Engine mods for a 2008 V6 Mustang?

[Raza]

A friend is wondering about mods for her 08 4.0L V6 Mustang.  She considered trading up for the newer bodystyle and the newer V6, but since she owes so little on the current car (less than $3500), she wants to keep it and just mod it a little to get more power.  Her goal is 250HP at the crank, but she's really nervous about mods affecting engine life; so turbocharging is out. 

As you all know, I don't know enough to give good advice on this.  I think simple things like a cold air intake and exhaust will only net a few horses; a far cry from the 40 she wants to gain.  You guys as a collective have a hell of a lot more modding experience than I do, and a few Mustang guys are around.  Any ideas?

[Rupert]

Chip it or get a GT.

[S204STi]

Headers and full exhaust, underdrive pulleys, CAI, tune... beyond that, not much.  Those things will all make the car seriously un-driveable for most people, so if she really wants the power to go with the style, a newer V6 is a must IMO.

[hotrodalex]

She'd have to start getting into cams and heads to get 40 more HP.

Supercharging is pretty popular and not likely to blow up the engine.

I'd probably just get a new one, though.

[GoCougs]

Tell her to not bother. Bolts are for looks and sound/noise mostly. You're not adding 40-50 hp without a lot of (internal) work (meaning, it'd be cheaper are more effective to upgrade to a 2011+ V6).

[12,000 RPM]

Tell her to not bother. Bolts are for looks and sound/noise mostly. You're not adding 40-50 hp without a lot of (internal) work (meaning, it'd be cheaper are more effective to upgrade to a 2011+ V6).

I agree, not cause Cougs is right, but mainly cause that V6 sucks

Plenty of folks have got 40-50 whp from bolt on VQs,
K series Honda lumps and other well engineered but strangled engines

Sent from my SGH-T959V using Tapatalk 2

[S204STi]

Yeah, that particular motor is nothing to write home about.  If she wants more power, she needs a different vehicle, really.

[SVT32V]

An SC is the easiest way to get there and it will cost $4-6K, although there are heads, cams etc to get there.
http://www.supersixmotorsports.com

SCs range from roots to centri and could easily turn the v6 into a great sleeper
http://www.americanmuscle.com/xcharger-supercharger-kit-0509v6.html
http://www.procharger.com/4.0_V6mustang.shtml
http://www.vortechsuperchargers.com/page.php?id=30093

[MX793]

An SC is the easiest way to get there and it will cost $4-6K, although there are heads, cams etc to get there.
http://www.supersixmotorsports.com

SCs range from roots to centri and could easily turn the v6 into a great sleeper
http://www.americanmuscle.com/xcharger-supercharger-kit-0509v6.html
http://www.procharger.com/4.0_V6mustang.shtml
http://www.vortechsuperchargers.com/page.php?id=30093

Of course, you still have to contend with delivering that power through an open differential...

[GoCougs]

An SC is the easiest way to get there and it will cost $4-6K, although there are heads, cams etc to get there.
http://www.supersixmotorsports.com

SCs range from roots to centri and could easily turn the v6 into a great sleeper
http://www.americanmuscle.com/xcharger-supercharger-kit-0509v6.html
http://www.procharger.com/4.0_V6mustang.shtml
http://www.vortechsuperchargers.com/page.php?id=30093

For that $4-6k you'd get equivalent performance by upgrading to a Cyclone-equipped Mustang, in addition to picking up the huge performance upgrades elsewhere in the car - transmission, brakes, suspension.

[FlatBlackCaddy]

Seriously, weight reduction would be a better option to increase performance in a 4.0 stang.


MASSIVE weight reduction.

If you actually mention that to her make sure to carefully word it so she knows you're talking about the car.

You know how women can be....

[SVT32V]

For that $4-6k you'd get equivalent performance by upgrading to a Cyclone-equipped Mustang, in addition to picking up the huge performance upgrades elsewhere in the car - transmission, brakes, suspension.

Absolutely the wrong mustang to mod, although people do it and get good gains and anything from newer cars can be bolted up to the older s-197s

A 2008 mustang V6 in philly is probably worth $12-14K, tough to get a cyclone for $4-6K above that, then again that SC price is without installation which would likely be at least another thousand or two.

I wouldn't even think of doing it but if somebody had some sentimental value in the car they might.

I suggest she visit a mustang forum for S-197 v6ers, probably some tried and true mods.

[MX793]

Absolutely the wrong mustang to mod, although people do it and get good gains and anything from newer cars can be bolted up to the older s-197s

A 2008 mustang V6 in philly is probably worth $12-14K, tough to get a cyclone for $4-6K above that, then again that SC price is without installation which would likely be at least another thousand or two.

I wouldn't even think of doing it but if somebody had some sentimental value in the car they might.

I suggest she visit a mustang forum for S-197 v6ers, probably some tried and true mods.

you can definitely find 2011+ Mustangs for under 20K.  There's over 1000 of them listed on cars.com.

[SVT32V]

Or even pick up a 3V 4.6 for less than a 2011 3.7 and get the V8 soundtrack.

[280Z Turbo]

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[Raza]

I told her that I'd personally go for the newer V6 in her position.  Thanks for the help guys, this is some stuff I can go back to her with.  Appreciate it. 

[Rupert]

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No Nick you are fired.

[Soup DeVille]

Chip it or get a GT.

NOS.

[SVT32V]

Her you go Raza, get her to buy this, I assume she is in the philly region of pennsyltucky.

http://philadelphia.craigslist.org/cto/3994140684.html

[Raza]

Her you go Raza, get her to buy this, I assume she is in the philly region of pennsyltucky.

http://philadelphia.craigslist.org/cto/3994140684.html

That's a good price.

However, she lives in North Carolina.

[Byteme]

I agree with the others; pull the radiator cap and drive a new car under it.   

[MX793]

Her you go Raza, get her to buy this, I assume she is in the philly region of pennsyltucky.

http://philadelphia.craigslist.org/cto/3994140684.html

I like everything about that car except for the 4.10 gears.  Mine has 3.31s (the optional shortest gears from the factory) and wouldn't want to go much shorter than that.  Car redlines in 2nd at ~65 mph.  1st could be a shade taller, but it's not bad.  With 4.10s, you may as well not use 1st at all in regular driving and if you did, you'd be looking at 2 shifts to hit 60 mph.

[Onslaught]

She could get a real motor.

[Soup DeVille]

She could get a real motor.

NOS.

[SVT32V]

NOS.

$600 bucks, 50-100 hp, not bad, seems like the best solution so far.

http://www.zex.com/zx/2005-2010-v6-mustang-nitrous-systemhtml/

[280Z Turbo]

NOS.

I'd need to tow around a big tank of nitrous.



I want nitrous on all the time.

[SVT32V]

She could get a real motor.

A little ironic you should post this with the rotary, fine chassis the rx8, engine ehh.

[SVT666]

Get a newer V6 or a same year GT.  Period.  End of story.  Nothing more to see here.

[FlatBlackCaddy]

Get a newer V6 or a same year GT.  Period.  End of story.  Nothing more to see here.

You know, I like the mustang. It's amazing how well they are doing with the car. So well, that anything other than a 3.7 or 5.0 is a complete wasted of money. Vast improvements are a good thing, but it just kills the desirability of your previous gen when you do such a good job.

[SVT666]

You know, I like the mustang. It's amazing how well they are doing with the car. So well, that anything other than a 3.7 or 5.0 is a complete wasted of money. Vast improvements are a good thing, but it just kills the desirability of your previous gen when you do such a good job.

The new 5.0 has done little to hurt resale value of the previous gen car.  I really hope the new car is good enough and looks good enough that it DOES hurt the resale value of the current gen so that when I'm ready to buy they will be relatively affordable...but I doubt it.