2003 mounty mods

[Xenowolf]

Hey everyone,

I currently have a 2003 mercury mountaineer.. v8 RWD

I have these mods currently:

-Removed stock fan and replaced with E-fan (cools better)
-Removed stock intake and replaced with K&N CAI (cold air intake)
-Replaced stock muffler and third cat (resonator) with a magnaflow.

I ran a 10 flat in the 1/8 mile before the cold air intake.

I have a sniper programmer that currently doesnt work for my PCM (TNZ2).. ut an update should be available soon (or so they say)..

I am looking to do some quick and easy performance mods as well as a few visual mods.

Id like to know if there is any mountaineer specific front push bar (with the light protector.. thingy) Ive seen it on one car but never found out where they got it and it looked custom for the mountaineer..

I'm also thinking of porting the heads, swapping my cams, installing 4.10 gears, installing a turbo or supercharger.. and anything else that will get me down the track as quick as possible.


Obviously the mounty isnt the best car to run on a track but its a major sleeper, atleast in miami it is. I know most modders here lift their trucks for offroading and i considered that but I'd rather have a sleeper.

Please give me any tips tricks or insight on what I could do and the negatives of what I'm planning on doing..

Thanks for your time,

-Chris

 

[Limited02]

If you need some turbo info, look up mounty03. He is pushing to run 12's any day now.
Awdrocks and Rocket 5979 have both supercharged their V8's and should be able to help you there. Once you get the tuner on there, it should help bring together what you have done so far. Someone will chime in about the push bar, I know there was some talk recently about that. Get some pics up of your ride!

 

[Xenowolf]

Thanks for the help, I'll go take so pictures of my mounty after i give it a wash, haha.

I know this place nearby called WWR (WorldWideRacing) and they installed a turbo on my friends 98 jeep cherokee limited (4.0 I6).. We are waiting for it to get tuned to see the dyno results but the thing had over 130k miles on it so if the turbo helps that out without blowing it up then i think I'll go to them for the turbo.

My one concern is that I dont want to put too much power into the engine and then blow the tranny... Thats why I'm asking around here because I want to know the results and problems before I commit to it..

I have seen a mounty on youtube that pulls 8.1 in the 1/8 mile and around 12.5 seconds or so in the 1/4 mile. Problem is thats an AWD and I am RWD.

Please dont hesitate to give me any tips or tricks that might help me.

thanks

 

[Limited02]

If you keep boost under 8psi and the revs down a little, you should hold up okay from what I have learned. Intercooler helps as well. You could go more, but then that's when you start running into breaking things. Mounty03 may be who you saw in the vids. Here is a link to his post-
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=234204

 

[1_v8_merc]

You want to look for Mustang GT parts (1999-2002)
I believe the 2002-2004 v8 mounties share the same generation engines.
I believe any Cylinder Head and Intake parts are the same, if not extremely similar and swappable

The supercharger and turbo kits from those Mustang GT's will fit on your engine, however some modification is required.
I cant remember if the Centrifugal S/C'er's will fit.....but I KNOW the Eaton Style superchargers will bolt on.(over-head style superchargers)

Also, i was on an autoparts website and actually SAW a Cam and Rocker set SPECIFICALLY for 02-04 v8 Mountaineers!
(i just formatted my computer, so i dont have the website anymore! I can probably find it again...it took me a while to find that website though!)

You could also try putting the SUV on a diet!
Loose spare tire, any seats you dont need, A/C delete, EGR delete,etc....

I stripped my mustang down and that sucker COULDNT take off from a stoplight without peeling out! (i probably took too much weight off the rear of her,hehe)
I started with a pretty heavy car, after a few days worth of stripping parts, it felt like i was driving a go-cart on steroids!

 

[CALDWELL]

im sure you know this, but LARGER exhaust pipe will help you in the TOP-END RPM's and would greatly add to the TURBO or SC power abilities...


my small .02


im just starting to do HP/TQ mods on my X and the INTAKE/EXHAUST combo has done quite a bit to my X... next step is a TUNER !!

i hate HP ADDICTION LOL !!!

 

[Xenowolf]

Thanks for the info everyone!
Please keep it coming..

I'm new to modifying my car but not new to cars.. so I have a lot of knowledge, just not a lot of knowledge for my own car in particular.

My friend found whipple superchargers that will fit his 5.4 F-150 and my 4.6 mounty.

Until i get the programmer working on my mounty I'm gonna keep the stock exhaust pipes and my magnaflow.. Once the programmers working and I have the supercharger OR turbo, I'll put a 3 inch pipe with Magnaflow High flow cats and dual magnaflow exhaust with an H pipe.

Right now I'm happy with my top end acceleration, I go to an 1/8 mile track so I'm looking to work on my low end acceleration.

I took a dodge neon srt-4 off the line and 3/4 way down the track but he caught up right at the last second (though, this was before my cold air intake).

Once I get the programmer working i can set the shift firmness and remove the governor on my speed..

OH quick question, Right now my top speed with the limiter is 105.. when i first got the car it was around 114mph.. anyone know why it dropped by 10? could it be that i went up one tire size when i got my new tires?

Thanks for the info everyone.

 

[Limited02]

Mine tops out at 105mph. Have you run the 1/8 yet? If so whats your time? I am going next week to run the 1/4 and hope to see an improvement from a little something I'm getting

Edit-To answer your question about why you are reading slower, if you went to a taller tire, you should be going faster than what you are reading. What size do you have on there?

 

[shadowless127]

im sure you know this, but LARGER exhaust pipe will help you in the TOP-END RPM's and would greatly add to the TURBO or SC power abilities...


my small .02


im just starting to do HP/TQ mods on my X and the INTAKE/EXHAUST combo has done quite a bit to my X... next step is a TUNER !!

i hate HP ADDICTION LOL !!!

Too large of a pipe will kill torque...

Thanks for the info everyone!
Please keep it coming..

I'm new to modifying my car but not new to cars.. so I have a lot of knowledge, just not a lot of knowledge for my own car in particular.

My friend found whipple superchargers that will fit his 5.4 F-150 and my 4.6 mounty.

Until i get the programmer working on my mounty I'm gonna keep the stock exhaust pipes and my magnaflow.. Once the programmers working and I have the supercharger OR turbo, I'll put a 3 inch pipe with Magnaflow High flow cats and dual magnaflow exhaust with an H pipe.

Right now I'm happy with my top end acceleration, I go to an 1/8 mile track so I'm looking to work on my low end acceleration.

I took a dodge neon srt-4 off the line and 3/4 way down the track but he caught up right at the last second (though, this was before my cold air intake).

Once I get the programmer working i can set the shift firmness and remove the governor on my speed..

OH quick question, Right now my top speed with the limiter is 105.. when i first got the car it was around 114mph.. anyone know why it dropped by 10? could it be that i went up one tire size when i got my new tires?

Thanks for the info everyone.

Don't go 3"... you'll lose back pressure and therefore lose torque. This is why all the cat back systems for the Ex/Mounty are only 2.5".

Your best option is going to be to ditch the last cat, and run a dual in dual out muffler w/ 2.5" pipes.

Mine tops out at 105mph. Have you run the 1/8 yet? If so whats your time? I am going next week to run the 1/4 and hope to see an improvement from a little something I'm getting

Edit-To answer your question about why you are reading slower, if you went to a taller tire, you should be going faster than what you are reading. What size do you have on there?

My mounty tops out at the limiter of 112mph... You should be able to push yours a bit more.

 

[Limited02]

Shadowless127- My speed limiter is at 105mph, she cuts off when she gets there:thumbdwn: I have even used the digital speedometer on the "info" center to verify. I think its a little different sometimes between each vehicle though. When I get a tuner, larger rims, performance tires and a little drop, I will turn the top speed off and what she can hit.
If the OP gets a good turbo setup or supercharger, 3" single exhaust would be best. Otherwise a 3" would kill your lowend if you don't get the power adder like Shadowless127 said. I know from experience because I cut my 3rd cat off, put on a 3" pipe with a 40series flowmaster w/dumps and lowend was gone. As soon as the revs started to build, she pulled hard. It was too loud for my taste and that's why I went with a 2.5" exhaust and a 70series run like stock. I got my lowend back, still pulled hard on top, plus it sounded much cleaner and nicer toned down. Sorry for the long post.

 

[Xenowolf]

Thanks for all the replies everyone.

I know 3 inch would kill my low end, but its in prep for a turbo and what not.

Right now I had them cut off the third cat, which i consider a resonator as it doesnt have any sensors around it (all it really does is quiet it down). So currently i have removed the third cat and put a pipe there, then a magnaflow and a nice tip.

I HAVE run at the 1/8 mile and before cold air intake I pulled 10.007 with my headlight removed. I had a K&N stock air filter though so that helped a tad. Now WITH the Cold-air I went yesterday and pulled 9.974 in the 1/8.

I went up one tire size from stock so that could be doing it. I bought a programmer from snipertuning and it was SUPPOSED to work for my vehicle but after buying it they tell me it doesnt support MY specific computer because its a newer computer on the 2003 model (TNZ2).. its been 8 months now and each month they tell me it should be ready by the next month so thats a bit frustrating. BUT once its available for my car i can set the shifts to be more firm and remove the speed limit as well as raise the RPM limit a bit.

My next step is probably going to be putting 4.10 rear gears in.. Followed by ported heads, then any needed steps before boosting. followed by some smaller tires most likely.

I'm still worried about the tranny, i dont know if it will hold up after I turbocharge. If any of you have put over 500hp into your sploders or mountys please let me know how your transmission held up.

thanks,

-Chris

 

[CALDWELL]

the sport truck section may help you...

finding out about HP/TQ and how your Tranny will hold up...

its a shot...

 

[shadowless127]

the sport truck section may help you...

finding out about HP/TQ and how your Tranny will hold up...

its a shot...

stock setup can take up to 400-450hp.