[Majik]

First off...I have a 97 Limited Edition 4.6 with a shift kit (transgo), custom catback exhaust, and cold air intake with k&n panel filter.

I have roughly $800 dollars to spend, and only have "ideas" in which would be the best route to spend it.

80mm MAF, Pulleys, and Jerry chip are a sure thing (I can intall these myself too

My goal...low to mid 13's (eventually)

I definately would like a higher stall TC...what If I were to blow all of my cash on the PI stallion? All I am worried about is off the line speed...and more 1st and 2nd gear torque.

3:73...worth the upgrade? I already have 3:27 track lok...i think 3:73's can wait

SO MANY OPTIONS!!!

Thanks

 

[Rossf84]

my advice

get the pulleys, maf, and chip. but remember with a new maf, the injectors have to be recalibrated. i have just recently gotten 373 gears. i had 327 too, and the difference is very small. if you do get 373's go ahead and get a new driveshaft. 93 mark VIII is the best. and you will also need a chip with the new gears. and a 21 purple tooth for the tranny. all of that will be under $800.
i noticed more of a difference with the pulleys than i did with 373's. so pulleys, and maf and chip and you will notice a much bigger difference than gears.

some thing else that might be fun is a full exhaust - headers and back. you have a catback, so it wouldnt be as expensive. that would sound great. and would be under $800.

i dont know much about tc's so i wont try to give you any advice, but i would recommend a tranny cooler, if you wanna spend a little xtra money. they are cheap, and if you got a shift kit, then you are gonna want one. i would do anything i could to make my transmission last to 100,000 miles.

sorry if i told you anything you already knew. just thought i would tell you everything i know about the parts.
well i hope this helps, good luck.

 

[LX-Tasy]

Rossf84....

Not being a smart a$$ but the injectors dont have to be recalibrated.The chip has to be calibrated to the maf.Just pointing that out and not trying to slam ya.
Thanks,
Chris

 

[AverageJoe]

I agree that the injectors don't have to be recalibrated. In fact, on a basically stock motor, you can run the stock injectors with quite a few mods before you have to upgrade to bigger ones. The only recal needed is in the chip, so it can read the bigger MAF correctly. Good luck and go fast man!

 

[Robinson]

personally, i think that money would best be invested in 99+ PI cams, but thats just my opinion

 

[Mod'D97LX]

What makes the PI Engine better than just doing a forged build up and PI Heads? Is it cheaper than doing the forged build up and heads? Are the PI engines build stronger? I have been contemplating this lately and not sure what to do. I dont want to go through the trouble of putting in a new engine. My 97 only has 52k on it. I do plan on an SC and maybe nitrous but that is later down the line. I would greatly appreciate some advice on which route would be the best. Thanks in advance

 

[Robinson]

What makes the PI Engine better than just doing a forged build up and PI Heads? Is it cheaper than doing the forged build up and heads? Are the PI engines build stronger? I have been contemplating this lately and not sure what to do. I dont want to go through the trouble of putting in a new engine. My 97 only has 52k on it. I do plan on an SC and maybe nitrous but that is later down the line. I would greatly appreciate some advice on which route would be the best. Thanks in advance

the price makes it better. its very cost effective to swap in a 99+ gt engine, its not as cost effective to start with a 96-98 romeo engine and stronger forged components. the built engine will surely be stronger however.
yes, the PI engines are stronger when compared to non-PI engines, but a built engine will be stronger than a PI.

the best route depends on what you want. you can surely put an AED on there, a vortech or run nitrous, its up to you. just remember that they key to all of those options is a good tune. we've seen that a stock 4.6 can handle up to 400 crank hp with a good tune, but with no tune or a bad tune expect things to go boom in a hurry.

 

[Mod'D97LX]

I know what you are saying. Since cost is a big factor I'll probably end doing the Pi engine swap.

One thing about the tune though is that there is no place here that I would trust to tune my bird. What do they exactly do when they tune the eec and if I do take it to some place what should I look for so they dont mess anything up.

Current mods:
Inject Tech Chip Gen II
90mm LMAF

Thanks

 

[Robinson]

im not exactly sure what values they change, but its almost all in the EEC. i used to have a table of the EEC functions, but i lost it apparently. basically they would just adjust your air/fuel numbers so that they are consistant through the rpm range. i dont think they would touch any of the functions besides those that are directly related to air/fuel. a tune from the man is obviously your best choice, but for some it just isnt an option.

id say that if you go through the trouble of installing a blower then you should definetly take a ride to the closest reliable tuner, be it dennis, dom, pete or anyone else that is known to do great tunes for modular motors.

if cost is a huge factor, look at what johnny langton is getting out of his cam swap, 212 rwhp is not bad at all for a stock headed 96 romeo, and its matching some of the numbers people are getting with complete engine swaps. with his bolt ons and cams hes going 14.3's in the quarter, quick than what some people are doing on blowers or nitrous. something to think about. the cams are relatively cheap too.

 

[Mod'D97LX]

Hey J-Rob thanks for the information. I'll definitely check out to see what Johnny did to his ride. Whose the closest eec tuner in Texas. Im in ther FAR WEST here in el paso.

Thanks

 

[Robinson]

i think johnny is in texas as well, along with Dom. shoot a PM to "Johnny Langton" and ask whereabouts he and Dom are located in TX.

 

[Mod'D97LX]

will do thanks appreciate all the help

 

[66dvlbrd68]

96 4.6L Cam swap?

im not exactly sure what values they change, but its almost all in the EEC. i used to have a table of the EEC functions, but i lost it apparently. basically they would just adjust your air/fuel numbers so that they are consistant through the rpm range. i dont think they would touch any of the functions besides those that are directly related to air/fuel. a tune from the man is obviously your best choice, but for some it just isnt an option.

id say that if you go through the trouble of installing a blower then you should definetly take a ride to the closest reliable tuner, be it dennis, dom, pete or anyone else that is known to do great tunes for modular motors.

if cost is a huge factor, look at what johnny langton is getting out of his cam swap, 212 rwhp is not bad at all for a stock headed 96 romeo, and its matching some of the numbers people are getting with complete engine swaps. with his bolt ons and cams hes going 14.3's in the quarter, quick than what some people are doing on blowers or nitrous. something to think about. the cams are relatively cheap too.

Hey J-rob.

What's going on? I see you mentioned a cam change w/ a stock head on a '96. How much are those cams running? where would i find them. If they're from other Ford vehicles, what should i look for (truck/suv?).

Sorry about the dumb question. I got a chance at work to check the 'net, so of course i had to come over to TCCoA.

thanks for any responses

 

[Robinson]

Re: 96 4.6L Cam swap?

Hey J-rob.

What's going on? I see you mentioned a cam change w/ a stock head on a '96. How much are those cams running? where would i find them. If they're from other Ford vehicles, what should i look for (truck/suv?).

Sorry about the dumb question. I got a chance at work to check the 'net, so of course i had to come over to TCCoA.

thanks for any responses

you can order them directly from ford. i dont have the part numbers right here, but they are somewhere in a previous thread on this board, and at mtcforum. the cams are from 99+ PI engines, and from what i can tell they are all the same.

 

[BR1]

also, wasn't JL getting 199 rwhp before the cam swap? so it gained him 13 rwhp.

 

[Robinson]

also, wasn't JL getting 199 rwhp before the cam swap? so it gained him 13 rwhp.

yep. 13 almost guaranteed hp and 18 lb-ft for less than $300 and a couple hours labor

 

[AverageJoe]

Hey Mod'd97LX, are you going to go for the Ennis Tx event in september?

http://forums.tccoa.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=928

Maybe we could get one of our "Texas Tuners" to go and work with some of us?

 

[bluethundertbird]

Just a question for J-Rob. Do you know if there any "tuners" up in NY or PA area?
I will need on after this winter.

 

[BR1]

for that cost, i agree it is a pretty good mod. exhaust doesn't give that much hp for teh same cost. how hard are those cams to do on these engines?

 

[Robinson]

Just a question for J-Rob. Do you know if there any "tuners" up in NY or PA area?
I will need on after this winter.

i dont