96 cougar 4.6L acceleration with minor mods/pi intake, stock tune

[LukesCougar]

Not hooking very well with these skinny tires, but still feels and looks fairly quick.. im using lever to shift 1-2-D (ik this probably isnt the best for the car forgive me)
When i first got the car it was running 7.8 ish 0-60s now its doing more like 7.5-7.6 seconds with the pi intake.. butt dyno the pi intake felt a lot better at the top end almost feels like i lost a bit down low (might be in my head) but past 3.8k the difference is very noticable.

 

[Grog6]

You do lose some power below 2500 rpm, but the pi intake makes power to 5500 rpm, instead of 4200.

You'll want to add a few other parts, and get it tuned. And if you drive fast on the interstate, you'll want to find a driveshaft from a 93 mark 8. They are 1 piece that year only, and that's the cheapest route to a good one.
Trubends makes a nice 2.5" exhaust, true duals with an x pipe that sounds awesome. A 2002 mustang gt airbox and maf, an xcal 2,True duals, you're ready to get a tune!

 

[LukesCougar]

You do lose some power below 2500 rpm, but the pi intake makes power to 5500 rpm, instead of 4200.

You'll want to add a few other parts, and get it tuned. And if you drive fast on the interstate, you'll want to find a driveshaft from a 93 mark 8. They are 1 piece that year only, and that's the cheapest route to a good one.
Trubends makes a nice 2.5" exhaust, true duals with an x pipe that sounds awesome. A 2002 mustang gt airbox and maf, an xcal 2,True duals, you're ready to get a tune!

Whats the difference between xcal 2/ xcal 4? Is the xcal 2 just better for this generation of car?

 

[theterminator93]

The XC2 works just fine for data logging to a laptop and flashing custom tunes, and can be had for substantially cheaper than a new X4. None of the "canned tunes" on any of the XC tuners are any good for our cars, so it doesn't really matter which you go with.

A tune on a stock-ish engine has limited benefits. If you get it programmed for premium fuel the extra timing (and fixed WOT A/F ratio) will net you a few HP, but the main benefit is adjusted shift/lockup schedule. You don't really need a tune until you swap the MAF sensor and/or fuel injectors anyway.

 

[Grog6]

Truthfully, I'd stockpile some cash, and wait until you add something not close to stock,like a cam.
To use the gtmaf you need a tune.

Changing the shift schedule IS really nice; the stock one isn't much fun.
My tune shifts like a manual, and leaves the tc locked, but it sounds excellent downshifting as you pull up to a redlght.
Lazarus is a beast; he has a pi intake and cam, gtmaf, 24lb injectors, true duals with x pipe,konis, mark control arms,poly and delrin bushings, sport springs, various braces,and handles like a dream.

 

[LukesCougar]

Truthfully, I'd stockpile some cash, and wait until you add something not close to stock,like a cam.
To use the gtmaf you need a tune.

Changing the shift schedule IS really nice; the stock one isn't much fun.
My tune shifts like a manual, and leaves the tc locked, but it sounds excellent downshifting as you pull up to a redlght.
Lazarus is a beast; he has a pi intake and cam, gtmaf, 24lb injectors, true duals with x pipe,konis, mark control arms,poly and delrin bushings, sport springs, various braces,and handles like a dream.

I have a buddy willing to sell me pi cams for cheap, i just need time to install it, and id probably get new tensioners/chains while im at it.

I could pick up an xcal 2, and gt airbox maf next paycheck but the tune would have to wait. Nearest shop is snt louis and that would run me 5-600 dollars. The parts are cheap though. Ive spent way too much money making the car driveable so my preformance budget is limited. Id probably rack up all the parts for it, throw it together with the stock airbox and limp it to the shop with the gt tube in the backseat.

At the end of the day though with above said things done what would the difference in power be compared to lets say my buddies pi stang? Ik the npi heads stock condition dont flow as good and there is a compression difference.

 

[LukesCougar]

The XC2 works just fine for data logging to a laptop and flashing custom tunes, and can be had for substantially cheaper than a new X4. None of the "canned tunes" on any of the XC tuners are any good for our cars, so it doesn't really matter which you go with.

A tune on a stock-ish engine has limited benefits. If you get it programmed for premium fuel the extra timing (and fixed WOT A/F ratio) will net you a few HP, but the main benefit is adjusted shift/lockup schedule. You don't really need a tune until you swap the MAF sensor and/or fuel injectors anyway.

I did make the mistake of running a gt airbox without a tune once under the impression the computer would compensate but it pinged bad at wot just one of the many things an ignorant me did to trash my 97.

 

[theterminator93]

Most 96/97 4.6 MN12s put down 160-165 RWHP from the factory. With PI intake and cams with a tune you would probably be around 200 RWHP. Add in a dual exhaust and ~210 RWHP is typical, and reflects 250-260 BHP (about what the PI engines were rated at).

The PI heads really don't do much for power, about all of the difference between power on an MN12 vs. SN95 with NPI block/heads and PI intake/cams comes from differences in the exhaust on the SN95 chassis along with tune differences. The cams and intake are where the power bump came from.