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On3 turbo for stock 5.0 fox


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Probably been beaten to death, but I did search. :) I gotta replace the radiator and fan (with electric fans) anyway so naturally I'm going insane. Thinking about picking up an On3 kit for my otherwise stock 89 convertible with 98k miles. I have no interest in opening up the motor, so was thinking about the standard kit, +SS crossover and fuel upgrades for 60# injectors. I was gonna swap the throttle body out for a 70mm. But otherwise, no other changes. I just want to drive it and have it be a little quicker than my minivan. I put about 2000 miles a year on it, I'd guess.

 

Thoughts? Should I upgrade to the 67mm ball bearing turbo? Anything else I should piss with while I'm there? Been a long time since I worked on a Fox.

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Needs a MAF upgrade, injectors and SCT chip. I wouldn't try to run any more than 5psi if you're not willing to do MLS head gaskets ARP studs.

 

Yea I was gonna do the MAF and in-tank pump to support 60's.

 

Interesting on MLS and studs. Makes sense. I suppose if I'm that far in, I should just do heads and an intake...

 

...and this is how it starts.

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You've covered the majority of it. It wouldn't be a bad idea to get a new intake or at lest port and polish the one you have to accommodate the extra cfm you are trying to pump into it. If you are staying under 5-7psi then it wouldn't matter so much. Now if you're tearing down the head, and you don't have forged pistons/internals it would be a good idea to switch to them. That way you can increase the boost even further. Make sure you get a good a/f meter and o2 sesnsor to keep an eye on it if you don't have one currently.
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You've covered the majority of it. It wouldn't be a bad idea to get a new intake or at lest port and polish the one you have to accommodate the extra cfm you are trying to pump into it. If you are staying under 5-7psi then it wouldn't matter so much. Now if you're tearing down the head, and you don't have forged pistons/internals it would be a good idea to switch to them. That way you can increase the boost even further. Make sure you get a good a/f meter and o2 sesnsor to keep an eye on it if you don't have one currently.

 

Cool. I'm thinking around 5-6lbs of boost, at least for this year. Add an extra 75-100HP. Will have it tuned, and I have an old wideband in a box barely used from years ago.

 

Maybe next year I'll go 306 and heads/intake.

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It would make some decent power. Once you go in head first you would be better off jumping up to a 347 stroker engine. Just from the stand point of expense vs return. Everything on the outside would bolt straight up, but you would have a much better power band as well as performance in general. My cousin had an 86 fox with a 347 stroker, novi 2000 supercharger, full bolt on's and nitrous. Without the no2, at 7psi he was putting down 700hp to the wheels. His issue was the fuel, as he only had 42lb injectors. So It would run lean at the top end, but man that thing would scream lol.
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It would make some decent power. Once you go in head first you would be better off jumping up to a 347 stroker engine. Just from the stand point of expense vs return. Everything on the outside would bolt straight up, but you would have a much better power band as well as performance in general. My cousin had an 86 fox with a 347 stroker, novi 2000 supercharger, full bolt on's and nitrous. Without the no2, at 7psi he was putting down 700hp to the wheels. His issue was the fuel, as he only had 42lb injectors. So It would run lean at the top end, but man that thing would scream lol.

 

Ha! Last thing I need is 700HP. Before I do that, I'd need to redo the brakes and the suspension and the trans and... and... :) I put my kids in this thing!

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And this is how it begins.. all I want is just a LITTLE more fun and power.

 

I know. After thinking about it now I'm like "I'll just watch for a mild cam/heads/intake to come up for sale!" Ha.

 

Ordered a bunch of shit last night in support -- Pro 5.0 shifter, electric fans, aluminum radiator, Eibach sway bars, 134a conversion, strut tower brace, 70mm TB, and some other sundry shit to get ready... :D

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Is this where I go to find out how to spend $5K on a $5K Fox Body? Subscribed.

 

Seriously, I've spent more hours randomly searching for a clean fox on the internets than I'd like to admit.

 

I'm re-living my late teens, though this time with disposable income.

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I think I've decided to go with an Explorer GT40 upper and lower, GT40 or GT40P heads, and keep the stock cam. With the supporting gaskets/studs, valvetrain, and fuel upgrades, should be good for 400HP on ~6-8lbs. Will try not to blow up my T5 or stock block. Will come see Brian for a tune.

 

Not in a hurry though. Gonna keep an eye out for good deals.

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Definitely a good choice on Heads, I would upgrade the cams as well since you are in there, or at least use the explorer cams, they are a bit better if memory serves me correctly. If you aren't on buckeyestangs.com I would recommend joining. It is a forum similar to CR, and has several used parts that guys are letting go for a good price. Might be able to get a lot on your list for cheap. Edited by Red Beard
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I think I've decided to go with an Explorer GT40 upper and lower, GT40 or GT40P heads, and keep the stock cam. With the supporting gaskets/studs, valvetrain, and fuel upgrades, should be good for 400HP on ~6-8lbs. Will try not to blow up my T5 or stock block. Will come see Brian for a tune.

 

Not in a hurry though. Gonna keep an eye out for good deals.

 

F303 cam with dat turbo

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In all honesty, Id just get a Vortech, Kenne Bell or Novi. And this is coming from the turbo Mustang guy. Would be just so much easier to install, make the same power, and be more reliable. I am working on a On3 89 Mustang now, and the owner farmed out the car to another shop to have the turbo kit reworked because it just flat didn't fit.

 

That pro turbo kit link that was posted is a good deal. That company was what i used when I first turbod my 93. Just fit well, very little modifications. If bound and determined to get a turbo, id get that.

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In all honesty, Id just get a Vortech, Kenne Bell or Novi. And this is coming from the turbo Mustang guy. Would be just so much easier to install, make the same power, and be more reliable. I am working on a On3 89 Mustang now, and the owner farmed out the car to another shop to have the turbo kit reworked because it just flat didn't fit.

 

That pro turbo kit link that was posted is a good deal. That company was what i used when I first turbod my 93. Just fit well, very little modifications. If bound and determined to get a turbo, id get that.

 

Good insight. I'm not really bound to the idea of a turbo per-say -- the original idea was to bolt on an extra 75-100HP without much fuss. The car already has a nice exhaust, but factory manifolds (no idea why...) so any further changes would require getting rid of those manifolds. So, when I thought about it, I was thinking a turbo kit would be a good way to kill both of those needs in the same operation and keep things otherwise stock.

 

But after considering that I'll need to go all the way down to the head gaskets to hold much boost, and I'll have the A/C condenser/radiator/fan removed to install the 134a conversion kit, I'm thinking for now I might just go with a heads/cam/intake and fuel upgrades and accomplish essentially the same goal. For about the same price, I can get a GT40 Explorer intake, SVE knock-off aluminum heads, an F303 cam and roller rockers, and toss on a cheap set of shorty headers (or say screw it and get a good set of long tubes) to add 75 or so HP without much risk to the block.

 

Or, stick with the original plan, and just do a set of MLS head gaskets and maybe add the GT40 Explorer intake and keep everything else stock, and add the turbo kit at 6-8lbs.

 

Either option should yield about that 75hp increase I'm looking for, for now. Maybe after a roll bar and brakes I'd be convinced to go north of 400HP but that's not all happening at the same time. :D

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...and actually, the more I think about the cam, as much as I love the idea of the F303, the hills around here are brutal. I'm not keen on lowering the quality of off-idle drivability for a pure street car. Seems like folks make block-splitting power on the stock cam anyway. Maybe when I blow the block up...
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Hell if you're only looking for 75hp, why not just bump up the fuel injectors and add a shot of nitrous. Bang for buck that would be the least hassle. Especially if you're not worried about blowing the block lol. But in all seriousness, are you looking to add power for the 'seat of the pants feel' or are you just looking for more top end power for making highway pulls/spirited driving?
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Before the turbo.

 

Stock engine and cam

Edelbrock Performer heads

Edelbrock Intake

75mm TB (65 would have been plenty)

C&L 73 MAF

Longtubes and exhaust.

 

Made 300/330 at the tires and ran 12.40's on slics at 109.50 trap. I dont think I even change spark plugs once that entire combo was in the car. Cams sound good, but as you see, not necessary.

 

Before things started to get crazy with my turbo setup, I ran stock 8548 Fel Pro gaskets. Id blow the motor before the gasket, lol.

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Hell if you're only looking for 75hp, why not just bump up the fuel injectors and add a shot of nitrous. Bang for buck that would be the least hassle. Especially if you're not worried about blowing the block lol. But in all seriousness, are you looking to add power for the 'seat of the pants feel' or are you just looking for more top end power for making highway pulls/spirited driving?

 

Looking for it to be all around streetable, with good low end torque. I don't do a lot of highway driving in the Mustang, usually scooting around town. Around here 215hp is pretty pathetic given how hilly it is. For example, I drive my F150 2.7 in sport mode almost all the time -- not because I'm a ricer trying to stud out my truck, but because sport mode makes driving the hills here so much more pleasant. I take my son to school in the Mustang when the weather is nice, and there's this big fucking hill to get up to his school and the car is a serious dog on that thing. I basically have to floor it. My minivan does a better job getting up it, ha. My F150 in sport mode just scoots up.

 

Before the turbo.

 

Stock engine and cam

Edelbrock Performer heads

Edelbrock Intake

75mm TB (65 would have been plenty)

C&L 73 MAF

Longtubes and exhaust.

 

Made 300/330 at the tires and ran 12.40's on slics at 109.50 trap. I dont think I even change spark plugs once that entire combo was in the car. Cams sound good, but as you see, not necessary.

 

Before things started to get crazy with my turbo setup, I ran stock 8548 Fel Pro gaskets. Id blow the motor before the gasket, lol.

 

That's pretty much exactly where I'd like to be. Around 300/330, if I don't beat on it the stock T5 should be able to handle that. What fuel upgrades was that with?

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