U Gotta Crawl B4 U Walk

[Mac-MerC]

Tired of riding stock....
can anyone suggest a list of enhancements/improvments to get this car to wake up. starting from the first basic add-on

I dont plan on gettin a S/C and using this as a drag car, its a daily driver

Just trying to get insite on whats a handful of things i can do without killin my bank account.

1?
2?
3?
4?
5?.........

[imorb1994]

1. K&N or JLT CAI(have a K&N and love it)JLT $150 K&N $250+
2. Intke spacer(not a big gain by itself but cheap $70)
3. Rear Control arms(make the car feel like its 1 car not 2)$400approx
4. Lidio, DR, Or Zack tune(personally have a Zack Tune and Love it)$400 approx with tune Device
This is the order I have done things so far. Not a race car but will:censor: and get when needed.
5. 4:10 gears and required tune Gears $140-$200+ Install $300+
6. Under drive pullies(have not done yet but have heard good things) approx $240

[SC Cheesehead]

1. Tune. This ABSOLULTELY should be your first mod. IMO, the car came woefully de-tuned from the factory, and pushing a 4,000 lb. car with a de-tuned 281 cu. in. engine doesn't equate to much excitement. Lidio, Reinhart, and Zack all have great tunes. I'm running a Zack tune in mine right now and love it.

2. Gears. Steve Babcock, the MM Program Mgr. wanted 4:10 gears as OEM, but was over-ridden by the bean counters concerned with CAFE numbers. Get these installed, along with a tune, and you'll have a whole new car, iwth limited impact on mileage (< 2mpg, most of us are averaging 0 to 1.5 mpg difference after installation).

3. CAI. Still not convinced it's made a big difference on performance, but, oh that sound!

4. U/D pullies. Don't know about HP gains, but IMO, the engine spools up more quickly, seems to help mid-range performance.

5. Handling upgrades. Sway bars and control arms will improve responsiveness, these are next on my N/A list.

6. You get this far, there's a good chance you'll have been bitten by the BIG mod bug. One word here: TRILOGY.

[W4LTD]

1. K&N or JLT CAI(have a K&N and love it)JLT $150 K&N $250+
2. Intke spacer(not a big gain by itself but cheap $70)
3. Rear Control arms(make the car feel like its 1 car not 2)$400approx
4. Lidio, DR, Or Zack tune(personally have a Zack Tune and Love it)$400 approx with tune Device
This is the order I have done things so far. Not a race car but will:censor: and get when needed.
5. 4:10 gears and required tune Gears $140-$200+ Install $300+
6. Under drive pullies(have not done yet but have heard good things) approx $240

I have heard the intake spacer is a waste of time/money? What's the general consensus on this?

[SC Cheesehead]

I have heard the intake spacer is a waste of time/money? What's the general consensus on this?

I don't have one, but I've heard the same thing.

[Hotrauder]

Or you can just skip ALL of the baby steps and just buy the Trilogy kit and have the Uber daily driver. That is all it takes to have all the car you have ever lusted after. Looking at my mod list seems a great contradiction to this post but this post is the truth. THE TRILOGY IS ALL YOU NEED. PERIOD. Stock w/Trilogy=more Marauder than you can believe. Most Trilogy kit kits never make it to the track more than once or twice if that. Curiosity, not race genes. The Trilogy and its included tune change the car into a great driving machine that 95% or more of the time is never in boost. You would never know that the blower is there. Drive one. Go to a meet, ask for a demo..The guys will toss the keys. Find out what is up and mod smart to what you really want. Good luck, have fun. Dennis

[Spectragod]

Or you can just skip ALL of the baby steps and just buy the Trilogy kit and have the Uber daily driver. That is all it takes to have all the car you have ever lusted after. Looking at my mod list seems a great contradiction to this post but this post is the truth. THE TRILOGY IS ALL YOU NEED. PERIOD. Stock w/Trilogy=more Marauder than you can believe. Most Trilogy kit kits never make it to the track more than once or twice if that. Curiosity, not race genes. The Trilogy and its included tune change the car into a great driving machine that 95% or more of the time is never in boost. You would never know that the blower is there. Drive one. Go to a meet, ask for a demo..The guys will toss the keys. Find out what is up and mod smart to what you really want. Good luck, have fun. Dennis


+1, FTMFW, my TS was the best mod ever done, super sleeper, long a$$ legs on the highway, etc. etc........

[a_d_a_m]

Keeping this in mind...

I dont plan on gettin a S/C and using this as a drag car, its a daily driver

...and because the Trilogy and other SC kits are PRICEY, I won't recommend that.

Tune, CAI, gears, then a few suspension mods. Also might wanna look up a J-mod...

Do it in baby steps so you appreciate each mod as you get it, and can decide if you like it before going to the next one. I am currently just TUNED and I am already liking it better than stock. Faster, more precise shifts, speed limiter removed...and the best part is, a tune is so easy a caveman could do it!

My Grand Marquis is J-modded and I really like the way it shifts, I am thinking about adding this to the shift parameters on my Marauder and see how it works out.

[chapel1]

Tune and cooler plugs is a good start . Then after going and driving with the "Marauders" on road trips the rear control arms is a must.
If you can ever go to one of the Marauder Events you can feel the differance by riding in several Cars that have differant apps. It's really cool to see all the differant mods everyone doe's.

[W4LTD]

Or you can just skip ALL of the baby steps and just buy the Trilogy kit and have the Uber daily driver. That is all it takes to have all the car you have ever lusted after. Looking at my mod list seems a great contradiction to this post but this post is the truth. THE TRILOGY IS ALL YOU NEED. PERIOD. Stock w/Trilogy=more Marauder than you can believe. Most Trilogy kit kits never make it to the track more than once or twice if that. Curiosity, not race genes. The Trilogy and its included tune change the car into a great driving machine that 95% or more of the time is never in boost. You would never know that the blower is there. Drive one. Go to a meet, ask for a demo..The guys will toss the keys. Find out what is up and mod smart to what you really want. Good luck, have fun. Dennis

Most people don't have an extra $7,000. :eek: laying around to do the Trilogy, better off taking the baby steps... http://www.smileysnetwork.com/bebes/bebe16.png

[a_d_a_m]

Most people don't have an extra $7,000. :eek: laying around to do the Trilogy, better off taking the baby steps... http://www.smileysnetwork.com/bebes/bebe20.gif

+1 Big time!!!

[justbob]

I disagree, work out a low APR on a credit card, spend 12-15 hours on it, shut hood, and be done for the life of the car. This is a kit that can be driven safely from -15*-over 100* with never having a problem. Like mentioned before, no one would ever know that it is S/C'ed, you would only use when you want to play. Besides I actually picked up 1 mpg. Also this kit is loaded with ford parts.

That was my baby step and I would do again and again.

[RoyLPita]

1. Tune. I have the Superchips 1725 tuner. It is the 1st on out and it does the job of waking up the MM. Lidio's tune is next.
2. K&N CAI
3. U/D Pullies
4. Addco rear stabilizer bar plus Mack and Zack control arms
5. Transgo shift kit or J-Mod
6. Ceramic brake pads and cryo treated rotors

[W4LTD]

1. Tune. I have the Superchips 1725 tuner. It is the 1st on out and it does the job of waking up the MM. Lidio's tune is next.
2. K&N CAI
3. U/D Pullies
4. Addco rear stabilizer bar plus Mack and Zack control arms
5. Transgo shift kit or J-Mod
6. Ceramic brake pads and cryo treated rotors

After installing the Lidio tune, it feels like a different Marauder altogether!

[a_d_a_m]

I disagree, work out a low APR on a credit card, spend 12-15 hours on it, shut hood, and be done for the life of the car. Easy to say without knowing the guy's financial situation...


I am 28, work full time and make okay money, but have a host of bills like a mortgage, student loans, car payment, utilities, phone, etc. Spending $7000 for a supercharger, financed or not, is just reckless spending for some people, possibly for the O/P...certainly for myself.

On the other hand, a tune and gears is considerably less than $1000 and a nice starting point.

[W4LTD]

Easy to say without knowing the guy's financial situation...


I am 28, work full time and make okay money, but have a host of bills like a mortgage, student loans, car payment, utilities, phone, etc. Spending $7000 for a supercharger, financed or not, is just reckless spending for some people, possibly for the O/P...certainly for myself.

On the other hand, a tune and gears is considerably less than $1000 and a nice starting point.

My offer on a house was accepted yesterday :), so now being a homeowner, the Marauder will have to take a back seat for awhile...

[a_d_a_m]

Congrats from another homeowner and Marauder owner, and I'm in 100% agreement that the car doesn't need a $7000 go-fast option when there's a house note that takes precedence...

[musclemerc]

My offer on a house was accepted yesterday :), so now being a homeowner, the Marauder will have to take a back seat for awhile...
Good luck on your home purchase. Now is the time to buy if you can, so you can take advantage of the rates and other Gov. incentives, you just made the best financial decision in your life!

[HiHo]

Mine is a daily driver... I have a K&N, then got the Lidio tune (REALLY woke the car up, well worth it). Lidio had the foresight to put a 4:10 version of his tune on so I had to pull the trigger on that. At the same time installed Magnaflows with rear cat delete for me. Runs great, sounds great, looks great!! I describe it as a high performance recliner!

[shodude]

My offer on a house was accepted yesterday :), so now being a homeowner, the Marauder will have to take a back seat for awhile...

ugh.. I'm with you.. had been saving for 2-3 years to get a trilogy and found a house i just couldn't pass up. now all my marauder funds are gone. along with all my SHO plans.. not sure it was worth it. lol :lol:

[justbob]

Easy to say without knowing the guy's financial situation...


I am 28, work full time and make okay money, but have a host of bills like a mortgage, student loans, car payment, utilities, phone, etc. Spending $7000 for a supercharger, financed or not, is just reckless spending for some people, possibly for the O/P...certainly for myself.

On the other hand, a tune and gears is considerably less than $1000 and a nice starting point.
Are you his personal financial advisor?

[Mac-MerC]

I dont have 7 stacks for a super charger, really not intersted in going that fast..... just want a lil bit more bang.

So pretty much what needs to b done is a CAI... Tune... and Gears?..............

[imorb1994]

I have heard the intake spacer is a waste of time/money? What's the general consensus on this?
IMHO It does help with midrange throttle response and gives a very slight seat of the pants increase in power.
Also for got to add Granatelli coil connectors which I found for $100. Which help throttle response off of idle and smooths out the idle a little but again very little feeling of increase in power.

[SC Cheesehead]

I dont have 7 stacks for a super charger, really not intersted in going that fast..... just want a lil bit more bang.

So pretty much what needs to b done is a ... Tune... and Gears?..............

Tune... Gears...and CAI would be a better priority, IMO.

[Ms. Denmark]

I
So pretty much what needs to b done is a CAI... Tune... and Gears?..............Tune will make a big difference. Do it!;)

[BAD MERC]

Baby steps can be upward of $3,000 before you know what happened. Tuner $400, gears $450, Pulleys $250, CAI $250, exhaust $1000... on and on. I have yearned for a Trilogy kit since my first drive in a Trilogy Marauder. "7 stacks" is an infantile wannabe gangsta term - we are adults now. Fact is, it is the BEST $6300 you will ever spend. Drive one- "nuff said dog, aight G?"

[Mac-MerC]

so with this "tune" thing its straight plug and play?......
no need for a certified technician or anything?.....

and will this "tune" device be able to be used again or will i need to purchase another "tuney" thing when gears, CAI, etc. etc. gets added on?.....

[Glockafella]

1. CAI
2. TUNE
3. PULLIES
4. J-MOD
5. INTAKE SPACER
6. GEARS

This is the list I am doing now.

[Mac-MerC]

"7 stacks" is an infantile wannabe gangsta term - we are adults now.

do u have anything better to do with your time?

lets do this... how about 7 bands?
or 7 folds
or 70 benjermains

[SC Cheesehead]

so with this "tune" thing its straight plug and play?......
no need for a certified technician or anything?.....

and will this "tune" device be able to be used again or will i need to purchase another "tuney" thing when gears, CAI, etc. etc. gets added on?.....

Plug and play, takes about 5 minutes to upload to your car off the X-Cal.

The tuners mentioned earlier usually load tunes for both 3:55 and 4:10 gears, so all you have to do is upload the alternate tune pre-loaded on the tuner.

CAI won't require any re-tuning.

[Ms. Denmark]

The guys will correct me if I'm wrong. You can use the tuner device again and again. It comes loaded with more than one type of tune. If you have it tuned with stock gears and later do 4:10's you would need a tune compatible for that. I would contact Zack, Lidio or DR to get all those questions answered. You can PM them and I'm sure you'd get your answers.

[FordNut]

1. Zack tune w/xCal device
2. 4.10 gears
3. Kooks headers, cats, x-pipe
4. Underdrive pulleys
5. Addco sway bars

[Spectragod]

Baby steps can be upward of $3,000 before you know what happened. Tuner $400, gears $450, Pulleys $250, CAI $250, exhaust $1000... on and on. I have yearned for a Trilogy kit since my first drive in a Trilogy Marauder. "7 stacks" is an infantile wannabe gangsta term - we are adults now. Fact is, it is the BEST $6300 you will ever spend. Drive one- "nuff said dog, aight G?"

Yep, baby steps can get expensive fast. I never drove a Trilogy before buying my kit, what a difference, I don't need gears, pulleys etc.., some of which you will need to take off and sell when you do buy your preference of forced air...... and you will, it is never enough..... ever.

May as well start at the top, then work the cheaper mods around the one that really makes a difference. We're here for a short time, may as well live life to the fullest, hell, live on the edge.....

Saying that you "don't want to go that fast", is like saying my dialup is fast enough, to hell with a cable modem. After you have it, you will never know how you did without it. Just my 4.6 cents worth........dog.

[imorb1994]

Just trying to get insite on whats a handful of things i can do without killin my bank account.


No offense to some of the people that have posted. But he said^^^
Headers and full exhaust. Not cheap
Superchargers. Not cheap

And everybody always insists on doing 4:10's I did also, The gears themselves are cheap but labor can kill you some times. Also my current MM will most likely never have 4:10's. Reasons being the traction on these cars in inclement weather sucks. Especially with the OEM tires. I don't use my MM as a winter car have another vehicle for that and to keep miles down but :censor: happens some times and my MM has been driven in the snow. And I think with the oem tires I would feel safer on a harley in the winter.

Again this is just my opinion:twocents:

[a_d_a_m]

Are you his personal financial advisor?
No. Are you his horsepower consultant?

Also, apparently some people in this thread can't read...but to reiterate...

I dont plan on gettin a S/C

[justbob]

Actually yes, he asked, I responded. I was just giving my advice just like everyone else. But you are the one taking vested interest in his financial well being. I'm sure he is a big boy.

I was just stating that for a small monthly payment he can simply bolt on one thing and get many years of enjoyment out of it instead of nickle and diming it to death and possibly back tracking some day.

[Mac-MerC]

Just dead the B-S
I got it now... Tune cai and gears
thank all of yall for your input

[Glockafella]

But which tune is the best?

Lidio?

Zack?

others?

[imorb1994]

Zacks Tune

[BAD MERC]

do u have anything better to do with your time?

lets do this... how about 7 bands?
or 7 folds
or 70 benjermains


You betcha - I am on call 24/7/365. I already blew money on gears, tuner, exhaust, brake lines, dropped springs, sound system, HID's, tranny cooler, I can keep going. I have a hard time putting away all the money at once for the Trilogy kit so January 1st I started a fund specifically for that. I wish I had the $10,000 I already nickel-and-dimed into it already. It could be Trilogized and DONE.

[Pat]

This is a little belated but another performance addition, since S/Cing seems to be ruled out, is a high speed stall converter.

A 3500 RPM stall speed converter really puts the punch in the take off at part throttle.

A Tune, 4:10 gears, 3500 RPM stall convertor will put you ahead of the pack without
going WOT at the stop light.

[W4LTD]

But which tune is the best?

Lidio?

Zack?

others?

Now this is a question not easily answered.

I believe they saying goes, "If you ask 10 different people, you'll get 10 different answers...".

I have the Lidio tune, which I feel has done an amazing job of bringing my Marauder to life.

From what I have been told, the Zack tune is great, but it's more aggressive than the Lidio tune, i.e. firmer shifts.

Both with give you a definite edge over stock, the main differences being the actual tune's "owner-operator" decisions. :banana2:

[SC Cheesehead]

^^^^^^ What he said ^^^^^^

ANY of the aftermarket tuners will provide you with much improved performance. Iin the end, you really can't make a "bad" choice, it's all a matter of personal preference.

I currently running a Zack tune and love the firm shifts, but my wife hates it, and my daughter tells me the car is "annoying." E-Dubb, on the other hand......:burn:

[Ms. Denmark]

^^^^^^^^^ I LOVE the firm shifts!! I was educated that it may be better for the tranny too. It's nice to be slammed back in the seat from time to time. It's not wishy-washy. After all we're driving Marauders not Towncars. ;)

[SC Cheesehead]

^^^^^^^^^ I LOVE the firm shifts!! I was educated that it may be better for the tranny too. It's nice to be slammed back in the seat from time to time. It's not wishy-washy. After all we're driving Marauders not Towncars. ;)

Big +1, girl!! :D

[a_d_a_m]

I am running the Zack tune and like it. It winds out 3rd a little more than I was used to, but I learned to deal with it. I'm actually getting 1mpg better now than I was before...

[Blackened300a]

But which tune is the best?

Lidio?

Zack?

others?

A dyno tune from your local SCT dealer is the absolute best way to go. This way its matched to your car instead of the shot in the dark that a mail order tune is.
As for the intake spacer, it bogged me down off the line til I had the car tuned.
The CAI is a good investment and cheap HP as well are the pullies but you will need the tune to bump your idle up to cure any charging issues.
If you have about $1500 then go with a tune and a convertor. That will make a world of difference in the performance. The little bolt-ons can be picked up along the way much cheaper.

[justbob]

No matter the route you take you will benefit. I wish you all the best to your endeavers:beer:

[Mac-MerC]

So.... this might b a stupid question....
after I buy the programmer... I have to send it to either one of these Zack or Lidio dudes so they can install a program?.....
Or do each of them have their own tuner that can be purchased?.....

[imorb1994]

Purchase an Xcal 2 or 3 and then they will send you a tune via email
download to your computer, load into tuner, and load into car

[Mac-MerC]

Gracias'..... thats spanish for thank u

[Mac-MerC]

Do i have to pay them?......

[SC Cheesehead]

If you buy the X-Cal from the tuner, the tune is generally included in the price.

[Mac-MerC]

So the tunes on the Xcal are bogus or something?..... thats why I would need a Zack or lidio tune?

so since the Xcal 3 is the newer one it makes xcal 2 obsolete?... so i should go with xcal3?....

[imorb1994]

The tune on a new Xcal 2 or 3 are generic, Not specific to any vehicle.
The Xcal 2 is an older version that is no longer made(lots of them in back stock though), The Xcal 3 is just the newest model of SCT's tuner line up.

[SC Cheesehead]

The tune on a new Xcal 2 or 3 are generic, Not specific to any vehicle.
The Xcal 2 is an older version that is no longer made(lots of them in back stock though), The Xcal 3 is just the newest model of SCT's tuner line up.

Zack, Lidio, or Reinhart will modify specific parameters within the tune to complement the Marauder's performance. If you get your Xcal unlocked, then a tuner can e-mail you upgrades/changes that you can download via computer to the xCal and then upload to the car.

If you buy an Xcal from or through a tuner they'll load their tune on it before shipping to you.