Where should I go next with my '04 GT?

Sonic04GT

Sonic04GT

Member
Nov 1, 2009
844
1
19
West Palm Beach, FL
#1
Got pretty much all the bolt-ons, as seen in sig. Car has about 55,000 miles and is getting dyno tuned next week.

What do you guys recommend I do next? I want cams but just can't afford $1200 in parts and install right now. What are some other things I should pay attention to in the meantime?

Suspension? Other small things that may be due with this mileage, etc? I feel as if I always have to be doing something with my car haha
 

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#2
If you don't have Cobra front calipers, do that next. New pads/rotors/slide pins etc.

Then if you haven't replaced them recently, do steering rack bushings, inner tie rods and a bump steer kit. And get those MM LCA's out of the closet and on the car..

Start shopping for blower parts too if thats the direction you want to go with the car. I picked up my kit from a shop whose owner was swapping in a new 5.0 into his Bullitt.

Good Luck!
 
#3
Get some cams... the're easy to install if you have a friend to help, you don't even have to remove the front cover. I did it by removing the cam covers, and the cam while my brother held the cam sprocket with a pliers... easy as pie
 
#4
N8Dogg98 said:
Get some cams... the're easy to install if you have a friend to help, you don't even have to remove the front cover. I did it by removing the cam covers, and the cam while my brother held the cam sprocket with a pliers... easy as pie
Click to expand...

I can do stuff like pullies, exhaust, brakes, etc. The simple stuff, but I have no clue where to even begin with cams. I know there are write-ups but I'm afraid I'll mess something up.

I want the Hi-Tech Stage 2's for $600. Local shop quoted $600 for the install.

Think the timing chains and such are still in good shape? Thought about replacing that set as well, but, if it can be done without removing the cover than I might just leave them in there.
 
#5
Meh, you shouldn't need to replace the timing components. I mean if you're paying a shop to do the cam install you may as well do it all at once. My car has 135K miles on it and still runs like brand new. In fact, I may end up buying and installing a new set of cams next spring or doing the PI swap (haven't decided yet... depends on finances :D)

Seriously though, cams are not that difficult. For what its worth, I have no mechanical training and wasn't raised by a mechanic. I am 100% self taught with the help of a chilton manual and internet write ups for all things I've upgraded/replaced on my cars. My dad hasn't ever helped me and none of my mechanic friends have helped me.

I've done everything from brakes, suspension, exhaust, cams, timing belts, UDP's, and regular maintenence on all my vehicles, my wife's vehicles, and some vehicles of family/friends. By far the most difficult thing I've done has got to be the exhaust install. Having a car up on 4 jackstands while trying to adjust exhasut to get the tips to look right has got to be the biggest PITA work you can do on a car.... it f'n sucks... Cams on the other hand were easy in comparison to exhaust work. I too was scared and nervous... I swear my heart was beating out of my chest 200 times a minute when I was changing cams... I kept telling my brother "you drop that sprocket and cause the chain to jump, I'll seriously stomp on your nuts" Once it was all done though, I really didn't think it was that difficult. I'd do it again in a heartbeat.
 
#10
Sonic04GT said:
What do you guys recommend I do next? I want cams but just can't afford $1200 in parts and install right now.
Click to expand...

Not trying to be a smart ass. If you REALLY want cams, and are kinda iffy about spending the $, whether you have it to spend or not. Why not hold on to it till you get to a point where you feel more comfortable spending the $ on what you really want.

Don't nickel and dime your car because you want to do add ons only to realize you could have afforded what you really wanted if you just waited a bit.


However, I would agree with putting on the LCA's first and going from there. :nice:
 
#11
Looks like I have pretty much everything you have as well +/- some minor things. :cheers:

+1 on the front cobra brake upgrade. Really one of the more worthwhile mods. :D

The hitech 2's are a great choice. I'm getting mine installed after christmas.


Other mods I am considering (and you mentioned above): bump steer kit, MM panhard bar. Both seem to be well worth it.
 
#12
Sonic04GT said:
Haha I'm pretty much set on the Hi-Techs but I'll keep that in mind when the time comes. How did you pull 277rwhp before cams?
Click to expand...

Throttle body, plenum, JLT cai and 11.1 compression. Didnt have long tubes, ported heads, fancy eddy intake or anything. I was probably close to 290 with the cams.

Hi-techs are a decent cam, but if you are looking for 1/4 mile performance, I would'nt suggest them. I talked to the guys at hi-tech and they said that NOBODY has hit 11s N/A with their stage 2 cam. While people have proven that CMS stage 1s can go 11s on motor. :shrug: So I went with CMS. If I had to do it again I would go with either CMS 2s or Modularheadshop.com's cams.
 
#14
BlackArtemis said:
Not trying to be a smart ass. If you REALLY want cams, and are kinda iffy about spending the $, whether you have it to spend or not. Why not hold on to it till you get to a point where you feel more comfortable spending the $ on what you really want.

Don't nickel and dime your car because you want to do add ons only to realize you could have afforded what you really wanted if you just waited a bit.


However, I would agree with putting on the LCA's first and going from there. :nice:
Click to expand...

Haha yeah the LCAs will be going on soon as well. I'm not trying to go cheap on my car. I'm just looking for other small stuff that will make a difference, like even a bump-steer kit. Then get the cams after Christmas when I know how much money I'm still sitting with. It's just going to take a while to convince myself to spend $600 on labor. If I knew how to do it myself, I'd buy them very soon. Guess I better start looking over some more tutorials.

Dark04GT said:
Looks like I have pretty much everything you have as well +/- some minor things. :cheers:

+1 on the front cobra brake upgrade. Really one of the more worthwhile mods. :D

The hitech 2's are a great choice. I'm getting mine installed after christmas.


Other mods I am considering (and you mentioned above): bump steer kit, MM panhard bar. Both seem to be well worth it.
Click to expand...
Good call on the brakes, I'll look into that. I was actually looking into both the bumpsteer and the panhard bar as well.

Are strut tower braces worth the time and money? I have full length subframes which made a world of difference of course.

ninjastang125 said:
Throttle body, plenum, JLT cai and 11.1 compression. Didnt have long tubes, ported heads, fancy eddy intake or anything. I was probably close to 290 with the cams.

Hi-techs are a decent cam, but if you are looking for 1/4 mile performance, I would'nt suggest them. I talked to the guys at hi-tech and they said that NOBODY has hit 11s N/A with their stage 2 cam. While people have proven that CMS stage 1s can go 11s on motor. :shrug: So I went with CMS. If I had to do it again I would go with either CMS 2s or Modularheadshop.com's cams.
Click to expand...

I will keep that in mind and look into the options. Do I need new valve springs with the CMS cams?
 
#17
Sonic04GT said:
PTV? I'm a noob.

I'm sure there are already few wrecked 5.0s around somewhere :)
Click to expand...

Piston to valve clearance (or contact like N8Dogg said).

Hitech claims you can install the cams straight up (without degreeing them in, literally taking out stock cams, installing Hitechs in their place) and not have piston to valve clearance issues. However, some people are getting away with this, some aren't. Problem is, the 2v timing from the factory can be several degrees off on each bank of cylinders from what it should be, so installing them "straight up" may cause clearance issues with one, or both banks are off on timing.
 
#18
BurningRubber said:
Piston to valve clearance (or contact like N8Dogg said).

Hitech claims you can install the cams straight up (without degreeing them in, literally taking out stock cams, installing Hitechs in their place) and not have piston to valve clearance issues. However, some people are getting away with this, some aren't. Problem is, the 2v timing from the factory can be several degrees off on each bank of cylinders from what it should be, so installing them "straight up" may cause clearance issues with one, or both banks are off on timing.
Click to expand...

+1, unfortunately the PI heads don't offer much intake valve clearance. I believe Nick McKinney said the Hitech stage 2's only offer 0.001" of intake to valve clearance. Therefore, if you're timing from the factory is off ever so slightly, it will result in PTV contact.
 
#19
N8Dogg98 said:
+1, unfortunately the PI heads don't offer much intake valve clearance. I believe Nick McKinney said the Hitech stage 2's only offer 0.001" of intake to valve clearance. Therefore, if you're timing from the factory is off ever so slightly, it will result in PTV contact.
Click to expand...

Nick notches pistons for a very good price. So does MMR. Only PITA is taking the pistons out to send them off, lol. He is doing a TON of guesswork and proving what does and doesn't work for the mod world. It's great to see that.
 
#20
Agreed. He also cuts back the intake valve to work with more aggressive intake centerlines which is awesome. Unfortunately for the OP this is too much if he's already having reservations about installing cams. I am trying desperately to have enough money by spring to buy a set of his ported stage 2 heads and 2P cams :drool:
 
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