Intake for a 5.0

There is the upper intake, lower intake, then the heads. new heads will make a real difference but cost $$ (I would put a blower on it before new heads)

If you like low end torque, get upper/lower intake with long runners, not the short box like racing style ones as they developed peaky power in the upper RPM range and the lower torque is almost gone.

Thanks Mary, for the tips. I've looked a little bit more into it, and it seems like the Performer (long runners, power from idle - 5500) might be just the one. I'm also seeing suggestions that to really feel the difference is to do the Heads / Cams / Intake all at the same time, but 1700 for a matched set is a lot all at once. I don't have the knowledge to piece together my own kit, so I'd probably go with a matched set from one manufacturer, like Edelbrock or Holley, but I'll probably just do the intake (better by itself than stock), and leave the heads and cam on my someday list.

Any other long runner recommendations, anyone? It seems like when I'm

**NOT** looking for it, every magazine has a head to head comparison, but I can't find a single one now...

I think you might want to see what needs to be done to the existing heads before buying any new parts. It isn't very common for a basically stock N/A 5.0L to blow a heads gasket. You should get the heads thoroughly checked and if they OK then have them rebuilt. Depending on your budget it may make more sense to buy the new heads and intake than spend the money and have nothing but stock heads to show for it.

You are going to be disappointed from just installing an intake (upper and lower) while keeping the stock heads. You might get an additional

15 horsepower if you are lucky. It will be barely noticeable from a driver's perspective. IMO, there are other things that can get you more horsepower/torque to the rear wheels for the money. These include: port matching the stock intake and heads while they are off the car; having the heads and intake ported to some degree; installing a high flow 2.5" exhaust along with 1-5/8" mandrel bent headers; under drive pulleys; rear end gears (THE BEST bang-for-the-buck modification you can make); subframe connectors (they tighten up the chassis and put more power to the rear wheels instead of using it flexing the body of the car); get a custom tune using a dyno.

I have wasted more money modifying my '89 LX than I care to admit by not making a plan in the beginning and sticking with it. My advice is to determine where you want the car to be at the end of the process and then work toward that goal. IMO, it isn't worth just doing an intake, especially if it will just be the upper portion. If you have the stock gears then install a set of 3.55s or 3.73s and I guarantee they will make a performance difference you can definitely feel. Also, a high flow exhaust from the headers to the tail pipes will make a difference over the stock system. These parts also fit in well when, and if, you do more serious modifications like a supercharger or heads/intake/cam. I have gone way down the road you are fixing to take and without a good solid plan for modifying the car to be what you want at the end of that road you will be twisting in the wind and wasting a pile of money in the process. I have a garage full of speed parts to prove it.

Save your money, in a Manifold Shootout held some time ago, (in 5.0 Mustang I think) it was shown that the manifold that gave the engine the most torque at the lowest RPM was the one it came with from the factory. I also remember another article where the goal was to bolt on 85 HP, after replacing everything that could possibly be replaced the testers were only a little more than half the way to their intended goal. They did eventually reach it but that was after extensive machining of all those brand new parts. The lesson I took away from that test was that there is about 40 or more real horsepower still in the stock engine just waiting for you to massage it out. In the 20 years I've owned my GT the only time it gets modified is when the stock parts wear out. (I'm just about to roll over for the third time, so I'm pretty sure my philosophy is valid).

yep, the heads has most to gain. better to put a blower on it.