[rx1_ns]

i have a 96 gt and i have 2 friends one has a 97 gt the other got a 98 got and my car is way lazier than theirs i have my cats cut out of the exhaust,, flowmaster, cai, throtte body the guy with the 98 has everthing i got but he has underdrive pulleys and he says they didn't do alot. we lined them up and he can smoke me his car feels really free when ya drive it and mine feels like something is holding it back. also his car will spin really good and mine is lucky to but ya gotta dump it hard i just put in a new clutch too but this problem has been going on since i got the car. we have the same gears but i am putting 3.73s in this week. i am just wondering what might be up with my car why it is lazy.

[MustangMatt96GT]

run a can of seafoam through it!

[G.T. Rags]

what are the mileage of the vehicles....

u also might be in need of a tune up.......

what about ur intake manifold.......mine is cracked right now and undergoing replacement, but makes my car drive like she's been parked for years.

[jbm5781]

Well, my 97 was acting the same way when I got it. It only had 81,000 miles on it when I got it but I still ran seafoam through it, did a full tune up, and replaced a cracked intake manifold. This really woke the car up and now she runs like a dream.

[rx1_ns]

there is only 135 000kms on my car which would only be around 80 000 miles which is nothing i just bought it this year and never realized how bad it worked till i just drove my friends car. for the full tune up like fuel filter, plugs, wires that stuff. where does the intake manifold usually crack at cause i heard stuff about that happening and is it a recall from ford cause one guy said it was.

[AnglicoGT98]

They usually crack at the front of manifold (If you're standing in front of your car it will be closest to you). There is a crossover for the coolant and on the 96-98's they came stock with a plastic shitty one. I don't think you can use the recall approach on dealerships anymore. Ford set up windows when people could get them replaced and I don't think they do it anymore. But that could def. be the case on why you feel your car dragging.

[rx1_ns]

thanks what is the best plugs and wires the ford racing ones or msd. seafoam is like fuel injector cleaner right? so if it's cracked(i didn't go look yet) do ya gotta replace the whole intake or just the plastic shitty piece?

[AnglicoGT98]

Just get a PI intake. It would be a waste of time and effort to go through all the work to just replace the corssover. Check out Ebay for the intake manifold (99-04 GT) and read the sticky at the top of this page. I like FRPP plug wires. You want something thicker than stock so they can move more of a charge to the plugs. But also make sure they have low resistence. And get some Bosch or NGK iridium/nickle plugs.

[rx1_ns]

i can't see anywheres that it is cracked. but the crossover is plastic on my car for sure. will coolant come out of it if it is cracked. also i see that my car is running half high on the temp gauge like not on the A in normal and the other guys cars are in the R. maybe it's cracked and i can't see it.

[AnglicoGT98]

Yeah unless it is REALLY bad it will usually just seep out, not squirt. Mine filled all my plug holes on the driver side ans my car was missing. Just look around where the heads meet the manifold and see if you see any coolant or check your coolant level. Or pop your hood and just smell. Coolant smells kind of sweet.

[jbm5781]

A crack in the manifold is usually almost impossible to see. Crank your car, open the hood, and pull on the throttle cable enough to rev the motor. If you have a crack somewhere, you may see fluid coming out. Mine cracked right inside the bend on the left side of the crossover. I have talked to at least 5 people who said theirs cracked in the exact same place.

Like Anglico said, look for any coolant pooling up on your motor. Mine was filling in around the plugs on the driver's side as well. Also look between the manifold and the heads behind the alternator. Look and see if it has coolant pooled up in that space as well.

[rx1_ns]

there is no crack in the manifold. the no coolant anywheres to be seen or smelt. i am guessiing it might just be the gears that are in it i am putting 3.73's in it wednesday see what that does. it just don't seem to pull good till it gets up past 3 grand then it's fine just the on the bottom end it sucks.

[HMUSN]

that's normal 3k is when the powerband starts

[96Snaker]

Originally Posted by HMUSN that's normal 3k is when the powerband starts

Yep. 3200 rpms to be exactamundo.

Sounds like a tune-up will help, and hopefully the intake manifold hasn't cracked, but if so, perfect opportunity to replace and upgrade! I doubt your car would have broken any teeth on the stock gears unless you've REALLY been launching a lot, but ya never know. Regardless, 3.73s will wake up your acceleration without a doubt.

[rx1_ns]

what do they do to tune up the efi? sorry about dumb questions i'm still learning about my car

[G.T. Rags]

if ur going for a regular tune up all they do is change the plugs, and depending on weather u need new wires and coils n plugs they'll either change them or clean them up, and set ur timing. Change ur fuel and air filter as well.

Ford recommends one at 60k miles i believe. If ur car has never has one it's definately due for one. My friend recently did a Stock tune up on his, 1st time ever for his car, and she responds so much better now.

aftermartket tune up isn't really going to add much power.......but it will help ur car respond and run better.