2002 Mustang GT: Power on a budget

I have a 2002 Mustang GT, 4.6 5 speed. Basically stock, but does have Mcleod clutch and MAC exhaust with H pipe. I used to have a 68 with a 289 that I could throw on an aftermarket intake and carb, timing system, and get her running way faster and better, but it was a lot easier on that car. I don't have nearly the same amount of tools because I am now away at college. What can I do to this car to get more power (working on a tight budget), best bang for the buck. Also, out of the factory, are these cars basically tuned to be as fast as they can be, or are there things I can tune to get more power. Anything you can suggest would be great, really miss working on my old one.

Cams, ported heads, long tubes (sorry but shorties aren't worth the hassle for the price), 70mm TB, and plenum. Also, HPS (hiperformancesolutions.com) makes a great intake though for the price, it may not be worth it. Other than that, the aftermarket isn't all gun-ho about the 2V 4.6. However, Edelbrock and Trick are both coming out w/ intakes so you may want to wait until spring when they are due out.
P.S: You may also want to get a dyno tune after cams and heads.

What do you think of these headers:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/4-6-M...QQcmdZViewItem

What kind of power gain should I expect from headers? Maybe 15-20 horses? Also, I have heard that headers are extremely hard to install on newer Mustangs, what exactly do I need to remove to install them? Why are shorty headers much more of a hassle? What is the difference between them? Do shorty's give you more power on the low end, and long tube is more high end power? Thanks a lit for helping me out, I'm trying to get as much info as I can.

It's not that shorties are more of a hassle, they are the same, just for the money, long tubes are more worth it. To install long tubes, the engine needs to be jacked up a bit and to make it even easier, the k memeber should be dropped too (dropping the k member isn't needed for shorties but shorties only get you around 5 hp). Macs are good headers for the price and to install long tubes, but a matching mid-pipe is needed (so a shorter one).

How would I lift the engine up without a engine hoist? Is there any trick out there?

Hey there,
Did you read some of the articles on our Project 01GT?
http://www.fordmuscle.com/ProjectCars/

That'll give you some ideas for power.
You will not gain a single horse from shorty headers on those cars. It's a shame, but it is true. Put on long tubes if you are going to do it.

You can get some power from typical bolt-ons like a colda air intake, exhaust parts, under-driven pulleys, etc., but nothing will wake it up like a power-adder.

Bang for the buck = nitrous.

However, it's only good for short bursts, and you have to refill the bottle regularly.

These cars really respond well to boost. If you can save the cash to bust up for a power-adder, you cannot beat it...period. Paxton, Vortech, and ATI Pro-Charger all make good centrifugal kits. Hellion Power Systems makes a wicked turbo kit (but it is quite an extensive install due to the included & required replacement K-member), and there are also some options for a twin-screw supercharger, like Kenne Bell.

When going the boosted route, I highly suggest optioning the available inter/after-coolers.

If you can install an intake and carb on your old car, you should be able to install a supercharger kit yourself over the course of a weekend. However, it is imperative that you get it properly dyno tuned afterward.

Good luck.

Is it a good idea to install a supercharger on a 4.6 with 72,000 miles? When is it too many miles to install a supercharger, where your going to be asking for a lot of problems? Thanks

no worries, 72k is just broken in!
[addsig]

+1

It really depends what condition the vehicle's motor is in. If it's been properly maintained and in good mechanical condition...go for it.


However, I must point out one word of caution. DO NOT get greedy. The stock shortblock obviously has it's limits. Tuning is critical, especially if you're going to increase boost or nitrous from the stardard kits. The magic number is around 400 rwHP. Go beyond that and you'll really be pushing it.