Well I have plenty of money and of course Iam gonna spend it on my truck, but I still have to save some because of college next semester, but I am trying to decide which mods I should do next. I was thinking about getting an Edelbrock Upper/Lower Intake manifold and then call up Crane or Comp Cams and get them to tell me which cam they recommend for my truck. That is one senerio. The other is I could buy an NX setup and run like a 75 shot or maybe a 100, but no higher than that. I like this idea, but I dont know where to mount the bottle. I usually see them in the beds of trucks, but I dont havea bed cover and if I have to buy that along with the n2o its gonna start to get real expensive. Any ideas on where to mount it? I am just trying to decide what to do. The intake manifold and the cam (I would install) is gonan cost like $700. The nitrous would probably be like $800 because I would get a bottle heater, purge setup, guages, all the goodies. For those with the manifold, does it makea difference? And how well does the 5.0 respond to cam changes? I think with a 100 shot, I would probably havea low 15 high 14 second truck which I think would be awesome! Im goin to the track on Wednesday so I can run it. I am hoping for a high 16 second pass. With a 3.31 open I ran a 17.1 now I have the 3.73 with a LS, I will be happy if I can make any kind of 16 second pass. Just help me out guys. I put an NX setup on a friends 97 4cyl Tacoma, and it ran a 17.4 last time at the track, so I want to see what the 75 shot does to that, and then I will probably have my mind made up on how I like nitrous. My engine has 78000 miles on it, and last time I did a compression test 2000 miles ago, it was perfect, all the cylinders were real close in psi from one another and the rise of the pressure was just as it should be, so the engine is real healthy. BTW it dynoed at 205/268, so its making a nice amount of power and never has a hickup or anything. Will it be able to hold up to a 100 shot with no problem? I think the only problem I may see is that I may have to put in 2 larger fuel pumps, NX says you dont have too, but my engine is already making 70 more hp than it did stock. Does anyone know how many lph the stock pumps are? sOrry for the long post, but I want to get this right the first time.

 

personally, d save up enough money to do heads/cam/intake all at the same time (that way you dont need to tear down the engine every time). after that, THEN id do nitrous. that's just my opinion, good luck!

 

I agree with Donate. The heads on these truck are terrible. Do the heads/cam/intake at the same time. Then you are only in the motor once to do the work. This will save you a lot of cussing and lost tools from throwing them.

 

I agree with the two above. Nitrous isn't cheap to set up, and then is a pay as you go thing.

For the cost of a nitrous setup you could put on the GT-40P heads, and do the cam at the same time. The heads require a different header, but you can get them fairly cheap or snag some of an Explorer.

Just food for thought, but the last year the 'Stangs had the 5.0 they only rated at 205 HP. The Explorer with its mild cam and GT-40Ps rated at 215 HP and higher torque. Some companies sell the short blocks with the P heads and X cam and rate it at 270 HP. ('Stang intake rating I'm sure)

 

Nitrous is cool, for a few seconds. heads are cool all the time.

 

coughVortech!echhumcoughpfftcough

 

yah man, when somebody asks what youve done to your truck and you say, "uh, like i put some heads on it" how cool is that compared to "oh its just got a little supercharger". But if you dont want to go that route, i would forget the nitrous and the intake manifold and go straight to the heads and cam.

 

I am still trying to decide. Me and 2 of my friends went to the track last night. One of them has a 97 Tacoma 2.4L Auto, the other has a 97 Dodge Ram 5.2L Auto. The tacoma ran a 17.7@78 and when we put it on da bottle it ran a 15.7@90, it had traction problems, it could have pulled off a mio 15. The Ram has a Kenne Bell blower running 6psi and she mada 15.8@84mph pass. The ebst Icould muster was a 17.0@77.66 with a 2.3 60ft. It was the worst conditions possible and the last time at the track the tacoma ran a 17.3 so it was 4 tenths slower. SO I think in halfway decent conditions I could pull off a 16 second pass with no problem. Well the nitrous made such a huge difference on his truck that it really got me thinking about it, but I like to have power all the time. I just wanted to know if I put some kind off cam in my truck, that would still allow me to use my truck as a truck, but was better than the stocker, what could I expect my times to change by? I want to make a 15 second pass to hang with them...I'm tired of loosing to a girl in a Dodge lol, but I wanted ot know would a cam, long tube headers, and the intake manifold get me close to my goal of a llow 16 second pass or will I need the heads to do this also? I am thinking Iwill add long tubes real soon, the dynomax ones are pretty cheap and they are ceramic coated...will long tubes make a difference that I will see on my times? Come on all you gurus I need your help now I want to get a low 16 second pass in the heat, and not go crazy tearing apart my engine or breaking my wallet.

 

Heads should be your FIRST step. all the improved intakes and camshafts in the world won't help if the heads won't flow the air. Hit the swap meets, you should be able to pick up a set of 3-line GT-40 heads for a song. rebuild them, stick on some 1.7 roller rockers to give your existing camshaft more punch and you'll be amazed.

A full second gain is going to take a lot more than that though. Heads, camshaft, intake and T/B, headers and a low-restriction cat-back, improved ignition, etc.

 

I have the same configuration truck as you. last year with just a K&NFIPK it ran a 17.0 on a hot day. Your truck on good day should run well into the 16's. I would do heads cam, intake, and a bigger throtell body at the same time.

 

Hey Beastie,

StrangeRanger just said, I've said it, and now I'll say it again.

Build a combination that works!

You can't have your cake and eat it too......piecemeal parts here and there are not going to make you go big, you need to formulate a combo or copy someone’s existing (proven) set up and go with it. Everything you want to accomplish requires removing the top end anyway, sands the cam, so why not save up or buy each piece along and then have an assembly party and enjoy the results when you are done.

Once you get a proven combo working, I guarantee you will be thrilled and when that starts to feel slow, then you can think about tossing in a blower, but I would consider beefing up the bottom half before going to that level.

 

Beastie,
You will be amazed at the difference a set of heads will make on your truck. My mustang with stock heads was OK, but once I swapped them the motor just came alive. Your truck runs the same heads as a stock mustang and they are garbage. You should just try and do the intake/heads/cam at the same time. You will be amazed and the power will always be there at the step of the pedal.

 

I have enough money to do heads/cam/intake right now and it not affect my money that I need for college, now I just need to talk my dad into it. He can isntall everything with me, and he has the knowledge, but I just dont know if he wants to or will lwt me. If I wanted a hop to do this, how much do yall think they would want to charge me for doing that stuff? I know the truck will run 16s easy in good weather, and I am not unhappy with my 17 flat in the heat, but I need to go faster lol. I will talk yalls advice and start talkin my dad into it. If I did the heads and intake should I get a new cam or would puttin 1.7RR on be good enough?

 

beastie, just to let you know, Im in the same boat as you. Summer off between frosh and soph. year at college and tight w/ the budget. Also, this weekend my boys and I are swapping my heads for a ported and polished w/ new slightly larger valves. Just look at my sig to see the other mods. I still have a stock cam, so i am only expecting a small to medium jump in power cause after this weekend, the cam is the only thing i havent changed (minus the stroker kit )

I also found this website, http://phystutor.tripod.com/stang/head_swapping.html
its for stangs but our trucks are so similar i figured it couldnt hurt. It compares all the different heads out there and their hp increases. I hope to have times for everyone next weekend, so ill keep yah filled in. This should be fun!!!

 

How did the upper/lower intake and the TB do on your truck?