Canary94GT

My 94 Mustang is stock minus a cat-back and a CAI.

I was really getting ramped up about swapping the gears in my 94 5.0 from 2.73 to 3.55, but then I learned about the cost and issues with speedometer gears (the 23-tooth being weak). If I were to get a speed-cal or something, the total cost of the swap would be around $1000 (parts+labor). That just seems like too much to me.

I was also looking into an SCT eliminator chip from American Muscle, but heard it wouldn't really make a difference on my nearly stock car - is this true?

Finally, I was thinking about swapping my stock midpipe for a high-flow catted h-pipe. This I'm still thinking about doing, but not sure how much of a difference it will make. I believe my cats might be clogging, so this might be a good idea anyway.

Any thoughts on what I should do? I'm a college student with not that much money to spare. I'd say my budget is around $1500 for upgrades.

TrimDrip

I wouldn't worry about the chip unless it is needed. You could try bumping the timing yourself with a timing light.

Most any modded mustangs get gears and a complete larger exhaust system. It is usually the first mods.

9redfox3

Ford motorsports sell the 3.55 gear kit for around $125 or so.The speedo gears is like $20 bucks just heat it up on the trans where it screws onto loosen and drop it in.I never had a problem with mine? The high flow cats are nice not much of a different in horsepower but they make the car sound nicer and if your cats are clogged well time to change them out.I'm sure you can get a better price than $1000 seems high for just gears install unless your getting a total rebuild rear with seals and traction lock stuff like that....The 3.55's are a nice improvement over the 2.73's I like my set-up and happy with these gears !

Tony71502

For brand new 31 spline axles, all new bearings, a new EATON posi, new Ford gears, speedo gears, shims, etc.. and then having it professionally assembled, I spent way less than 1k. Gears + install should be about 400-500.

Canary94GT

Thanks for the input. I just realized I did the math wrong. The gear install is $420 labor + $290 parts (gears + install kit) + approx $55 tax + $120 for speed-cal is $885. Hmm, that seems (at least sounds and looks) better to me.

I asked another local shop for a quote and they told me it would be approximately $1000-1500 (and I'm not even sure if that includes all the stuff listed above). They were telling me I might even need a whole new rear axle at 83,000 miles (I chuckled)

But those are the only differential-specific shops nearby.

I've used an infrared thermometer on my cats and the temperature appears to be higher at the inlet than at the outlet, which leads me to believe they may be clogged.

bluebeastsrt

$400 to 500 in labor seams about normal to me. I just started doing everything myself because the car would never get finished if I paid for someone to bolt a million parts on. As far as the cats thats a job even a guy with very limited experience could do. Me and my son bolted on an entire exhaust system on in a few hours. Headers, X-pipe, tailpipe. The rear end is alot more dificult and that labor is probably well spent on that. Good luck.

Tony71502

I took the rear end to my guy when it was out of the car. It cuts down on labor a lot.

TrimDrip

How much of a difference are you talking? Did you check it cold? If it shoots up several hundred before the pipe and is still cold behind it, you really got problems. Good things is you can gut the front top two if you can get by emissions.

Canary94GT

For the back set, it's around 400-500 (mostly 450-500) degrees at the weld right before the converters. But the temperature drops fairly fast as I move the thermometer up the pipe (toward the front of the car) and away from that weld.

It's around 300-350 degrees (mostly 300-325) right after the converters.

TrimDrip

Yeah, if they are hottor before the convertors than after, you got problems there. You are doing good getting that taken care of before it causes engine damage.