Long time '89 LX 5.0l owner who now wants to start modding, new to the forum! :-)

Kevin Brown · 07:56 PM

OK, it keeps saying I haven't posted yet, so here goes:

I've had an '89 LX 5.0 Sport for a long time. Don't know why it took this long, but now I want to start modifying it. (OK, I found out my boss' boss has a '92, and he think's he gets 300 hp out of his now!)

I'm going to do the K&N FIPK mod to the air intake and remove the air silencer first.

A couple of sources have said that the cold air intake mod isn't really worth it, so for now I'm passing on that.

But I have a mental list and sort of don't know what to do next. I do have a local shop that is a specialty Mustang place, but I'm looking for a whole bunch of feedback to decided what's the most bang for the buck. I probably have 180 or 190 hp at the rear wheels now. I'm going to get it dyno'ed at the local place next week. I'll probably shoot for 225 hp. Not a huge jump. Here's my list:

MAF change
throttle body (65mm?)
windage tray
advance the timing (12 deg? I still want to be able to use cheap gas)
underdrive pulley
low temp thermostat
synthetic oil

"performance" tune up, rotor, dist, replace the 3 fuel filters

exhaust stuff: X or H pipe, Bassini exhaust
headers?

I don't really want to get into super expensive stuff. Just more air into the engine, and more air more easily out the back. And for exhaust stuff, louder is OK

but I want to keep the distinctive Mustang tone.

I also got one of those SCT 4 bank chips for 1/2 price. And the local shop said they can tune it for the mods I want to do.

Oh, one other interesting thing about my car. Had the engine replaced 25k miles ago. Blown head gasket. But I wasn't into the details as much back then, so I don't know exactly what version of the 5.0l engine I have. I'm guessing a '93 with the Al pistons, but I don't know. (I do need to bug the mechanic who replaced it if they have the original paperwork still. Or if somehow I can bug Ford. Came from Ford Dearborn MI in shrinkwrap!)

(Man, if I had that to do over again. I also crumpled the hood a little while ago and just replaced it with a stock hood. Should have gone ram air!)

Let me know if you think I'm on the right track, and what mods you think are the most worthwhile. Thanks !!

wiarumas · 10-20-2005, 09:01 PM

welcome to the boards. everything sounds good so far. id also aim for gears.. it wont add power but while make a huge difference in acceleration.

Bane- · 10-20-2005, 09:12 PM

yay another fox owner. I have a 88 hatch, its under the knife carbed 351 goin in

might even convert to a 4eye depending on how much hood clearance I got.(bought a mach1 style hood but if the motor dont fit under it im just gonna go with a 4 eye hood thats around 2.5" or so im shooting for.

**SpectorV** · 10-20-2005, 09:25 PM

hello we have a good many fox owners, some not as active as they should be (ben, and mike) but we will help you answer any questions you have.

Ibanezplayer272 · 10-20-2005, 09:33 PM

Score! Another fox owner! sweet deal, welcome to the site!

lowflyn · 10-20-2005, 09:36 PM

Welcome d00d

**fast64** · 10-20-2005, 09:47 PM

Your list of mods to do sounds pretty good. Like said earlier, some gears would help alot(3.73s if a 5speed, 4.10s if an auto), sub-frame connectors help alot also. At 12* or 13* you should still be able to run 87 octane. I would stick with the stock thermostat though, a lower t-stat will make you run richer and might keep a stock engine from getting to proper operating temperature and actually still a couple of HP. Some shorty headers should be a fairly simple swap, and will help out also.

hope that helps, and welcome!

**Brent** · 10-20-2005, 11:51 PM

Welcome to the site! Glad to see you posted.

KyleUSAF · 10-21-2005, 12:51 PM

Welcome

Kevin Brown · 10-21-2005, 02:35 PM

Thanks guys!

I think have figured out some stuff in addition to the above. Kind of difficult to put in a windage tray for the Fox body 5.0, right? (Have to pull the engine?)

And yes, I've come across other comments that the low T thermostat might not benefit so much. Yup: shorty headers is now on the list. Got to look at the gear change too. "Sub-frame connectors": this is for a little tighter handling, right?

How about the underdrive pulley? Any of you have experience with it? I got a couple of 5.0 tweak books from eBay, and this isn't mentioned much in those. But Ford Racing (I think) actually has a part for this.

Oooh: tire question. I still have the original 10 hole 15" wheels, and I have the std 225/60-15 tires now (Toyo Proxis V rated or something. Really like them. Had Pirelli's P4000 before, and they had zero stopping power.)

I'm thinking about the 16" "pony" wheels of the last years of the Fox body, or if I can find some 17"-er's that I like. (I have a black 'Stang, and I'd really like to find a set of those black mesh wheels with just the rim being chrome.)

Anyway, for the 15" wheels, it's 225/60-15. For the 16" it's 225/55-15. Can I go wider? 235 or 245? Will they still fit? I.e., with the 16" "pony" wheels something like 245/50-16 ? Overall diameter is almost exactly what I have, but is 1 cm wider on each side of the tire.

I feel bad that it took me so long to get into this, I know there used to be a lot more wheel/tire combos available for us fox owners! (I remember seeing all the ads in the car mags over the years.)

I checked the Tire Rack and a few other places, but they don't have a lot of selection. And I just freaking missed a set of the Pony 16" wheels on eBay!

**fast64** · 10-23-2005, 11:31 AM

You might be able to put in the windage tray with the motor in, you'll just have to drop the k-member. The UD pulley can be put in with the engine in. 245's will fit too I am pretty sure, someone who still has a fox body should be able to tell you for sure though.

Zim · 10-23-2005, 01:31 PM

theres guys putting 275s on a fox without issues... anything wider than that and youll have to do some work in the fenders. Also with the 4 lug your options for wheels are pretty slim... you may want to look into a 5 lug conversion so you can put whatever you want on it... granted its expensive but the options there.

As far as getting more power, do the cold air induction, UD pulley, headers, exhuast with an H pipe... personnaly I think X pipes sound like crap. Heres a couple video links of what my car sounds like... it has a MAC catback kit and offroad H pipe (no cats) along with mac shorty headers, a small cam and ported heads. Good luck man...

http://www.mustangevolution.com/gall...oadfile&i=1183
http://www.mustangevolution.com/gall...loadfile&i=901

BTW, welcome! Nice to see another 5.0 here

**fast64** · 10-23-2005, 01:52 PM

oh yeah, what was I thinking, I had 275's on the rear of my car. You may need to go a little skinnier in the front though, but I am not positive.

A 5 lug swap would open up your wheel selection. But if you stay 4 lug, I've always liked the older ROH wheels (try ebay) and like you said, some black meshies (also try ebay).

Kevin Brown · 10-23-2005, 04:16 PM

Lots of good suggestions.

Yeah, I keep thinking about the 4 lug Pony wheels (16") or the '93 Cobra 17" wheels. Either the real thing, or these:

http://www.wheelreplicas.com/93Cobra.html

I don't want to go too wide, but looks like 245 and 255 are safe both front and back.

wiarumas · 10-29-2005, 12:41 PM

id get cobra r rims...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/17-CH...10220966QQrdZ1

or black ones..

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/17-BL...10220889QQrdZ1

just my personal preference. plain and sexy.

WhiteStang99 · 10-29-2005, 06:48 PM

chrome cobra r's are overdone.

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