How do I increase HP in my Mustang V6?

Question

So I have a 2010 Mustang V6, and I'm thrilled with it, but I'm looking to add a little more performance. Nothing over the top, but enough to be worth the money. I've never had a car tuned before, and that really isn't my forte, but for those of you who have had it professionally done, how much hp did you gain?

Also, I'm thinking about installing a cold air intake and some lighter pulleys. This may sound kind of stupid, but I need to get the engine tuned after the mods right? I've gotten some contradictory information in my research, and the last thing I want is to do harm to my engine.

I'm willing to spend some money in order to get this done, but I want the hp gains to be worth it. How much hp do you predict I will gain after the mods and the tune, and also how will this affect my mpg?

Thank you for your time

Answer 1

Most bolt on modifications have little chance of ruining your engine so don't be afraid to do them. If you're planning on getting a tune done either on your own by buying the tuner or a dyno tune at a shop(you'd still need to buy the the tuner anyway as the shop will just put the car on a dynomometer to tweak the computer better than you can by yourself, most shops use SCT brand) then you want to do most of the mods you're planning on doing BEFORE the tune is done.

HP gains vary with the particular vehicle's engine and mods. MPG may go up, down or stay about the same with the various mods out there. In general, you will usually lose some MPG with most mods but there are a few basic ones that will gain you MPG and HP.

Note that CAIs are gimmicks. A high flow air filter like a K&N for your stock airbox will give you as much or more gains than a CAI because of the fact that almost every CAI out there isn't a cold air contraption at all. Most CAIs have an open element air filter in the engine compartment where heat is being generated and it gets sucked in to the engine at higher temps than a stock airbox. Hot air is not good for producing power in an engine. Even CAIs that have a "shield" are nothing more than gimmicks as the hot air still gets pulled in around them. The other issue with CAIs is that many use metal tubing to give it the bling factor. Metal tubing does flow nice and smooth but it also conducts and retains heat much more than plastic does. This in itself also makes the air charge going into the engine hotter.

So my suggestion is buying a K&N filter for the stock airbox. It will free up a hp or 2 at the higher RPM range and gain you maybe 1/2 MPG and it's a cheap mod.

A cat back exhaust is a good idea and it's free HP and MPG because all you're doing is freeing up the restrictive stock exhaust at the expense of nothing else. Even better than a cat back exhaust for after your stock y-pipe(which technically makes it a single exhaust with a dual outlet) would be a true dual exhaust. The 2010 Mustang exhaust is slightly different than a 2005-09 but I found an article that talks about the specific things needed to convert to a real dual exhaust:

http://mustangforums.com/forum/2010-current-s197-appearance-section/633057-v6-true-dual-exhaust.html

It doesn't sound that expensive either. This mod may give you about 25 HP. Ford Racing sells a true dual exhaust kit for your year but it's a bit pricey. It is stainless steal though and it comes with a GT valance. There may be other brands as well.

Lighter pulleys aren't worth the money or trouble. There is very low HP gain if any is noticeable at all.

With the high flow K&N, real true dual exhaust, and a tune you will feel a definite power increase and depending on the severity of the tune an MPG increase as well. With the mods and tune you may get about 40 HP overall give or take.



I saw another true dual exhaust kit that is much cheaper than the Ford Racing one and is supposedly stainless as well:

http://www.blueovalindustries.com/exhaust/2005-2009.html

He also sells on Ebay. I don't know if it would be cheaper and look better to do what the guys in that Mustang forums link up above discussed though since you have to physically cut your original valance with this Pypes kit from blueovalindustries.

Answer 2

2010 Mustang V6 Horsepower

Answer 3

I have a 2006 V6 Mustang with auto tranny. So far I've done: Pypes true duel exhaust BBK Cold air intake with Spector filter SR performance 70mm throttle body Accel coil pack Motive performance 3.73 gears SCT livewire tune It's like a whole new car. Several times I have even been surprised by it. Suspension is coming soon, as is a aluminum driveshaft and headers. I have gone up against a stock GT's of the same year and most of the time I can look over at the other driver, who is looking at me with a dumbfounded look, lol. 99-04 GT's most of the time I can take them, but I've been shown up a time or two. You'd be amazed how much difference duel exhaust makes over the stock or even a aftermarket muffler. I've found that until you go with forced induction, you will never beat the power of the GT. Especially modded ones.

Answer 4

There is noting you're going to do that will give you any meaningful increase in horsepower for "reasonable" cost. The horsepower claims for any of the bolt on mods are gross exaggerations. The 4-5 horsepower you might actually get come above 5,000 rpm. In most everyday driving you will hardly if ever run at those rpms so you'll never even see the small increase you actually get.

Answer 5

Why change the pulleys? Is it supercharged? None the less, the cold air intake is definitely a good route to go if your not goin to supercharge or turbo it. Adding a full exhaust system from the headers back all the way to the catback would be good enough to add maybe 20hp if you get all of that done. Other than that the next step would probably be "over the top." force induction and some performance cams=lots of cash. So yeah hopes this help.

Answer 6

there's not much you can do that would give any noticeable improvement, V6's are not built to the same specs V8's are so unless you've got a ton of money to bring up to spec