'90 LX 5.0L 5-Speed Restoration Advice

I am hoping to begin restoration of my Mustang, which I've owned since June 1990, this summer and would like some advice from the forum members. My car has just over 222,000 miles on it. Other than the water pump and alternator the only component I've had to change out was the clutch, which I did back in November of 2008.

I would like to increase the output of the engine without going to extremes in cost; I think I could swing $2,500 on the engine and $500 on the exhaust system, maybe a bit more.

I know I need to replace the lower controls arms on both sides and I think I need a new power steering pump. There are also a few interior items that need to be replaced as well, but first things first:

What is recommended for the engine? I want it to run well and look good while keeping it as close to stock as possible. Can I get 250+ hp out of it very easily?

What about the exhasut system? What size pipes do I use? What about mufflers? I want to minimize the back pressue in the system and get a nice deep rich sound. I plan on eliminating the cats since we have no inpsection where I live.

Eventually I'd like to replace the rear drum brakes with disc brakes. Is there an anti-lock brake kit that could be added?

Any other performance suggestions?

Well, that's a start. Let me know your thoughts.

Thanks.

Put a turbo on it:)

Magnaflow Turbos is what I run, nice and quiet. 2 1/2 should be fine.

Rear disc are a waste, only 20% of the cars stopping power comes from the rear.

Heads, ARF 165s, small cam 218 500 range, and you got 350hp easy, with a lot of low end torque.

Steeda underdrive pulleys will free up a few ponies and save your accessories some life.

http://www.steeda.com/products/steeda_underdrive_pulleys.php

Start running 93 (or 91, whatever your state has) octane fuel and advance your spark timing as much as you can before it starts knocking. This will add some torque and horsepower on the cheap - just the cost of the higher octane.

Steeda underdrive pulleys will free up a few ponies and save your accessories some life.

http://www.steeda.com/products/steeda_underdrive_pulleys.php

Start running 93 (or 91, whatever your state has) octane fuel and advance your spark timing as much as you can before it starts knocking. This will add some torque and horsepower on the cheap - just the cost of the higher octane.
I would advise against high octane. I would run the lowest grade possible without detonation for optimal performance. Lower grade equals a quicker burn for better over all performance. I have my car set at 16-17* timing, run 89 octane without detonation issues. Every car is different how a motor was previously treated plays a big role in detonation. There should be no need to run high octane unless you are running high compression or a car with a power added.

As far as modding a motor, the first things that are musts are listed below.

-Air silencer removed, add free flowing air filter
-Exhaust, headers O/R or free high flow cats, free flowing mufflers
-Advanced timing, 10*= stock, 12-17* range for advance
-Under drive pulleys

-GEARS, I know its not a motor mod, but its by far the best bang for the buck, espically when Ford loved the 2.73 gear ratio back in the day.

Agree with 5.0

I would advise against high octane. I would run the lowest grade possible without detonation for optimal performance. Lower grade equals a quicker burn for better over all performance. I have my car set at 16-17* timing, run 89 octane without detonation issues. Every car is different how a motor was previously treated plays a big role in detonation. There should be no need to run high octane unless you are running high compression or a car with a power added.

The higher the octane, the more you can advance your spark because the flame front will burn slower and therefore produce more power on the power stroke. It's best when combined with proper cams so you can have better valve timing, too. I run 93 octane and there's a noticeable difference above 87 or 89 octane since I can advance my spark a few more degrees.

And yes gears and the first and best thing you can do for some speed. 3.73s with Trac-Loc are the way to go, IMHO.

The higher the octane, the more you can advance your spark because the flame front will burn slower and therefore produce more power on the power stroke. It's best when combined with proper cams so you can have better valve timing, too. I run 93 octane and there's a noticeable difference above 87 or 89 octane since I can advance my spark a few more degrees.

And yes gears and the first and best thing you can do for some speed. 3.73s with Trac-Loc are the way to go, IMHO.
Too far advanced and you start see adverse effects of power. For best performance you want the quickest burn possible, and each car is different. Carbon build up on the piston top will cause more detonation and require higher octane to run safely. In your case if you can only run 93 with advanced timing, then that might be something in the characteristics of your motor causing that.

A slower burn rate from higher octane will not create more power, as I mentioned earlier, you want a faster burn for better performance. The reason you advance timing is so you have more fuel/air in the cylinder when the spark fires. The quicker the burn, the faster you can make use of the additional fuel/air mixture in the cylinder. Again, you want to do this to the point without detonation for increased power.

More for your reading enjoyment.

http://www.consumertipsreports.org/the_truth_about_highoctane_gas.html (http://www.consumertipsreports.org/the_truth_about_highoctane_gas.html)

http://tl.acurazine.com/forums/showthread.php?t=581978 (http://tl.acurazine.com/forums/showthread.php?t=581978)

http://www.ricehatersclub.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=9836 (http://www.ricehatersclub.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=9836)

Too far advanced and you start see adverse effects of power.

I agree with you there. Too much will cause a negative return of power and efficiency no matter what octane is used.

For best performance you want the quickest burn possible, and each car is different. Carbon build up on the piston top will cause more detonation and require higher octane to run safely. In your case if you can only run 93 with advanced timing, then that might be something in the characteristics of your motor causing that.

This I do not agree with. The purpose of higher octane and advanced ignition timing is to ignite the fuel/air mixture so that the flame front will meet the piston at the best possible moment to produce the most power. There's more too it, not all of which I want to get into without citing sources, etc. so I won't for now. But my tuner agrees who dyno tunes Ford Modular engines daily (V-6s, V-8s, etc.) with different octane fuels. He has dyno data to backup the claim that higher octane with advanced ignition timing will provide more torque and horsepower.

I agree with you there. Too much will cause a negative return of power and efficiency no matter what octane is used.



This I do not agree with. The purpose of higher octane and advanced ignition timing is to ignite the fuel/air mixture so that the flame front will meet the piston at the best possible moment to produce the most power. There's more too it, not all of which I want to get into without citing sources, etc. so I won't for now. But my tuner agrees who dyno tunes Ford Modular engines daily (V-6s, V-8s, etc.) with different octane fuels. He has dyno data to backup the claim that higher octane with advanced ignition timing will provide more torque and horsepower.
I'm not saying what you just said is untrue, because it is true. I simply said, for better performance you want a quick burn. For optimal performance, you want the quickest burn possible without detonation. The purpose of higher octane is to slow down the burn rate to eliminate pre ignition or detonation. Now you are getting into dyno turning and race applications. For the daily driven car such as the OP is asking, he will not see an noticeable gains from running higher octane fuel.

Well okay, I think I'll just agree to disagree and will have our own opinions.

But for the matters of the OP, we both agree that advancing the ignition a few degrees will add some performance and efficiency. It's up to him what octane he chooses to run.

Great discussion, but a little over my head. I've never messed with or even know how to check my timing. I have almost always run 93 octane since I bought the car back in 1990; have I wasted a ton of money by doing so? I do try to run true gas (ethanol-free) in it and am fortunate to have a couple of local stations that offer it.

I guess I'm afraid of messing up my performance by changing the timing after 20 years of it being what it is. Am I ignorant or paranoid or both? I have a manual that would I think instruct me on how to advance the timing and I can pick up a timing gun pretty easy. Will is really a difference?

Thanks for the great info.

Great discussion, but a little over my head. I've never messed with or even know how to check my timing. I have almost always run 93 octane since I bought the car back in 1990; have I wasted a ton of money by doing so? I do try to run true gas (ethanol-free) in it and am fortunate to have a couple of local stations that offer it.

I guess I'm afraid of messing up my performance by changing the timing after 20 years of it being what it is. Am I ignorant or paranoid or both? I have a manual that would I think instruct me on how to advance the timing and I can pick up a timing gun pretty easy. Will is really a difference?

Thanks for the great info.
I wouldn't sweat it, take the stock timing of 10* and bump it up by 2* at at time, take it for a ride and see how it feels. You should notice the best gains from 14-16*, also take note in detonation, if you start to hear pinging under acceleration, then back off a little bit. Since you are already running 93 since new, then your motor has already built up a tolerance to it and I would not recommend going lower on it now. Remember when you check the timing, to do so with the spout connector removed.

Also as I mentioned earlier, the basic mods for any 5.0 are as listed.

-Air silencer removed, add free flowing air filter
-Exhaust, headers O/R or free high flow cats, free flowing mufflers
-Advanced timing, 10*= stock, 12-17* range for advance
-Under drive pulleys

-GEARS, I know its not a motor mod, but its by far the best bang for the buck, epically when Ford loved the 2.73 gear ratio back in the day.

Steeda underdrive pulleys will free up a few ponies and save your accessories some life.

http://www.steeda.com/products/steeda_underdrive_pulleys.php

Start running 93 (or 91, whatever your state has) octane fuel and advance your spark timing as much as you can before it starts knocking. This will add some torque and horsepower on the cheap - just the cost of the higher octane.

How do these pulleys improve horsepower?

Thanks.

How do these pulleys improve horsepower?

Thanks.
Technically they don’t create horsepower, they free up lost horsepower form parasitic drag on the motor. What they do is slow down the rotation of the accessory pulleys by using larger then stock pulleys in comparison to the crank pulley which uses a smaller then stock pulley. So in turn you are using less effort to turn the accessories for each revolution of the crank pulley.

As a side effect, they can slightly improve the life of the accessories because they are turning slower, and increase MPGs for the same reason. Won't really be noticeable so don't expect to see it. Besides, you're in a Mustang :D

Besides, you're in a Mustang :D

LOL, truth be said. :tongue:

Well, I'm borriwing a timing light from a buddy of mine and will make some adjustments this afternoon. I'll let you know how it goes. This will be the first step, of many steps I hope, to get my Ol' Blue back to almost showroom condition!

Thanks for the help! and wish me success!

For a stock 5.0, it is designed to work on 87, so the basic ECU is set up for that octane, this plays a huge factor when we talk about adv the timing. This is why I do the same as HiFlow, I never increase my oct rating, unless the engine is tuned/built for it. What HiFlow is saying is correct, higher oct is a waste of money on a stock 5.0.

I advanced the timing two degrees and I seem to detect a little better response in the motor and the idel seems to have settled down a bit.

Once I figured out which way to turn the distributor to advance the timing, clockwise, and marked the harmonic balancer with whiteout, it was a snap!

Thanks for all your help.

I'm hoping to have a entire engine rebuild down this summer; I may have the cylinders bored out a little bit and install oversized rings. What are your thought on that?

If you bore it you're going to need more than just rings:)

With that many miles, I would do a complete rebuild.

Actuall do a compression check, and then go from there.