How much different are the 96-98 4.6's compared to the 99-up 4.6? Is it just the heads? My friend has a 98 GT that I beat at the track every time, but another friend has a stock 2000 GT that beats the pants off me.
94-98 4.6 compared to 99-up 4.6
- Thread starter hillie16
- Start date
yes, '98's SUCK!
The difference in ET's are about a full second in the quarter. The stock '98's run about 15 flat, whereas the '99+ run 14 flat roughly. For '99, Ford decided to pull their collective heads out of their asses and redo the heads. The pre 99's heads were relatively restrictive. Just changing the heads and the lower intake made one heck of a difference. For only around a grand, one can swap in 99 heads and drop off a second in the quarter.
When I just had the cat-back on, I ran a 9.5 1/8th at 78mph, and 14.8 @93mph in the quarter. I still haven't taken it to the strip since I removed all the cats, but I can feel a big difference in power above 3000rpm. Last week the g-tech said I had a trap speed of 98.5 mph. But the ET was only 14.7. I had traction problems so I think I could run below 14.5 now. We'll see.
Hillie, you need to get to the track and let us know how she runs!
The difference in ET's are about a full second in the quarter. The stock '98's run about 15 flat, whereas the '99+ run 14 flat roughly. For '99, Ford decided to pull their collective heads out of their asses and redo the heads. The pre 99's heads were relatively restrictive. Just changing the heads and the lower intake made one heck of a difference. For only around a grand, one can swap in 99 heads and drop off a second in the quarter.
When I just had the cat-back on, I ran a 9.5 1/8th at 78mph, and 14.8 @93mph in the quarter. I still haven't taken it to the strip since I removed all the cats, but I can feel a big difference in power above 3000rpm. Last week the g-tech said I had a trap speed of 98.5 mph. But the ET was only 14.7. I had traction problems so I think I could run below 14.5 now. We'll see.
Hillie, you need to get to the track and let us know how she runs!
correction
Sorry, I double checked my old timeslip and saw that the trap speed in the eight was 73.5mph, not 78mph. Wupsey!
Sorry, I double checked my old timeslip and saw that the trap speed in the eight was 73.5mph, not 78mph. Wupsey!
I know you can do better than that now.
I used to have a 98 GT and it was pretty slow (until I started working on it). The newer GT's felt MUCH stronger when I was test driving cars. I hear the headswap isn't that hard to do yoursef either.
I believe it was either the current or last 5.0 Mustang mag had done a head/intake swap from '99 specs onto a '96-'98 GT and claimed to have gained 50hp! I think they mildly ported the intake b4 install too.
its the current one and they also say it's not something the average joe should try to tackle without TONS of info and how-to stuff.
It sounded like kind of a PIA, plus there was a couple small modifications they had to make.
Nothin' like a good 'ol head swap on a 5.0!
HELL YEAH!
The 4.6 headswap can be done, if you are a very good DIY. If you are and oil and plug change DIY,
PUT THE WRENCHES DOWN AND STEP AWAY.
If you take your time on the 4.6 and have all the tools, it's not that tought to work on. It takes longer and is more complex than a 5.0, but it's do-able.
PUT THE WRENCHES DOWN AND STEP AWAY.
If you take your time on the 4.6 and have all the tools, it's not that tought to work on. It takes longer and is more complex than a 5.0, but it's do-able.
Boy ain't that the truth.. swapping heads on a 5.0 is like changing your socks!
I just read the article, and I think it was MORE than a 50 hp gain. The article also convinced me that I don't even wanna touch the OHC engines. Got so much extra crap when, although dated, the 302 had more potential, and was more durable and reliable. And SOOO much easier to do work on.
Might of been 53 or 56hp, depending on what rpm it was at.
Still looked like a chore...
Still looked like a chore...
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