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» Northern California Ford Owners     » Automotive   » Tech Talk   » are npi motors really worth it?

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Author Topic: are npi motors really worth it?
tonster
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so yea, are npi motors really worth it? i mean i love my '98, i paid for it myself, i love the styling, so theres no way i'll ever let go of it. i know there's always adding a blower, but with the npi pos, you can only go so fast. then there's the pi swap, but with almost 80k on my engine it would prolly require a build up of the bottom end. basically i've been planning on what to do with my car (although funds have been really low as of late) and i honestly don't know what direction to head in. should i just screw the npi and start saving up for a nice crate, should i find a pi motor and build it up nicely, or should i just save up for a fox and leave the '98 as a daily driver?
Posts: 321 | From: Fremont | Registered: Oct 2005  |  :
two-gun kid2
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red00gt has a pi setup for sale
Posts: 5566 | From: Hayward,Ca | Registered: Jul 2005  |  :
BlacksheepMod50
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I have a 98 GT and let me tell you... I've dumped more money into it than I really wish I had. I would honestly cut your loses before you start. Obviously is that does depend on what direction you're going, because you can slap a blower on the setup and boom - instant HP with low cost (what somewhat wish I had done). I think I have about 15K into just engine/exhaust type mods and i've had nothing but problems and im still probably only pushing 320 RWHP on N/A (I'll know the REAL number in January [Smile] ) - Granted my setup is fully prepared for a heafty nitrous shot.

If you dont feel like spending lots of money and want to go N/A with your setup, i would just throw a 5.0 engine into it and be done, they are so much easier to work on too. Of course your best solution could be different depending on your goals with your vehicle.

Just 2 cents from someone who has been under their 98 GT for the past 3 years

[ December 15, 2005, 11:51 PM: Message edited by: BlacksheepMod50 ]

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98 4.6, stroked to 5.0, all forged, 11:1 comp, cams, LTs, Tubular K-member & A-Arms, Coilovers, Saleen rims, 99+ mani., ported F150 heads. And more..

Posts: 288 | From: Fair Oaks (Sacramento) | Registered: Jan 2003  |  :
tonster
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quote:
Originally posted by BlacksheepMod50:
I have a 98 GT and let me tell you... I've dumped more money into it than I really wish I had. I would honestly cut your loses before you start. Obviously is that does depend on what direction you're going, because you can slap a blower on the setup and boom - instant HP with low cost (what somewhat wish I had done). I think I have about 15K into just engine/exhaust type mods and i've had nothing but problems and im still probably only pushing 320 RWHP on N/A (I'll know the REAL number in January [Smile] ) - Granted my setup is fully prepared for a heafty nitrous shot.

If you dont feel like spending lots of money and want to go N/A with your setup, i would just throw a 5.0 engine into it and be done, they are so much easier to work on too. Of course your best solution could be different depending on your goals with your vehicle.

Just 2 cents from someone who has been under their 98 GT for the past 3 years

i'd love to have a 5.0 swap as an option, but the lovely state of california says otherwise. my goals are to have a nice streetable car pushing over 350rwph n/a and then some with a good nitrous setup. i think these goals are pretty modest, but are hard to come by on an npi without some major work. oh
Posts: 321 | From: Fremont | Registered: Oct 2005  |  :
iron281
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I think you can legally swap a newer motor in to your 98. Like one of the 4V Ford Cobra crate engines.

This is something I'd like to do eventually as well.

Can someone confirm this regarding smog/legality in California?

http://www.fordracingparts.com/crateengine/modularcobra.asp

Posts: 385 | From: San Jose, California | Registered: Nov 2000  |  :
r3dn3ck
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yes it's perfectly legal. Lot's of guys do it in california with no smog problems.

If you want 350rwhp NA from a streetable 4.6, you're foolin yourself. That's going to cost more money than you can imagine. Sorry... just not seeing it happen since he wants to smog it.

freshen up the bottom end of the motor you have, swap over to some PI heads and take what you get. Use nitrous to make up the difference.

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Good judgement comes from experience, experience comes from bad judgement. Via O'Connor

Posts: 202 | From: Bay Area | Registered: Aug 2003  |  :
tonster
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quote:
Originally posted by r3dn3ck:

freshen up the bottom end of the motor you have, swap over to some PI heads and take what you get. Use nitrous to make up the difference.

well thats what i first planned on doing. but with over 80k miles on my car, would i be better off starting from scratch? i know 80k isn't that much, but its better to do it right the first time.
Posts: 321 | From: Fremont | Registered: Oct 2005  |  :
BLK02GT
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when i had the pi swap done to my 97GT, when i had it, my car was around 105K..and had NO problems with the swap. car ran nice! and pretty damn quick too...but i think the 4.10s helped a lot on that tho [Wink]

the pi swap is nice and easy...then jus throw a 100 shot on top of that...youll love the difference from going from a npi setup to the pi swap..a lot more power over 3K rpms

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2019 Ford Expedition Limited
2002 Ford Mustang GT

Originally Member #4241

Posts: 1247 | From: Tracy, ca | Registered: May 2005  |  :
SmokinLX
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quote:
Originally posted by tonster:
quote:
Originally posted by r3dn3ck:

freshen up the bottom end of the motor you have, swap over to some PI heads and take what you get. Use nitrous to make up the difference.

well thats what i first planned on doing. but with over 80k miles on my car, would i be better off starting from scratch? i know 80k isn't that much, but its better to do it right the first time.
Might as well get as much milage out of Your original motor as possible. Just throw a 100 shot on there and enjoy it while saving money for the swap. Who know's the original might last till You decide to sell it. [patriot]

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Dont claim power if ya cant mile per hour. 10 second AOD

Posts: 4388 | From: East Bay | Registered: Aug 2002  |  :
89point.
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since you love it so much keep it as a driver and get a 5.0 there parts are easy and sometimes cheap to get. then in a couple years or something you could really do what you want to your car. me and my dad have had a gt sitting for like 5 years and ive gone through a lot of cars since then but im finally going to build it, just a thought.
Posts: 2727 | From: martinez | Registered: Oct 2005  |  :
92stangLX
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Bolt on every part you can get (headers, plenum, TB, etc) and slap a blower on it. This should keep you happy for a while. When it's time for a rebuild it will give you an excuse to upgrade for more power.
Posts: 5302 | From: San Francisco | Registered: Sep 2003  |  :
cheap
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quote:
Originally posted by 92stangLX:
Bolt on every part you can get (headers, plenum, TB, etc) and slap a blower on it. This should keep you happy for a while. When it's time for a rebuild it will give you an excuse to upgrade for more power.

That's some of the dumbest advice you could get. Especially from a fiscal standpoint. You already admitted you don't have an unlimited budget for this car, and it sounds like it's proven to be a reliable daily driver. Keep it that way and buy a race car if you have a craving to go faster, you'll thank yourself in the end. After all, it's already paid for, you like the styling, and it's a lot easier to NOT think of letting it go when it continues to run reliably for you, which often stops happening when you start pulling the motor and slapping on a bunch of non-OEM parts.

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1965 Spyder GT

Posts: 1358 | From: Maine | Registered: Feb 2002  |  :


 
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