How Much HP Are These Mods Good For..?

[solaris=amazing]

Hey guys, i got a completely stock 4.6 V8 95 tbird.

I'm gonna take out the air silencer, and then make a custom intake. It's gonna be basically a long elbow pipe in place of the stock air filter housing, this will be run down to the fender wall. The filter i'm gonna use is a universal cone filter from K&N. I'm gonna fabricate a custom shield to scoop up alot of air towards the filter (no more warm engine air) yet keeping out rocks and stuff. I'm gonna keep the stock intake housing on the engine cause i really don't think a pipe would be any more beneficial in that area, being that the intake housing is very wide.

I'm gonna keep the stock mass air flow sensor and throttle body also.

The next thing is chopped off mufflers, those will go bye bye, and be replaced with chrome straightpipe the same size as the exhaust pipes.

PS, i'm keeping all the cats, just taking out the mufflers to get a more aggresive sound.. It sounds good, already heard it on another bird. The engine is 205BHP, and 265 lb-ft torque.. I'm guessing maybe 10 more RWHP...?

[mustang_mike_2003]

good guess..10 rwhp on a good day..if your looking for cheap hp..your not going to do much with what your doing.. start with some under drive pulles, play with the timing, maby port match your intake, if i were you..id sport for some new headers..there cheap and im sure you can pick up a pair for less the $200..good luck

[ModMech]

Um, sorry to burst you bubble, but a '95 'Bird 4.6L will make nothing close to 200 HP. They typically dyno in around 160 RWHP, or 185-190 crank HP.

The mods you suggest are worth next to nothing on a '95 or older 4.6L because the heads are so crappy (for flow). Headers will help some, but if you cannot get air in, getting it out will not help too much.

[CamaroSSBoy346]

yea. Some PI heads. And...well.. JBA (and knockoff SSautochrome) makes the best headers for about $200. They dont dont do any thing really though. Nothing performance wise. Your best bet for headers for the MN12 are the Kooks headers. There the best for our cars.

[Ghost96Gt]

If i can rember right here the 4.6 in the thunderbird is the same as in the 96 mustang gt. So adding headers,x pipe and catback yeilds a 1 sec gain in the 1/4 in Muscle mustang and fast fords. it wont add as much time to a thunderbird bc it weighs more but just saying the heads suck but obsivly it helps it get air out. The custom intake or cai is gonna help a bit but u need to watch out for water!! the fliter is low and if u hit a puddle that water is gonna go into ur intake.

[DTails]

4.6 v8's had 221 fwhp didnt they? - 20% would = 180ish wouldnt it? Assuming its an automatic. From what I learned from intake and exhaust changes on these 4.6's is that gains of up to 40-50 fwhp. More with headers added. so 221 + 40 = 261 - 20% = 208rwhp. Not bad.
The sleek new style mustangs 4.6's(after the fox bodies) had 221 fwhpish thats 39 less than the 99-04's and were slightly quicker off the line than the 99-04's. So whats the wieght difference between a 95 tbird and a 95 mustang gt?
I know a kid who dynoed his 1996 tbird with a 5.0 swap and he had 141 rwhp on the dyno (only distributor and plugs/wires for mods) and he has best track times in the low 15's almost hitting 100mph and 0-60's in 7 seconds.
I dont think thats a waste of time for building up , it has potential especially being a ford 4.6 they got anything you can think of for these v8's and every little mod counts.

[ModMech]

Nope. The 4.6L HP figures vary by platform and other options (A/T or M/T for example).

MOST pre '96 4.6Ls will dyno 150-160 WHP, which is 180-190 crank HP. Late ('99 up) stangs got better heads, and all Modular enignes had the better heads in '01 if not sooner. The '90-'95 heads were BAD, they did not flow well at all at higher RPM, which severely limits their power potential. Furthermore, you CANNOT install higher lift cams in them either without significant machine work. Later "NPI" (Non Performance Improved) heads '96 and newer, flow much beter than the early heads, and will accept fairly radical cams like the "PI" heads will.

[CamaroSSBoy346]

uh..DTails..you said fwhp. You know that means Front Wheel Horsepower?

Now...If i could only find a wrecked Explorer or Mountaineer (the latest style) at the junkyard. Thisway I could get me some PI Heads!

[spy604]

he means flywheel, not front wheel. its ok thats what i thought the first time i read it too, but then i thought and i realized what he was trying to say

[DTails]

I never considered that lol i did mean flywheel horsepower but didn't realize that people use the abbreviation ''fwhp'' meaning frontwheel horsepower. Ill just type it from now on just call me noob.

[DTails]

Originally Posted by ModMech

Nope. The 4.6L HP figures vary by platform and other options (A/T or M/T for example).

MOST pre '96 4.6Ls will dyno 150-160 WHP, which is 180-190 crank HP. Late ('99 up) stangs got better heads, and all Modular enignes had the better heads in '01 if not sooner. The '90-'95 heads were BAD, they did not flow well at all at higher RPM, which severely limits their power potential. Furthermore, you CANNOT install higher lift cams in them either without significant machine work. Later "NPI" (Non Performance Improved) heads '96 and newer, flow much beter than the early heads, and will accept fairly radical cams like the "PI" heads will.

Nope I cant say as I know as much as you , I think your right cus for example the crown vics and the marquise had 135hp and the mustangs had a bit more ,,,,,,, or did they? Im sure youll let me know. thanks