S197 Power Upgrades (and cosmetic) your thoughts?

With my 40th birthday quicly approaching I got the wife to agree to let me buy some goodies for mt 07 GT Auto. Here is what I was thinking, I have about $2K to spend. S/C will be too expensive and isn't an option. I like the sound of the stock exhaust so I am keeping it, unless I can find something that isnt much louder and reasonably priced that can add a few HP. Initial thoughts are:

1. CAI - JLT with XCAL 3
2. BBK Underdrive Pulley
3. Ford Racing 4.10 gears

Other upgrades I am considering are cosmetic -Agent 47 Mirrors and sequential tail lights.

Any feedback is appreciated.

Thanks,

J to the C

I just got the JLT and predator for 520, the bassani x high flow cats 46053 for 250. this will make it a little louder but keep the smooth tone. the rest sounds great.

You could also consider an intake manifold and cams, that will make good power. just my .02cents happy almost b-day.

Looking back at it all, if I had $2k on a "virgin" S197, the bang for the bucks are:

1. cold air kit and tune
2. 4.10 gears
3. aluminum driveshaft
4. aftermarket springs and lower control arms

The first item adds more horsepower, the second gets you up to speed quicker, the 3rd lowers some weight/less rotational mass, and the 4th helps you plant the rear tires a bit more confidently.

For the NEXT $2000, I'd go with meatier rubber, and longtube headers/h-pipe.

Except for the gears, you shouldn't have any trouble doing the installs yourself in the driveway...

John

John -
First off - your car looks friggin GREAT.

Here are my latest thoughts
4.10 gears
XCAL3
JLT COLD AIR KIT
FLOWMASTER AXLEBACKS
STEEDA UNDERDRIVE PULLIES
STEEDA CHARGE MOTION PLATES
UPR OFF ROAD X-PIPE

Wondering about MD inspections as well can you provide any insight?

Easy question/joke, know any Jewish mechanics? I am lucky I can turn a faucet on.

You have a automatic I thought 373 gears was the way too go

3.73 or 4.10 will both work from my research, personal choice I guess.

I like Pauls idea after round one of mods.

J to the C wrote:John -
First off - your car looks friggin GREAT.

Here are my latest thoughts
4.10 gears
XCAL3
JLT COLD AIR KIT
FLOWMASTER AXLEBACKS
STEEDA UNDERDRIVE PULLIES
STEEDA CHARGE MOTION PLATES
UPR OFF ROAD X-PIPE

Wondering about MD inspections as well can you provide any insight?

Easy question/joke, know any Jewish mechanics? I am lucky I can turn a faucet on.

The underdrive pullies, at your HP levels, will do very little. Same with charge motion plates and you WILL lose bottom end torque (these work best with forced injection cars) and you WILL need to find a compentent performance shop to develop a custom tune to make adjustments. Personally, there are better bangs for the buck (long tube headers with the exhaust items you cite above).

Since our inspections are ODBII port only, you should pass with flying colors. Mine did...

Mechanics usually charge $60-80/hour--that's the going rate. Trust me, the cold air kit is a 20 minute job, and if you can get the car up on jackstands, the exhaust really is pretty simple. nothing like getting greasy to become one with your car!

John

Oh, regarding cams. While they add horsepower and torque on our 4.6l engines, they are a major fricking pain to install and will cost you in labor when also changing springs and retainers. There are reports of the new "no springs required" FRPP cams making 20hp+, but no one has provided a dyno yet to prove it that I've seen, only selling vendor dynos (which I don't trust). Paul is right, cams in general are a very worthy upgrade to consider--someday, but be prepared with $$$.

Big Mike226 wrote:You have a automatic I thought 373 gears was the way too go

Mike, you are right, in general the auto crowd leans toward 3.73s and manuals to 4.10s on S197s. This is a compromise towards streetability though, not a performance requirement and the sweet spot between the road and dragstrip. I have 4.10s with my 5speed and am not likely to change the gearing because I enjoy the car off the track sometimes. But if I really were concentrating on getting the most out of my car's 5 speed, I might easily consider 4.30s or even 4.56s. I'd have to reconsider tire sizes to ensure I was going through the traps under the torque curve and all that as well...

So, if the drag strip is NOT your thing, stick to Mike's suggestion above...

As a point of reference - $2K budget.

I need to do more research on the gears now. What's the downside to installing 4.10's? When you mean streetability can you explain what problems might I encounter? (I am a novice)

I have read that the udp's free up a few parasitic ponies, is this not the case from folks experiences?

As far as the tubes and exhaust what are your opinions on the above set up?

So far here is what I know JLT with SCT XCAL 3 and a custom tune (woodbine motorsports perhaps).

I have no plans to take the car to the track again everyday driving.

Anyhow I very much appreciate your experiences, keep them coming.

When you change your gears the biggest impact is cruising speed/rpms change. I went from 3.55s to 4.10s, so my rpms are now higher at a given speed. Great performance and seat of the pants mod. Since it's NOT my daily driver I don't care and the reduced gas mileage not so bad (still 25mpg on the highway). But you gain faster access to power as you reach optimum rpms sooner. If you went with 4.30s or 4.56s, highway driving might become a chore as the car is reviing higher in the rpm range and will be loud and annoying. But at the track: KILLER! Personally, if a slight drop in gas mileage isn't an issue, 4.10s are fine if you have a 5-speed.

Yes, underdrive pullies do reduce parasitic drag, but not all that much! Foxbodies tend to get a bit more out of them than S197s. My Steeda pullies were the last mod put on my car and they were free, so I had nothing to lose and maybe 3-4hp gain at best. I didn't notice a thing and still don't.

Midpipe/muffler changes aren't really going to free up all that much power on these cars because the system is already pretty efficient, compared to fox bodies and their 302 motors. Note xpipes in general will free up a few horses more than h-pipes. However, the xpipes TEND to be raspy and higher pitched, h-pipes a bit deeper in sound. Sound preferences are really individual so it's hard to say, but in general Flowmaster's sound really nice. I've only heard UPR xpipes on Foxbodies (we have one) and it sounds just fine.

Look, ultimately it's your money. What is it you're looking for. Fast street machine? Awesome sound? Fantastic handling? It's really a balance. Plenty of money and you can have it all. But most of us have to do it over time. My goal the last year has been to build a streetable car that I can drive off the street, hit the dragstrip and snap off a low 12 without blinking. I'm almost there, but some creature comforts have been given up. The car is still a pleasure to drive but it rides a little harsher, doesn't handle in corners all that well, and drag racing eats up gas money.

So what is it you're looking for: speed, sound or handling?

John

I want more power at the low and mid range. A faster street machine for sure (naturally aspirated). Something more that gives me a push back in my seat around town and highway when I decide to "hit it". Mind you my car is an 5sp AUTO. That is why I was considering 4.10 gears from the start. Mind you I rarely exceed 80MPH.

Any other thoughts or comments are appreciated. Do you think I should talk to a professional tuner (mechanic)at this point? Or explore further via the web and use various folks as a sounding board. Again I value your experiences (everyone's feedback so far). I am trying to Learn to Listen and Listen to Learn".

You want a push in the seat? Ok, you need in this order, as money comes in:
1. cold air kit and tune
2. 3.73 or 4.10 gears
3. aluminum driveshaft
4. longtube headers and h- or x-pipe (stock muffler does NOT restrict airflow all that much).

Note your tune will need to compensate for your cold air kit, gears and headers (oxygen sensor adjustments).

I've dynoed my car after most intake/exhaust mods. The cold air kit got me 18hps, the long tubes 25 (with o/r h-pipe). Gears and driveshaft added much "seat in the pants" changes to performance.

Next:
5. meatier rubber (275 out back)
6. lowering springs (Steedas, about an 1" drop)
7. Lower control arm replacements

I thank you for the input, the driveshaft mostly a wieght saver?