Which bolt-on next?

[uhoh5.0]

I recently had my car dyno tuned and made 247rwhp and 286ft.lbs.tq.
(Since then I have added an accufab plenum and 70mm TB, previously I had a ported stock plenum, plenum spacer, and FRPP 70mm TB which I think was questionable at best)

My car is an auto, and I will list just the HP mods:

BBK Shorty Headers
UPR Catted X-Pipe
MAC 2.5" Pro-Dumps
C&L Upper Inlet Pipe and K&N Filter System
Accufab Plenum & 70mm Throttle Body
Steeda Underdrive Pulleys
180* Thermostat
SCT Dyno tune and X-calibrater II

My question is, what other bolt-ons can I do strictly for HP? I estimate that with the accufab set-up I'm probably around 255rwhp now. I would like to pick up an additional 10 to 15 rwhp. Here are some of the things I am considering: Meziere electric water pump, new copper spark plugs?, MSD coil-on-plugs, new intake (typhoon?), and posibbly cams but I am having trouble finding someone to install them. Please provide any suggestions that you guys might have and any tricks you have used to squeeze out those few extra ponies! Thanks

 

[04YELLOWGT]

Why not Supercharge it, or do you not want that much power?

NO, NO, NO on the Typhoon intake.... wait for the new Trickflow, if it ever comes out. Or you could do some VT Stage 1 or 2 NA Cams would help you out alot too.

Edit: I see you already have 4.10s....

 

[Yellow2002GT]

I would go with the electric water pump and try the HPS lower intake.....i will be getting that shortly after the heads and cams........that should really wake the car up......but think more on weight reduction parts.....that will really make you faster too!

"ED"

 

[sgarlic]

+1 for the cams. Might as well start with the stage 2's. Why not install them yourself? There's a wealth of information on how to do that all over just about every Mustang enthusiast forum (including this one.)

I also like the electric water pump idea, though I'm not sure I'd personally ever do that. I seem to have bad luck with things that depend on electronics to work sometimes.

 

[uhoh5.0]

I have thought about supercharging the car, but one thing that holds me back is the big investment, and secondly it seems like when cars are at the strip and they are either supercharged or running nitrous people always seem to lump them in differently with the other cars. What I mean is, when a nitrous car runs good everyone is like, "My car would run that fast too if I sprayed it." And the 2 valve cars that are supercharged always get compared to the terminator cobras that are usually much faster and 4 valves anyhow.
My goal, at least for now, is to run solid 12.8s N/A. I feel that I am close to that and a gain somewhere in the 10 to 20 hp range will definately put me there. As far as weight reduction, I've pretty much done what I can:
Tubular K-member (60 lbs)
Tubular A-arms (20 lbs)
Coil-overs (10 lbs)
Rear Seat Delete (30 lbs)
Removed Mach 1000 Stereo (70 lbs )
Removed rear sway bar (15 lbs)
Steeda aluminum lower control arms (10 lbs)
Removed quad shocks (5 lbs)
aluminum driveshaft (15 lbs)
Removed "Dog Bone" (10 lbs)
Removed factory k-member brace (10 lbs)
Remove front sway bar @ track (15 lbs)
remove passenger seat @ track (40 lbs)
removed spare, jack, and carpeting in trunk (50 lbs)
headers are lighter
mid-pipe is lighter

One other thing I have thought about is switching from the catted x-pipe to either an off-road X or H or a Pro-chamber????

So, for now it looks like the electric water pump is a go. Meziere's web-site says a dyno proven 11hp gain. I wonder what I could expect since I am already underdriving the stock water pump by about 25% with the steeda underdrive pulleys? Maybe 8rwhp???

I am also interested in the cams, but for one thing, I'm having a hard time finding someone with EXPERIENCE to do the install, and at ~$600 for cams, ~$600 for the labor, plus ~$200 for dyno time thats a minimum of ~$1400 and thats not even getting into a higher lift "Stage II" cam that would require new valve springs plus the labor for that. And for ~25rwhp thats not a real good horsepower per dollar return. Although, at some point I guess you run out of options

 

[RedDaemon]

transmission cooler?

 

[uhoh5.0]

Yea, I have a tranny cooler too. I am just trying to focus on ways to gain a few more HP.

 

[RedDaemon]

Yea, I have a tranny cooler too. I am just trying to focus on ways to gain a few more HP.

that DOES add HP(at least that was my impression)...i didnt know you had one already though

 

[uhoh5.0]

No horsepower to gain from a trans cooler. Just keeps the operating temperature of your automatic trans fluid down. Extra heat is the number 1 killer of transmissions and the extra cooler in line with the factory one helps keep temps at a favorable level. That way you get more consistent shifts and longer transmission life.

 

[Tim2002GT]

If your thinking of changing your midpipe to a prochamber for weight savings, I would reconsider. While I love how mine sounds, it is quite a bit heavier than say an o/r x would be.

 

[04YELLOWGT]

If your not doing the cam install your self then its gonna cost some $$. It would be a good chunk of the blower or prolly a complete nitrous set up.

 

[uhoh5.0]

BBK Shorty Headers
UPR Catted X-Pipe
MAC 2.5" Pro-Dumps
C&L Upper Inlet Pipe and K&N Filter System
Accufab Plenum & 70mm Throttle Body
Steeda Underdrive Pulleys
180* Thermostat
SCT Dyno tune and X-calibrater II


I've also thought about switching to the JLT fenderwell cold-air kit. As far as the headers, I kinda wish I had went long tubes especially if I change my mid-pipe anyway. But, install is expensive and I have my transmission out a fair amount to make changes to the converter, stall speed, etc. So the extra work associated with disconnecting one long tube every time would have gotten old quick (especially for my converter guy ) I guess a lot of these minor adjustments that might add a couple horespower here or there are kinda pointless if I could make some real power via a cam swap or nitrous set-up though. I really would like to do VT stage 1 cams. I probably won't do any head work, so the stage 1's would be a good choice in my mind at least and they would make great blower or nitrous cams too (I think ) Anyways, I appreciate all the feedback and ideas.

 

[WillDuhhBeast]

As far as I know.. I don't think changing the intake is worth the $$ unless you have money to throw around. And if that were the case, you should throw it towards cams if you want to see decent power improvement. High flowing heads can match with cams and you can have yourself a beast.

 

[GettinThere]

Although they don't add horsepower, two things which might help you are subframe connectors and moving your battery to the trunk.

 

[uhoh5.0]

True, I have the factory subframes and have thought about relocating the battery to the trunk. But I am primarily trying to focus on N/A horsepower. I have also thought about upgrading the ignition with something like the plasma booster

 

[GettinThere]

My goal, at least for now, is to run solid 12.8s N/A. QUOTE]

I wish I could help you with the horsepower; other than a power adder, or serious motor work, it looks like you have most of the bases covered. I just thought what I suggested might get you down the track a little quicker.

 

[ironmedic]

get a new torque converter with a different stall. i am not an automatic guy so i dont know which to recommend.

 

[uhoh5.0]

billet 3200 stall converter Kicks arse!!! Already been down that road

 

[tmoneyballin]

My opinion without a power adder you will have trouble hitting the 12 second mark consistently. Two things you could do: put in higher gears and suspension. It doesn't matter how much horsepower you have compared to the guy next to you...if one of you can't get the power to the ground effectively then you will probably lose. I picked up Tokico 5-way adjustables for around $450 shipped to my house and it took about an hour and a half to install all of them and they are MONEY! My car not only handles better but you can adjust your car to squat and get the power to the ground more effectively. I too have been in your shoes and usually you "want" to add horsepower, but if you are looking to catch some eyes without a poweradder then you would need at least one or the other, if not both