jtb727

What's up fella's?

I'm not new to mustangs, however I am new to fox's. I currently have a 99 GT with a few goodies, but it's just not doing it for me anymore. I am looking to pick up a fox here in the near future and just had a few questions about them.. I've got mechanical knowledge, and know how, just wanted to get some clearification on a few things.

Anything besides the obvious to specifically look for while looking at them for purchase?(special years, etc?)

I hear the stock 302 blocks are prone to cracking. Where do they usually crack? and what caues it?, obviously power, how much power though? Along with this, how much can the stock bottom ends on these cars handle? I see alot of people pushing them to mid 400's.

I see alot of guys use GT40 heads and intakes, what is the break down of where to find these of other cars?

I've also got most of my experience with full OBDII, or straight carbs, how does one tune the fuel side of things? I know they've got distributors and a timing gun is used.. like I said, I've never touched anything with this set-up so it is completely new to me.


These are pretty much all I was wondering about, everything else I found when searching.

Thanks for the help in advance,
Justin

tinman

The best thing to do IMHO is to buy this book.
Offical Mustang 5.0. Written by Al Kirschenbaum. Published by Bentley.
I think you can buy it at Amazon.
Out in this part of the country (Arizona) rust may not be much of a factor but I'd look fopr it anyway. Mostly the sun gets to the paint and interior as the newest of these are are nearly 20 years old.

Steve0623

Not an expert to this myself, but I just got done building my first fox after having a new edge v6.... Let me see if I can break this down for you.


not too much :-p
Well, 79-85 were all carb'd cars and 68 was the first year of fuel injection. In 87-93 they changed the body styles,but were all the same engine wise. The 5 speed car is almost a whole second faster than the automatic car.

I'm no where near that with my combo, but I hear the stockblock is good to around 500hp. I see people running it higher, but it's a gamble.

The explorer 5.0s are the most popular ways to acquire these. For some genius reason ford used the cobra engine parts on the explorers. You can find the GT-40 heads and intake on a 96 explorer. These are generally the best ones to get because they don't require special headers to fit.

The 97-??(as long as they used 5.0s in explorers) used GT-40P heads, with gt40 intakes. The main difference in the 40 and the 40Ps is the spark plug angle. The GT40ps require special headers to fit clear the plug.

The explorers are great ways to upgrade your stang on the cheap. People run them well into the 300HP range.

Explorers also come with a 65MM throttle body and a 70MM MAF.

http://www.americanmuscle.com/sct-4b...om-8793gt.html

that's what I used. It makes all the timing changes in the world, and is actually very effective. Allows you to keep the timing at base (10').


NP, happy trails and welcome to foxes!

mustangGT86_05

Actually you missed a detail or 2. The 86 engines used flat top pistons, 87 used a different design, based on my underdrive instructions too something about the belt routing is a little different but no idea what. You also forgot to mention about speed density vs maf. You are much better to get an maf car, which I believe was 88, either 88 or 89 up. Speed density has trouble with cams, basically it you go big in any way the speed density can't compensate for the added air intake and you starve the engine. That should be about it though.

Tony71502

93 had a different rotating assembly.

Gt40 heads and intake are popular because they are cheap, but far from being anything more than a slight upgrade to the stock parts.

jtb727

What kind of power do these things make with say ported stock heads, and a cam? Looking to eventually go turbo..

Now to contradict my turbo theory, how hard are they to get through emissions?

What was different for the 93 rotating assembly?

Tony71502

93 pistons are hyperteuctic instead of forged. Hypertuectic has more silicon and doesn't expansion as much. Forged are stronger but expand more. Ported stock heads and an aftermarket cam will make more power than stock, but not by much. Better off swapping them for a good after head/cam/intake and save your forced induction ideas for later.

jtb727

Yeah I know the differences between the metals, I was just curious...

So you guys are making more power with aftermarket heads and intake mani's and cams.. good to know.. Where do you guys get alot of your parts from? the usual american muscle, summit etc? any where specific for these cars?


So most come stock with forged pistons? how about the rest of the rotating assembly?

mustangGT86_05

I like summit, they have good prices and I get my stuff quick since they are only 3-4 hours from me.

Tig

I have been a die hard summit fan until I found rockauto. I ordered ball joints for my other vehicle, rockauto was almost $40 less than summit. Shipping was jus as fast as summit to. I'll still use summit though, theyve been great all these years.