ADVICE needed

[281cubes]

The Situation:
Just finished paying off a few items - car, leather sofa and loveseat, 60" LCD - and want to make my car faster, naturally.

The Problem:
I don't know what the hell I should do!:shrug:

The Choices, my top three, as I currently see them:
1. + I would love nothing more than a KB or TT Terminator.:bowdown:
- I don't know if I really wanna dump $28k+ on one. I'm only 21, work Monday through Friday, and am a full-time student so I don't really need that kind of debt right now.:dw:

2. + Of course, there are some H/C/I options out there for the 2v 4.6L nowadays. They are relatively inexpensive and I might be able to do it myself over the winter.
- The combos don't make the kind of power I really want (475+rwhp, Terminator territory:-D ) and it seems the compression gets a little on the high side, almost eliminating forced induction. Not a fan of nitrous and the stock non-PI makes peanuts for power even with a blower.:nonono:

3. + Motor swap! I think a Terminator motor would be awesome. I'd also grab a T-56 (cost effective vs. TK5/600) and build up my current rear - with 3.73's or 4.10's - to support the added power.:burnout: Then I will have that huge aftermarket that those Terminator folk revel in.:beer:
- $$$$ (10-12k ?) and I couldn't do it myself, nor do I know anyone or any place that does, at least around here (SE WI).
I realize that there are other motors I could get, but the $ seems to climb even more in that arena.

So what do ya think? I know some of you have been in my position. I need your honest opinions. Feel free to include other options too! Thanx guys.

P-M

 

[neatofrito1618]

Maybe somthing with a PI swap? Like PI heads/intakes, new cams and nitrous or a blower or somthing, just somthing to think about.

 

[stellar591]

Your right, the non-PI motor really doesnt make enough N/A power but thats ALL 4.6 motors. These engines love boost! If you don't think you can handle a motor swap, then you can't handle doing a H/C/I swap on a modular motor b/c I think that would be harder IMO. Your best bet is to either buy a blower, run 8 lbs. of boost and be happy... or get a 99+ GT and mod that.

 

[GR8WHITE]

H/C/I swaps are only hard if you have ARP head studs, which require the motor to be removed from the car, other wise it isn't that hard.
If you want to stay au natural to make that you're gonna need cubic inches and compression. I still see 475RWHP being very difficult without going 4V. Could you settle for 400RWHP and weigh 3300 lbs instead of making 475 RWHP and weighing 3800-3900 lbs?

 

[noviblown89]

Read up on "project red-headed stepchild" in muscle mustangs and fast fords magizine. Its a 96 2v project using basic mods. Or just sell it and 96-98 cobra!

 

[Nasty Notch]

The easiest way to make power would to first get the PI heads/intake, that alone will do wonders. After that, like mentioned before, a blower or turbo system will work well on the motor, unlike a non PI motor that doesnt breathe very well...

 

[JPD5801]

PI heads/intake

Can I ask a stupid question?

What does that mean? Sorry, but I am kinda new to the modding world. :shrug:

 

[stellar591]

PI heads/intake came on 99 and newer GTs. It stands for Performance Improved. Basically they reworked the heads, new cam profiles, and different ports on the intake/heads. This is where the horsepower jump from 96-98 to 99-04 is made.

 

[JPD5801]

Thanks for the info!!

 

[Nasty Notch]

Here is a little more info on the 4.6L motors, it mentions the PI heads in it....

http://www.babcox.com/editorial/ar/eb40228.htm

 

[GR8WHITE]

Here is a little more info on the 4.6L motors, it mentions the PI heads in it....

http://www.babcox.com/editorial/ar/eb40228.htm

It's only Ford tech stuff though, no real idea of how to increase performance there.


Big difference in the PI head is the flow numbers in the low lift range. While a non PI head can flow just as much at .600 lift there are no cams available for the non PI heads with that much lift since there are no springs made for that much lift in non PI trim. The PI heads have different spring seats and have available high lift springs. Therefore you could install a set of ported heads with higher lift and duration cams with necessary springs for a big increase in power with moderate expense. I posted all the flow #'s on the 3 different 2V heads a while back. You could search my name to find them. If they don't turn up I can repost it fairly easy.

 

[Nasty Notch]

He didnt seem to know much about the basics of modulars, so I posted a link with some really good info on them, wasnt meant for performance gains...

 

[GR8WHITE]

Right, but without any type of performance characteristics isn't it hard to say how X part is better than Y part? That is all I was getting at.