Short-Throw Shifter
Approximate Cost: $150-$200
Available From: Pro-5.0 (www.pro50.com), MGW (www.mgwltd.com), Steeda (www.steeda.com), D&D Performance (www.ddperformance.com), UPR Products (www.uprproducts.com), BBK (www.bbkperformance.com), Hurst (www.hurst-shifter.com), Ford Racing (www.fordracingparts.com), and B&M (www.bmracing.com)
Ease of Installation: 3
The stock shifter in all Mustangs feature long throws and aren't the best piece of equipment when you're under pressure and banging gears. Ford designed the manual shifters to be easy to drive in everyday situations and also easy to manufacture. Turning to an aftermarket shifter provides many benefits that will make life in aggressive and passive driving scenarios easier and more effective. The first and foremost benefit with an aftermarket shifter is the shorter throw offered for each gear selection. You will no longer need to push the lever three feet before engaging the next gear. The short throw gets it in gear quicker, meaning your car will run quicker. As Burcham says, "A short throw shifter, while doing some spirited driving, allows you to concentrate on other things besides shifting. The gears literally fall into place when using a good aftermarket shifter.
"The shifter stops also help extend transmission life by not allowing you to 'overshift' the gear and cause shift fork damage." Gonyon agrees with Burcham's assessments, and adds that with easier shifting comes more confidence and better driving on the track. Installing the shifter can be done with regular tools, and there's some disassembly required to the center console to gain access to the shifter base. The S197 Mustangs ('05-present) are a little more involved than the previous Fox-body ('79-'93) and SN-95/New Edge ('94-'04) cars. The S197 features an arm that attaches to the transmission and is easily accessible from underneath the car. The center console removal is a little more complicated but still within reason for a beginner.
When changing shifters, the quality of the mechanism is also greatly noticeable. The notchy feel of the OEM stuff is gone, and you can also add a different shifter knob to the aftermarket unit for comfort and better leverage when you powershift.
Overall better performance from the driver and the equipment is a surefire way to run quicker and faster.
Nitrous-Oxide Injection
Approximate Cost: $450-$600
Available From: NOS (www.nosnitrous.com), CompuCar (www.compucar.com), Nitrous Works (www.barrygrant.com), Edelbrock (www.edelbrock.com), ZEX (www.zex.com), Nitrous Pro Flow (www.nitrousproflow.com) and Nitrous Express (www.nitrousexpress.com)
Ease of Installation: 8
Our list is for parts under $500, and depending on which system you buy for your Mustang, nitrous oxide falls into that category, although we felt that even at $600, a mere hundred more shouldn't keep the always-pleasurable giggle juice off the list. It's worth the extra dough, as nitrous is the most effective bolt-on and offers the highest horsepower per dollar over anything else on the market. "Adding a Zex dry kit is one of the best ways to go fast on a budget," says Mike Dezotell. "A Three-Valve with gears and a Zex kit can run mid-11s."
The cost can go up if you decide to have a custom tune in the computer to go along with the hit of nitrous. According to Burcham, if you keep the nitrous system at 75 hp in S197 cars, then a custom tune isn't required. Once you start adding more nitrous, there comes a need to add a fuel pump, tuning, and other hardware that drives up the price. Nitrous has a continuous cost factor since the bottle will need to get filled. Base kits come with a 10-pound bottle, which means it carries 10 pounds of nitrous and tips the scales at 25 pounds when filled to capacity. When the bottle gets too low, it costs about $4.00-$5.00 per pound to refill it.
Nitrous oxide adds a potent kick to your Pony by filling the cylinders with more air and fuel for the combustion process. There are two types of nitrous systems: wet and dry. The wet system sprays both nitrous and fuel--which mix at the tip of the injection nozzle--through the intake manifold as one mixture. A dry system is run with just nitrous flowing through the intake, and the additional fuel is added, usually through the fuel injectors in the form of increased fuel pressure. A moderate dosage is highly effective, but exercise caution because too much nitrous in a relatively stock engine can cause damage. Nitrous oxide is a fun and effective modification when used properly.
Handheld Tuners/Computer Chips
Approximate Cost: $275-$500
Available From: SCT (www.sctflash.com), DiabloSport (www.diablosport.com), Sniper Tuning (www.snipertuning.com), Anderson Ford Motorsport (www.andersonfordmotor sport.com), Hypertech (www.hypertech.com), and Superchips (www.superchips.com)
Ease of Installation: 1 (handheld tuner) and 2 (computer chip)
Computers are a big part of today's automotive aftermarket, and digital technology has enabled us to do things that were never thought possible with carburetors. Here's a quick breakdown: '86-'93 Mustang 5.0 cars are equipped with the EEC IV computer. The '94-'95 Mustang 5.0 rides have a variation of the EEC IV. These computers require the use of a computer chip to modify the engine-management controls. Generally, a chip is not required with bolt-on items, as fuel delivery can be controlled by adjusting the fuel pressure and manually changing the ignition timing. But Dezotell did remind us that if you want to get past the factory rev-limiter, then adding a custom computer chip is required. Custom chips for 5.0 cars are reasonably priced and can be mail-ordered. There are also handheld tuners, such as the PMS from Anderson Ford Motorsport, that plug into the EEC IV computer.
The '96-current Mustangs do not share that requirement, as those cars employ the EEC V. They can benefit from a computer chip, but the more popular--and easier--method is to use a handheld device that plugs into the OBD-II (On Board Diagnostics) port under the dashboard. All '96-newer cars feature the port in this location. Previous years have an OBD-I port, but it's under the hood and doesn't monitor or access the computer as extensively as the OBD-II system. The OBD-II port is used to monitor emissions and troubleshoot sensor problems by reading the computer and finding out what's wrong. Several clever aftermarket programming companies came up with the ability to gain access to the computer through that port, extract the computer program, and install a modified one.
Most handheld tuners come with basic programs already installed inside the unit, but authorized dealers can create custom programs that are uploaded to the handheld and then into the car's brain. Two-Valve cars benefit from a tuner after some basic modifications and can help adjust for different gear ratios in the rear as well as diferent tire sizes. A new tune is required to be uploaded to the computer in order to account for new heads, cams, a blower, and so on. So you either get one now or down the road when you install a fancy new heads/cam and blower combination.
The '05-up Mustangs benefit the most from the addition of a handheld computer thanks to the complicated Spanish Oak computer system. Using an off-the-shelf tune will benefit a new Stang greatly. Case in point: My '07 Mustang GT went from a 13.79 in stock trim to a 13.56 just by uploading a better tune from a DiabloSport Predator. The Drive By Wire parameters are rewritten to help throttle response and torque management. The factory Spanish Oak computers are programmed to pull out power through closing the throttle body, reducing timing, and even pulling camshaft timing. This is done for drivetrain warranties and fuel economy. The joke around the office is that Ford gives you a 300hp engine but doesn't let you use it all. Swapping the computer tune unlocks the rest of the power the potent Three-Valve powerplant produces.
Burcham said it best about tuners. "All handheld tuners, or chips, for any modular engine allow the ability for future modifications (N2O, turbo, superchargers). The tuner also allows the user to adjust shift points, firmness, adjustments for off-road exhaust, the ability to read trouble codes, data logging--the sky's the limit for the uses of a handheld tuner. If one is available for your vehicle, always drop the extra money for the tuner over the chip."