groundpounder

Hi, sweetone (VERY applicable name, BTW, with all you're doing for yourlucky hubby)
you have a lot of options with $3K to spend and intake and exhaust mods in the can. By the way, is that a catback that you are referring to when you say that you've already done the exhaust thing? I am betting so.

Anyway, here are some suggested steps with ballpark figures. When you decide which way you want to go, we can provide you with links to buy (eBay, sponsors, contacts, etc.) like the gears that USMCRebel has already done.

If I were you, in order I'd do the following:

4.10 gears - $500 installed (professional installation is a MUST - the backlash has to be set just right or they'll whine and drive you nuts)

Intake spacer - $100 and EASY install

Throttle body and spacer - $350 and EASY install

L/T headers and O/R H pipe - $1,000 installed. Unless your husband has a lift or a desire to put a hot poker in his eye on an install, professional installation is HIGHLY recommended. If you live in a state with no smog laws, this is a layup. Much kickassery on Machs with longtubes and off road H pipes. Would compliment that catback like nobody's bidness.

O/R H pipe only - $150 and your hubby can do the install if he's even loosely mechanically inclined. If you want to just go with the H and skip the headers (not recommended with a $3K budget), then just get an H. Provided, of course, that you don't have smog considerations.

Lastly, and only lastly because you can't do this until everything else is done, but leave some money in the budget for a tuner and a session at a local dyno.

I'd budget in $500 - $1,000 for a tuner and a tune.

Wherever you are, find a reputable dyno shop and ask them what they use and are familiar with. If they tell you SCT, then buy an X3. If they are familiar with Diablo, buy a Predator. If they don't have a preference, then let us know and we'll give you about 10 different opinions on what to buy. I used a Diablo, but the X3 is top notch as well. Don't go with a canned tune out of the handheld- too many variables that a professional can work in. Local shop here charges $110/hour to tune with your handheld, so at the place I frequent, a lucky guy like your husband can get out of there with a $400ish handheld and $110 on the dyno - $500. This shop also has a custom flip chip program- up to three. One for the street, one for performance and one for the strip. All the work and dyno'd to a gnat's eyebrow for $750.

you do all of these and you'll be in the $2,000 - $2,500 range. If you come in on the cheap side in a few instances, you might have room for some wheels!! [8D]

[sm=smiley20.gif]

USMCrebel

sweetone,
groundpounder hit the nail on the head.

MACH5IVE

If you really want to give him something that'll throw him into his backseat, a nice nx wet kit would be the way to go! To run the kit safely, with all the right parts, installed and tuned would be roughly around 2 grand! The kit gives a nice sleeper touch and could easily put your husband's mach over 400rwhp! Btw! I'd love to have a wife like yourself! Your husbands a lucky man!

groundpounder

I love it when a plan comes together...

keep us posted, sweet - this is some top notch stuff you're talking about doing for the hubby. [8D]

sweetone

you all are too sweet! I really do appreciate all the help, ground - your information is so helpful, I do appreciate the write up, I actually printed it out and have it for a referral guide. I have sent an email to Roy to see how to order the intake and looking for the driveshift now. Now can I ask this, what exactly does the throttle body thing do? And what the heck is a wet kit?
Yah, the husband is spoiled, but without him I would be lost, he's my soulmate and he deserves the best!

sweetone

Ok ordered the intake spacer from Roy, THANKS ROY! Do you need anything extra for the driveshaft - or does it fit right on in where the old one was?

Valentines Day this year is all mod's - can't say I don't pay attention to my man's heart!

groundpounder

cool beans. Just keep us up to date and we'll keep helping you spend your money!!


The throttle body is what controls the amount of airflow into the intake plenum. It's connected to the "gas pedal" and through some complicated electronics, the throttle positioning sensor also helps control the injector pulses.

So if you get a bigger one, you can move more air. In conjunction with moving more air, the mass air flow (MAF) meter picks that up and adjusts the amount of fuel moving through the injectors as well. It all adds up to what some say is 5-10 more horsepower. That's not a whole heck of a lot for a $300-400 part, but in the horsepower wars, every bit counts.
The throttle body spacer does the same thing as the Roy's intake spacer you bought - increases air volume and velocity slightly,just on a smaller level.


A wet kit is a certain type of nitrous injection that pre-mixes a nitrous charge with a fuel charge. Let's hold off on that for now. I'd get your bolt-ons and tune donethen re-tune it later for a 125 shot of the spray (nitrous)


sounds like you two got it good.


Driveshaft is a bolt on.

Shaken

For my Accufab throttle body after installation I noticed a much improved throttle response and improved drivibilty. They claim increases of toque and horsepower if that is the case that is a bonus.

USMCrebel

the Throttle body (TB), will not net you peak hp, thats why many say its a useless mod, i tend to disagree, what it dioes like GP said allows more air in, this will add more power through out the entire RPM range. this is more beneficial than most think.

sweetone

Well I ordered the driveshaft on Friday and had it delivered on Saturday - doorbell rang at 10am - hubby was completly sureprised..

Got it installed Saturday afternoon, and he could tell a difference, but I can tell you, I enjoyed the smile on his face all day....

Roy shipped the spacer, so that's next......then, well will see what's next on the list ofhis mods.......LOL, I can tell this is a on-going project...but it's worth it for his happiness.