What was your 1st mod??
05-12-2012, 06:41 PM
#1
6th Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: MO/ Born and raised in Louisiana
Posts: 10,696
What was your 1st mod??
Now that I'm starting to pour alot of money into the Stang, I can remember the 1st mod that I purchased. It was a K&N CAI system (wish I had known then, what I know now). I thought I was the sh**...Until I ran up against a SRT-4, lol! Just wondering what was your 1st performance mod??
05-12-2012, 11:38 PM
#10
TECH SAVANT
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Saint Augustine, FL
Posts: 10,938
Exhaust, 2-1/2" from the manifolds back catted or not as you prefer, it really makes no difference. H-pipe = Musclecar, X-pipe = NASCAR, the X- will pull better right up to redline than the H-.
H-pipes sound better with chambered mufflers like the Flowmasters, X-pipes like the straight through mufflers like Magnaflow.
Next get a tuning system, or if DIY tuning frightens you get a "free-tunes-for-life" handheld system. Any GT, even dead stock, will benefit from a custom tune even if you plan on running 87 octane swill--also the tuner will let you correct the speedometer for your next mod--rear-end gears. I will no go into what particular ratio will best "float your boat", I like 3.73s for overall DD use.
Then look into a TB/upper plenum upgrade (don't bother if you do not intend to get a tuner/tune as you will be throwing money away). If you need to watch the $$ upgrade the upper plenum first, it is the weak link. For any n/a setup a 70 mm TB is optimal.
Nearly any aftermarket CAI is a waste of money, JLT being perhaps the only exception. The OEM intake is a CAI and a pretty good one, I turned 262/305 rwHP/torque with the stock intake and a Purolator paper filter.
If you are staying n/a then UDPs, a lightweight flywheel, and perhaps an aluminum driveshaft are about all that's left and worthwhile...
H-pipes sound better with chambered mufflers like the Flowmasters, X-pipes like the straight through mufflers like Magnaflow.
Next get a tuning system, or if DIY tuning frightens you get a "free-tunes-for-life" handheld system. Any GT, even dead stock, will benefit from a custom tune even if you plan on running 87 octane swill--also the tuner will let you correct the speedometer for your next mod--rear-end gears. I will no go into what particular ratio will best "float your boat", I like 3.73s for overall DD use.
Then look into a TB/upper plenum upgrade (don't bother if you do not intend to get a tuner/tune as you will be throwing money away). If you need to watch the $$ upgrade the upper plenum first, it is the weak link. For any n/a setup a 70 mm TB is optimal.
Nearly any aftermarket CAI is a waste of money, JLT being perhaps the only exception. The OEM intake is a CAI and a pretty good one, I turned 262/305 rwHP/torque with the stock intake and a Purolator paper filter.
If you are staying n/a then UDPs, a lightweight flywheel, and perhaps an aluminum driveshaft are about all that's left and worthwhile...