[Thurman98]

if you had a choice which would you choose. looking to buy another car and need help deciding. thanks for the advive.

[Ford FTW]

Originally Posted by Thurman98 if you had a choice which would you choose. looking to buy another car and need help deciding. thanks for the advive.

A pushrod 5.0 would be cheaper to mod I imagine, but I'm kinda a sucker for over head cam so I would say 4.6; 2v's are cheaper but if you have the money I would say 4.6 4v. It's just whatever you will be happy throwing money at if you plan on building it up that's all. lol

[Thurman98]

Thanks FORD FTW. im driving myself crazy trying to decide. I'm looking at a 94 with at 5.0 stock $3800 and a 98 for $3900 4.6 stock. just cant make up my mind..........

[swervo]

Me personally get the 94 and throw a 5.8 in there and stroke it to an 408. Add heads, intake and a nasty cam in there.

[delgadog]

i'd personally would go with the 5.0, only because its cheaper to mod. they make about the same from the factory. and with the 94-95 and 96-98 being the same body style, you don't have to worry about going with an older looking car (even tho 94-98 isn't exactly new anymore.lol) but it'll boil down to your budget bro. good luck!!

[97S281]

I'd go with the pushrod 302. Hands down. It's alot cheaper to make good power with and the rest of the mods ( brakes, suspension, drivetrain) are going to be the same to mod up.

I cannot tell you how many times I wish I had gone that route. I could have saved ALOT of money.

[Destination S197]

The pushrod 302 would be cheaper to work on but since it is in a new body style with an old engine (302 in an SN95 body), its going to suffer from the same problem that the 2010 GT does. Parts are going to cost more like air instakes and such since they were specially made for 2 years of production and probably harder to find. Its things like that that you have to worry about.

[OptionalStang]

toobad you dont live by me, you could have mine for 3k

[zinsavage123]

4.6 baby, lol only said that cause I got one but seriously the 4.6 pi is sooooo much faster than the stock 5.0's

[delgadog]

i'm going with 97S281, i had a 95 GT and parts weren't to hard to come by, yea it sucked sometimes, but for the most part it wasn't bad. good power can be had and also, the engine is easier to work on in my opinion. and i'd say about 90-95% of the parts for the older 5.0s will fit the 95 as well. plus, not many of the older original 5.0s around and i think thats cool, theres NOTHING like that deep rumble of an older 5.0 just my opinion. i have a 97 GT now and its great, but i would so trade it in on a nice hatch 5.0 straight up.lol.

[NeverEnuff]

98 any day.

PI heads.
PI cams.
PI intake.
on the stock bottom end. ~250+whp.

Add cams.
300+rwhp with bolt ons...easy.

How many of you H/C/I can say you have a stock type longblock in your 5.0 making 300+Rwhp. stock heads, stock bottom end? None...

PI heads, 200-300, with cams...hell I have like 2 sets, Ill send you a set. lol
PI intake- got one of those too, but parts stores carry them for 200$ or less
theres 250+rwhp

Add cams...550$...if they are degreed and installed right, 300+rwhp with other supporting mods...IE OR mid pipe, and catback, with a decent 70-75mm TB and ported or aftermarket plenum.

Its way easier to attain 300rwhp on a 4.6, esp being a NPI bottm end, than a 5.0. Period. For a good set of heads on a 5.0, look to spend 1K+...used they are still $600-800. Then cam, 200, pushrods 80, rockers 200, intake 200-500, and even then...unless you get the best intake, best heads, and best cam...with a stock bottom end...I don't see you making much more than 320rwhp...maybe 330...I know cause Ive done both.

Stock longblock 4.6 NPI/PI motor with good cams, good short intake and longtubes can make 320+rwhp...ive done it. Add ported heads and it goes up substantially.

Its a lot cheaper these days than most think to mod a mod motor...

[SNmustang95]

Originally Posted by NeverEnuff 98 any day. PI heads. PI cams. PI intake. on the stock bottom end. ~250+whp. Add cams. 300+rwhp with bolt ons...easy. How many of you H/C/I can say you have a stock type longblock in your 5.0 making 300+Rwhp. stock heads, stock bottom end? None... PI heads, 200-300, with cams...hell I have like 2 sets, Ill send you a set. lol PI intake- got one of those too, but parts stores carry them for 200$ or less theres 250+rwhp Add cams...550$...if they are degreed and installed right, 300+rwhp with other supporting mods...IE OR mid pipe, and catback, with a decent 70-75mm TB and ported or aftermarket plenum. Its way easier to attain 300rwhp on a 4.6, esp being a NPI bottm end, than a 5.0. Period. For a good set of heads on a 5.0, look to spend 1K+...used they are still $600-800. Then cam, 200, pushrods 80, rockers 200, intake 200-500, and even then...unless you get the best intake, best heads, and best cam...with a stock bottom end...I don't see you making much more than 320rwhp...maybe 330...I know cause Ive done both. Stock longblock 4.6 NPI/PI motor with good cams, good short intake and longtubes can make 320+rwhp...ive done it. Add ported heads and it goes up substantially. Its a lot cheaper these days than most think to mod a mod motor...

You just added PI parts to a non PI engine, making it an H/C/I swap? We throw an HCI and were making 275-290 depending on the setup. apparently you didnt work on your 5.0 much. my friend has HCI swap, injectors, and a MAF and is making 320, thats with some GT40 heads and intake. if he threw some bigger heads and intake, he'd have 345-350 with ease. Then i have a buddy wit ha PI swap and isnt even making near what he wanted (300) he only has 250 260? The 5.0 has a way better low end and top end than a 4.6. all i have is gears, x pipe, catback, and air intake. and I've kept up and beat PI swapped 4.6's.

Edit: heads are not 1000 used. ive found great sets for way less. i had an offer on TF heads and intake with rockers and TB for 1000. you have to look around. Cams for a 5.0 is not 200. try 125-150. rockers are about 150. and your right on the intake. for a new one. ive found a good amount of TF track heats for 300-350. The TF top end kit, makes 360 (not always but its supposed to) comes with everything that you need to build an engine for 2500$. Really not a bad deal at all. plus, compared to a 4.6. helluva a lot easier to install .

[delgadog]

well, i think parts for a 5.0 are cheaper and thus you could buy more of them with the same amount of money then for a 4.6. then you have the cool factor of saying you have a 5.0, can't say that unless you have a stroker kit in the 4.6. either car will make good gains, i just think its easier with the 5.0. you might not make as much maybe, but you could be almost fully bolted (considering if you do most if not all the work yourself) for around 2k-4kish... depending on how good of a deal you got. my 95 had GT-40P heads, eddelbrock upper and lower intake, u/d pullies, CAI, FRPP shorty headers, o/r x pipe, 3.73 gears, short throw shifter, king cobra clutch kit, steeda fire wall adjuster, it was bored out to a 306, sub frames, upper and lower rear control arms, alluminum drive shaft, 75 shot and 1.7 roller rocker with an E cam i believe. without the 75 shot, i was making 227ish rwhp and 365lbft to the wheel and on the 75 shot, i made 285rwhp and 385ish lbft to the wheel... so take it for what its worth. i enjoyed the car, and the sound from that exhaust, OMG... second to none. its just what you want out of it bro. you can't go wrong with either. i just like the older engines personally.

[Thurman98]

Thanks everyone for your input. I went with a 98 GT 4.6 with some bolt on mods, new clutch and in great shape. $3700. Thanks again

[1996 GT]

^ You sir made a fantastic choice, now post some pictures!

[95mustangGT/SVT]

Good call on the 4.6! Good luck man!

[NeverEnuff]

Originally Posted by SNmustang95 You just added PI parts to a non PI engine, making it an H/C/I swap? We throw an HCI and were making 275-290 depending on the setup. apparently you didnt work on your 5.0 much. my friend has HCI swap, injectors, and a MAF and is making 320, thats with some GT40 heads and intake. if he threw some bigger heads and intake, he'd have 345-350 with ease. Then i have a buddy wit ha PI swap and isnt even making near what he wanted (300) he only has 250 260? The 5.0 has a way better low end and top end than a 4.6. all i have is gears, x pipe, catback, and air intake. and I've kept up and beat PI swapped 4.6's. Edit: heads are not 1000 used. ive found great sets for way less. i had an offer on TF heads and intake with rockers and TB for 1000. you have to look around. Cams for a 5.0 is not 200. try 125-150. rockers are about 150. and your right on the intake. for a new one. ive found a good amount of TF track heats for 300-350. The TF top end kit, makes 360 (not always but its supposed to) comes with everything that you need to build an engine for 2500$. Really not a bad deal at all. plus, compared to a 4.6. helluva a lot easier to install .

lol. Not enough time on a 5.0? I knew 5.0 pushrods before I knew 4.6s. Hate to break it to you.

Ive had a 326rwhp HCI stock bottom 5.0...but is was far from cheaper than a 4.6 PI swapped 98. Along with a 5.8, HCI running 7.9 in the 1/8th.

now I have a 4V modular in the same car running 7.1 on a bad day...hmmmm. 357ci vs 304ci and the 304ci is faster...hmmmm...Help me out here....

for your info..HCI reffers to AFTERMARKET...HCI for PI is still STOCK parts...

So...lets say this. Put P heads and Explorer or Cobra intake on your 5.0, with any alphabet cam you want. It still won't make over 250-260rwhp...

And now you have a 250-260rwhp car thats way heavier than a 4.6 alum headed motor that spins more rpm and makes a better TQ and HP curve and gets better MPG...Why do you think Ford went to a modular????

Even your 5.0 with 'stock' type heads and aftermarket cam won't keep up with a 4.6 NPI/PI head swapped car. Then add cams to the 4.6 like I said...with nothing else...and It will have you by 40-50hp...easy.

You under estimate the power and capability of the modular...2v 3v or even 4v...don't even get me started.

If you have 'kept up' with PI swapped cars...congrats...There is a thing called the driver mod...and well you might have it...but if you are telling me that your 'bolt on' stock 5.0 is keeping up with PI swapped NPI motors....then you are full of shit. Period.

Stock 5.0s made 190rwhp back in the day...new. fresh. stock 96-98 motors...a little less....99-04 motors...215-225rwhp depending on the car/motor. Foxes are lighter, but telling me that a PI swapped 96-98 car, making 250+rwhp is 'even' with your car is BS. Your 5.0 on 'bolt-ons' isn't making much more than 200rwhp...Your intake, and exhaust isn't giving you 50+rwhp, I don't care what ricer math you come up with...it just isn't possible...


IDC if you found heads for 1000, 800 or 600$. For the cost of replacing the top end of a 4.6...it isn't that cheap for a 5.0....And even if it was...it wouldn't make as much power than the 4.6. I know. Cause Ive done both. MOre than once...each...

and 2500 for a 'top end' kit is crazy. for what? 350hp? give me 2500$ and Ill show you 350hp on stock parts. Its called an Aviator motor with stock 96-98 cams, Making 340rwhp....yes...thats 1500$ for the motor, 300 for the intake, and 150 for the cams....There isn't a 5.0 out there than can hang with that price tag vs hp...end thread.

[NeverEnuff]

Glad you went with the modular bro. You won't be dissapointed.

[T-Lee. 30]

Originally Posted by NeverEnuff lol. Not enough time on a 5.0? I knew 5.0 pushrods before I knew 4.6s. Hate to break it to you. Ive had a 326rwhp HCI stock bottom 5.0...but is was far from cheaper than a 4.6 PI swapped 98. Along with a 5.8, HCI running 7.9 in the 1/8th. now I have a 4V modular in the same car running 7.1 on a bad day...hmmmm. 357ci vs 304ci and the 304ci is faster...hmmmm...Help me out here.... for your info..HCI reffers to AFTERMARKET...HCI for PI is still STOCK parts... So...lets say this. Put P heads and Explorer or Cobra intake on your 5.0, with any alphabet cam you want. It still won't make over 250-260rwhp... And now you have a 250-260rwhp car thats way heavier than a 4.6 alum headed motor that spins more rpm and makes a better TQ and HP curve and gets better MPG...Why do you think Ford went to a modular???? Even your 5.0 with 'stock' type heads and aftermarket cam won't keep up with a 4.6 NPI/PI head swapped car. Then add cams to the 4.6 like I said...with nothing else...and It will have you by 40-50hp...easy. You under estimate the power and capability of the modular...2v 3v or even 4v...don't even get me started. If you have 'kept up' with PI swapped cars...congrats...There is a thing called the driver mod...and well you might have it...but if you are telling me that your 'bolt on' stock 5.0 is keeping up with PI swapped NPI motors....then you are full of shit. Period. Stock 5.0s made 190rwhp back in the day...new. fresh. stock 96-98 motors...a little less....99-04 motors...215-225rwhp depending on the car/motor. Foxes are lighter, but telling me that a PI swapped 96-98 car, making 250+rwhp is 'even' with your car is BS. Your 5.0 on 'bolt-ons' isn't making much more than 200rwhp...Your intake, and exhaust isn't giving you 50+rwhp, I don't care what ricer math you come up with...it just isn't possible... IDC if you found heads for 1000, 800 or 600$. For the cost of replacing the top end of a 4.6...it isn't that cheap for a 5.0....And even if it was...it wouldn't make as much power than the 4.6. I know. Cause Ive done both. MOre than once...each... and 2500 for a 'top end' kit is crazy. for what? 350hp? give me 2500$ and Ill show you 350hp on stock parts. Its called an Aviator motor with stock 96-98 cams, Making 340rwhp....yes...thats 1500$ for the motor, 300 for the intake, and 150 for the cams....There isn't a 5.0 out there than can hang with that price tag vs hp...end thread.

Thats all some good info laid out right here. Gives me some ideas on how to start modding my 4.6npi tbird when i get done spending on my mustang. Reps to ya.

[NeverEnuff]

^ Much appreciated. Thanks.