Adding Horsepower

[chefcaleb]

Okay, so I am definitely a novice when it comes to understanding cars. And as a quick backstory to my owning a Marauder, my father in law passed a way a year ago and no one in my wife's family wanted it, and I most certainly did. So it was given to me, much to my glee. It is now my baby. I use it as an every day driver. And while I love the power of this beast I do wonder if there are things I can do add some horsepower and torque to it to give me even more umph. Obviously there are options of adding full on supercharger kits to it but that seems to be an ever harder challenge these days and rather expensive and involved. What I was hoping you all might be able to help me with is telling me some things I can do to add some HP and torque that aren't as expensive and involved as a supercharger kit. While I am not an experienced mechanic I do have a friend who is and could help me. I have seen though the threads that adding a JLT air intake can help add some power but are there other things? And sorry if this is the wrong place to post this, if there is a better place, let me know and I'll move the post here. Thanks so much guys!

[Bluerauder]

What I was hoping you all might be able to help me with is telling me some things I can do to add some HP and torque that aren't as expensive and involved as a supercharger kit!


Congrats on getting the Marauder.

The best bang for the buck is to get a tune from Mo's Speed Shop and 4.10 gears. They are a vendor on this site or contact Martyo. He's a long time member here. It will feel like a completely different car.

Unless you go with a Supercharger, you will be limited to about 305 RWHP. That appears to be the top end in RWHP as a naturally aspirated car. That's good for low-mid 13's at the track.

[RubberCtyRauder]

headers, exhaust and a tune. still going to cost in the $3000 plus range, prolly add 40-45 rwhp. see martyo for help with all. a tune at minimum will wake the car up with better shifting and 20 or so hp.

[camelgrundle]

Cold air intake, 410 gears and a tuner from Marty will wake it up.

[Chayton]

Common "Bolt ons" for Marauders are:

Cold air Intake

TUNE! If you havent tuned it yet this is the first mod you should do. Contact Martyo here on the forums, he will get you taken care of.

4.10 gears - wont give you more horsepower but will RIP you out of the hole and burnouts will be almost effortless.

Under drive pulleys - expensive in the regards that they will only get you 4-5 horsepower. But none the less, it is real horsepower.

[chefcaleb]

Thanks guys, this is all VERY helpful. I am in central PA and there are some shops around me that do these jobs. I am looking at getting the JLT intake as well. Collingdale Performance auto shop is a place I am looking at going to. They specialize in modding Ford cars and tuning them up. They even do supercharger swaps if ever I wanted to go that route, but I doubt I could ever convince my wife of that :)

[Bluerauder]

Thanks guys, this is all VERY helpful. I am in central PA and there are some shops around me that do these jobs. Collingdale Performance auto shop is a place I am looking at going to. They specialize in modding Ford cars and tuning them up. :)


Martyo has more than 10 years experience in tuning that is specific to Marauders. Talk to him first. Many performance shops know Fords as Mustangs only. You need a shop that has lots of experience with Marauders for the tune. Suggest you PM or call Marty's Shop. He can even hook you up with the tune by mail if you want to avoid a trip.

[chefcaleb]

Martyo has more than 10 years experience in tuning that is specific to Marauders. Talk to him first. Many performance shops know Fords as Mustangs only. You need a shop that has lots of experience with Marauders for the tune. Suggest you PM or call Marty's Shop. He can even hook you up with the tune by mail if you want to avoid a trip.

Yeah, I PMed him already. My friend is an auto technician at a local college, so maybe Martyo can talk with my friend and together they can do what's best for my marauder.

[sailsmen]

Nitrous!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Mr. Man]

Come to the All-Ford Nationals in Carlisle, Penn. first weekend in June, and you can check out just about every option available on Marauder mtn.

[chefcaleb]

Come to the All-Ford Nationals in Carlisle, Penn. first weekend in June, and you can check out just about every option available on Marauder mtn.

Dang man, got a wedding to go to that weekend otherwise I would...

[chefcaleb]

Martyo has more than 10 years experience in tuning that is specific to Marauders. Talk to him first. Many performance shops know Fords as Mustangs only. You need a shop that has lots of experience with Marauders for the tune. Suggest you PM or call Marty's Shop. He can even hook you up with the tune by mail if you want to avoid a trip.

That shop did write back and said that they have worked on many marauders... wasn't expecting that. But I am talking with Martyo...

[Bluerauder]

That shop did write back and said that they have worked on many marauders... wasn't expecting that. But I am talking with Martyo...


Martyo owns Mo's Speed Shop. They are one and the same. I have only seen glowing reports of satisfaction from anyone who has used his shop for Marauder work. It's a proven asset.

[BAD MERC]

The gears and tune will make the car feel 800lbs lighter. Rear control arms will make it feel more planted and composed for a 4400lb brick. The money spent on the right modifications will be an investment in discovering a whole new driving experience and a much more athletic feel.

[tbone]

Gears, arms, tune, air. Done, unless you have a large balance in your checking account or a generous relative. Or don't care about jacking up your credit card.

[justbob]

Nitrous!!!!!!!!!!!!



^This^

And a tune for it.


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[loud2004marquis]

Get a tune only first and enjoy for a while. Then change your gears and have the tune adjusted for it. That should give you the most fun with the smallest dollar amount into it.

[chefcaleb]

Get a tune only first and enjoy for a while. Then change your gears and have the tune adjusted for it. That should give you the most fun with the smallest dollar amount into it.

Yup, I think I'm going for the tune he sells. Never thought that a module like that could make such a difference but I've been reading about them. I also think I want to get the jlt air intake as I've read good things about them.

[jsignorelli]

My dad, a 1st generation gear head, always said to me:
"There is no replacement for displacement".

For that reason alone, I always do a stroker kit and heads before thinking about a supercharger or turbo unit. My Silver Birch started life as a 4.6 liter. It is now a 5.4 liter with new heads, long tube exhaust, and gears galore. I am still looking to add a supercharger. If that happens, fine. If not, no big deal. I enjoy running the car at SAAC weekends with my Mustangs and Cobra kit car.

[sailsmen]

The cost/reward ratio for Heads, Stoke and Bore differs per engine.

IMHO the Mod 4.6 DOHC has the best cost/reward ratio as respects forced induction.

[dohc324ci]

SC of choice and be done. NA is pretty fun doing basic bolt ons but after that serious coin for 330-350 rwhp not worth it. If I were to do all over again Vortech SC for Cali Carb EO#. One day going to finish building my Marauder to what it should be.

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