Hey am a new mustang man and am starting to become interested in moding my little horse, performance-wise. If anyone could tell me what is a cam.....does it increase HP ....how effective is it ?

Also what is the best mod for your car and gives you the best HP for your money.....?....

thanks

 

Well Rennier Welcome first of all, its a great place and modding is just part of the package here.
The best bang for the buck is a Tuner and CAI, these can be had for $500 for a package XCAL is $400 alone. Lots can be done with this to improve you preformance. VERY EFFECTIVE
There is exhaust systems for around $150 or you can get GT take offs for $75-100
Cams are still unproven in the 4.0 but I'm sure they help at some level. The only people with success is those who did a cam,head and Turbo/Supercharger.
My favorite mod is very expensive...T-lock, and gears (3.73) but worth every penny of the $750 I paid to buy it and have it installed,
GOOD LUCK

 

I'll echo what Ron (rmays06) wrote. A tune/intake combo is the best initial mod, followed by a new axle-back muffler (I'm partial to GT take-off mufflers, but I know some folks like 'em loud).

A cam = camshaft, and the 4.0L V6 uses a Single Over-Head Cam (SOHC), which means each head has its own camshaft (no pushrods). There are currently few choices for an aftermarket cam, but that might change since Ford is building so many 4.0L Mustangs and people are modding them too (AFTERMARKET PARTS MFGRS TAKE NOTE). Changing cams is a big deal, requiring at least that the heads are removed (pulling the motor is another choice), and the benefits have not yet been proven. There are better ways to spend money before cams - things like:
[ul][*]Tune & CAI (already mentioned).[*]Exhaust - either single or duals (many choices).[*]Gears - our cars come stock with a 3.31:1 ratio 7.5" rear-end, and the popular choices are 3.73:1 or 4.10:1 ratios.[*]LSD (Ford T-Lock, Detroit Tru-Trac, Auburn).[*]Lower Control Arms (LCA's) so you can plant that HP & torque. I recommend getting an Upper Control Arm (UCA) if you are serious for getting low ET's at the track.[*]Tires/wheels for better traction.[*]Lightweight 1-piece driveshaft.[*]UnderDrive Pulley (UDP) for either the crank or alternator.[/ul]
That list is not all-encompassing, but it's a good start...

 

Nice write-ups guys!

My +1 for T-LOK differential. Safety first.

Makes planting whatever power you have to the ground.

Great in bad weather and slippery conditions. Like living on a dirt/mud road in the country! LOL

Any free-flowing muffler will be a great easy first mod. Better sound and better gas mileage!

My duals gave me about a 2 MPG increase over stock AND fixed the problem covered under the TSB for "Hesitation on Acceleration after Long Cruise".

SOHC

 

Oh, almost forgot.

Another cheap mod that is safety related.

Get some Sylvania Silverstar headlight bulbs.

Big improvement over stock light quality!!

About $20 each.

SOHC