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88 thunderbird questions

hey everybody. im new to these forums and i have some questions about my thunderbird. i drive a 1988 lx 5.0. i have been looking around a little bit and have already found some useful information. my car is bone stock except i just installed an electric fan this weekend, but i havent got to drive it much yet. my questions are
1. do you think just 1 16" fan will cool it?
2. is there any CHEAP ways to get more power out of it?
3. what headers will fit it
4. what aftermarket intakes will fit it
5. if i convert it to mass air will i see a performance increase?
i think thats all the questions i have for right now. lol i will probably think of some more here in like 5 minutes. anyways, any answers will be appreciated. thanks
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

88 thunderbird questions

Reply #1 –
Do the H.O upgrade.With the stock Mustang H.O cam,headers,H.O Speed Density computer,and injectors (along with dual exhaust),it'll really surprise you,and,the whole deal can be done in an afternoon.You really don't need Mass Air unless you're swapping heads and going to a larger cam.I have the injectors,cam,and computer.The headers can be found for super cheap on Ebay or over on the Corral.They're fine for what you need.You may also want to pick up an H.O upper intake throttlebody,and throttlebody spacer.They too can be found for very little money.
'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..

88 thunderbird questions

Reply #2 –
By the way,when I talk "cheap" power upgrades by doing the H.O upgrade,I'm taking under $250-$300.00.For that money,you can't beat the H.O upgrade.
'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..

88 thunderbird questions

Reply #3 –
HO upgrade, true duel exhaust, U/D pullies, CAI.

What intakes do you want to know will fit?? If you mean the intake tube, intakes for mustangs will fit, same thing with the upper and lower, 5.0 mustang intakes fit, mustang motor upgrades will work.
mustang headers fit, and h pipes.
RIP 1988 and 1990 Lincoln Mark VII LSC
I welcomed the dark side and currently am driving a 2000 Dodge Durango SLT plus, with a 5.9, Code named project "Night Runner"
Shes black on black, fully loaded, with headers, 180 tstat, e fan, straight exhaust into a cherry bomb vortex ler, full tune up, ported intake and T/B, MSD coil, and round aircleaner.
Mods to come: Fully rebuilt and heavily modded 46RE, and a richmond rachet locker.
my $300 beater ;)
R.I.P Kayleigh Raposa 12/18/90 - 2/24/07

88 thunderbird questions

Reply #4 –
Anything you can do to a Mustang enngine you can do to ours.
'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..

88 thunderbird questions

Reply #5 –
Anything you can do to a Mustang enngine you can do to ours.
'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..

88 thunderbird questions

Reply #6 –
so you are saying do the HO cam and intake w/o changing
to the 87 heads[incl 19# injectors]. should then make it about
like the 86 HO motor. will the stock fuel pump handle it?
[one more stupid ? asked by me].--irv

88 thunderbird questions

Reply #7 –
so you are saying do the HO cam and intake w/o changing
to the 87 heads[incl 19# injectors]. should then make it about
like the 86 HO motor. will the stock fuel pump handle it?
[one more stupid ? asked by me].--irv
OOPS!

88 thunderbird questions

Reply #8 –
no you wanna upgrade to e7 heads!
RIP 1988 and 1990 Lincoln Mark VII LSC
I welcomed the dark side and currently am driving a 2000 Dodge Durango SLT plus, with a 5.9, Code named project "Night Runner"
Shes black on black, fully loaded, with headers, 180 tstat, e fan, straight exhaust into a cherry bomb vortex ler, full tune up, ported intake and T/B, MSD coil, and round aircleaner.
Mods to come: Fully rebuilt and heavily modded 46RE, and a richmond rachet locker.
my $300 beater ;)
R.I.P Kayleigh Raposa 12/18/90 - 2/24/07

88 thunderbird questions

Reply #9 –
Well,the E-7 heads (Mustang or 5.0 EFI pickup heads......351 EFI heads from a truck,but you'd need the head bolt inserts because the 351 head bolts are larger)),are a good upgrade (I think about 20-25 horsepower),but if you're going CHEAP (which he asked about),the E-6 heads will work,and you'd still feel a great power increase (the E-7 heads can always be added at a later date when more money is available).If you look around at the boneyards,you can get the pickup heads for cheap.For some crazy reason,Mustang E-7 heads cost more than the truck heads,even though they are the same things (stupid but true).Around here,there's a metal s yard ( a cheap source for parts)and they get cars and trucks all the time.They sell the parts like heads for the going rate per pound of iron (cheap !!!!).The actual car parts like plastic,sensors,injectors and all that is $4.00 for the first 20 pounds,and pro-rated after that.You can find awesome parts if you look around.
'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..

88 thunderbird questions

Reply #10 –
double post,sorry.
'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..

88 thunderbird questions

Reply #11 –
thanks for all the advice so far guys. i was kind of thinking about gt40 heads down the road a little bit also if they will work on this motor. one more question, does anybody know of a place on the motor that i can put a water temp gauge sensing unit in. i took the one for the original temperature gauge and put the sensor for my thermostat for my electric fan and im trying to find another hole that i can put my temperature gauge sensor in. if there is no other places i will probably drill out the water neck by the distributor and tap it and put it in there.
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

88 thunderbird questions

Reply #12 –
oh, i guess i forgot to mention that i already have cut the back cat out of the exhaust and custom fabbed up a straight 2.5" straight pipe from the  in front of the cat back to the axle. when i got the car the exhaust was broken off right in front of where i guess it splits. it isnt anything great but it will last me untill i get headers, then im going with duals. will a mustang exhaust fit? or will i have to custom fab up my own?
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

88 thunderbird questions

Reply #13 –
Quote
will the stock fuel pump handle it?


I wouldn't chance it.....

http://www.foxtbirdcougarforums.com/showthread.php?t=13859
-- 05 Mustang GT-Whipplecharged !!
--87 5.0 Trick Flow Heads & Intake - Custom Cam - Many other goodies...3100Lbs...Low12's!

88 thunderbird questions

Reply #14 –
Quote from: daboss351;220911
no you wanna upgrade to e7 heads!

To each his own, but unless they are at least ported, or someone gave me a set for free(and I couldn't afford better), I'd never swap the E6 for E7s... Spend a little money and get a set of Trick Flows, they work fine with the flat top pistons and will make 50-60 more HP than E7s... This of course assumes other systems are upgraded as well, so you could take advantage of the better breathing heads...

IF you stay with stockish HO components, forget the Mass Air... A stock HO runs harder on Speed Densety than on Mass Air...