00 gt warranty?

i just bought a 00 gt and paid for a Ford 2 year, 24k powertrain warranty. i would like to do a few mods like a cold air induction kit with a k&n, underdrive pulleys, better pugs and wires, and x pipes. what can i do that won't negate the warranty? i know i can't super- or turbo-charge. and i know pulling the air silencer off and putting a k&n filter in won't do it, but what about the other stuff?

what can i do?

i would like to have the most easily attainable 300 hp (40 up from factory) with out harming my powertrain warranty.

can it be done?

Reply to
Jonathan h
Loading thread data ...

I don't think you'll get to the 300 mark with simple bolt-ons. Nothing you mentioned should cause any warranty disputes unless the item is directly related to an engine failure. A CAI and K&N will get you about 5 horses, the pulleys around 10, a set of free flow cats (X or H) and a cat back will get you another 10. There's around 20-25. A MAF, TB, headers, and Bullitt intake (or aftermarket) will get you another 10-15 which should get you to close to the 300 mark but those are usually warrantee busters.

Reply to
WraithCobra

thanks for the info! will i really notice 20-25hp? does that relate to, maybe, a tenth of a second off the 0-60, or no?

Reply to
Jonathan h

Those are more likely peak numbers that you wouldn't notice unless you were a regular drag racer. The 0-60 time is more a function of torque, and these mods will raise torque at higher rpm's. I would do the mods as you wouldn't spend much, but for seat of the pants feel a set of rear gears (3.73's) will help. Actually for the money, pulleys and the K&N are a good bang for the buck mod at around $10-15 a horse. Most of the other mods, including supercharging, have a much higher $/hp ratio. You could also use a chip tuned to get the most out of premium fuel (warranty buster), but remember that the n/a Cobras (305-320 hp) and Mach 1 (305 hp) use higher compression pistons, have much better breathing 4v heads, and also have a higher redline. There's not much you can do that's warranty friendly that will make significant power.

Reply to
WraithCobra

i c. thanks for your help! one other question: what about an after-market functioning ram-air hood? would that be better than the cold air induction?

compression

Reply to
Jonathan h

From what I've read, the ram air effect from the hood area is not significant enough to make a difference. What you end up with is just another place to bring cooler air into the intake. The CAI still brings cooler air in from the fender area but doesn't make much difference in hp on the n/a GT engine. The Mach 1 style shaker (and CDC's version) plumb into the factory filter location complete with the snorkel into the fender so any ram air effect would be lost anyway, and I believe most ram-air hoods do the same. Just make sure the CAI either places the filter in the fender or has a box to enclose the filter in the factory location which has an opening into the fender. An open filter under the hood without an enclosure pulls hot under hood air into the engine lowering performance and sometimes causing drivability problems.

Reply to
WraithCobra

Reply to
Jonathan h
** i just bought a 00 gt and paid for a Ford 2 year, 24k powertrain warranty.

Hellova profit margin on this one. You would have done better to stuff that big money into a 'fix-it fund' savings account.

** i would like to do a few mods like a cold air induction kit

Fancy, expensive bug/dirt/cigarette butt catcher. Methinks the air at the end of that 'cold air induction kit' is pretty much the same temperature as the air entering the OEM intake snorkel now.

** with a k&n,

Worthwhile for screening out the aformentioned bug/dirt/cigarette butts. Great for increased noise levels and a barely-perceptable 3 hp on the very tip top end above 5,000 rpm. Below that, no change.

** underdrive pulleys,

Another worthless mod IMO. You will actually LOSE major amounts of torque and HP when the engine spins under 4500 rpm with this one. I've seen the dyno pulls, and they suck. The OEM pulleys are pretty nicely optimized for efficiency.

** better pugs and wires,

Let me guess: splitfires? OMG.

** and x pipes.

Again, more noise and damn little power increase unless you run above 5,000 rpm all of the time. If you want a bit more growl and efficiency, consider replacing the cats with high-flows instead.

** what can i do that ** won't negate the warranty?

Not much, according to Ford Motor Company. Read the terms of that extended-warranty thing VERY CAREFULLY. It probably demands you change nothing for coverage to continue.

  • i know i can't super- or turbo-charge. and i
** know pulling the air silencer off and putting a k&n filter in won't do it, ** but what about the other stuff? ** ** what can i do? ** ** i would like to have the most easily attainable 300 hp (40 up from factory) ** with out harming my powertrain warranty.

Pulling the silencer off causes a drop in both torque and HP across the spectrum.

Your best bets: 3.73+ rear gears. Synthetic lubricants in the entire drivetrain. Learn better driving techniques. Install frame stiffening components and a good (!) sport spring/shock/swaybar package.

Magic spark plugs, big wires and noisy-ass exhaust piping won't get it.

Sorry for the rant. Why is it that some people swear up and down that throwing on a few cheap bolt-on's will somehow magically transform their car into a fire-breathing road monster capable of blowing everything else on the road into the weeds??? Hasn't anyone learned that most of this stuff is nothing more than well-targeted marketing bullshit???

Regards,

-JD

--------------------------------- JD's Locally-Famous Mustang Page: http:/207.13.104.8/users/jdadams---------------------------------

Reply to
JD Adams

Ok, those that know you know that you dislike dealerships due to your past experience with them. Others seem to have better dealings with them.

Won't argue with you there as far as the tempature thing but a CAI does allow better flow to the engine.

That isn't quite accurate. A CAI by itself won't increase HP enough to feel, but add that with other bolt-ons, then you will definately feel it when romping on the go pedal.

Not worthless if going for better fuel economy. The less the engine has to work at spinning the accesories, the better the fuel economy. Again, not much HP gain by themselves, but together with other mods can give improvement over stock engines.

Ok, I'm sure everyone that is informed have realized what a joke splitfires are. Hell, I've even fell for the hype with my '94 Sentra XE. With research, people can find better plugs and wires.

Only more noise if a cross-over type of pipe is used with the wrong mufflers/cats. The difference is that V8's need the cross-over due to the firing order versus V6's even firing order. This means that I don't have to have a cross-over pipe when I change my single exhaust to duals.

The way to circumvent the "warenty void" issue is put everything back to stock before taking it in and sobbing to the service writer that the car isn't working like it should. Better hope to remember to keep all the OEM parts!

Like Johnathan asked, how does pulling the silencer off cause a drop? I've got mine off and didn't experience this problem. I'm thinking someone fed you some doo doo and showed you a rigged/fake dyno sheet or showed you a sheet showing the drop and forgot to mention that they messed with the timing.

Good start down the modding road. I keep reading your website to make sure I don't forget something.

I think you've been over hearing the BS that ricers spew. I have yet to read on this NG where a stang owner posted something about adding a CAI/UDP/Exhaust and was able to smoke a vette/camero/. Please don't confuse ricer spewing BS with a Stang owner.

Reply to
Greg B.
** Ok, those that know you know that you dislike dealerships due to your past ** experience with them. Others seem to have better dealings with them.

The term 'dislike' is putting it mildly. Dealerships have had dozens of visits over the past 30 years to prove to me that they're worthy of my business. I vote with my dollars, and they're not getting them anymore.

** Won't argue with you there as far as the tempature thing but a CAI does ** allow better flow to the engine.

Most achieve this by enlarging the intake pipe diameter and doing away with the MAF screen. At speed, they do tend to force feed the engine a bit. Maybe they should rename it 'force-fed air intake'? The term 'cold' tends to make intake equipment and beer more appealing, and marketing firms more profitable.

** That isn't quite accurate. A CAI by itself won't increase HP enough to feel, ** but add that with other bolt-ons, then you will definitely feel it when ** romping on the go pedal.

Agreed; adding several 2-3 hp. mods up together will make a slight difference. Running on a cooler day will usually achieve the same increase. Running downhill or in a tail wind helps even more. Most have come to expect more from these mods after reading the wild claims in magazines.

** Not worthless if going for better fuel economy. The less the engine has to ** work at spinning the accessories, the better the fuel economy.

I ran ASP/Steeda UD's for about a year and noticed no difference in fuel mileage at all. After reinstalling the OEM's, I noticed an increase in low end torque. An article I read recently proved this out; it showed a very significant decrease in power and torque below 4,500 rpm. Obviously they're not suited for my kind of street use, and I fell for the marketing BS hook, line and sinker.

** Ok, I'm sure everyone that is informed have realized what a joke splitfires ** are. Hell, I've even fell for the hype with my '94 Sentra XE. With research, ** people can find better plugs and wires.

Good marketing sells product, good or bad. I like the $.79 cent copper Champions myself, though I recently gave a set of $1.39 Champion Platinums to my Winter Beater for testing. I knew they wouldn't perform any differently - I was just feeling like Big Daddy Rich that day is all.

** Only more noise if a cross-over type of pipe is used with the wrong ** mufflers/cats. The difference is that V8's need the cross-over due to the ** firing order versus V6's even firing order. This means that I don't have to ** have a cross-over pipe when I change my single exhaust to duals.

I donno. Noise aside, OEM exhaust over the past 5-10 years has gotten pretty efficient. I think most make exhaust changes to improve sound quality which makes sense, but expecting huge performance gains is unrealistic. I love the sound of a healthy, roaring V-8, but I'm old and I get migraines easily.

** The way to circumvent the "warenty void" issue is put everything back to ** stock before taking it in and sobbing to the service writer that the car ** isn't working like it should. Better hope to remember to keep all the OEM ** parts!

Agreed! #1 rule for anyone doing mods on a new/new-used car: keep the OEM parts in a box for later use! I've forgotten to do this myself, and I've paid dearly for it.

** Like Johnathan asked, how does pulling the silencer off cause a drop? I've ** got mine off and didn't experience this problem. I'm thinking someone fed ** you some doo doo and showed you a rigged/fake dyno sheet or showed you a ** sheet showing the drop and forgot to mention that they messed with the ** timing.

We passed around a scanned article titled 'Agent 99' a few years ago that showed a valid dyno pull after the silencer on a 99 GT was removed with no other mods. The drop astounded the techs who were testing various mods on the car, and they had no explanation for it. They did reinstall it before moving on to other changes in an effort to maximize power.

** Good start down the modding road. I keep reading your website to make sure I ** don't forget something.

Oh man, that website! I'm working on a different version - it may go up later this weekend with quite a bit more information. The suspension/spring information table is quite unique though.

** I think you've been over hearing the BS that ricers spew. I have yet to read ** on this NG where a stang owner posted something about adding a ** CAI/UDP/Exhaust and was able to smoke a vette/camero/. Please don't confuse ricer spewing BS with a Stang owner.

I like the stories that swear someone in their Civic whooped an LS-6.

Regards,

-JD

--------------------------------- JD's Locally-Famous Mustang Page: http:/207.13.104.8/users/jdadams---------------------------------

Reply to
JD Adams
** hmmm. i was wondering about the Bullitt setup. what about Roush? i know ** that a stage two suspension gives the car over a full lateral g of holding. ** i guess it is fairly expensive, though, compared to the Bullitt setup.

I don't know much about Roush's products, other than they're popular at the track. Charlene is strictly street driven, which is what the Bullitt suspension system was designed for. It offers very crisp linear-spring handling with around-town civility on a budget.

Regards,

-JD

--------------------------------- JD's Locally-Famous Mustang Page: http:/207.13.104.8/users/jdadams---------------------------------

Reply to
JD Adams
** What all is involved with installing new springs like that? You've sparked ** my interest now dammit & I don't have much money ;D.

It's not difficult to install, but unless you're a fairly good shadetree mechanic, I'd leave the work to a qualified professional. Any Ford dealership can easily order and install this kit for you.

Regards,

-JD

--------------------------------- JD's Locally-Famous Mustang Page: http:/207.13.104.8/users/jdadams---------------------------------

Reply to
JD Adams

Remove NO-SPAM from email address when replying

Reply to
Rein
** Although I question the low spring rate for the rears compared to the ** front (200 vs 600) ? Is that correct ?

Bullitt rates are 600 front, 275 rear. While the back springs appear soft, when combined with the 21mm swaybar and stiff Tokico's, the ride ends up being very crisp and traction excellent, yet civilized enough for street use. Stiff springs don't always translate into great handling; engineers spend a lot of time matching all suspension components to work together.

** The 03 cobra has 600 front and back which handles nicely I think. ** A friend of mine road races an 03 cobra and he says to install the ** Cobra-R spring (800 front and 750 rear) for even better handling.

Autocrossers often use 1000+ lb. springs to achieve better handling on dry pavement using very sticky tires, and if you're strictly an autocrosser, this is what you will need. Be warned: this kind of setup is absolutely brutal for street use. Hit a pothole and you'll piss blood for a week.

** btw, nice comparison on your website of all the spring rates. Looking ** at it right now.

It could use an update, but it's better than nothing.

Regards,

-JD

--------------------------------- JD's Locally-Famous Mustang Page: http:/207.13.104.8/users/jdadams---------------------------------

Reply to
JD Adams

MotorsForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.