S197 3V Winter projects; headers / tuning and a couple questions (2 pass radiator?)

[funksouljon]

So decided to take the winter for a couple upgrades and complete a couple projects.

Finishing brake cooling and tow straps are first up. Gonna mount up my new wheel set and roll out the fenders a little.

Looking to throw on some shorty headers (ceramic) and an intake and see about getting a tune. No clue on who to throw a tune at me so more research there. Recommendations always welcome.

I did stumble into a new, 2 pass Fluidyne aluminum radiator for about 50% off, but I was reading here some folks @Fabman is adamant a 3pass is the way to go. I'm getting hot in the summers, but still stock power and besides getting close to the red, Im not overheating yet. So wondering if a 2 pass upgrade is sufficient (especially for the price).
Looking at some hood options as well as just cutting stock for the louvres, tired of the hood shake when just running 75 on the highway but also getting hot air out.

And finally, vacillating about getting a short throw shifter new or used. I only get so much vehicle money allowance and the truck needs an air ride system with an upgrade to the tow hitch for 2023 camping season so trying to maximize part purchases this winter.

Anyone have used of the above you want to get our of your garage?

Also, never rolled my own fenders, been watching plenty of youtube videos, anyone have sage advice besides go slow?

 

[Fabman]

So decided to take the winter for a couple upgrades and complete a couple projects.

Finishing brake cooling and tow straps are first up. Gonna mount up my new wheel set and roll out the fenders a little.

Looking to throw on some shorty headers (ceramic) and an intake and see about getting a tune. No clue on who to throw a tune at me so more research there. Recommendations always welcome.

I did stumble into a new, 2 pass Fluidyne aluminum radiator for about 50% off, but I was reading here some folks @Fabman is adamant a 3pass is the way to go. I'm getting hot in the summers, but still stock power and besides getting close to the red, Im not overheating yet. So wondering if a 2 pass upgrade is sufficient (especially for the price).
Looking at some hood options as well as just cutting stock for the louvres, tired of the hood shake when just running 75 on the highway but also getting hot air out.

And finally, vacillating about getting a short throw shifter new or used. I only get so much vehicle money allowance and the truck needs an air ride system with an upgrade to the tow hitch for 2023 camping season so trying to maximize part purchases this winter.

Anyone have used of the above you want to get our of your garage?

Also, never rolled my own fenders, been watching plenty of youtube videos, anyone have sage advice besides go slow?

Typically performance radiators are single pass/3 row. You can easily make a 3 pass/3 row out of it. If you do have a 2 pass radiator both the inlet hose and outlet hose would have to be on the same side of the radiator instead of opposite sides...is that what you have? 3 pass is not mandatory, but it's an advantage and if you happen to be a welder like me doing the mod is like....why not?

 

[Fabman]

So decided to take the winter for a couple upgrades and complete a couple projects.

Finishing brake cooling and tow straps are first up. Gonna mount up my new wheel set and roll out the fenders a little.

Looking to throw on some shorty headers (ceramic) and an intake and see about getting a tune. No clue on who to throw a tune at me so more research there. Recommendations always welcome.

I did stumble into a new, 2 pass Fluidyne aluminum radiator for about 50% off, but I was reading here some folks @Fabman is adamant a 3pass is the way to go. I'm getting hot in the summers, but still stock power and besides getting close to the red, Im not overheating yet. So wondering if a 2 pass upgrade is sufficient (especially for the price).
Looking at some hood options as well as just cutting stock for the louvres, tired of the hood shake when just running 75 on the highway but also getting hot air out.

And finally, vacillating about getting a short throw shifter new or used. I only get so much vehicle money allowance and the truck needs an air ride system with an upgrade to the tow hitch for 2023 camping season so trying to maximize part purchases this winter.

Anyone have used of the above you want to get our of your garage?

Also, never rolled my own fenders, been watching plenty of youtube videos, anyone have sage advice besides go slow?

Okay after looking at your link that is the same fluidyne radiator I have. Its 3 row single pass. Folks throw around those terms and mix them up with some regularity. The ROW count is how many rows of tubes are in the core from front to back. Aftermarket radiators are almost always 3 rows. The number of PASSES is how many times the water goes across the radiator. That number is almost always 1. It's easy to convert it to a 3 pass radiator as I outline in my build thread. Any competent aluminum welder can do it provided they shape the deflectors like I did so you don't get any internal bypassing.

 

[funksouljon]

Still in his garage, just poking at the parts I might be collecting for winter projects. I don't think I'm at the "I must fix cooling" stage yet, but it does get hot, just not in the red so far. Getting ahead of issues.....

 

[blacksheep-1]

I've rolled a few fenders in my day, the key is to heat the paint enough so it's flexible and try to keep an even pressure on the roller throughout the roll. If the fender is not concentric, you may have to make several moves on the roller. If you are relatively close to central Florida, you can borrow mine.

 

[Fabman]

Still in his garage, just poking at the parts I might be collecting for winter projects. I don't think I'm at the "I must fix cooling" stage yet, but it does get hot, just not in the red so far. Getting ahead of issues.....

If you have a stock radiator now definitely change it out for a performance one whether you do the 3 pass mod or not.

 

[funksouljon]

I've rolled a few fenders in my day, the key is to heat the paint enough so it's flexible and try to keep an even pressure on the roller throughout the roll. If the fender is not concentric, you may have to make several moves on the roller. If you are relatively close to central Florida, you can borrow mine.

Thank you for the offer sir, but Im enjoying winter in balmy Colorado! Sounds good on slow and warm.

@Fabman , sounds good, kind of my thought as well. I'm still stock in many areas.

 

[Boone]

Shorty headers are not much bang for the buck or effort. If you can't do long tubes, you may as well spend that money elsewhere.

For a shifter, I really like my Barton unit. It has helped keep my 3650 alive because the shifts are clean and positive.

As Fab says, do the radiator, a hood vent, and hood pins (if you don't have them already). Edit: saw your hood pins.

I hope you have heat in your garage.

 

[funksouljon]

Shorty headers are not much bang for the buck or effort. If you can't do long tubes, you may as well spend that money elsewhere.

For a shifter, I really like my Barton unit. It has helped keep my 3650 alive because the shifts are clean and positive.

As Fab says, do the radiator, a hood vent, and hood pins (if you don't have them already). Edit: saw your hood pins.

I hope you have heat in your garage.

Definitely on the fence on the shorties.... (small power but 10 lbs of weight, little cooler...) but want to reevaluate LT again. We don't have emissions testing in my county.

I WANT an aftermarket but know hood vents into the stock is the easy solution. Just surprised how much flutter the stock hood has at highway speeds, so going to get the pins in once I commit to cutting the stocker.

Definitely have heat in my garage. Replaced the door after we had been here for a couple years, DIDN'T get an insulated door, regretted and had to insulate it myself (lesson learned). But do have 3 wall heaters that make working all winter very comfy, I just need to clean it so I can make room for the car to come in.

I expect the Barton or MGW or any other would be better than my stock one.

 

[blacksheep-1]

Did you see this?

Thread 'mustang 05-09 cooling mods' https://trackmustangsonline.com/threads/mustang-05-09-cooling-mods.19155/

 

[funksouljon]

Did you see this?

Thread 'mustang 05-09 cooling mods' https://trackmustangsonline.com/threads/mustang-05-09-cooling-mods.19155/

I did not but I'm an 08 so the crossover should be fine no? Just need to look at the radiator / electrical wiring

But if you can get up to 10 HP with the Steeda charge motion plates, any reason to take the manifold off is a reason to install the plates. Even just to see under to make sure it's all still there.