Learn me- SN-95 New Edge Mustang

Asking for my father. Looking at an '02 Mustang GT 5spd, 120k miles, clean southern car. Mostly stock, just an exhaust, heavy clutch(sting ray), and it looks like a modified air filter(exposed cone). It will be a summer DD, future FFR donor, and I hope I can get him to autoX.

The only complaint was the shifting, hopefully that is just the stock shifter sucks rather than the tranny needing to warm up or internal issues. Definite plans include a better shifter. Possible mods include bigger brakes and more exhaust(headers, cats, X pipe). When it comes time for the FFR, a tranny refresh and a healthy engine rebuild(5.0L, heads, cams, ect).

I had a 2000 Mustang GT that I sold about 1.5 yrs ago. I'll share what I can remember. Mine was a street car. Actually sold it to get something more practical for track days, enter Miata. (mine made 615rwhp :D)

Lots of tech data over at modularfords.com

I feel the 4.6L 2V is a good motor. You'll never get big power out of it w/o going forced induction though. And the modular motors get pricey to build (I built mine twice, I should know).

Notorious for the coolant crossover on the intake manifold to leak.

The trans should be the T3650. I believe that trans is like the t45 that I had in mine, in that the bellhousing and the transmission are all one piece. If you have long tubes, you can't get the transmission out with the long tubes still in place. And it's a royal pain to unbolt the headers.

I believe that year is still a returnless fuel system. Nothing wrong with that but something new to learn if you haven't dealt with it before. Basically the ECU varies the voltage to the fuel pump to regulate the fuel being delivered.

They're kinda heavy.

The good news is that it's a Mustang and every aftermarket part you could dream of is available and w/o the corvette/porsche tax.

Engine tuning is a breeze. Just buy an SCT hand held tuner and drop it off at a dyno shop. They'll write a tune and flash the stock ECU. No piggyback systems to fool with. And you can turn off check engine lights for no-cats and no egr if you go that direction.

The 8.8 is a solid rear engine. Moving to a 31 spline carrier and axle shafts is popular for extra strength but not required.

You'll want sub-frame connectors w/o a doubt.

As for shifting, my T45 had the Steeda Tri-Axe shifter. Even still, it never liked a hard shift into 2nd. But that might have been a product of the horsepower too.

Have fun and post pics. I still have a soft spot for Mustangs. Love that V8 sound.

I found that the shape of the shift lever led to some people balking at the shifter a bit. If its difficult, you might try better fluid before anything else. If it is an internal issue, it might be a bent shift fork as that can happen if you are rough with it.

For autocross, Get a big front bar and add all the camber you can get (with plates). The front end loses camber and the bar prevents it. I ran over 2.5 degrees of camber on mine (with H&R Race springs, konis, and a big addco bar).

You want a tiny bit of toe in with the stock bushings (they are LARGE! and squish to make toe out)

Before big brakes, just put something like Hawk HPS or HP+ on it, will likely get the job done unless you are going to an HPDE and heavy on brakes. Plus, when you do the FFR, the bigger brakes arent really needed as its lighter.

You may want to seriously consider an earlier car with a 302 if you are going to be building the motor anyways, they are MUCH cheaper to dig into when last I looked. (which has admittedly been awhile)

Oh, buyer beware, there are a few companies producing suspension parts that are rather sub-optimal and can actually be extremely hazardous. In general, Maximum Motorsports, Griggs, and Steeda are well known and good players. (though any parts bought there will most likely not apply to an eventual FFR build)

Heavy clutch may be the result of an aftermarket firewall adjuster, quadrant, and/or cable. Switching to the Maximum Motorsports kit should restore better clutch pedal feel. A ridiculously stiff clutch is not required at or near stock power levels.

In terms of transmission, you do have the Tremec T3650. It has internal shift stops, so make sure you back off the external shift stops on an aftermarket shifter. Stock shift feel is nothing to write home about, and the best fluid is what's spec'd from the manufacturer. I'd ask the guy what transmission fluid is in it and how long ago it was changed. Early T3650s did have some synchro issues with second gear, there is a TSB out for that, but the TSB wasn't applied to every car.

Good aftermarket shifters include the Pro 5.0, MGW, and Steeda Tri-Ax. Everyone has their own preference. I've installed a Steeda Comfort Pro handle (now out of production, it was original designed for the '03-04 Cobras) in my car to bring the shifter handle over closer to the driver.

There's a huge used market for parts that may make sense for you, especially if you're going to turn it into an FFR donor.

If it weren't for the FFR donor part, I'd suggest an LS1 Camaro instead--better suspension and drivetrain, but everything else on the Mustang is better.

If the car already has the metal coolant crossover (front of the intake), the intake manifold is a non-issue. If it's all plastic, it's going to explode sooner or later.

I believe these cars also had problems with the reverse shift forks, but I may be thinking of the earlier T45-equipped cars.

As said earlier, making any real power out of those engines requires forced induction. But if you do go that route, they can be much more potent than people realize--a friend of mine was putting over 600 hp to the wheels of his T-Bird with a heavily worked, Vortech-blown 2V 4.6.

The car in question is a random local find he came across. No looking for a better example X. Also no intention of autoX while it is still a mustang, out of fear of breaking something on a 12 year old, 120k mile car.

Will wrote: I believe these cars also had problems with the reverse shift forks, but I may be thinking of the earlier T45-equipped cars.

You're correct, T45 cars (99-early '01 build dates) have no reverse synchro, so it can grind going into reverse. Clutch in, put it in second, put it in neutral, clutch out, clutch in and put it in reverse is what I do.

My '01 has 278k and I drive it daily except for winter, so I wouldn't consider them to be fragile.

I had a Spec stage II clutch, which was very heavy. I added the UPR clutch quadrant and firewall adjuster. It made a huge improvement in clutch feel. The factory clutch quadrant is plastic and tends to flex under a heavier than stock clutch, making the problem worse.

Clutch quadrant? What is this?

And it is a July '02 build date, if that makes any difference.

Mustangs of that era do not have a hydraulic clutch, it is cable operated.

Aftermarket ones change the leverage and rate of leverage change through range of motion. (and are also made of metal instead of plastic!) All of them are rather heavy feeling.

The stock clutch in my 97 cobra just about feels like a leg press, at least it does if I get stuck in stop and go traffic!

You can adjust slack out of the cable by pulling up on the clutch pedal, it auto adjusts if you do that.

This is the setup I went with on my '92 notch (also cable-operated):

http://www.maximummotorsports.com/Clutch-Cable-Quadrant-and-Firewall-Adjuster-Package-P385.aspx

When I bought it, it had an aftermarket firewall adjuster, aftermarket quadrant, and aftermarket adjustable cable. Pedal effort was ridiculous, and it would come out of adjustment often. Installing the parts above resulted in a smooth, stock-like pedal effort. It went from being borderline undriveable to very easy to drive.

If nothing else, non-Ford adjustable clutch cables have the reputation of being junk.

Got two buddies who are huge mustang fans. I wouldnt drive a pre s197 car because I think the fbody is the better car. I despise the clutch cable. Buddy has a really nice quadrant in his fox and I hate it still too stiff. I could drive the T56 Z28 with a clutch rated for 700ft lbs in stop and go traffic just fine, can barely stand to drive the cable driven mustangs in a neighborhood.

The 2V 4.6 isnt a bad motor, but building them is expensive, and they dont make a lot of power until you introduce boost, and really anything can make power with boost.

I think the stangs generally look better, a new edge car with a mach1 lip, tt2s, bullets, bbs RKs or fr500s, and the dark headlamps looks AWESOME.

Sure Im biased and Im a chevy guy, but Id take an S197 over an LS1 fbody, and a coyote powered stang over a 5th gen camaro. Does seem like the stangs hold their value better, thing about the fbodies is they are so cheap now they probably cant get much cheaper.

I was at a dyno day a while back at a mustang shop and I asked the owner what a full bolt on PI 2V could make. I think he said around 260. I kinda looked at him funny since it seemed really weak to me since I cut my teeth on GM stuff, and without me saying anything he said "You cant make chicken salad, out of chicken E36 M3."

If it were me Id buy one for cheap with a popped motor, last I saw a blown engine new edge car it was like 2K, and put a 5.3 in LS1 trim in it and a T56. It would solve everything I dont like about it. Its a super common swap now, it's all over the conversion forum in ls1tech, some guy is even making p&P engine harnesses for like 400 bucks. Some guy on tech said he got his done for under 6K, think it was an auto though, T56s are still dumb expensive though.

LS1 in a mustang... I may have an idea for the shell if ends up an ffr donor

Turns out my Father will be buying it. PPI turned out clean aside from needing a new set of front pads that will be included. 0 rust southern car, limited slip diff, and the loud exhaust is a set of turndowns in front of the axle(soon to be replaced)