Exhaust - or - Chip/pulley

[Elapidae]

If you could only do one mod (right now) and the choice was between:
Exhaust (X-pipe/catback) or
Pulley (2.X/chip)

Which would you do and why?

Thanks in advance for your help. :thumbsup:

 

[Orange Poison]

I think the general concensus here is to do full exhaust (midpipe & CB) before venturing into the pulley & chip. Those will void your warranty from Ford.

 

[Elapidae]

Thanks for the feedback.
I was weighing that as well.
Of course if they will void your warranty for a spec of dirt on your plugs, they'd probabaly void it for headers too. :shrug:
But yeah, a gauranteed void with a chip.

The chip and pulley would provide more oomph. That's the catch. I know a lot of people have decided to "pay to play". I wouldn't expect warranty work with a chip and pulley (which I will get eventually if not now).

Thanks again,
:-D

 

[Poisonous Mods]

Im going to vote for the Pulley & Chip......

I wouldnt get headers till ur topped out. Id give it till like 10k miles on her if ur really worried about the warranty.....u can always stop by the dealer & check them out to see if they will be cool with mods. IMO.

 

[Brad]

Open up the exhaust first. If the power increase does not sell you the sound will.

 

[CWCobra]

Do exhaust first...it's MUCH easier to reverse if there's a need to take in for warranty work, especially for something like a TOB, which is a very common failure.

Later,
CW

 

[Elapidae]

Well the votes are 50/50 but the responses are clearly in favor of exhaust. Thanks everyone for your responses. I appreciate it. :thumbsup:

Originally posted by Poisonous Mods
Im going to vote for the Pulley & Chip......

I wouldnt get headers till ur topped out. Id give it till like 10k miles on her if ur really worried about the warranty.....u can always stop by the dealer & check them out to see if they will be cool with mods. IMO.

Topped out meaning all other mods in place first or meaning that enough other mods are in place such that the exhaust is now the bottleneck? Here's where I find some debate. Some are saying that the OEM exhaust will not be a limiting factor until you're pushing 500+/- rwhp/tq and that you will actually loose significant low end torque by opening up the exhaust before then. Others are praising the performance increases on their stock or nearly stock 03 Cobras with aftermarket exhaust. There are dyno charts that prove either case as well as track results. That's one reason I wanted to get some feedback on this choice.
I'm at almost 13K now so I'm past the 10K mark.
Good idea about the dealer. I'm already talking to one about it and I think I'll be ok.
Thanks,
E :-D

 

[wjfawb0]

I am in the same boat. I only have 1,500 miles on my 03, though. I've had it for 3 weeks almost.

I am most likely going to get the computer reflashed through the port and not chipped. I know somebody who has the ability to change the stock computer settings on a dyno. I am leaning towards going with the metco lower pulley sets for my 03. Less noticeable mod that gives me some flexibility in the future. It is supposed to make getting to the accessory belt under the blower bracket easier too.

I need to hear some more 03 exhausts, but I am leaning toward the Borla SS. I have never been big on changing out a perfectly good stainless exhaust. I can probably get by with the stock exhaust until I go Kenne Bell or get a bonus at work. Besides, what do I do with the stock exhaust? Who would want to buy it? ...an IRS Mustang catback and H-pipe...

-Jason

 

[postban]

I say chip/pulley.
WAAAAAY more gains for about the same dough. You are past the miles were anything obvious would have been broke enginewise.

I've been driving around on intake/exhaust for 13K miles. Just think of all the fun I coulda had with the extra power instead of the extra sound. Sure, my car sounds bad ass but even a 3.4 pulley car will stomp me:loser:

Either that or do it the American way, MASTERCARD and get both!

 

[dougwg]

both!

 

[jeffsavage]

Car is already incredibly fast. Exhaust will make it sound like a true muscle car and give a bit more hp, and you will still be able to sleep at night as you have not voided your warrenty

 

[Elapidae]

Originally posted by wjfawb0
I am in the same boat. I only have 1,500 miles on my 03, though. I've had it for 3 weeks almost.
I am most likely going to get the computer reflashed through the port and not chipped. I know somebody who has the ability to change the stock computer settings on a dyno. I am leaning towards going with the metco lower pulley sets for my 03. Less noticeable mod that gives me some flexibility in the future. It is supposed to make getting to the accessory belt under the blower bracket easier too.
I need to hear some more 03 exhausts, but I am leaning toward the Borla SS. I have never been big on changing out a perfectly good stainless exhaust. I can probably get by with the stock exhaust until I go Kenne Bell or get a bonus at work. Besides, what do I do with the stock exhaust? Who would want to buy it? ...an IRS Mustang catback and H-pipe...
-Jason

I hear ya. I'm not worried about selling the OEM parts but I don't want to replace them at significant expense for that extra 1/4" of diameter just to find later that the benefit was insignificant.

Originally posted by postban
I say chip/pulley.
WAAAAAY more gains for about the same dough. You are past the miles were anything obvious would have been broke enginewise.
I've been driving around on intake/exhaust for 13K miles. Just think of all the fun I coulda had with the extra power instead of the extra sound. Sure, my car sounds bad ass but even a 3.4 pulley car will stomp me:loser:
Either that or do it the American way, MASTERCARD and get both!

Good point.
I wish "Both" was a choice.

Originally posted by dougwg
both!

If both were an option, trust me, I'd have both.

Originally posted by jeffsavage
Car is already incredibly fast. Exhaust will make it sound like a true muscle car and give a bit more hp, and you will still be able to sleep at night as you have not voided your warrenty

Also a good point. Of course with all the new street racnig laws in Texas, it might be better if I didn't draw any attention to myself. :shrug:


Still no clear winner here. ARE YOU PEOPLE GONNA HELP ME OR NOT!!! ;-) J/K

Thanks for all the input. :thumbsup:

 

[dougwg]

Originally posted by Elapidae
Of course with all the new street racnig laws in Texas, it might be better if I didn't draw any attention to myself. :shrug:

ok... don't get exhaust.... seems like a simple enough choice to me (tickets suck, it's good to be Stealthy):thumbsup:

 

[JB]

Originally posted by dougwg
ok... don't get exhaust.... seems like a simple enough choice to me (tickets suck, it's good to be Stealthy):thumbsup:

I wouldn't know anything about that

(for sale: QMP 3" loud-ass exhaust)

 

[Elapidae]

LOL dougwg & JB :-D

 

[hj16]

chip and pulley

After doing that you'll wonder why you even bothered to make a poll to make up your mind. Your right foot will love you.

 

[LIGHTNING LARRY]

Def. chip and pulley.

 

[03MUSTANGSVT]

I have questioned myself over this. I have an 03 Cobra that has 670 miles on it after 2 months and I have decided to go with the exhaust. Bassani mid length headers & x-pipe, along with a Magnaflow cat back. I'm not ready to void my warranty yet.

 

[Hicompression]

Dude....I voted for EXHAUST! ('cause that's what I have) Let me know if you want to get together some time to hear how my car sounds w/ Bassani X and FlowMaster cat back......

 

[JB]

Originally posted by Elapidae
LOL dougwg & JB :-D

:beer:

I would go with pulley/chip, best bang for the buck :burnout:

reread postban's thoughts on it...he's right on the money! :thumbsup: