4.6L GT UPGRADE Questions?

[LightningkillerRT]

Hey fellas, Got some Questions for the 4.6L GT guys here.

Im looking into tuning up my 96 4.6L GT.

Right now Im looking at the Following list:

2v Cold Air Intake 189$
73mm Throttle Body 149$
2v Shorty headers 269$
2v 9mm Plugwires 75$
2v asp Pulleys 100$
H.p. Coil Packs 100$
Diablo Perf. chip 240$
proM 75MAS 190$

about 1300 total

My question is waht could I except to see in Performance numbers? my GT is an Auto and i would imagine has close to or around 200RWHP.

Also is this a good bolt on set up for the 4.6L?

Can I find better prices anywhere for the same stuff?

Is there a better set up like a bigger TB or mass air?

I dont wanna go with anything but BOLT ONS. no Manifolds or heads...I just want another 80 to 90 horses..... do you guys think I can get there with this set up??

 

[94BOLT]

I don't want to bust your bubble but there is no way you will get 80-90 hp from minor bolt ons. The 96-98 4.6's were plauged with sorry heads and intake manifolds. Most of the bone stock 4.6 manual gt's can only put down 180-190hp at the rear wheels. From the mods you have listed you should be able to pick up 20-30hp at the tires. Also I would not go larger than 70mm throttle body because you will lose a lot of low end torque. The list is a good starting point and the only other thing I think you need is some 3.73 gears. Either way I am no expert so you can check out corral.net for further information. Good Luck.

 

[R/T EATER]

You definatly need the 3.73's and I would go with long tube headers if its not to much trouble for you to change the H-pipe too. The best thing you could do for it would be to save some more money and buy 2001 heades and have them ported, that would make a huge difference in horsepower on that car. My G/F has a 2001 and my buddy has a 96 with pullies, gears & H-pipe, her car just has an H-pipe and its about .5-.7 seconds faster than his. The new heads are alot better than the older ones!

 

[LightningkillerRT]

forgot to mention i do have an off road Hpipe with Flowmasters...doesnt every Mustang HAVE to have thoughs.

 

[fairlane]

Lower gears and a shift kit would be a nice upgrade.

 

[svtruck]

Definitely gears and a shift kit. Look into 4.10s if possible, I think you need a chip to work with the electronic tranny. Those early 4.6L GTs are dogs...the earlier posts are correct the heads and intake are terrible and don't give a very good base to build good power from with out a blower. A roots type blower would be sweet though! My girlfriend has a '96 GT vert and it is slow as hell.

 

[WishiHadanL2]

from everything I've read these guys are right. Those heads just suck. There was a write up on the head swap in MM&FF, I think they got 60horses or so. I dont know the price, but it may be worth it. I think those 99+ heads also respond alot better to mods.

 

[MO351]

Looks like you're headed in the right direction. Go with at least 4.10 gears. If you had a 5 speed I"d tell ya 3.73s. These are the starting points for the daily driver with respective trannies. Get a shift kit, too. I wouldn't go with a huge TB like was suggested earlier. If you can get long tube headers. The early 4.6 really lacks the torque so you really need long tubes. But if you can't then go with the shorties. Underdrive pullies are a must. As far as the coils I don't know for sure. I'd say don't waste your money unless you plan on getting a supercharger. The 9mm wires won't hurt anything but I don't know if you'll gain much either. CAI is good too (cold air ind.). A better mass air meter would be good too. See what ProM or C&L have to offer. That'll get rid of that post that's in the stock MAF. Also you might look into a torque converter. I'm not sure where to go on that. Try some stang sites such as www.mustangworks.com/ and www.stangnet.com/ to see what else you can come up with. As far as a chip unless you put your car on a dyno and have a chip burned for YOUR car an off the shelf chip is practically useless and may even hurt performance. You need a chip that is tuned specifically for your car/mods. I believe there's also a computer deal out there, can't remember the name of it but it's in one of my muscle mustang/fast fords mags, that's similar to the EEC tuner that can be used on the 4.6. You will not see anywhere near the hp gains you are wanting with bolt ons. Unless you consider nitrous or a supercharger a bolt on . You could very safely throw on a 75-125 shot of nitrous if you wanted to. Zex makes a good set up.

--Former 96 Mustang GTS owner

 

[95Lightning2]

There is one way to get the HP your looking for with only $1300. Trade your 96 in on a 99 and put the $1300 down as the first payment. About a 50 horse gain.

Not try'in to be a butt just know how much of a dog the 96 and 97 stangs are. 98 got the 10 HP boost which puts them in a class of there own .

 

[LightningkillerRT]

This is all True... I forgot it also has a B/M shift kit. I cant believe the heads and Intake are that bad. Its sad that it takes that much to make power on these cars.... the dodge was easy(till i blew it up LOL) slap on PCM and Headers BAM! 35RWHP owell...

But heres the thing,

This is my girls car(actually ours) and I dont want to turn it into a street strip monster.

I just want some cheap Horsepower.

No Nitrous...MAYBE MAYBE a Blower.

If i can get 50 or 60 horse for under 1000$ ill go that way...

I really dont wanna go with a torque converter as I said...Drivablity is a Factor.

Ithe heads sound like the way to go....Also Ive seen a set of cams for 450. anyone ever looked into JUST a cam and maybe header swp would give me what i need??

 

[MO351]

Nope. The heads and intake really are that crappy. The thing you should do is purchase a set of 99-up heads and 99-up or especially the new Bullitt intake. you can check at www.stangparts.com/ and get the heads and intake from them. Also check around on the stang sites in the classifieds. You might find something in there or on ebay or salvage yards or something. It'll take some shopping. A cam swap won't do it. And that $450 sounds outrageously high to me. If you want that kind of hp without nitrous for under $1000 you'll have to do the 99-up heads/intake swap.

 

[LightningkillerRT]

thanks guys...think im going with the head swap! found a place to get them REAL CHEAP. also, I was reading in MM/FFs that the swap bumps the Compression up to 10.6:1 becuz of the Fat top pistons... were as the 99up are dished. does anyone know what the Performance gians would be for a 99upintake,heads and a diablo chip?

 

[95Lightning2]

For all the headaches and money your going to go threw to do this swap why don't you just bolt a blower on. You will get more power from the blower, once the head swap is done it probably cost close to the price of a blower, and when you sell the car you can remove the blower and sell it and recover some of your money. The car will be worth the same with either set of heads on it. Also, don't you have to use the 99 and up intake with the swap (thought I remember reading that????).

 

[LightningkillerRT]

yea...but for 750$ for a set of COMPLETE heads and Intake....its ALOT Cheaper then a blower.

 

[MO351]

You will need the 99-up intake, too. It won't cost as much as a blower. I say go for it.

HAHA, we posted at the same time. GO FOR IT. For $750 you can't beat that man!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[LightningkillerRT]

just like the N.W.O coming back to the WWF...... JUST TOO.... SWEEEEEEEEEEET!

 

[Lightning Tim]

You have gotten a bunch of good replys here but I tell you what I know from having a 415 RWHP 4.6 GT stang before I blew the motor. The first thing you should do after flowmasters and an h-pipe (hehe) on a 96-98 GT, is a 99+ headswap. But....after doing that your compression goes up to 10-5-1. So its not blower friendly. But the headswap must be done to make good hp. I have Long tubes headers on my car and it added good torque in the mid range. I heard from some people and looking around on the Corral.net that Diablo chips do not work on modular mustangs, especially automatic cars. Autologic worked the best for me. But thats about all I care for typing right now.

Good luck with the project.

 

[LightningkillerRT]

Thanks Timbo.... Dig the name. I Think the head swap is the way to go ...I found a set and a intake man. for 750... hopfully I can get it all done for under 1000$

Autologic ehh?

website?

 

[Lightning Tim]

LOL, definately a cool name. Tim do those heads come with the cams? The cams are a bit different too in the 99+s.

From my experience with chips or the brand of chips, like Autologic is a brand of chip, superchips, diabo etc. Autologic worked with the car the best. It seems to be the choice for modular stangers. www.jmschip.com Thats who burnt my chip and is really good. They use autologic software.