Throttle Body on a panther?

[1987cp]

Thinking for that price range you should keep saving and think about upgrading the exhaust first. Spending money on "cheap" mods that don't give you the results you want, is money you could have put toward something more interesting. Sometimes this does mean keeping stuff completely stock for a while until you have the $$$($) for an upgrade that'll be worth the trouble.

[01grandmarq]

What exactly do you have in mind with the exhaust? Running dual im assuming? Can you give me a bit more info on what you mean by the exhaust and a estimate for a price? Not looking for exacts just curious the whereabouts of the cost.

[1987cp]

For Box-bodies, we can easily put together an okay 2.5" system for under $500 from tubular exhaust manifolds (aka "shorty headers") to tailpipes, using a mix of Mustang, S-10, and Caprice parts. Less if you're cheap, more if you like coated manifolds, cats, expensive mufflers, or like paying for installation. I *assume* something similar might be possible on 4.6L cars ... could talk to guys like SVT98t, AKA_Rizzo, and others (Rizzo is on CrownVic.net as well).

For stock-ish (~200hp) 5.0 cars, folks sometimes go 2.25" up front with 2" Vic tailpipes. I've got that on one car right now, and I rather like it. SFAIK, 2.25" tailpipes have to be custom-bent unless you like paying over $75 each for fancy resonated tailpipes that you'd probably have to rework a little anyway.

[p71towny]

Later panthers had tailpipes with resonators in them. The exhaust was stainless as well. And as far as ordering a tune, thats what the town car has. I had to have a custom chip made for it by dennis reinhart in FL. He was a dick.

[SVT98t]

I put a stock dual system on my car. The new revised Walker cats only have 2 cats in them now. I didn't put headers on because $$$ and the cat pipes have to be modified to accept the headers. The H-pipe and tailpipes only cost about $125 total. I had Thrush turbo mufflers on and I put my old Marauder tips on. So, without the new cats, it totaled around $200. And I installed everything myself.
The cats were the expensive parts. They aren't high-flow or performance oriented. Regular stock ones. They were $200 a side.
The after cat system should run you about $200 or so.
It sounds pretty good though.

Old stock crap:


Pic of everything laid out before install:


-ryan s.

[01grandmarq]

Thanks, think ill be going for my exhaust as one of the first things I do. Got a question about the underdrive pulleys though. Im looking at the Steeda's as ive seen many recommendations with great results from them but im not sure which model I would need for my car. My car was made in 10-01 according to my door panel tag, I would want the " 701-0003 - Underdrive Pulley - Mid-2001 to 2004 GT w/New Style Water Pump" for my car then, right? Any specialized tools needed for the installation of this?

[SVT98t]

Pulley puller. You can rent one from Advance or buy one from Harbour Freight for $15 (like I did).
Measure out from the block to the water pump pulley. The "new" style pump has a shorter snout on it.

Visually check here:

http://www.americanmuscle.com/water-pump-pulley-identification.html

-ryan s.

[rick99601]

a mail order tune is fine for a pretty much stock vehicle. with any power adders and the like you need to get it on the dyno.

ive used brenspeed for my SCT XC2, those tuners are dirt cheap now. take advantage of it.

i bet youd feel a difference with a 93 octane tune. it woke up my pretty much stock mustang pretty good when i first got her.

[1987cp]

Dyno? Sure you don't mean dragstrip?

[01grandmarq]

Wait, with these pulleys I would want to get a tune? Not against it at all im just wondering because i thought it was on the list of mods which didnt require a tune. And thanks for the help I plan on getting to work on this as soon as I can get them ordered.

[351m]

Pulleys don't require a tune. They jumped back to the mail order tune from earlier. On that note... There are places that are really good at doing a tune based on the specs you give them once you start adding parts. If you do some looking there is probably someone good with the 4.6 as well.

[rick99601]

Dyno? Sure you don't mean dragstrip?

either or

what are the advantages of track tuning? i know thats the best way to do it, i dont know why though.

[sly]

dyno isn't moving the car... just the rotating mass. track gets the car moving and shows more "real world" results.

[pantera77]

Wait, with these pulleys I would want to get a tune? Not against it at all im just wondering because i thought it was on the list of mods which didnt require a tune. And thanks for the help I plan on getting to work on this as soon as I can get them ordered.

I've read some people bump their idle up a little to help with charging. I doubt it really matters though.

[1987cp]

either or

what are the advantages of track tuning? i know thats the best way to do it, i dont know why though.

Depends on what you want your engine to do. Do you want it to post up a dyno number, or do you want it to motivate a vehicle? Spinning a dyno and motivating a vehicle are different tasks, and a tune that optimizes an engine for one may or may not also optimize it for the other.

Random quote of the day:

I know for a FACT, you can lose 17 peak HP, 14 avg HP, and run 2 mph and almost 3 tenths quicker at the track.