Slate

I just purchased a new 2006 Mustang GT 4.5 Lt Automatic, Convertible. It's black on black and has most of the options (excluding the larger 18" wheels, side airbags and 1000 watt Shaker).

What are the best 4 or 5 ways to increase horsepower and torque (without effecting the warranty) ? I've heard that installing a K&N Cold Air Induction Intake and Dynamax Flowmaster exhaust will add somewhere between 35 and 50 HP and 20 lbs of torque. Perhaps some of you have had more success with other brands or other ideas. I'd like to add 75+ HP and some torque if I can do it economically.

I'm 55 years old and I'm not a "do-it-yourselfer". Any work will need to be done at a performance shop in Calgary (recommendations?) I'm not going to drag it - just give some of the boys a good run on the freeway.

Any guidance you can give me with ideas, approximate costs and approximate "reward" will be greatly appreciated.

Thank you in advance.

dustindu4

A body kit and a large rear wing will give you at least 50 HP

Bingo

You're probably going to void your warranty no matter what you do...

1) Intake/tune
2) Full exhaust (including headers)
3) Underdrive pulleys
4) Gears (no horsepower gain, but more giddyup)

rhumb

Don't forget at least a half dozen large fake scoops, the bigger and faker the better -- make 'em stick way out in the airstream for at least another 50 hp. Careful not to make them functional as you could easily loose 30-40 hp instead, it's the flashy "bad azz" look that create all that torque and power.

freebass55

Warranty?
And, I don't think you are going to be ablew to add 75 horses 'economically'.

Simple bolt ons would be your best bet, as Bingo stated.

MTAS

Try the search But your best bet would be a reputable CAI and tuner.

Rebel73

Ok,

some of you guys need to give this guy a break.

He's obviously new to the Stang modding scene.

Slate, the gains you were quoted from a Filter and exhaust are highly exaggerated. That might give you around 10-15hp max. A tune will yield much better results, especially combined with a CAI.

CAI/Tune, exhaust, UD pullies should get you in the neighborhood of 300rwhp, which translates to about 340-350 at the crank.

Greywolf

Jlt 2 CAI with a tune from Bamachips or Brenspeed or since you have an automatic Lido at autoalternative.com = 20-30 hp with high octane less with normal octane
Corsa exhaust
underdrive pulleys from Steeda
Thats about it without getting into serious money you won't get 75 hp with a power adder or port job with cams
With the automatic a tune from one of the previous mentioned tuners will get you a much better felling shifting auto Lido rocks on autos.

don_w

With an auto trans, I'd take Doug/Bamachips over Lidio. He worked magic with my previous tune.

TombStone

Ditto!

Ranger

I would go with a CAI and tune. Not knocking anyone else but Doug @ BamaChips would be my choice. I'm 58 and he really was good in bringing me up to speed on this new "computer age" versus the old carb days. When I first joined TMS I had alot of questions and that was the best thing about this site, you could ask them and there were always members who would help you - regardless of how basic it sounded. Unfortunately, I have seen recently too many times where if a person asks a legitimate but basic question - it becomes an opportunity to belittle the questioner.

Galaxie

Nice to see yet another canadian on the boards

As said above, you won't get 75Hp from just exhaust and an intake.

K&N and MRT intakes are a good option if you don't want to reflash your computer, which could affect your warranty.

One of our Canadian members got a Roush supercharger installed at a Roush Dealer in Ontario, he retained his warranty and should be getting over 400Hp with the setup. There should be a Roush dealer around Calgary. Be prepared to pay about $8000 CDN for that one.

If you have a good dealership, they could install an FRPP power pack, which should get you a few more HP as well.

Considering that you are really new to this, do your homework and you will be very happy with the results.

Louie

1. CAI+tune
2. exhaust
3. UDP
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10. ask them to replace the 4.5L engine with the proper 4.6L!!! j/k

Galaxie

http://forums.bradbarnett.net/showth...light=Eastgate

here's a thread about OriginalSin's prochaged '05... if that something you wanted to do

RKNMACH

Are there any emission problems with adding the CAI and getting a tune?

Galaxie

Your car should still be able to pass an e-test. If you want to play it safe, and the CAI and tune are the only mods you have, flash the car back to stock and pull the intake off when you take it to get it tested. With my C&L intake, changing it back to stock shouldn't take more that 15-25 minutes.

Hope this helps,

RKNMACH

Thanks for the quick response. Here's my dilemma: I'm going to put on a set of MagnaFlow catbacks in addition to a CAI. I have a Steeda CAI but no SCT Xcal2 tuner. If I put on the CAI w/o a tune, will the onboard computer pick up the displacement difference and adjust the stock tune to one that will run ok? I know I won't realize the full potential of the CAI w/o a tune and want to avoid any possible damage to the system. Or, is the safe thing to do buy the tuner with the two options and then set up the system. One more question if I may, is loading the tune into the onboard computer a matter of plugging it in and running a preprogrammed program or do you have to enter the different settings? Trying to make the leap from the timing light/dwell meter world to the electronic world we now live in. Again, thanks for your advice.

MusicMan66

I hope that's a typo, because otherwise you got screwed out of 0.1L!

94tbird

get a supercharger, turbo, or nos system

Slate

Thank you everyone for your thoughts and ideas.

Yes Steve, that was a typo. My fat finger hit the wrong key. I actually do have a 4.6 lt engine - not a 4.5.

Thanks again guys.

Slate