Boost in horsepower
#1
Have a 1996 v6 mustang. It is my first car and I really want to keep it for a little bit but I also want a relatively cheap option for boosting the horsepower a little bit. What are some good but not to expensive ways to boost horsepower. I know that I could buy a v8 but I want to just add some stuff to my car. I like projects.
Thanks
Lol I said frat car instead of first
Thanks
Lol I said frat car instead of first
Last edited by Stevenly; 8/28/11 at 10:44 PM.
#7
Heads and cam are your best bet and a cai wont make much of a difference either will exhaust, a tune would be another hp opition but you dont wana keep paying for a tune everytime you upgrade something.
#8
I'm going to have to disagree with some posts here saying that exhaust and CAI don't boost HP...they do, preferrably TOGETHER. Even a y pipe bolt on catback adds kick, especially in the lower end of the RPM range. Also keep in mind if you buy your tunes through BAMA you get free lifetime re-tunes when you add stuff so that's not a consideration if you go through them.
I don't know for certain how much HP I've added and its hard to remember exactly what the car USED to feel like its been so long (though my wife says the car is "A LOT faster" now vs. before these mods) but I am more than satisfied with the following I've done vs. stock:
FULL synthetic oil (Mobil 1) $25 including filter if you do it yourself
CAI (K&N) $85
y-pipe catback (MAC) $300 installed
Tuned (SCT XCal 2-VMP tunes, 87 Street and 91 Street) $110 tuner, $100 tunes
Total cost (various sources, ebay, CJPony): $600. Go a bit futher with heads and cams and for under $1000 and you get even more performance but for $600, the above make the care night and day.
I don't know for certain how much HP I've added and its hard to remember exactly what the car USED to feel like its been so long (though my wife says the car is "A LOT faster" now vs. before these mods) but I am more than satisfied with the following I've done vs. stock:
FULL synthetic oil (Mobil 1) $25 including filter if you do it yourself
CAI (K&N) $85
y-pipe catback (MAC) $300 installed
Tuned (SCT XCal 2-VMP tunes, 87 Street and 91 Street) $110 tuner, $100 tunes
Total cost (various sources, ebay, CJPony): $600. Go a bit futher with heads and cams and for under $1000 and you get even more performance but for $600, the above make the care night and day.
#9
I just got my third 6 but its the first one i have tuned (started tuning with the si i had before this) i have dual flowmaster conversion catback, k&n short ram (much safer than cai especially if u live in a rainy or flood prone area), short throw shifter (forget which brand), and ford lowering springs with kyb gr2s (a cheaper almost oem suspension setup that slghtly improved handling and removed the jacked up look) and of course a predator tuner (not sure how the trinity compares but i love the predator 93 tune). Oh ya, and changed spark plugs whixh u should do if it has more than 50k it does make a subtle difference especially after some basic modding like this. Also use synthetic oil as already stated by another poster. It is well worth the xtra money. Altogeher cost about 1500, including labor to install exhaust. I recommend installing the shocks and springs yourself, after thoroughly researching the process. I have 3.73 gears and tlok waiting to go in when i get money for the install. You can get these and alot of other upgrade parts as takeoffs at junkyards or on ebay (including superchargers, sway bars, and etc). Im already smokin boosted hondas.
Ppl think i took the gt emblems off my car. I swear.
Ppl think i took the gt emblems off my car. I swear.
Last edited by Iamthejuan; 9/25/11 at 10:21 AM.
#10
I'm going to have to disagree with some posts here saying that exhaust and CAI don't boost HP...they do, preferrably TOGETHER. Even a y pipe bolt on catback adds kick, especially in the lower end of the RPM range. Also keep in mind if you buy your tunes through BAMA you get free lifetime re-tunes when you add stuff so that's not a consideration if you go through them.
I don't know for certain how much HP I've added and its hard to remember exactly what the car USED to feel like its been so long (though my wife says the car is "A LOT faster" now vs. before these mods) but I am more than satisfied with the following I've done vs. stock:
FULL synthetic oil (Mobil 1) $25 including filter if you do it yourself
CAI (K&N) $85
y-pipe catback (MAC) $300 installed
Tuned (SCT XCal 2-VMP tunes, 87 Street and 91 Street) $110 tuner, $100 tunes
Total cost (various sources, ebay, CJPony): $600. Go a bit futher with heads and cams and for under $1000 and you get even more performance but for $600, the above make the care night and day.
I don't know for certain how much HP I've added and its hard to remember exactly what the car USED to feel like its been so long (though my wife says the car is "A LOT faster" now vs. before these mods) but I am more than satisfied with the following I've done vs. stock:
FULL synthetic oil (Mobil 1) $25 including filter if you do it yourself
CAI (K&N) $85
y-pipe catback (MAC) $300 installed
Tuned (SCT XCal 2-VMP tunes, 87 Street and 91 Street) $110 tuner, $100 tunes
Total cost (various sources, ebay, CJPony): $600. Go a bit futher with heads and cams and for under $1000 and you get even more performance but for $600, the above make the care night and day.
#11
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Originally Posted by ucdavis4.0gpa
I'm going to have to disagree with some posts here saying that exhaust and CAI don't boost HP...they do, preferrably TOGETHER. Even a y pipe bolt on catback adds kick, especially in the lower end of the RPM range. Also keep in mind if you buy your tunes through BAMA you get free lifetime re-tunes when you add stuff so that's not a consideration if you go through them.
I don't know for certain how much HP I've added and its hard to remember exactly what the car USED to feel like its been so long (though my wife says the car is "A LOT faster" now vs. before these mods) but I am more than satisfied with the following I've done vs. stock:
FULL synthetic oil (Mobil 1) $25 including filter if you do it yourself
CAI (K&N) $85
y-pipe catback (MAC) $300 installed
Tuned (SCT XCal 2-VMP tunes, 87 Street and 91 Street) $110 tuner, $100 tunes
Total cost (various sources, ebay, CJPony): $600. Go a bit futher with heads and cams and for under $1000 and you get even more performance but for $600, the above make the care night and day.
I don't know for certain how much HP I've added and its hard to remember exactly what the car USED to feel like its been so long (though my wife says the car is "A LOT faster" now vs. before these mods) but I am more than satisfied with the following I've done vs. stock:
FULL synthetic oil (Mobil 1) $25 including filter if you do it yourself
CAI (K&N) $85
y-pipe catback (MAC) $300 installed
Tuned (SCT XCal 2-VMP tunes, 87 Street and 91 Street) $110 tuner, $100 tunes
Total cost (various sources, ebay, CJPony): $600. Go a bit futher with heads and cams and for under $1000 and you get even more performance but for $600, the above make the care night and day.
#12
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Originally Posted by ucdavis4.0gpa
I'm going to have to disagree with some posts here saying that exhaust and CAI don't boost HP...they do, preferrably TOGETHER. Even a y pipe bolt on catback adds kick, especially in the lower end of the RPM range. Also keep in mind if you buy your tunes through BAMA you get free lifetime re-tunes when you add stuff so that's not a consideration if you go through them.
I don't know for certain how much HP I've added and its hard to remember exactly what the car USED to feel like its been so long (though my wife says the car is "A LOT faster" now vs. before these mods) but I am more than satisfied with the following I've done vs. stock:
FULL synthetic oil (Mobil 1) $25 including filter if you do it yourself
CAI (K&N) $85
y-pipe catback (MAC) $300 installed
Tuned (SCT XCal 2-VMP tunes, 87 Street and 91 Street) $110 tuner, $100 tunes
Total cost (various sources, ebay, CJPony): $600. Go a bit futher with heads and cams and for under $1000 and you get even more performance but for $600, the above make the care night and day.
I don't know for certain how much HP I've added and its hard to remember exactly what the car USED to feel like its been so long (though my wife says the car is "A LOT faster" now vs. before these mods) but I am more than satisfied with the following I've done vs. stock:
FULL synthetic oil (Mobil 1) $25 including filter if you do it yourself
CAI (K&N) $85
y-pipe catback (MAC) $300 installed
Tuned (SCT XCal 2-VMP tunes, 87 Street and 91 Street) $110 tuner, $100 tunes
Total cost (various sources, ebay, CJPony): $600. Go a bit futher with heads and cams and for under $1000 and you get even more performance but for $600, the above make the care night and day.
#15
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Stage1:
- UPD
- K&N Drop-in filter (Remove silencer tube)
- Gears
- Tlok
- Tune
- Exhaust
- 8.8 axel swap
- Gas pedal mod
- B&M Hammer shifter
Stage 2:
- Supersix motorsports power pack.
- Tranny cooler.
- M90 Super coupe swap?
- Splitport Swap?
- Procharger kit.
Stage 3:
- TMA Turbo kit
- V8 swap?
- UPD
- K&N Drop-in filter (Remove silencer tube)
- Gears
- Tlok
- Tune
- Exhaust
- 8.8 axel swap
- Gas pedal mod
- B&M Hammer shifter
Stage 2:
- Supersix motorsports power pack.
- Tranny cooler.
- M90 Super coupe swap?
- Splitport Swap?
- Procharger kit.
Stage 3:
- TMA Turbo kit
- V8 swap?
Last edited by MMR; 12/9/11 at 04:09 PM.
#16
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Stage1:
- UPD
- K&N Drop-in filter (Remove silencer tube)
- Gears
- Tlok
- Tune
- Exhaust
- 8.8 axel swap
- Gas pedal mod
- B&M Hammer shifter
Stage 2:
- Supersix motorsports power pack.
- Tranny cooler.
- M90 Super coupe swap?
- Splitport Swap?
- Procharger kit.
Stage 3:
- TMA Turbo kit
- V8 swap?
- UPD
- K&N Drop-in filter (Remove silencer tube)
- Gears
- Tlok
- Tune
- Exhaust
- 8.8 axel swap
- Gas pedal mod
- B&M Hammer shifter
Stage 2:
- Supersix motorsports power pack.
- Tranny cooler.
- M90 Super coupe swap?
- Splitport Swap?
- Procharger kit.
Stage 3:
- TMA Turbo kit
- V8 swap?
What is the gas pedal mod?
#18
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http://www.mustangworld.com/ourpics/fcar/99pedals.htm
Not really a "boots in power", just an improvement in throttle responce. Helped alot IMO, and I am glad I did it. I know the link says 99-04 models, but its the same thing on the 94-98 models.
Not really a "boots in power", just an improvement in throttle responce. Helped alot IMO, and I am glad I did it. I know the link says 99-04 models, but its the same thing on the 94-98 models.
#19
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OP: Theres a good write-up about it here as well: http://3.7mustang.com/vb/f29/how-build-v6-cheap-113280/
#20
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Sorry for post whoring here, but I would just like to add one more thing.
If you are considering the "split port swap", and are wondering how to solve the problem with the "return style" fuel rails, then the Ford E-150 (econoline van) is a direct swap for this.
If you are considering the "split port swap", and are wondering how to solve the problem with the "return style" fuel rails, then the Ford E-150 (econoline van) is a direct swap for this.