[mustang sallie]

Ok I am brand new to the whole site and just bought my very first mustang.
Of course i would buy the 1996 GT with the 5 speed would drive anything else other than a stick. Love the feel of the car and love the ride. But as we all know the power is easy to get used to and i am wondering what i can do to get some good ponys for cheap?

My second question was that i would get the 75 mm throttle body with plenium and the intake manifold but i was told that i would need heads to do this is that true? and why?

does anyone have the american thunder mufflers from flowmaster and do you like them do thy sound good? and are they louder than the stock? Im looking for a real throuty sound and loud.

The only problem i have been having is the clutch i think. It is whining if its not pushed in all the way. Does that mean that its going out? and if it is whats a really good clutch to put in for future mods and hard driving?

Last but not least there is like a creaking noise when the car is sitting still or barley moving when i turn the wheel any ideas?

sorry for the long post just really exsited about my new car and what do do thanks a thousand. Allan.

[MustangMatt96GT]

Get 4.10s!! and you can do a PI intake manifold on NPI heads! Read the sticky at the top of the 96-98 page! And

[nes]

i like the sound of the american thunder cb, but its not loud enough.... if you want loud and throaty do the magnapacks (magnaflow) they sound nice and bubbly and are loud at wot. also u can pick up some decent hp from an or midpipe (the best bolt on ive ever done that took 2 hours)

[96Snaker]

Originally Posted by mustang sallie ...Last but not least there is like a creaking noise when the car is sitting still or barley moving when i turn the wheel any ideas?

Welcome to MM Allan. No matter what type of problem you face someone on MM is bound to help ya out.

My Cobra has the same creaking noise as well, most prominent at slow speeds, pronounced when turning like you stated. I have checked my suspension and it seems fine, and an alignment didn't cure anything; my guess is something to do with the steering, which I know diddly squat about. Does your car handle like crap on the freeway? I know mine is all over the place... hit a little bump, crack or rut on the road and BAM there goes the car heading in whichever direction so best suits it. But the steering is solid which is throwing me off. If I get to the bottom of it this week I'll PM you and letcha know what it was and if it's serious. I'm having springs put on and I'll have the fellas take a look at my steering box/column n make sure it all checks out.

Again, welcome to the site - it gets addicting, trust me.

[Casper98GT]

Ok I am brand new to the whole site and just bought my very first mustang. Of course i would buy the 1996 GT with the 5 speed would drive anything else other than a stick. Love the feel of the car and love the ride. But as we all know the power is easy to get used to and i am wondering what i can do to get some good ponys for cheap? My second question was that i would get the 75 mm throttle body with plenium and the intake manifold but i was told that i would need heads to do this is that true? and why? does anyone have the american thunder mufflers from flowmaster and do you like them do thy sound good? and are they louder than the stock? Im looking for a real throuty sound and loud. The only problem i have been having is the clutch i think. It is whining if its not pushed in all the way. Does that mean that its going out? and if it is whats a really good clutch to put in for future mods and hard driving? Last but not least there is like a creaking noise when the car is sitting still or barley moving when i turn the wheel any ideas? sorry for the long post just really exsited about my new car and what do do thanks a thousand. Allan.

Oooo... i get so excited when i read posts like this.

First off, welcome to our wonderful family we have here.

75mm with plenum is fine. Accufab was tested as yielding most hp for the tb/plenum combo. But is pricey. Anything to get some air flowing is great.....but if you have the crappy NPI intake ( Non-Power improved) intake then air ising going anywhere anyways. So swapping over to a PI ( performance improved) intake is highly suggested. If youre good with cars then i suggest you try my "NPI to PI intake swap". If not then get PI heads, PI cams and PI intake and have a shop install them.

The problem with NPI intake on PI heads is if you use NPI gaskets the intake holes leak by, if you use PI gaskets coolant passages leak by. The best way to do it is use PI gaskets and use silicone around the ports and you should be all set.

PI cams or a NPI aftermarket cam should be next because the cams you have are just not up to snuff. Putting on the entire PI package will yield a cheap and powerful 50-60rwhp. Aftermarket cams and heads will obvisouly lead to more power.

Just installing PI intake on NPI heads and putting in PI cams would cost you not very much. Given about 50-100 for cams, and 150 for new intake with some cheap gaskets you would have anywhere from 30-49rwhp from just intake and cams.

Problem with Npi and PI heads are they are both a alright stock head, but when you swap the entire PI package on youre Npi pistons you will come out with a 10.4:1 compression ration which is great for a N/A car, but wont hold up to s/c or turbo very well under higher boost.

American Thunder was my first catback on my 98 GT. Sound is decent loud, but you will need a either Off-road x/h pipe or a catted h/x pipe. This will bring out that deep tone youre looking for and will suite anyones needs.

The clutch is next. The factory clutch is decent but wont hold up to much past 400rwhp. Which isnt a huge deal. Most people replace it when they hear the exact noise you hear. Which is youre throw out bearing. You can either replace just the bearing ( i suggest ANYTHING but factory or king cobra ) they will make noise again. Or you can go with a aftermarket clutch ie: Centerforce or Spec or RAM. That will take care of youre noise and i also suggest a adjustable cable and aluminum quadrant. It can be bought in a package from www.americanmuscle.com for around 100.00. Easy to install as well.

The creaking noise is also kinda anoying. This is either one or both of youre lower balljoints or one or both of youre outer tie rods. A stethascope will be very helpful in diag'ing this noise.

Hope this was helpful and i hope you keep comming back for more Mustang questions.

[mustang sallie]

yes i had an alignment done to and it did't help either. Yes my car is all over the freeway 100% worse when you hit a bump or pot hole. rive just fine though. Thanks for the looking out and all. Another issue i have is that there is noise coming from the rear axle that sounds like friction or rubbing all he time any ideas?

What can i do besides the 4.10 gears its my daily driver and with gas prices got to go cheap. Will a throttle body and plenium, and a 3.73 gears help out and what will need done extra to do these mods? Will the 3.73 hurt gas milage that much and will i notice a difference with them? Will the stock air intake handel the 70.mm intake and plenium or will i need an upgrade? if so whats a good one? where is the cheapest and best place to buy all these parts .

[slightly stoopid]

i agree with casper on the american thunder... they are louder but after about 3 weeks a wanted more so i got an x pipe... u will start to realize the mods never stop and your never really satisified. like u i am also new to the whole mustang thing and i have already dropped about 2 grand into mine so good luck with yours.

[slightly stoopid]

and yes 3.73 gears help... makes the car a whole lot funner to drive i just switched from 4.10's to 3.73's because with 4.10 i couldnt go on the highway... it was annoying. and where to buy the parts.. i usually use mustangs unlimited because i live 15 minutes from the store.. but for intakes and stuff like that try ebay first as long as its a name brand and new...

[MustangMatt96GT]

JLT is the best intake! And if you understand the concept of an engine, the more air you can get in the better and the more air you can get out the better. With that being said, I suggest JLT, Accufab TB/Plenum, PI intake, PI or better cams, Long tube headers, mid pipe and your choice of cat back!

[RandoGT]

are PI parts any specific brand or just from newer models? also, i supposed the 98 Cobra engines don't have PI parts, so can you take the PI parts from a GT engine and then place the same parts in a Cobra engine of same year?

[MustangMatt96GT]

PI parts come off of 99-04 GT engines. and well you can put the PI on cobra engines, but you have to change the time covers and chains because you would be going from 4V Cobra (DOHC) to 2V GT (SOHC)

[RandoGT]

so i'm guessing putting PI parts on a Cobra is pointless. and how much do you think it is for a Cobra swap onto a 98 GT?

[nes]

Originally Posted by MustangMatt96GT PI parts come off of 99-04 GT engines. and well you can put the PI on cobra engines, but you have to change the time covers and chains because you would be going from 4V Cobra (DOHC) to 2V GT (SOHC)

i dont seem to follow what your saying, your really could do anything you wanted to for the right amount of money, but y would u put pi parts on a 4v?? i dont see this happening, elaborate more please...

[nes]

Originally Posted by RandoGT so i'm guessing putting PI parts on a Cobra is pointless. and how much do you think it is for a Cobra swap onto a 98 GT?

cobra motors and trannys tend to go anywhere from 2500- 5k from what ive seen.

[MustangMatt96GT]

Well i might be confusing this with something else, but Boomer was telling me about putting PI Stuff on a Cobra motor and actually gaining something. But I maybe thinking of something else. So ask boomer!

[Jexey]

grats on your car

[Casper98GT]

so i'm guessing putting PI parts on a Cobra is pointless. and how much do you think it is for a Cobra swap onto a 98 GT?

PI is a 2v system only.

96-98 are NPI

99-04 are PI diff cam, intake and heads.

96-98 cobra have a teskid block with kinda crappy heads.

99-02 cobra have better heads and a worse block.

03-04 terminators with built motors and perform very well.

There is no PI on a 4 valve.

[G.T. Rags]

i had the same squeaking problem. It turned out to be both my tir rod and and ball joints. cost just over 140 to fix it.