Thunderchicken wanna be

[96TbirdDude]

Howdy howdy, I'm going to ve honest never thought I'd buy a ford but here we are 1 tired thunderchicken in my drive way with a 4.6 that moves more sluggish than my 84 year old grandfather and looks like dirt. Got plans for the chicken but need info to achieve them. I hopped on ToccA and was told this was the spot to be

(For the love of god some one send me a link for valve covers and an exhaust system with out cats. Fuck them restrictive cats and any ideas on how to do something with the climate control panel. It's so fuckin sad looking)

 

[theterminator93]

Welcome!

Yes, the E9 laser red does not age well! The tinted clearcoat fades and peels and we get "laser pink" or some odd variations thereto.

You mentioned some plans - what are your goals for the car?

Generally speaking, the first order of business is making sure the suspension is freshened up, then brakes are tended to. From there, the transmission needs a large serving of help. Then gears/stall need upgrading... and finally the engine. To get the car moving you need gears and stall. Adding power helps with the rest from there.

For a little info on the exhaust you can read through a couple intro articles here: https://forum.birdcats.com/forums/exhaust.63/

The rest of the articles are worth perusing through too, if you have the time. https://forum.birdcats.com/categories/technical-articles.4/

 

[XR7-4.6]

The stock cats aren’t restrictive unless they’re plugged, they flow as well as “high flow” cats, the pipe diameter and layout is the most restrictive part(though not that limiting for the stock 4.6). Trubendz makes a kit but it’s not a direct bolt on, all of us needed to do some massaging to fit and hangers need to be welded onto them.

92-97 Ford Thunderbird Dual Exhaust Tubing - 2.5 Inch 304 Stainless with X-Pipe

TruBendz Technology offers services working with mandrel bend tube and pipe products, including catback exhaust, downpipes, converters, mufflers, bends, tailpipes and more.

www.trubendz.com

Trick Flow I believe is the only current manufacturer of aftermarket valve covers, made from cast aluminum

Trick Flow Specialties TFS-51811801 Trick Flow® Cast Aluminum Valve Cover Kits for Ford 4.6L/5.4L 2V | Trick Flow Specialties

Free Shipping - Trick Flow® Cast Aluminum Valve Cover Kits for Ford 4.6L/5.4L 2V with qualifying orders of $109. Shop Valve Covers at Trick Flow Specialties.

www.trickflow.com

 

[Thunderstruck95]

I have the trickflow valve covers and I’m planning on switching back to stock. They look nice, but I really don’t like the oil fill; the cap gets really hot when warmed up and the fill hole is so small you have to use a funnel every time to add oil.

 

[96TbirdDude]

Welcome!

Yes, the E9 laser red does not age well! The tinted clearcoat fades and peels and we get "laser pink" or some odd variations thereto.

You mentioned some plans - what are your goals for the car?

Generally speaking, the first order of business is making sure the suspension is freshened up, then brakes are tended to. From there, the transmission needs a large serving of help. Then gears/stall need upgrading... and finally the engine. To get the car moving you need gears and stall. Adding power helps with the rest from there.

For a little info on the exhaust you can read through a couple intro articles here: https://forum.birdcats.com/forums/exhaust.63/

The rest of the articles are worth perusing through too, if you have the time. https://forum.birdcats.com/categories/technical-articles.4/

It indeed does not age well. As for plans lemme tell you my man. First up is paint and suspension, it's getting a rustoluem sail boat blue paint job (yes I'm spray painting it but rattle cans still look good and it's affordable lol) and I've got all the parts to rebuild the entire suspension, plus I'm going to drop it an inch with voghtland springs (idk how to spell it but it's the red springs from SCP) and some nice Aftermarket 18x8s motive rims (idk about the offset yet) I'd like to do the xenon body kit minus the spoiler. I'd like to put a fox body Saleen wing on it ( I've seen examples and it's stunning) as for the interior I'm relocating the ac panel to where the trac assit panel is and relocating the Trac assit button to the center consol and putting a tablet display in place of the old radio and ac panel location with a full sound system. (I have a buddy who's going to do it for a really good price as accessory electronics is not my strong suit)
Then it'll be done for a while as I save my money for a fresh motor and tranny to have a fresh platform to start on. I'd like to run a 75mm maf housing and throttle body in conjunction with a PI intake and head swap with long tube headers, catless exhaust and a 2.5" exhaust system. I'd like to put either 3.73s or 3.42 (i forget the actual size for that lower one) and convert it to the sport package brake system (larger rotors and calipers) and maybe one day forged internals and the scp supercharger kit. Oh and underdrive pulleys

 

[96TbirdDude]

I have the trickflow valve covers and I’m planning on switching back to stock. They look nice, but I really don’t like the oil fill; the cap gets really hot when warmed up and the fill hole is so small you have to use a funnel every time to add oil.

I dont mind that. Better than the 27 year old valve covers covered in baked on grease,dirt and oil lol

 

[96TbirdDude]

The stock cats aren’t restrictive unless they’re plugged, they flow as well as “high flow” cats, the pipe diameter and layout is the most restrictive part(though not that limiting for the stock 4.6). Trubendz makes a kit but it’s not a direct bolt on, all of us needed to do some massaging to fit and hangers need to be welded onto them.

92-97 Ford Thunderbird Dual Exhaust Tubing - 2.5 Inch 304 Stainless with X-Pipe

TruBendz Technology offers services working with mandrel bend tube and pipe products, including catback exhaust, downpipes, converters, mufflers, bends, tailpipes and more.

www.trubendz.com

Trick Flow I believe is the only current manufacturer of aftermarket valve covers, made from cast aluminum

Trick Flow Specialties TFS-51811801 Trick Flow® Cast Aluminum Valve Cover Kits for Ford 4.6L/5.4L 2V | Trick Flow Specialties

Free Shipping - Trick Flow® Cast Aluminum Valve Cover Kits for Ford 4.6L/5.4L 2V with qualifying orders of $109. Shop Valve Covers at Trick Flow Specialties.

www.trickflow.com

Mine have never been cleaned in the cars life. And I'm not cutting them off for performance it's just cheaper lol

 

[96TbirdDude]

Welcome!

Yes, the E9 laser red does not age well! The tinted clearcoat fades and peels and we get "laser pink" or some odd variations thereto.

You mentioned some plans - what are your goals for the car?

Generally speaking, the first order of business is making sure the suspension is freshened up, then brakes are tended to. From there, the transmission needs a large serving of help. Then gears/stall need upgrading... and finally the engine. To get the car moving you need gears and stall. Adding power helps with the rest from there.

For a little info on the exhaust you can read through a couple intro articles here: https://forum.birdcats.com/forums/exhaust.63/

The rest of the articles are worth perusing through too, if you have the time. https://forum.birdcats.com/categories/technical-articles.4/

Oh I'd also like to put screamin demon coils, live wire spark plug wires from scp with high flow injectors and feul pump from scp. All in all I'm not building a drag king or the fastest thunderchicken ever. I just want to build a really clean a pepy chicken with about 400 to the wheels. That's all really

 

[XR7-4.6]

Oem coils and motorcraft wires are better than anything aftermarket, injectors you’ll need a tune to use if they flow any more than oem

 

[Grog6]

That sounds good. front shocks are the hard part. There's a thread for shocks. Suspension, brakes, wheels and tires will make it feel like a brand new car.
400hp isn't easy to get to. 300 is much easier. 400 is 4v heads and a cam, with duals, a gtmaf and 24lb injectors. Much more expensive than throwing a cam into a 2v engine. You can add an svo blower for the 500hp range.

 

[96TbirdDude]

Welcome!

Yes, the E9 laser red does not age well! The tinted clearcoat fades and peels and we get "laser pink" or some odd variations thereto.

You mentioned some plans - what are your goals for the car?

Generally speaking, the first order of business is making sure the suspension is freshened up, then brakes are tended to. From there, the transmission needs a large serving of help. Then gears/stall need upgrading... and finally the engine. To get the car moving you need gears and stall. Adding power helps with the rest from there.

For a little info on the exhaust you can read through a couple intro articles here: https://forum.birdcats.com/forums/exhaust.63/

The rest of the articles are worth perusing through too, if you have the time. https://forum.birdcats.com/categories/technical-articles.4/

What do you recommend for transmission improvements like you were talking about? Also thanks for having me here! I'm really excited to show off the final product

 

[96TbirdDude]

Oem coils and motorcraft wires are better than anything aftermarket, injectors you’ll need a tune to use if they flow any more than oem

I do plan on getting it chipped. Ngl I mostly want the wires and such for the looks. If im saying stupid shit let me know, I'm new to ford completely

 

[96TbirdDude]

That sounds good. front shocks are the hard part. There's a thread for shocks. Suspension, brakes, wheels and tires will make it feel like a brand new car.
400hp isn't easy to get to. 300 is much easier. 400 is 4v heads and a cam, with duals, a gtmaf and 24lb injectors. Much more expensive than throwing a cam into a 2v engine. You can add an svo blower for the 500hp range.

Ok cool so I'll be in that range with pi heads and intake? Everyone everywhere says to run those for power

 

[96TbirdDude]

That sounds good. front shocks are the hard part. There's a thread for shocks. Suspension, brakes, wheels and tires will make it feel like a brand new car.
400hp isn't easy to get to. 300 is much easier. 400 is 4v heads and a cam, with duals, a gtmaf and 24lb injectors. Much more expensive than throwing a cam into a 2v engine. You can add an svo blower for the 500hp range.

I figured I could run woth oem shocks and lowering springs. (QA1s are expensive)

 

[XR7-4.6]

With the coils I’d just paint them red or yellow if you want the looks, aftermarket ones really are a combination of unreliable and inferior.

400 horsepower on a 4.6 isn’t realistically happening without a supercharger, PI heads cams and intake is good for about 230RWHP, crank roughly 270-280ish. Cams, long tube headers, ported heads or better yet trick flow heads and you’ll be near 300RWHP. That’s pretty maxed out NA. 4.6s are displacement limited and the already long stroke and small bore make a stroker unproductive without boost to fill the cylinders

 

[96TbirdDude]

With the coils I’d just paint them red or yellow if you want the looks, aftermarket ones really are a combination of unreliable and inferior.

400 horsepower on a 4.6 isn’t realistically happening without a supercharger, PI heads cams and intake is good for about 230RWHP, crank roughly 270-280ish. Cams, long tube headers, ported heads or better yet trick flow heads and you’ll be near 300RWHP. That’s pretty maxed out NA. 4.6s are displacement limited and the already long stroke and small bore make a stroker unproductive without boost to fill the cylinders

Thanks! Boost and trick flow it is

 

[theterminator93]

Yeah you'll need a power adder if you want 400 to the wheels. 350 at the crank is about as much as you'll see N/A unless you start getting exotic (and expensive).

Seems like you've got the right order of priorities sorted out. The PBR calipers are inexpensive and allow you to keep the factory 10.8" rotors; the next upgrade up from there are the 13" rotors and calipers which require a hub swap or redrilling of the rotors to fit (they never made 13" rotors in our bolt pattern).

Consider an aluminum one-piece drive shaft to go with the higher gears. The increased drive shaft RPM at highway speeds will create annoying vibration that has been known to break things.

Also consider higher stall. The 11" converter from the SN95 GT (or Mark VIII and Marauder) is a good, inexpensive upgrade. Otherwise get a 10" 3200-3800 stall (depending on your engine build cam choice). The higher stall lets you skip the torque-deficient lower RPM range of the motor and get right into the powerband when accelerating. With a heavy car like the MN12, this + gears give the biggest bang for the buck, hands-down.

Look through Jerry's Thesis and the J-mod articles for a place to start with the trans. The Jmod will help the factory trans cope better with more aggressive driving and a little more power, and reading the article will also bring you up to speed on the weak points of the trans. The roller clutch has a habit of grenading when doing driving that promotes aggressive shifts from 4th or 3rd into 2nd gear.

FWIW, my "build" progress went roughly like this:

Dyno measuring point 1 (ca. 2011):
PI intake + PI cams, 02 GT MAF sensor, intake and air tube with 2.5" duals and X-pipe. Tuned for 93 octane: 212 RWHP
Net gain of ~45 RWHP over stock

Dyno measuring point 2 (ca. 2013):
Same as above, added on:
MHS ported stage 2 PI heads, Bullet stage 2P cams, ported factory manifolds, ported 70mm TB and plenum: 255 RWHP
Net gain of ~45 RWHP over previous combo and ~90 RWHP over stock

Dyno measuring point 3 (2020):
Same as above, changed:
MAC customized long tube headers, tune tweaks: 283 RWHP
Net gain of ~30 RWHP over previous combo and ~120 RWHP over stock

I could probably break 300 RWHP with a cam and intake change. The car is plenty fun as-is though.

 

[96TbirdDude]

Yeah you'll need a power adder if you want 400 to the wheels. 350 at the crank is about as much as you'll see N/A unless you start getting exotic (and expensive).

Seems like you've got the right order of priorities sorted out. The PBR calipers are inexpensive and allow you to keep the factory 10.8" rotors; the next upgrade up from there are the 13" rotors and calipers which require a hub swap or redrilling of the rotors to fit (they never made 13" rotors in our bolt pattern).

Consider an aluminum one-piece drive shaft to go with the higher gears. The increased drive shaft RPM at highway speeds will create annoying vibration that has been known to break things.

Also consider higher stall. The 11" converter from the SN95 GT (or Mark VIII and Marauder) is a good, inexpensive upgrade. Otherwise get a 10" 3200-3800 stall (depending on your engine build cam choice). The higher stall lets you skip the torque-deficient lower RPM range of the motor and get right into the powerband when accelerating. With a heavy car like the MN12, this + gears give the biggest bang for the buck, hands-down.

Look through Jerry's Thesis and the J-mod articles for a place to start with the trans. The Jmod will help the factory trans cope better with more aggressive driving and a little more power, and reading the article will also bring you up to speed on the weak points of the trans. The roller clutch has a habit of grenading when doing driving that promotes aggressive shifts from 4th or 3rd into 2nd gear.

FWIW, my "build" progress went roughly like this:

Dyno measuring point 1 (ca. 2011):
PI intake + PI cams, 02 GT MAF sensor, intake and air tube with 2.5" duals and X-pipe. Tuned for 93 octane: 212 RWHP
Net gain of ~45 RWHP over stock

Dyno measuring point 2 (ca. 2013):
Same as above, added on:
MHS ported stage 2 heads, Bullet stage 2P cams, ported factory manifolds, ported 70mm TB and plenum: 255 RWHP
Net gain of ~45 RWHP over previous combo and ~90 RWHP over stock

Dyno measuring point 3 (2020):
Same as above, changed:
MAC customized long tube headers, tune tweaks: 283 RWHP
Net gain of ~30 RWHP over previous combo and ~120 RWHP over stock

I could probably break 300 RWHP with a cam and intake change. The car is plenty fun as-is though.

Man that helps a Ton! Thank you! All of that doesn't sound super terrible expensive either all in all I'm trying to not break 10k at the very most. I'll definitely read through the jmod stuff

 

[AdamG]

I remember when mine was on a budget...unfortunately I have over 10gs in my motor alone now, then at least that much in my suspension and drivetrain...then again, it's not that hard to spend that much when I work 20 minutes from scp...

 

[96TbirdDude]

I remember when mine was on a budget...unfortunately I have over 10gs in my motor alone now, then at least that much in my suspension and drivetrain...then again, it's not that hard to spend that much when I work 20 minutes from scp...

Maybe one day. But then again if I have that money to spend I'll sink a coyote in it at that point

 

[AdamG]

If my car had a mod motor I probably would have. Mine was a 5.0 car, so now dart block, huge tfs heads, cam and intake, over 500hp on motor at 10:1 compression so it's built for a little boost too. That's why I went overboard on everything else...it just kinda snowballed...