Looking for a healthy street set up! Need some advice.. What are you guys running?
03-16-2010, 08:47 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Arizona
Posts: 14
Looking for a healthy street set up! Need some advice.. What are you guys running?
Hello all,
My names Justin and I just joined the forums today. I've been reading around here for a few months and you guys have deffinately been tons of help!
I have a 99 GT auto w/ 40k miles on her. She's bone stock as of right now but I'm looking into some nice mods to make a nice street/strip machine.
I just have a few questions and rather than making a bunch of posts I thought I'd combine it together and make things easier on everyone.
I'm on a somewhat limited budget being 17 so going turbo or blower is kind of outta the question. Now, before you start ripping on me telling me my car is fast enough for a kid, I've been riding and racing dirtbikes sense I was three. I've built 3 older volkswagen bugs all with big displacement strokers with my dad, and had my fair share of labor in a few other cars. I tell you this because I know how to respect serious amounts of power on different conditions, and I also know how to work and care for my cars and respect the beast....
So back to my point. I'm looking at a full exhaust, BBK Long tube's, catted x, and magnaflow catback. A cold air intake, a tuner and some 4.10's to start things off decently.
Than I was wondering are the transmissions in the 99-04's as responsive to the changes a tuner provides in shift firmness, and shift points etc. as the 05+ tranny's seem to be? If not I was wondering what kind of shift kits, and valve bodies you guys are running for street use and how you feel about them.
After those bolt on's and tranny mods I was wanting to go with some higher compression pistons say 10.5:1 and comp XE270AH cams. How would this cam do on the street with the above mods? Is there any other cams that would maybe be better? and how will the stock heads like this set up or is soe porting necessary? I read that most stage II cams are not good for stock bottom ends because we can't hit the revs we need but that cam says its power is only up to about 5800 which is only 100 revs passed our safe point... I'll put the rev limiter at 5600. and when I say street I mean for daily driving, Im not gonna drive it like an idiot.
I was also going to do strut tower braces to help it handle better..
Later down the road I would like to add a LITTLE juice.. I saw on stacey David's gears a thing about a "cheater" kit that's a small bottle and does about a 50 shot which is what I'm looking for, how will that cam react to the little bit of nitrous. I only want it to come on at WOT. I know it's not a "'blower/nitrous" cam, but I'm not spraying alot so what are your opinions on this?? and Which tuner would I benefit most from with these mods, an SCT or Diablo?? I have read that with the SCT you have to buy each seperate tune is this correct?
Sorry for all the questions, but they are just the ones I couldn't find specific answers to with the search button.
So what do you think of this setup? decent or should I look else where? What things would you guys maybe change a bit for more reliability/performance? and are there anyother mods that you'd recommend that would support the above and make things just gel a little better?
What are you guys running for deadly street weapons and what are the pro's and cons of them or things you'd like to change?
Thanks everyone in advance! I'm sure I'll get all the answers I need!
My names Justin and I just joined the forums today. I've been reading around here for a few months and you guys have deffinately been tons of help!
I have a 99 GT auto w/ 40k miles on her. She's bone stock as of right now but I'm looking into some nice mods to make a nice street/strip machine.
I just have a few questions and rather than making a bunch of posts I thought I'd combine it together and make things easier on everyone.
I'm on a somewhat limited budget being 17 so going turbo or blower is kind of outta the question. Now, before you start ripping on me telling me my car is fast enough for a kid, I've been riding and racing dirtbikes sense I was three. I've built 3 older volkswagen bugs all with big displacement strokers with my dad, and had my fair share of labor in a few other cars. I tell you this because I know how to respect serious amounts of power on different conditions, and I also know how to work and care for my cars and respect the beast....
So back to my point. I'm looking at a full exhaust, BBK Long tube's, catted x, and magnaflow catback. A cold air intake, a tuner and some 4.10's to start things off decently.
Than I was wondering are the transmissions in the 99-04's as responsive to the changes a tuner provides in shift firmness, and shift points etc. as the 05+ tranny's seem to be? If not I was wondering what kind of shift kits, and valve bodies you guys are running for street use and how you feel about them.
After those bolt on's and tranny mods I was wanting to go with some higher compression pistons say 10.5:1 and comp XE270AH cams. How would this cam do on the street with the above mods? Is there any other cams that would maybe be better? and how will the stock heads like this set up or is soe porting necessary? I read that most stage II cams are not good for stock bottom ends because we can't hit the revs we need but that cam says its power is only up to about 5800 which is only 100 revs passed our safe point... I'll put the rev limiter at 5600. and when I say street I mean for daily driving, Im not gonna drive it like an idiot.
I was also going to do strut tower braces to help it handle better..
Later down the road I would like to add a LITTLE juice.. I saw on stacey David's gears a thing about a "cheater" kit that's a small bottle and does about a 50 shot which is what I'm looking for, how will that cam react to the little bit of nitrous. I only want it to come on at WOT. I know it's not a "'blower/nitrous" cam, but I'm not spraying alot so what are your opinions on this?? and Which tuner would I benefit most from with these mods, an SCT or Diablo?? I have read that with the SCT you have to buy each seperate tune is this correct?
Sorry for all the questions, but they are just the ones I couldn't find specific answers to with the search button.
So what do you think of this setup? decent or should I look else where? What things would you guys maybe change a bit for more reliability/performance? and are there anyother mods that you'd recommend that would support the above and make things just gel a little better?
What are you guys running for deadly street weapons and what are the pro's and cons of them or things you'd like to change?
Thanks everyone in advance! I'm sure I'll get all the answers I need!
03-16-2010, 10:19 PM
#2
5th Gear Member
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: MA
Posts: 2,402
Welcome to the forum and congrats with your mustang. It sounds like you got a pretty good idea to get yourself started. In terms of cams look into CMS cams providing you are going work yourself otherwise cams are very costly for install go with a custom grind. But seriously if you are going to build an na motor with higher compression you are better off putting a blower on it.
If you are going with nitrous at some point i would go with 100 shot and you can bump your rev limiter up to 6200 rpms especially if you plan on going with 4.10s for your auto with I highly recommend. A nice stalled would do wonders for your auto and some drs especially if you plan on running nitrous.
Keith
If you are going with nitrous at some point i would go with 100 shot and you can bump your rev limiter up to 6200 rpms especially if you plan on going with 4.10s for your auto with I highly recommend. A nice stalled would do wonders for your auto and some drs especially if you plan on running nitrous.
Keith
03-17-2010, 07:44 AM
#3
5th Gear Member
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: NJ
Posts: 2,312
Sounds like you got it all planned out already. The only thing i would change would be the cai. Just go with a generic one of am or ebay. Its a hell of a lot cheaper and it does the same thing as the expensive ones which is just looking nicer than the stock one haha. Also the rev limiter thing? Our safe point is around 6k i believe. Mine is set at 6200. Your not making all your power if your stopping at/or before 5600. The cams will be nice with the setup your going with and fine for the street just remeber to upgrade your springs and such and get a good tune.
As far as the what i would like to change with my setup i would like some nicer cams, forged everything and a built rear so i can run a blower and some slicks for the track. Other than that my setup is fun for a DD and i do run at the track every once in a while.
The tuner i would either go with a sniper forces kit or if your just gonna get dynoed look into what brand your tuners use near you. Itll save you a good chunk of money when you get tuned cause you wont have to buy a chip form them.
Suspension wise i would go with some MM FLSFCs/LCA's just for starters. Than maybe some lowering springs or a coil over kit and to top it off a PHB and TA. Youll love that setup. Just with the SFCs/LCAs and lowering springs i felt a huge difference.
Heres an amazing suspension write up by Jazzer:
OFFICIAL SUSPENSION GUIDE
As far as the what i would like to change with my setup i would like some nicer cams, forged everything and a built rear so i can run a blower and some slicks for the track. Other than that my setup is fun for a DD and i do run at the track every once in a while.
The tuner i would either go with a sniper forces kit or if your just gonna get dynoed look into what brand your tuners use near you. Itll save you a good chunk of money when you get tuned cause you wont have to buy a chip form them.
Suspension wise i would go with some MM FLSFCs/LCA's just for starters. Than maybe some lowering springs or a coil over kit and to top it off a PHB and TA. Youll love that setup. Just with the SFCs/LCAs and lowering springs i felt a huge difference.
Heres an amazing suspension write up by Jazzer:
OFFICIAL SUSPENSION GUIDE
Last edited by 98redstang; 03-17-2010 at 07:49 AM.
03-17-2010, 11:07 AM
#5
3rd Gear Member
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Chicago
Posts: 527
welcome to the forum. You got a good start on some parts your looking into. As far as cams and nitrous. Your right there are cams that would be better for when you spray but like you said your not going to be using the nitrous often. So getting a good NA cam would be good for you. you will give up a little HP on the nitrous compared to what some nitrous cams could get you but when 99% of your driving is NA thats what youll want the cams for. I have an auto trans aswell Look into transgo shift kits there a little pain to find (not sold alot of places) but they work good for firm hard faster shifts with the auto
03-17-2010, 11:47 AM
#6
4th Gear Member
Join Date: May 2009
Location: MO
Posts: 1,030
N20, STALL, GEARS....bad ****
edit: I have read on here people say SCT is better for autos. Nobody could explain how or why. Well I ditched my Diablo for an SCT and there are actually less settings on the SCT for autos, there are some different ones I havent messed with yet too though. But I have not found torque modulation and the shift firmness is general in the SCT where in the Diablo you can set shift firmness in partial throttle and in WOT. That being said I did find the Diablo to be fairly junky and had some issues with the rev limiter on it. The SCT operates much faster and is much nicer in quality. And no you don't have to pay for seperate tunes, I think some dealers try pulling that, but if you just order the handheld you should be good. It will also hold 3 tunes where the Diablo doesnt.
edit: I have read on here people say SCT is better for autos. Nobody could explain how or why. Well I ditched my Diablo for an SCT and there are actually less settings on the SCT for autos, there are some different ones I havent messed with yet too though. But I have not found torque modulation and the shift firmness is general in the SCT where in the Diablo you can set shift firmness in partial throttle and in WOT. That being said I did find the Diablo to be fairly junky and had some issues with the rev limiter on it. The SCT operates much faster and is much nicer in quality. And no you don't have to pay for seperate tunes, I think some dealers try pulling that, but if you just order the handheld you should be good. It will also hold 3 tunes where the Diablo doesnt.
Last edited by lilcrate; 03-17-2010 at 11:52 AM.
03-17-2010, 04:00 PM
#7
4th Gear Member
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: NC
Posts: 1,956
Ok there is alot of.......incorrect advice being given here.
First of all there is absolutely no point in setting your rev limit to 6k, LET ALONE 6.2K. Its very clear to me that the people suggesting this have never, ever seen a New Edge 4.6L stock Dyno sheet.....nor have they done that many WOT shifts in the 5500-6200 range.
I say this because they would know that your HP peaked at about 5700 and started dropping pretty quickly after that. Your TQ peaked at 4500 or so and starting dropping noticably after that. So why the hell are you revving the **** out of it, you like broken rods/pistons? Stretching these connecting rods this much under 350+ HP youl be blowing it up soon. Our "safe point" has alot more to do with A/F ratio and power levels than RPMS. Unless you intentionally red line your engine to kingdom come on your stock 4.6L nothing will ever break, bottom line. At least in the engine......
The point is you are NOT benefiting at all by revving to 6k. You're just spending more time in a weaker part of your powerband and beating the hell out of it while doing that.
Second of all. OP of all the stuff you listed you're interested in getting "down the road" costs just as much as a supercharger and you wont gain nearly as much as you would if you bought a supercharger. Take it from us.....this is what you need to remember. It costs $3,000 to get to 300RWHP with bolt ons and it costs $3,000(or, less in some cases) to get 400RWHP with a supercharger. So if you like spending gobs of money on stuff that really doesnt help you that much then go get bolt ons. Look around at some of these sigs and see that people only gained 40RWHP and 60TQ after 3 grand in bolt ons. If you dont ever plan to spend $3,000 on your car then get cat backs, 4.10s, a tuner and call it a day. If you go to the track get DRs or slicks on top of that. Otherwise save for a blower i've been in your shoes before don't make me link my embaressing first posts.
Dont waste your money on a "CAI" youve literally already got one from the factory on your car.
Don't buy that damn transgo "shift kit." I have 2003 GT auto and the best best two mods for this tranny is a J-MOD NUMBER ONE and a trans cooler second(trans cooler is cheap and easy to install). A J-mod accomplishes the same exact thing a "shift kit" does except it does it a lot safer and the mod itself was designed by a Ford Engineer who had a hand in the production of the 4r70w. I installed a J-MOD into my tranny about 2 weeks ago and it kicks absolute ***. Absolutely 0 delay in shifting it shifts FAAAAST. You better be johnny-on-the-spot with your manual to keep up with my shifts.
SCT tuner all the way. I have one for my auto and upping the shift points and pressure really pepped it up ESPECIALLY after the J-MOD. This tuner is also used more by Professional shops.
I think i'm out of people to **** off lol......sorry folks but these are the facts.
First of all there is absolutely no point in setting your rev limit to 6k, LET ALONE 6.2K. Its very clear to me that the people suggesting this have never, ever seen a New Edge 4.6L stock Dyno sheet.....nor have they done that many WOT shifts in the 5500-6200 range.
I say this because they would know that your HP peaked at about 5700 and started dropping pretty quickly after that. Your TQ peaked at 4500 or so and starting dropping noticably after that. So why the hell are you revving the **** out of it, you like broken rods/pistons? Stretching these connecting rods this much under 350+ HP youl be blowing it up soon. Our "safe point" has alot more to do with A/F ratio and power levels than RPMS. Unless you intentionally red line your engine to kingdom come on your stock 4.6L nothing will ever break, bottom line. At least in the engine......
The point is you are NOT benefiting at all by revving to 6k. You're just spending more time in a weaker part of your powerband and beating the hell out of it while doing that.
Second of all. OP of all the stuff you listed you're interested in getting "down the road" costs just as much as a supercharger and you wont gain nearly as much as you would if you bought a supercharger. Take it from us.....this is what you need to remember. It costs $3,000 to get to 300RWHP with bolt ons and it costs $3,000(or, less in some cases) to get 400RWHP with a supercharger. So if you like spending gobs of money on stuff that really doesnt help you that much then go get bolt ons. Look around at some of these sigs and see that people only gained 40RWHP and 60TQ after 3 grand in bolt ons. If you dont ever plan to spend $3,000 on your car then get cat backs, 4.10s, a tuner and call it a day. If you go to the track get DRs or slicks on top of that. Otherwise save for a blower i've been in your shoes before don't make me link my embaressing first posts.
Dont waste your money on a "CAI" youve literally already got one from the factory on your car.
Don't buy that damn transgo "shift kit." I have 2003 GT auto and the best best two mods for this tranny is a J-MOD NUMBER ONE and a trans cooler second(trans cooler is cheap and easy to install). A J-mod accomplishes the same exact thing a "shift kit" does except it does it a lot safer and the mod itself was designed by a Ford Engineer who had a hand in the production of the 4r70w. I installed a J-MOD into my tranny about 2 weeks ago and it kicks absolute ***. Absolutely 0 delay in shifting it shifts FAAAAST. You better be johnny-on-the-spot with your manual to keep up with my shifts.
SCT tuner all the way. I have one for my auto and upping the shift points and pressure really pepped it up ESPECIALLY after the J-MOD. This tuner is also used more by Professional shops.
I think i'm out of people to **** off lol......sorry folks but these are the facts.
Last edited by Hangwire; 03-17-2010 at 04:02 PM.
03-17-2010, 04:21 PM
#8
6th Gear Member
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Texas
Posts: 10,551
Ok there is alot of.......incorrect advice being given here.
First of all there is absolutely no point in setting your rev limit to 6k, LET ALONE 6.2K. Its very clear to me that the people suggesting this have never, ever seen a New Edge 4.6L stock Dyno sheet.....nor have they done that many WOT shifts in the 5500-6200 range.
I say this because they would know that your HP peaked at about 5700 and started dropping pretty quickly after that. Your TQ peaked at 4500 or so and starting dropping noticably after that. So why the hell are you revving the **** out of it, you like broken rods/pistons? Stretching these connecting rods this much under 350+ HP youl be blowing it up soon. Our "safe point" has alot more to do with A/F ratio and power levels than RPMS. Unless you intentionally red line your engine to kingdom come on your stock 4.6L nothing will ever break, bottom line. At least in the engine......
The point is you are NOT benefiting at all by revving to 6k. You're just spending more time in a weaker part of your powerband and beating the hell out of it while doing that.
Second of all. OP of all the stuff you listed you're interested in getting "down the road" costs just as much as a supercharger and you wont gain nearly as much as you would if you bought a supercharger. Take it from us.....this is what you need to remember. It costs $3,000 to get to 300RWHP with bolt ons and it costs $3,000(or, less in some cases) to get 400RWHP with a supercharger. So if you like spending gobs of money on stuff that really doesnt help you that much then go get bolt ons. Look around at some of these sigs and see that people only gained 40RWHP and 60TQ after 3 grand in bolt ons. If you dont ever plan to spend $3,000 on your car then get cat backs, 4.10s, a tuner and call it a day. If you go to the track get DRs or slicks on top of that. Otherwise save for a blower i've been in your shoes before don't make me link my embaressing first posts.
First of all there is absolutely no point in setting your rev limit to 6k, LET ALONE 6.2K. Its very clear to me that the people suggesting this have never, ever seen a New Edge 4.6L stock Dyno sheet.....nor have they done that many WOT shifts in the 5500-6200 range.
I say this because they would know that your HP peaked at about 5700 and started dropping pretty quickly after that. Your TQ peaked at 4500 or so and starting dropping noticably after that. So why the hell are you revving the **** out of it, you like broken rods/pistons? Stretching these connecting rods this much under 350+ HP youl be blowing it up soon. Our "safe point" has alot more to do with A/F ratio and power levels than RPMS. Unless you intentionally red line your engine to kingdom come on your stock 4.6L nothing will ever break, bottom line. At least in the engine......
The point is you are NOT benefiting at all by revving to 6k. You're just spending more time in a weaker part of your powerband and beating the hell out of it while doing that.
Second of all. OP of all the stuff you listed you're interested in getting "down the road" costs just as much as a supercharger and you wont gain nearly as much as you would if you bought a supercharger. Take it from us.....this is what you need to remember. It costs $3,000 to get to 300RWHP with bolt ons and it costs $3,000(or, less in some cases) to get 400RWHP with a supercharger. So if you like spending gobs of money on stuff that really doesnt help you that much then go get bolt ons. Look around at some of these sigs and see that people only gained 40RWHP and 60TQ after 3 grand in bolt ons. If you dont ever plan to spend $3,000 on your car then get cat backs, 4.10s, a tuner and call it a day. If you go to the track get DRs or slicks on top of that. Otherwise save for a blower i've been in your shoes before don't make me link my embaressing first posts.
Skip all the crap like tbs, intakes ect. Get gears,a tune, and full exhaust and call your bolt ons complete. you will run with any other bolt on gt out there.
03-17-2010, 05:02 PM
#9
4th Gear Member
Join Date: May 2009
Location: MO
Posts: 1,030
I'm sure the Jmod is pretty cool, but no way it compares to a converter. And the whole peak hp thing is debatable, because when you go into your next gear you will be at an rpm that wont be making near as much power as you were at in the previous gear at 6k.
