Intake spacer and other upgrades

Topic: Intake spacer and other upgrades (Read 6746 times) previous topic - next topic

Intake spacer and other upgrades

August 07, 2007, 06:33:14 PM

Hey guys, I'm lookin for a few cheap ways to add a few horsepower to my 5.0HO. I'm limited with what I can do due to having the flat top pistons, so everything I do needs to be elsewhere. I'm currently looking at getting an electric fan, which should help my AC stay nice and cold and also free up a couple of hp. I'm also looking at an intake spacer, which is what this topic is about. Simply put, do they help? And if so, should I go 3/8in or 1/2in? I'm currently looking at buying this one:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/5-0-FORD-MUSTANG-INTAKE-MANIFOLD-SPACER-FUEL-INJECTION_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem330153815826QQitemZ330153815826#ebayphotohosting

I'd just like some comments or suggestions on this. Will it gain me anything at the track?

Oh, and for the record, this is all I have planned for now:

Electric fan
Fuel pump
Intake spacer
Underdrive pulleys
Shift kit
Roller rockers (stock ratio)
Explorer Intake (and possibly another spacer for that)
3.27 gears (to hold me over until I snag an 8.8 with 3.55s)

Should I just wait and save for an Explorer intake and just get a spacer for that, or will the $40 for a spacer now be worth it for a nice performance boost before I can get an Explorer intake? In the end, I'd like to have at least ~250fwhp. Any comments or suggestions on my other upgrades are fine too.

Intake spacer and other upgrades

Reply #1 – August 07, 2007, 06:58:16 PM

Start with the fuel pump. It alone will make your car feel more powerful on the top end.

Intake spacer and other upgrades

Reply #2 – August 07, 2007, 07:14:19 PM

Find another block or short block,Build on it till It's ready to put in.Cheaper in the long run.

Intake spacer and other upgrades

Reply #3 – August 07, 2007, 07:16:11 PM

OK I'm awake now, forgot you have the HO already...

You can repl the pump, but it isn't really necessary IF it maintains pressure at WOT... I''d go with the roller 1.7s as they free up some HP and the extra lift means more air flow... They work fine on a E6 headed HO, I have used them...

Intake spacer and other upgrades

Reply #4 – August 07, 2007, 07:23:24 PM

Quote from: TurboCoupe50;166913

Asleep ZZZZZ

Um ok...that helps :hick:

Anyways...

Yeah, I plan to do a ground up engine build down the road, but I simply dont have that kind of cash to throw around. Several of the things I'm getting will be used later on with that future engine too (the fan, intake, intake spacer, fuel pump, and pulleys most likely) so only a few things are just to help the engine currently. The future engine is quite a ways down the road (I'll be aiming for a 350-450 fwhp 331).

Quote from: TurboCoupe50;166913

OK I'm awake now, forgot you have the HO already...

You can repl the pump, but it isn't really necessary IF it maintains pressure at WOT... I''d go with the roller 1.7s as they free up some HP and the extra lift means more air flow... They work fine on a E6 headed HO, I have used them...

I'd love to go with 1.7s, but I have the stock flat top pistons :( . Unless they'll still be fine, but I always thought they'd cause some valve clearance probs. But if not, I'll be glad to pop a set in. And yeah, the fuel pump seems fine at WOT, but I'll replace it at some point just to be safe. Probably after most of the other stuff is done.

Intake spacer and other upgrades

Reply #5 – August 07, 2007, 08:50:35 PM

The '86 HOs had E6 heads and flattop pistons, that's what I ran a set of the Cobra 1.7s on.. I doubt they'd even be a problem with E7s and flattops(if the 1.6s were OK)... Any possible interference is when the valve first starts to open or just closing(this is when the piston is moving away from or toward valve)... There should not be enough difference in lift at that point to cause a problem...

Unless you want to resell parts later, I'd make mods that could be utilized on a new engine...

Intake spacer and other upgrades

Reply #6 – August 07, 2007, 08:51:34 PM

Full-length headers, off-road road H or X pipe (2.5"), toss your smog pump and forget the 3.27's or 3.55's...go with 4.10's...or at the very least 3.73's. Bump the timing to around 14-16 degrees and run premium...the car will wake up big time. These along with the other mods you've planned should put you into the low low 14's with traction and good air. A torque convertor will help a lot too...probably no more than 2400-2600rpm.

Intake spacer and other upgrades

Reply #7 – August 07, 2007, 09:42:03 PM

Awesome, thanks for the info about the rockers, that's really good to know! Looks like a set of 1.7ratio roller rockers are gonna be comin! :)

And your comment about mods that I can use on the new engine: that's exactly what I was thinking. My list in an earlier post already covers a lot of stuff that can and will be used in the new engine.

@sick: Well one thing I'm very clear on is that I want my car to always be emmissions legal. Especially since we have emmissions here in NC, and I'd rather have the piece of mind. Also, I JUST put the exhaust in in May, so that wont be changed any time soon. I'll probably get a better H pipe with 2 high flow cats and some better headers for now, but that's still a ways off.

The gears I'm a bit hung up on. I'm not gonna go with 4.10s; I want it to be mild. It'll still be used on the street 95% of the time. And right now, and probably for several years more, it is my daily driver. 3.73s are a very good possibility when the car is retired from its DD duties (maybe earlier if I'm convinced enough). That's also when I plan to start the new engine build...so yeah, that's a while off. I'm also doing the 3.27s purely because I already have the set sitting in the garage, so they're pretty much free. Might as well!

I've thought about the timing bump and I probably will do that.

I'll also definitely do the torque converter if I decide to keep the AOD. Like I said, it is and always will be mainly a street car with an occasional trip to the track once a month or so. I still havent decided for sure if I'm going to keep the AOD or drop in a WC T5. This decision will also affect my decision with gear ratios.

Thanks a whole bunch for all the input so far guys, this is exactly the stuff I need to know and think about :) .

Intake spacer and other upgrades

Reply #8 – August 07, 2007, 10:06:30 PM

Quote from: kingcars;166947

A
I've thought about the timing bump and I probably will do that.

That's the absolute FIRST mod you should have made... Setting the timing to 13*-14* makes a very noticeable difference... Course you'll have to run premium fuel...

Intake spacer and other upgrades

Reply #9 – August 07, 2007, 10:16:10 PM

Being an 19 year old with a part time job, I've been hesitant to do that. Does it affect gas mileage at all?

Oh and by the way, I havent made any mods to the HO yet, so it still could be my first mod for it :) .

Intake spacer and other upgrades

Reply #10 – August 07, 2007, 10:19:33 PM

If anything, it should increase mileage... On the fuel you may be OK with Mid Grade...

Intake spacer and other upgrades

Reply #11 – August 07, 2007, 10:27:15 PM

Ah awesome, thanks for the info. I'll have to do some testing with that.

Intake spacer and other upgrades

Reply #12 – August 07, 2007, 10:27:37 PM

Save your money on the stock spacer,i have one for the gt40 style intake(explorer) without the gaskets or bolts that i'd let ya have for 15.00+ shipping if your interested.
It's new,bought it and never used it.
1.7s with the stock ho cam will work without problem in your application.

Intake spacer and other upgrades

Reply #13 – August 07, 2007, 10:29:43 PM

Thanks for the offer! I'll drop you a pm in a min.

Also, thanks for re-confirming the 1.7 ratio rockers. Great info indeed.

Intake spacer and other upgrades

Reply #14 – August 07, 2007, 11:00:55 PM

Quote from: kingcars;166971

Also, thanks for re-confirming the 1.7 ratio rockers. Great info indeed.

x2

i thought for sure with a HO cam and SO pistons that 1.6 was all u can go. looks like i gotta buy some new rockers before before i go through with the HO conversion. glad i looked at this thread! :D