Souping Up '98 Mustang Help
07-20-2011, 01:35 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 2
Souping Up '98 Mustang Help
Well first off I am a girl, which I dont know much about cars. I ride horses and know everything about horses, but not a Mustang Car. Haha I have a v6 3.6 liter. It has some real get up and go and I cant help but race. Although my car is pretty quick I have been looking into some stuff but I need some advice and help. I was looking at a Thrush Glass Pack for giving my exhaust some tone. I dont want it to be loud and obnoxious but some tone so I dont have to rod on my car to make it sound nice. Also unfortunetly is an automatic. Id rather a manual but you get whats availiable. I was wondering on some parts to make it quicker also. Such as a turbo which some of my friends with other types of cars have.
So in all I would like some help on making it quicker and a nice tone to my exahust? Thank you anyone
So in all I would like some help on making it quicker and a nice tone to my exahust? Thank you anyone
07-21-2011, 03:14 AM
#6
3rd Gear Member
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: CA
Posts: 898
you have a lot of research to do.
youll learn alot here
welcome
this will keep you busy for a while
https://mustangforums.com/forum/v6-1...finitions.html
https://mustangforums.com/forum/v6-1...p.html#4874550
youll learn alot here
welcome
this will keep you busy for a while
https://mustangforums.com/forum/v6-1...finitions.html
https://mustangforums.com/forum/v6-1...p.html#4874550
Last edited by torchred02; 07-21-2011 at 03:17 AM.
07-21-2011, 10:03 PM
#8
2nd Gear Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Texas
Posts: 212
WELCOME and..............
a FAST 3.8? (falls out in floor laughing) and a manual is fun but it gets old after a while. the 3.8 is a good, solid, reliable powerplant, fast, no. and you will dump 2x the cars value making it a "race" car. My advice: CAI, good tune (does wonders with and AUTO) Duals with Thrush welded, and call it a day. Slight power and MPG increase. I say enjoy the car and take care of it, if you want fast sell get a GT and mod it. If you want cheap and reliable love the little 3.8.
Not trying to de condescending at all, just honest.
a FAST 3.8? (falls out in floor laughing) and a manual is fun but it gets old after a while. the 3.8 is a good, solid, reliable powerplant, fast, no. and you will dump 2x the cars value making it a "race" car. My advice: CAI, good tune (does wonders with and AUTO) Duals with Thrush welded, and call it a day. Slight power and MPG increase. I say enjoy the car and take care of it, if you want fast sell get a GT and mod it. If you want cheap and reliable love the little 3.8.
Not trying to de condescending at all, just honest.
07-22-2011, 10:21 PM
#10
2nd Gear Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Texas
Posts: 212
TRUE
Bulding a "fast" car requires a lot more engine work that most first time owners are capable of. F/I, top end kit, etc. Depending on your definition of fast. Anything my 5.0 F150 (a rolling box) can outrun isnt fast. 15sec isnt fast. 13sec is fast, and that cant be easily done with the 3.8. It depends on your definition of fast and how much WORK you are willing to put into it.
With an auto a good tune can make a world of difference, ask Jthorn9, he has great results from tuning up the auto. I think "faster" is a better word than "fast"
Personally I wouldnt say a KandN cold air intake does nothing, I think its a very worth while swap, unoless you like swapping in a cheepo factory filter ever couple of months. though not a "go fast" goodie it def is worth adding IMO.
My point is that making a 3.8 into a street car to not be taken lightly requires a lot of know-how and time. And more work than I would do to a daily driver. Im not knocking the cars, mine has been great, but a $2500 1998 3.8 isnt worth spending the time and $$$$ to supercharge, or build.
I have 2 3.8s, one I will build for a 68 hotrod, the other in my 98 will remain very close to stock. BUT they serve 2 very different purposes, one is a hot rod, the other is a cheap realiable daily drive. One I plan to M112 and mild build, the other just drive. I have decided against doing anything magor to my daily driver.
Also (speaking from expirience) I do not find it wise for a newbie to dive headlong into a complex build on their daily driver, IMOP take it simple to start with, learn you car, then take it slow, you can NEVER research too much before you mod. For a daily driver that is both fun and still reliable I (and I practice what I preach) say:
Tune up (I have had great luck from Autolight Platnum plugs)
True duals
K&N filter
Tune
I believe that your money will be MUCH MUCH MUCH more wisely spent making sure everything is maintained, making sure the car has a good set of tires for your driving conditions, making sure the fluids are fresh or still in their life span, and just making basic mods.
Has the car every been tuned up? Tranmission flushed? Coolant flushed? What shape are the tires in? thats more important in a daily driver. Most people choose the SN95 3.8 because its cheap, this said they probably dont have money for expensive mods. YES there are some FAST 3.8s, it can be done, but frankly the car isnt worth dumping a lot of $$$$$ into. Yes you can build a turbo kit yourself and use junkyard parts and friend help to build a nice hotrod, BUT this is totally out of the ability of most newbies. Again, not trying to belittle people just being honest.
Bulding a "fast" car requires a lot more engine work that most first time owners are capable of. F/I, top end kit, etc. Depending on your definition of fast. Anything my 5.0 F150 (a rolling box) can outrun isnt fast. 15sec isnt fast. 13sec is fast, and that cant be easily done with the 3.8. It depends on your definition of fast and how much WORK you are willing to put into it.
With an auto a good tune can make a world of difference, ask Jthorn9, he has great results from tuning up the auto. I think "faster" is a better word than "fast"
Personally I wouldnt say a KandN cold air intake does nothing, I think its a very worth while swap, unoless you like swapping in a cheepo factory filter ever couple of months. though not a "go fast" goodie it def is worth adding IMO.
My point is that making a 3.8 into a street car to not be taken lightly requires a lot of know-how and time. And more work than I would do to a daily driver. Im not knocking the cars, mine has been great, but a $2500 1998 3.8 isnt worth spending the time and $$$$ to supercharge, or build.
I have 2 3.8s, one I will build for a 68 hotrod, the other in my 98 will remain very close to stock. BUT they serve 2 very different purposes, one is a hot rod, the other is a cheap realiable daily drive. One I plan to M112 and mild build, the other just drive. I have decided against doing anything magor to my daily driver.
Also (speaking from expirience) I do not find it wise for a newbie to dive headlong into a complex build on their daily driver, IMOP take it simple to start with, learn you car, then take it slow, you can NEVER research too much before you mod. For a daily driver that is both fun and still reliable I (and I practice what I preach) say:
Tune up (I have had great luck from Autolight Platnum plugs)
True duals
K&N filter
Tune
I believe that your money will be MUCH MUCH MUCH more wisely spent making sure everything is maintained, making sure the car has a good set of tires for your driving conditions, making sure the fluids are fresh or still in their life span, and just making basic mods.
Has the car every been tuned up? Tranmission flushed? Coolant flushed? What shape are the tires in? thats more important in a daily driver. Most people choose the SN95 3.8 because its cheap, this said they probably dont have money for expensive mods. YES there are some FAST 3.8s, it can be done, but frankly the car isnt worth dumping a lot of $$$$$ into. Yes you can build a turbo kit yourself and use junkyard parts and friend help to build a nice hotrod, BUT this is totally out of the ability of most newbies. Again, not trying to belittle people just being honest.