Gear selection advice

[AnaheimE]

I've got a 98 sixer. I'm really adamant on buying a vortech but I'm not 100 percent on this. Either way I want to put in a LSD (T-lock most likely) and new gears. The problem is I'm torn between 3.45s and 3.73s. Many say to go straight to the 3.73s, but I have a 2.73 stock ratio as is. 99+ sixers have a 3.27. I can get the gears installed for 200 from a local shop (a site sponsor on a different board) and the price is too good to pass up really. I was thinking of the 3.45 from an explorer since it's an OEM gear and won't kill my highway that bad. I think 3.73 would put me over 2500rpm at 70mph. I don't do too much highway and I'd like to get it right the first time so I'm kinda now leaning towards the 3.73s. Little Help?

 

[99COBRA2881]

Add two more cylinders, DOHC heads, forget the blower and make more power N/A than a blown V6 will, install an 8.8 SRA or IRS with 3.73-4.30 gears and go tear up some track events.

 

[AnaheimE]

Add two more cylinders, DOHC heads, forget the blower and make more power N/A than a blown V6 will, install an 8.8 SRA or IRS with 3.73-4.30 gears and go tear up some track events.

Ok, lets get back to reality where I have minimal funds and none of those are an option.

 

[99COBRA2881]

Huh, in your first post you mention adding a Vortech supercharger, then in the next "no money."

Ive seen a Vortech in a Camaro with a 4.3l V6 which I'll add is a helluva lot better motor than the Ford V6, and it was about as fast as a stock to lightly modded 99+ PI Mustang GT. Save your money.

 

[gcassidy]

Dan, I have 3.90s in mine. Not that that's what you would want, but they put me at 2400 rpm at 70 mph. I don't do lots of highway (mostly when driving to the track) and I don't find it at all bothersome. But I don't know if it might be more so in a v6. :shrug:

 

[Greensix]

I can't remember if your T-5 has the same gearing as mine but if it does I would not go with anything above 3.27s. On longer straights I have to use 5th with my 3.73s and there is just no pull in 5th. I would only go to a higher gear if you can put in a more usable 5th gear. That or get a shit ton more power.

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

I'd do 3.73s, no question. You'll like it much better, and that gearing jump will really wake the car up. Get as short of a gear as you think you can stand. The smaller the motor, the more gear you want to get the thing to go.

If it was going to be mostly a track car I'd say get 4.10s. A v6 with 4.10s would run really well up to 100 or so (I have thought of a v6 stripper as a track car).

 

[AnaheimE]

Huh, in your first post you mention adding a Vortech supercharger, then in the next "no money."

Ive seen a Vortech in a Camaro with a 4.3l V6 which I'll add is a helluva lot better motor than the Ford V6, and it was about as fast as a stock to lightly modded 99+ PI Mustang GT. Save your money.

the price of gears/used charger is still cheaper than a used GT by far.

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

the price of gears/used charger is still cheaper than a used GT by far.

Isn't it pretty easy to just throw a V8 into what you already have if you wanted to do that?

The balance will be better with a 6 anyway.

 

[99COBRA2881]

the price of gears/used charger is still cheaper than a used GT by far.

Ok. Sell your Sixer for $6-8k, buy a used very nice GT or Cobra for $10k. The state of the economy has brought the price on 99-01 Cobras down alot. Or just toss the money down the V6 hole. :-D

As for better balance, a 99-01 cobra with the battery relocated to the trunk, MMs 3/4" fwd offset K-member, and 3/4" fwd offset control arms will have a near 50/50 weight distribution.

What about a single turbo instead of the vortech. Since you posted this in the OT forum what are your plans for heat mgmt with that Vortech while on track? Run a lap and almost keep up with a GT or cobra, then short shift the next lap to get temps back down?

Another option used DOHC/T45/8.8 SRA or IRS swap? There are several guys on here in the 'New Edge' forum that will help you out and will answer your questions when you run into trouble because theyve been there and done the swap.

:beer:

Anthony
Midcontinent Mustangs

 

[AnaheimE]

Ok. Sell your Sixer for $6-8k, buy a used very nice GT or Cobra for $10k. The state of the economy has brought the price on 99-01 Cobras down alot. Or just toss the money down the V6 hole. :-D

As for better balance, a 99-01 cobra with the battery relocated to the trunk, MMs 3/4" fwd offset K-member, and 3/4" fwd offset control arms will have a near 50/50 weight distribution.

What about a single turbo instead of the vortech. Since you posted this in the OT forum what are your plans for heat mgmt with that Vortech while on track? Run a lap and almost keep up with a GT or cobra, then short shift the next lap to get temps back down?

Another option used DOHC/T45/8.8 SRA or IRS swap? There are several guys on here in the 'New Edge' forum that will help you out and will answer your questions when you run into trouble because theyve been there and done the swap.

:beer:

Anthony
Midcontinent Mustangs

6-8K? Yeah, I'll get right on that.
My car is worth 2, 3K at best, with the exhaust and rims. If you can find me someone who will buy my car for 6K, I'll give you 1K.

Again, you keep throwing parts I can't afford into a car I can't afford. I don't know why.

Turbo is expensive. I don't have another car to use as a driver so I cannot build a system from scratch. If I had the time and space I most definitely would. And with a Vortech I can run an FMIC to keep temps down, though admittedly I'm looking at doing some headwork with a spare set of heads and rebuild the longblock when I'm done porting.

 

[99COBRA2881]

Good luck with that.

 

[Jimmysidecarr]

How about low mile junkyard 4.2 truck motor? Still lighter than a 4.6 V8.

Hood clearance could be achieved with a raised cowl hood, do not open the rear opening. BIG COOLING NO NO.

Intake runner controls can be reset to open all the time for track.

This is a low rev torque engine it is not going to like reving real high with stock rods, but I love the off idle torque, our f150 parts truck had one.

 

[majinprodigy]

6-8K? Yeah, I'll get right on that.
My car is worth 2, 3K at best, with the exhaust and rims. If you can find me someone who will buy my car for 6K, I'll give you 1K.

Again, you keep throwing parts I can't afford into a car I can't afford. I don't know why.

Turbo is expensive. I don't have another car to use as a driver so I cannot build a system from scratch. If I had the time and space I most definitely would. And with a Vortech I can run an FMIC to keep temps down, though admittedly I'm looking at doing some headwork with a spare set of heads and rebuild the longblock when I'm done porting.

OP glad to see your on the ball with prices and not living in a fantasy land.
THAT SAID... IF i was in your shoes, with a v6 and it seems you have around 4500 to spend??

build the engine up as much as you can to hold boost, IE forged pistons, rods, etc... GET BLOWER CAMS.

after that work the suspension, IRS might not be the worst idea... although it will take some cash with bushings and fixing it up to avoid wheelhop.
you will need to run through either a solid 8.8 or IRS and which is more cost effective.

maximummotorsports will be your friend here.

after you get suspension built, get used to the car and save up a lil more for blower then install.

running blower cams on a NA v6 is probably a horrible idea but unless you have the funds to do all at once, i dont see it any other way... (minus doing cams+blower install together at a shop or something...)

the biggest issue here though will be clutch, tranny, wheels and tires to get that power down, chasis stiffening (subframes) and gearing.

gearing would be dependant on cam selection although if you opt. to avoid them then id personally tell you 3.55 on 8.8 with a blower.
if you do cam it then a 3.73 would be my vote.

i think it was shelby that did a built 06 v6 and made it out run v8. it ended up putting down like 330 rwhp or something and had a great weight balence + lighter. (less insurence and gas too)

:beer:

problem with all this as others stated before, its not cost effective to do this to a pre-05 v6.
lets say you had 4,500 as a budget.. that money would sooo be better off going toward a new car. As I personally learned with upgrading anything, its best to start off with the best chasis you can afford, even if it leaves you no mod money.

either way its your choice, your life and i just listed what id do if it was me and i HAD to mod that car.

good luck

 

[AnaheimE]

OP glad to see your on the ball with prices and not living in a fantasy land.
THAT SAID... IF i was in your shoes, with a v6 and it seems you have around 4500 to spend??

build the engine up as much as you can to hold boost, IE forged pistons, rods, etc... GET BLOWER CAMS.

after that work the suspension, IRS might not be the worst idea... although it will take some cash with bushings and fixing it up to avoid wheelhop.
you will need to run through either a solid 8.8 or IRS and which is more cost effective.

maximummotorsports will be your friend here.

after you get suspension built, get used to the car and save up a lil more for blower then install.

running blower cams on a NA v6 is probably a horrible idea but unless you have the funds to do all at once, i dont see it any other way... (minus doing cams+blower install together at a shop or something...)

the biggest issue here though will be clutch, tranny, wheels and tires to get that power down, chasis stiffening (subframes) and gearing.

gearing would be dependant on cam selection although if you opt. to avoid them then id personally tell you 3.55 on 8.8 with a blower.
if you do cam it then a 3.73 would be my vote.

i think it was shelby that did a built 06 v6 and made it out run v8. it ended up putting down like 330 rwhp or something and had a great weight balence + lighter. (less insurence and gas too)

:beer:

problem with all this as others stated before, its not cost effective to do this to a pre-05 v6.
lets say you had 4,500 as a budget.. that money would sooo be better off going toward a new car. As I personally learned with upgrading anything, its best to start off with the best chasis you can afford, even if it leaves you no mod money.

either way its your choice, your life and i just listed what id do if it was me and i HAD to mod that car.

good luck

Cam. It a pushrod.

I've got suspension sorted. New rear lowers, Koni S/As all around, bushings, new brakes, Steeda rear springs, MM C/O with 325lb springs, new updated Cobra A-arms, X3 balljoints, endlike/tie rods, etc. It' about what you can get without going Full C/O or new K-members, etc.

I've got a buddy who is willing to give me his old heads he started to port and we're looking into running 99+ Windstar intakes. I'm going to rebuild the head with new springs, etc. and a new cam. I should be able to do this for like 400-500 said and done. Then the problem is cooling and the stock internals, though I'm wondering if I should put in a new water pump when I do the head swap. Apparently 5500rpm is fine for a stock 3.8.


As for the 4.2, I'd like to, but at that point I'd just do a full blown 4.3 stroker and have at it. I would love to buy another car/save for another, but this one runs fine and I still get 30mpg highway. I don't have enough money for something I feel is worth selling the car for. I've though of getting a BAB 98 GT and doing a PI swap etc. but I'm still going to spend like 5K at least on the car, then the parts, and who knows how the car's been treated. I know how this thing has been, owned it since 2000 or so.

Right now there's a guy selling Coated Turbo headers. Just the headers. 700. They're nice, but wayyyy to much for me. Like I said, I can probably do a head swap with a cam for that much.

 

[9746Cobra]

Hood clearance could be achieved with a raised cowl hood, do not open the rear opening. BIG COOLING NO NO.

.

Could you elaborate?

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

Could you elaborate?

Raising the back of the hood will not evacuate hot air.

 

[Greensix]

problem with all this as others stated before, its not cost effective to do this to a pre-05 v6.
lets say you had 4,500 as a budget.. that money would sooo be better off going toward a new car. As I personally learned with upgrading anything, its best to start off with the best chasis you can afford, even if it leaves you no mod money.

I would respectfully disagree. Unless you are going for the outright most HP you can get, building a V6 for a track car vs. a V8 isn't that much of a price difference. You will spend the exact same on suspension and safety upgrades and that leaves just the motor. To build a 3.8 motor to 300-350hp is not that difficult or expensive with the current vendors.

If he didn't already have a car, the point of buying a V8 would be a valid one, however, since he already has a car, switching now would not create much if any cost advantage.

Now getting more on topic, with the gear selections available to the 7.5 rear end, I would not go too aggressive unless you plan on changing out 5th, it is really a dead gear.