...about the Mustang V8, it's tuning options/costs etc please.
I know that you did an awful amount of research on this particular lump both before and during your ownership, so I'd be interested in your views.
For arguments sake, let's say we start of with a standard unit (circa 260bhp ish?)
What's involved in terms of parts and cost for 350, 450, 550 and beyond?
Thanks for reading, plus anyone like JRS who knows these engines is most welcome to contribute.
The 4.6l 3V Modular V8 has been in the top 10 best engines for the last few years I believe, Ford put together a great all round engine. Also returns good MPG, is low in weight due to been all ALU and is great for tuning with.
Stock it has 300BHP and 320Lb/Ft and will maintain 18-22mpg city with approx 32mpg motorway.
The engines/cars respond very well to breathing modifications and a re-tune.
For example giving the car just a tune makes the world off difference, because it makes the throttle instant and makes the car as responsive as a cable throttle, in stock form they are a little laggy on the throttle:-
Anyway here is a list of things you can do for more power and this is best order to do them in:-
1. Cold Air Intake and retune = 30BHP / 20Lb/Ft (£350) + much improved drivability
2. Lightweight underdrive pulleys = 12BHP / 5lb/ft (£300)
3. CMCV Plates (removal of intake butterflies) = 8BHP at topend only / 0lb/ft (£150.00)
4. Complete Exhaust system, Long tube headers, de-cat, x-pipe, catbacks = 30BHP / 40Lb/Ft (£1000-£2000)
5. Cams = 20BHP / 10lb/ft (£500)
All the above together should take the N/A 4.6l V8 too around the 400BHP and 400Lb/Ft mark and the impact on fuel consumption will be hardly nothing.
If going supercharged as part of a kit then you dont need option 1, 2, 3 or 4, you only need to get the exhaust as the supercharger kits have all the necessary breathing mods with them and on a supercharged car you need to use stock ford underdrive pulleys and the supercharger has its own intake.
I went with Saleen Supercharger to keep factory look and its also the most popular which makes tuning easy. However Whipple superchargers are supplied and fitted by Ford and you can also get Roush superchargers. There are different types, twin-screw, eaton, roots amongst others. Mine is a twin-screw and its advantage is boost comes on strong down low and it holds boost very well. Other ones give more progressive linear boost which means less torque down low which results in less drivability.
If your going for the kit then you want the JDM Saleen Extreme Supercharger kit which comprises off:-
Saleen 2.3l Supercharger
Saleen Extreme Cold Air Intake
Saleen Uprated MAF
Saleen Racer Intake
Autolite HTO Spark Plugs (Colder Heat Range)
60lb Injectors
V10 Oversized waterpump pulley
Roush Tensioner arm
Supercharger belt
Supercharger Pulley, size options are 3.60 (7.5psi), 3.40 (9.5psi), 3.20 (11.5psi), 3.00 (13.5psi) and 2.87 (15psi).
Shelby GT500 Fuel Pumps
Total Cost of supercharger kit = $6500-$8000, try to get a deal!
All the above have been done on stock engines, its all down to using the right components and most importantly having the right tune. I am running the 3.20 pulley and am making a realistic 550BHP which is in the 480 horsepower at the wheels mark.
The above supercharger kit would cost you 3.5-4.5k landed dependent on dollar rate and the kind of deal you got. Without the exhaust system if you went 3.20 pulley size expect to hit around 500BHP and 460lb/ft. With complete exhaust system including de-cats you will see around 560BHP and 530Lb/ft.
Guys in the US are running past 600BHP on stock engines without fault which is testamont to how strong and how good the engine is for tuning.
Throw about another £4000-£6000 engine you can put uprated rods, crankshaft and bore it out too 5.0l etc. which then makes it good for circa 800BHP, but in order to get to those power levels you need to use Kenne Bell 2.6l Supercharger.
The Shelby GT500 Engine is also a fantastic tuner, for example:-
1. Intake+Tune = 80BHP (£400)
2. Complete Exhaust system = 50BHP (£1000-£2000)
3. Kenne Bell 2.8l Supercharger Kit = 250BHP (£6000)
The GT500 is an absolute piece of cake to take too 800BHP on the stock engine, its just the above 3 and apart from the exhaust can be easily done in the driveway.
I fitted everything on my Mustang myself, except the exhaust which needed a ramp, the rest was done in the driveway.
However a Mustangs stock suspension and brakes cannot handle over 450BHP as in make effective use of the power, if you want to know about the suspension mods then just ask but they cost even less and were just as easy to do in the driveway.
What even more interesting now is if you look on autotrader you can find V8 Mustangs from nearly as little as 12-13k. So if you buy one of those, add the supercharger kit and exhaust, suspension and brakes you will have an incredible 2005 onwards car for about 20k, which not only goes quick enough in a straight line to show up a 911 Turbo but will also embarras or shock a lot of cars when corners come along too. When it comes to cost of running well mine does 14-16mpg city, 24-26mpg motorway and cost me only £500 to insure and tax is less than £200 per year.
Value for money when it comes to performance and handling whilst remaining a comfortable grand tourer nothing can compete as the cars are still rather new too.
