93 Lightning
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93 Lightning
I just bought my first lightning and love it! Just sold my 87 GT Mustang & had to get the Mustang of trucks. So, where do I start for added power? It has the K&N filter but all else is stock. With 104K it's in great shape from the original owner. I'm thinking underdrive pullies and headers. Anyone? Thanks.
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93 Lightning
No boost to adjust on a '93 Lightning... but adding a supercharger to it is certainly one of the best bangs for the buck! They love a little pressure.
Turn the timing up to 14 degrees, but be aware you'll have to run higher octane after that. The best exhaust piece to replace (the starting point) is the cat-pipe. Those 4 cats are pretty restrictive. Next up is the cat-back.
Underdrives are an excellent addition, usually worth a couple of tenths, and the diesel/460 intake tube is a good cold air intake setup and will only set you back about $15.
Later!
Jeff S.
Lightning #74 in '95 - 11.92@115.2
Lightning #582 in '00 - 13.36@101.75
Turn the timing up to 14 degrees, but be aware you'll have to run higher octane after that. The best exhaust piece to replace (the starting point) is the cat-pipe. Those 4 cats are pretty restrictive. Next up is the cat-back.
Underdrives are an excellent addition, usually worth a couple of tenths, and the diesel/460 intake tube is a good cold air intake setup and will only set you back about $15.
Later!
Jeff S.
Lightning #74 in '95 - 11.92@115.2
Lightning #582 in '00 - 13.36@101.75
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93 Lightning
Thanks for the responces! I've read a few things about a mass air conversion. Why didn't Ford add it to begin with? They started putting them on all V8 Mustangs in 1989 so Ford new they were better.(?) Is this a viable option worth the $. Another thing of intrest.. is there a middle seat that can go in between the buckets? Thanks.
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93 Lightning
In '94 a middle "jump seat" was an option and in '95 it was standard equipment. However, getting one of those from Ford will set you back about $1200. Full Effect sells a center conversion (the same thing that Downs Ford sells) for a few hundred dollars. It looks pretty good, has a great storage compartment in the bottom, and works.
Ford Trucks (that's who designed and proofed the Gen 1 Lightning, not SVT) wasn't ready to go to Mass Air in '93 for two reasons - first their trucks could meet emissions requirements with the speed density, and second the mass air durability testing wasn't done yet. It was in '95, but since that was going to be a limited production year for the Lightning anyway, it wasn't worth the cost of reprogramming the existing setup.
Having tried three different mass air conversions, I'd recommend against one unless you're running enough cam to make it necessary. I do have one on my truck and will soon be changing to yet another one (this one I'm building myself). You won't get any additional performance or efficiency out of the conversion so really, unless you need it, you're just throwing away a thousand-odd dollars. That money would be better spent as half the cost of a Powerdyne or in the search for a good used Vortech. Or in a dozen smaller mods.
Later!
Jeff S.
Lightning #74 in '95 - 11.92@115.
Lightning #582 in '00 - 13.36@101.75
Ford Trucks (that's who designed and proofed the Gen 1 Lightning, not SVT) wasn't ready to go to Mass Air in '93 for two reasons - first their trucks could meet emissions requirements with the speed density, and second the mass air durability testing wasn't done yet. It was in '95, but since that was going to be a limited production year for the Lightning anyway, it wasn't worth the cost of reprogramming the existing setup.
Having tried three different mass air conversions, I'd recommend against one unless you're running enough cam to make it necessary. I do have one on my truck and will soon be changing to yet another one (this one I'm building myself). You won't get any additional performance or efficiency out of the conversion so really, unless you need it, you're just throwing away a thousand-odd dollars. That money would be better spent as half the cost of a Powerdyne or in the search for a good used Vortech. Or in a dozen smaller mods.
Later!
Jeff S.
Lightning #74 in '95 - 11.92@115.
Lightning #582 in '00 - 13.36@101.75
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93 Lightning
Hey fmos racing,
You seem to have experience with these Gen 1's, I have a couple questions for you:
1) my E4OD is dead. I've gotten prices from a couple of different aftermarket companies (Art Carr, etc.). Do you have any recomendations for these big, expensive trannys? I'm a little over a hour away from Phoenix, AZ and I'm sure I can find a reputable shop down there to rebuild it. I just feel more comfortable with a well established company. I just want the thing to shift harder and quicker than stock, my motor is essentially stock so I don't need it to be super strong. If my next tranny goes another 110K miles I'd be happy!
2) I know Bassani has a great set of headers for my truck, but they're so expensive! Summit lists a set of headers in its catalog to fit on Gen 1 Lightning heads for under $200. Have you ever seen these? I'm sure they are not as high-quality as the Bassani's but they have to be better than stock, right?
3) I've been very curious about all those cats: Is there a noticeable power increase by getting rid of them? How about a noise increase? I'm guessing they stifle ALOT of exhaust note. Did you make your own cat-less pipe? We have no smog inspections where I live, but getting somebody to cut them out takes mob ties! I know Bassani makes a cat-less offroad pipe, but it too is kinda pricey.
Any help/suggestions you have would be greatly appreciayed,
Adrian
You seem to have experience with these Gen 1's, I have a couple questions for you:
1) my E4OD is dead. I've gotten prices from a couple of different aftermarket companies (Art Carr, etc.). Do you have any recomendations for these big, expensive trannys? I'm a little over a hour away from Phoenix, AZ and I'm sure I can find a reputable shop down there to rebuild it. I just feel more comfortable with a well established company. I just want the thing to shift harder and quicker than stock, my motor is essentially stock so I don't need it to be super strong. If my next tranny goes another 110K miles I'd be happy!
2) I know Bassani has a great set of headers for my truck, but they're so expensive! Summit lists a set of headers in its catalog to fit on Gen 1 Lightning heads for under $200. Have you ever seen these? I'm sure they are not as high-quality as the Bassani's but they have to be better than stock, right?
3) I've been very curious about all those cats: Is there a noticeable power increase by getting rid of them? How about a noise increase? I'm guessing they stifle ALOT of exhaust note. Did you make your own cat-less pipe? We have no smog inspections where I live, but getting somebody to cut them out takes mob ties! I know Bassani makes a cat-less offroad pipe, but it too is kinda pricey.
Any help/suggestions you have would be greatly appreciayed,
Adrian
