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Topic: 88' 5.0L exhaust (Read 3475 times) previous topic - next topic

88' 5.0L exhaust

I know that many Fox Mustang parts interchange with my car. What about the exhaust. I know shorties should fit, but what about H pipes and back? If I get an H or X pipe for an AOD equipped Mustang, will it fit? Wouldn't the tailpipes have to be longer due to the length of the rear end?

Any help would be appreciated. This single exhaust is just choking the car.

Eric Martin

Re: 88' 5.0L exhaust

Reply #1 –
Things that may help:

Unequal length headers are best, most any mustang h-pipe will work, you will need a double hump tranny cross member, longer intermediate pipes and either tail pipes from an 88 t-bird with dual exhaust or have mustang pipes lengthened. also you will have to make sure your fuel lines do not interfere with the exhaust.
Temporarily Foxless? Ride the Bull...

Re: 88' 5.0L exhaust

Reply #2 –
Since the car's an '88 it should alraedy have the double-hump crossmember (most fox t-birds do anyway).  H-pipe fits just fine also as well as flowtubes.  I think custom tailpipes may be the easiest option.

Re: 88' 5.0L exhaust

Reply #3 –
I agree with the last 2 posts.I installed my headers yesterday,and I'm finishing the H-pipe today )I ran out of light).The intermediate pipes will have to be lengthened.I already had dual exhaust,so I'm splicing my tail pipes with the bolt on tail pipes from the Mark VII.It would be the same pcocess for Mustang parts.On the driver's side,it seems to be a tight fit between the chassis and the engine.Also,I had to slightly modify my driver's side motor mount for the header to fit without rubbing.No big deal,I just whacked a couple of times with my 3 lb. sledge.
'88 Sport--T-5,MGW shifter,Trick Flow R intake,Ed Curtis cam,Trick Flow heads,Scorpion rockers,75mm Accufab t-body,3G,mini starter,Taurus fan,BBK long tube headers,O/R H-Pipe, Flowamaster Super 44's, deep and deeper Cobra R wheels, Mass Air and 24's,8.8 with 3.73's,140 mph speedo,Mach 1 chin spoiler,SN-95 springs,CHE control arms,aluminum drive shaft and a lot more..

Re: 88' 5.0L exhaust

Reply #4 –
I got flowtubes/intermediates from MAC and they were extra-long.  If I get tails put on eventually, I believe they'll have to cut 'em.

Re: 88' 5.0L exhaust

Reply #5 –
it kinda depends on what tranny/shifter you have. if you have column-shift AOD you might run into problems, nothing a little cutting will fix. but my tranny won't shift into L cuz a little tab on the linkage hits the  on the h-pipe, I could fix it but I never tow anything so I really don't need L

Re: 88' 5.0L exhaust

Reply #6 –
It is a factory console shifter.

Re: 88' 5.0L exhaust

Reply #8 –
how would i go about re-routing the fuel lines. I hvae an 87 5.0L bird

Re: 88' 5.0L exhaust

Reply #9 –
Quote from: armin922
how would i go about re-routing the fuel lines. I hvae an 87 5.0L bird

You shouldn't have to on an '87, that is just for the '86 and earlier cars. The '86 and earlier have the fuel filter on the inside of the frame, '87 and later are on the outside. :)
95 Ranger Splash 2.3
88 Tbird Sport :ies::ies:
5.0 SO, stainless shorty headers, w/ Magnaflow lers. KYB struts, KYB shocks. 5lug conversion from sn95 Mustang, subframe connectors, drilled and slotted rotors, 03 Mach 1 wheels. sequential taillights.140 speedo

Re: 88' 5.0L exhaust

Reply #10 –
I took the H-pipe hanger from the Mark VII and sandwiched it between the tranny and tranny mount so the H-pipe could hang there and take some weight off of the pipes and headers.I can really tell a difference with the headers and H-pipe  (with hollowed out cats).I kept the same turbo lers,and really can't tell much of a difference in sound until I mash the gas pedal.I'll step up to aftermarket headers after the engine swap.I'm trying to get the car ready so all I have to do is put the new engine in and go.No other work to do...........I hope.
'88 Sport--T-5,MGW shifter,Trick Flow R intake,Ed Curtis cam,Trick Flow heads,Scorpion rockers,75mm Accufab t-body,3G,mini starter,Taurus fan,BBK long tube headers,O/R H-Pipe, Flowamaster Super 44's, deep and deeper Cobra R wheels, Mass Air and 24's,8.8 with 3.73's,140 mph speedo,Mach 1 chin spoiler,SN-95 springs,CHE control arms,aluminum drive shaft and a lot more..

Re: 88' 5.0L exhaust

Reply #11 –
if you have a floor mount shifter go with MAC longtubes, pro chamber h-pipe, and catbacks ;) and your set

Re: 88' 5.0L exhaust

Reply #12 –
Quote
if you have a floor mount shifter go with MAC longtubes, pro chamber h-pipe, and catbacks  and your set


Werd.

My exhaust:

-Jim
1987 Cougar LS 5.0

Re: 88' 5.0L exhaust

Reply #13 –
X pipe either wont work with the column shifter, or you'll have to do some grinding. A great alternative and better flowing solution is a MAC pro-chamber h-pipe. I had absolutly no issues installing it when I had the stock AOD with floor shifter. I think you could also go to a shop and have them install a custom x-pipe, however, since it is done by hand and not machined, you will not get the same "high perfomrance" pressure balance, but it is a soultion.

while equil length longtube headers are the best they are way too much of a PITA to put on our cars, not to mention to work around after they are there. Equil shorties are better however it is only a minimal gain over un-equil length shorties which will save you headaches of interference and getting your hands in there for tune-ups. Remember you will also need to extend the O2 sensors wiring harness, so have that ready.

Cougar's are longer than mustangs thus the pipes must be longer. I installed everything to the lers without a problem and then had the remainder done at a local minikee shop and couldn't be happier. The dude even took pride in making my pipe as even as possible.

As for lers, choose them wisely. Flowmaster 40 series are what's on my car, and with the pro-chamber you can hear me a good 1/2 mile away. Sometimes it is nice being un-noticed...

Choose wisely how much you open up the exhaust. When I installed the system I have now I had the stock motor. Driving for the first time it felt like it had the life sucked out of it. Because I opened up the exhaust I eliminated the backpressure that was allowing the car to build low end power. Match your exhaust needs to your motors needs, not because 3" is cool...

Just one more note, 88 5.0 single exhaust? 88's have dual by way of the "y-pipe", 87's had single.

Re: 88' 5.0L exhaust

Reply #14 –
my 88 5.0 has single exhaust too, i mean it has two pre cats, but only one pipe goes all the way back, so it's not really dual