
mikestang63
SN Certified Technician
IMO, putting an aftermarket intake on but leaving the stock MAF and TB is not worth the money, time, and effort. If you want to leave the stock heads on at least put an explorer 65MM TB and a 94-95 Mustang 70MM MAF on. You can also save some $$$$ by simply swapping on the entire explorer U/L intake, TB, and EGR plate on. You can get that for around $100 from most junkyards and modify the TB to work.
Just because the motor is 20 years old does not mean you need a rebuild. Are you burning oil, losing water? Have you checked the plugs, compression or done a leakdown test? When was the last time it was tuned? How many miles on the car. It is not uncommon for maintained 5.0's to go well over 100k miles, even with forced induction or spray.
That being said, first determine what you want to do with the car - DD, street strip, strip only, N/A, blower, etc. and that should determine your course of action. Too many times people start throwing parts on their cars and wonder why they either run like crap or do not meet their expectations. For about 3-400 bucks. you can pull the entire top end off an explorer- heads, intake, TB etc, and swap out the springs on the heads, and have a nice little car that gets about 260-280 hp. If you want to step up to the next level, TW makes a great top end kit for about $2500 that includes everything- heads, TB, cam, intake,timing chain, head bolts, gaskets that is a proven 330-350 hp swap. If you are dead set on a new motor, a good cheap one is the ford 340hp crate motor for about $3500. You'll need to add the intake, tb, maf etc.. but that is a nice little motor for the price .
Again, figure out what your plans are. Remember the more HP you make. the more things brake and the other parts you will need to support that HP - injectors, fuel pump, MAF, clutch, transmission, cooling, brakes, etc.
just my .02
Just because the motor is 20 years old does not mean you need a rebuild. Are you burning oil, losing water? Have you checked the plugs, compression or done a leakdown test? When was the last time it was tuned? How many miles on the car. It is not uncommon for maintained 5.0's to go well over 100k miles, even with forced induction or spray.
That being said, first determine what you want to do with the car - DD, street strip, strip only, N/A, blower, etc. and that should determine your course of action. Too many times people start throwing parts on their cars and wonder why they either run like crap or do not meet their expectations. For about 3-400 bucks. you can pull the entire top end off an explorer- heads, intake, TB etc, and swap out the springs on the heads, and have a nice little car that gets about 260-280 hp. If you want to step up to the next level, TW makes a great top end kit for about $2500 that includes everything- heads, TB, cam, intake,timing chain, head bolts, gaskets that is a proven 330-350 hp swap. If you are dead set on a new motor, a good cheap one is the ford 340hp crate motor for about $3500. You'll need to add the intake, tb, maf etc.. but that is a nice little motor for the price .
Again, figure out what your plans are. Remember the more HP you make. the more things brake and the other parts you will need to support that HP - injectors, fuel pump, MAF, clutch, transmission, cooling, brakes, etc.
just my .02
That's block splitting number there. If you really want 500HP...you'll need to start from scratch with a new stronger block and built bottom end. Be prepared to pay $$$
ah, you can run 500 with a good tune pretty safely. maye with the streeses a blower puts on things maybe a bit less. Turbo the stock block to 12 psi ot so and get a tune and itll be the best 2 grand you could spend and have a basic 500 hp car without alot of fancy parts the pretty much do nothing 
mikestang63
SN Certified Technician
ah, you can run 500 with a good tune pretty safely. maye with the streeses a blower puts on things maybe a bit less. Turbo the stock block to 12 psi ot so and get a tune and itll be the best 2 grand you could spend and have a basic 500 hp car without alot of fancy parts the pretty much do nothing
Where can you find a complete bolt on turbo kit for 2 grand?
HuskerNation
Member
I'm guessing he's not able to build his own kit. Some people are, I for one am not. Bolt on kits usually require a few modifications such as a smaller oil filter or filter relocation, but are pretty much a buy it and install it deal. For those of you that can fab these things up, I envy you!
I think if you've got a Nissan Sentra as your daily and are used to the power you're currently making in your Mustang, you'd be happy with a LOT less.
Sounds like you're just throwing numbers out there. Do you realize how fast a 500hp Mustang is? Based on your current set up, you're probably making about 250hp....I'd think 350hp would more than satisfy you and 500hp would about blow your mind.
ah, you can run 500 with a good tune pretty safely. maye with the streeses a blower puts on things maybe a bit less. Turbo the stock block to 12 psi ot so and get a tune and itll be the best 2 grand you could spend and have a basic 500 hp car without alot of fancy parts the pretty much do nothing
Well, that explains where you got your 500hp for $2,000 figure from.
I wouldn't trust a $2,000 set up from On3 Performance to make a reliable 500hp if my life depended on it. Their entry level kit is sub par to say the least. That kit requires MANY upgraded parts to reliably run those levels. Not to mention fuel system upgrades. He'll be at least double that amount (or more) trying to both reach those power levels and keep the car together at the same time. Heck, the dyno time/tune alone will run him $500+
I'd love to see a turn key set up for that price.
