96GT226410

I have a 96 Mustang and it sucks being that slow. I've been wanting to do a PI motor swap, but I realize I can't afford it. Then I was thinking about a regular PI swap, but now I'm not so sure. If I just swapped the stock PI cams and intake, I'd make good power and only be spending about $350. A PI swap is going to be around $1,500. I could save over $1,000 and just make about 10-15 less horse power. I'm not looking to get 350 RWHP, just a quicker car. Maybe down the road, I'd buy the heads and p&p them, but to spend $1,000 to make 10-15 more horse doesn't seem worth it to me. Not to mention the raise in compression and the extra time to install it all... What do you guys think? Has anyone just swapped the cams and intake?

ben790450

You need an adapter for the intake. Im not sure the cams would work. PPL do full PI swaps becuase although 15 hp may not seem like much if you add a s/c or other parts later on youll make more power overall with a PI then with a non PI. Its an exponential thing.

96GT226410

I'm not planning on FI. I want around 275 RWHP and after the swap, headers, ignition and fuel, tune, and p&p. What adapter for the intake? I know the coolant hose is differant, but I don't know if I need that because I'm keeping my old heads.

96GT226410

I know there are some people on here who have done this swap before. Let me know what's up guys!!!

s4697

im not sure if u can use the pi cams in a new pi head, i don't think u can but im not positive. when u buy the heads from jegs they come with the cams i think i payed like 700 then the intake manifold is 190. so it will only cost u about 1300 after you buy the gaskets and all the other misc stuff. o btw u will need a 99+ heater colant hose the intake manifold won't fit with the 96 one. and one more thing MAKE SURE u plug the oil holes in the back of the heads that lube the timing chain. it was a huge mess when i went to start it up.

bluepony4.6

Definitely save your money and get the PI heads, P&P them and with cams you'll reach your goals easier. If you went the NPI route you'd probably end up a bit disappointed and go the PI way later anyway.

II 98 GT II

Yea people have done that. Its actually a pretty smart thing to do. You can get something like 30-35 more hp from the intake/cams alone. You won't be able to meet your 350 dollar estimate unless you make your own gasket to adapt the pi intake to the npi heads. A better bet would be a pi intake with adapter kit. You can get them from a number of places, livernois motorsports for example.

96GT226410

Hey 98 GT... Thanks for the info. Wow, that intake adapter kit is expensive - $500. Stock PI cams are going to cost another $200... I'm stuck here...: For $700 I could just do the cams and the intake swap. Or I could spend $650 more and do a full PI swap with everything new. And since I have the heads out, I might as well port and polish them and throw a better set of cams in there for $1,200 more. And while the engine is apart, now would be the time to put the long tubes in and since everything is getting done now I might as well put the gears in and get a tuner and then dyno tune it. AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!! [:@][:@][:@]It just seems easier to just buy a full PI engine and do all of that while it's out of the car. Maybe an engine out of an Explorer with the aluminum block. Anyone know of one for sale that's not too expensive?

Dan04COBRA

No point in all when doing a cam swap and keeping the stock NPI heads.

That would be like putting a turbo on a Geo Metro.

Save your money & do it right.

96GT226410

I was told that I could get between 275-300 RWHP with my NPI heads (after porting and polishing and other mods and keeping it NA). I'm not looking for much more than that power.