1986 Engine Timing

I'm looking to change the timing of my 5.0L 1986 Thunderbird so I can get a little more acceleration out of it. I love my T-bird to death but I just can't stand losing to some little 4-cyl cars. Anyone know how to help me out here?

pretty much the most you can advance your timming is 4 more than stock which I think is 10' for a total of 14'.the problem is your motor is a SO(standard output)not a HO(high output). Your motor is still a torque monster the difference is the HO timing is a different and motor is designed to breath alot better so that's what you have to do to yours. start w/the intake remove your air silencer box. If you want replace your upper intake or plenum & throttle body w/a stock mustang one from the junk yard then leave the lower intake there both the same and you dont have to play w/the fuel lines/injecters. Any set of headers that will fit a mustang will fit your car(there both fox bodys)and exaust. Shit I just realized you have an '86 I dont think you have a plenum-if you have that throttle body injection I dont know much about it, but do your research because you want to make it breath better. Some bigger work mustang heads will mount up but you CAN'T USE THE CAM. Your timing/firing order is different SO is 1-5-4-2-6-3-7-8. The HO is 1-3-7-2-6-5-4-8.
With out going on and on a good website to check out is www.foxthundercats.com. this website specializes in 83-88 tbird & cougers. I got the bottom info from there for you.

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Ford ThunderBird, Mercury Cougar, and Lincoln Mark VII
I get plenty of E-Mail from people asking me what the horsepower specs are for their specific engine. The following are for the stock engines offered in the '83-'88 T-Bird, Cougar, and Mark VII as advertised by Ford Motor Company
Specifications:
1983:
ENGINE APPLICATION VIN CODE HP @ RPM TORQUE(Ft.Lb. @RPM)
2.3 turbo Turbo Coupe D 142 @ 5000 172 @ 3800
3.8 V6 T-Bird, Cougar 3 110 @ 3800 175 @ 2200
5.0 V8 T-Bird, Cougar F 130 @ 3200 240 @ 2200
1984:
ENGINE APPLICATION VIN CODE HP @ RPM TORQUE(Ft.Lb. @RPM)
2.3 turbo Turbo Coupe, XR-7 W 145 @ 4600 180 @ 3600
3.8 V6 T-Bird, Cougar 3 120 @ 3600 205 @ 1600
5.0 V8 T-Bird, Cougar, Mark VII F 130 @ 3200 250 @ 1600
1985:
ENGINE APPLICATION VIN CODE HP @ RPM TORQUE(Ft.Lb. @RPM)
2.3 turbo Turbo Coupe, XR-7 (Automatic) W 145 @ 4400 180 @ 3000
2.3 turbo Turbo Coupe, XR-7 (5-speed) W 155 @ 4600 190 @ 2800
3.8 V6 T-Bird, Cougar 3 120 @ 3600 205 @ 1600
5.0 V8 T-Bird, Cougar, Mark VII F 140 @ 3200 250 @ 1600
5.0 V8 Mark VII LSC M 180 @ 4200 260 @ 2600
1986:
ENGINE APPLICATION VIN CODE HP @ RPM TORQUE(Ft.Lb. @RPM)
2.3 turbo Turbo Coupe, XR-7 (Automatic) W 145 @ 4400 180 @ 3000
2.3 turbo Turbo Coupe, XR-7 (5-speed) W 155 @ 4600 190 @ 2800
3.8 V6 T-Bird, Cougar 3 120 @ 3600 205 @ 1600
5.0 V8 T-Bird, Cougar, Mark VII F 150 @ 3200 270 @ 2000
5.0 V8 Mark VII LSC M 200 @ 4000 285 @ 3000
1987:
ENGINE APPLICATION VIN CODE HP @ RPM TORQUE(Ft.Lb. @RPM)
2.3 turbo Turbo Coupe (Automatic) W 150 @ 4400 200 @ 3000
2.3 turbo Turbo Coupe (5-speed) W 190 @ 4600 240 @ 3400
3.8 V6 T-Bird, Cougar 3 120 @ 3600 205 @ 1600
5.0 V8 T-Bird, Cougar, Mark VII F 150 @ 3200 270 @ 2000
5.0 V8 Mark VII LSC M 200 @ 4000 285 @ 3000
1988:
ENGINE APPLICATION VIN CODE HP @ RPM TORQUE(Ft.Lb. @RPM)
2.3 turbo Turbo Coupe (Automatic) W 150 @ 4400 200 @ 3000
2.3 turbo Turbo Coupe (5-speed) W 190 @ 4600 240 @ 3400
3.8 V6 T-Bird, Cougar 3 140 @ 3800 215 @ 2400
5.0 V8 T-Bird, Cougar F 155 @ 3400 265 @ 2200
5.0 V8 1988 - '92 Mark VII, LSC M 225 @ 4000 300 @ 3200
ur motor

Thanks for the help. I'll stop by the nearest salvage lot and take a look at some cheap parts. My friend suggested that I try to twin turbo my car. That will definatly add horses from the stock 150 HP. The only problem is that I cannot afford to turbo the Tbird. I estimated it at about 4 grand Canadian. But I will take your advice and replace some parts to help the engine breathe a little better. If you come up with any other ideas, please feel free to post them.

Maybe I could buy a cheap engine from the salvage lot... toss in maybe a newer Stang engine. It's a thought...

thats what my 88' has its a 92' 5.0L mass air HO design.then you could do anything you can do that you can do to a mustang.try and find a wrecked stang because you need the computer all the misc stuff and the tranny thow the same is different.like i said you have a fox boby which is the same body as mustang so suspention will work too.
but if you want to keep your motor you can, remember HO heads will fit and cams are avalable, you just want the early winsor design cam or SO.
like you said if you are going to pay all that money for turbos just replace the motor.
OR you you can go nitros its about $500. and later on it will adapt to a 5.0L HO if you want it to.just dont push it to much

Is there anything you would suggest for an engine? I would love to do all of this to my car. I'll have to wait until the weather gets a little nicer or
until I can afford to heat my garage. I will be sure to check out all the totalled cars. And even if I stick with the current engine I have, I will make sure to use all the the power it holds. But the new engine keeps sounding nicer and nicer.