NOOB 60k/mods couple questions

[vsofouk]

Hey guys, I picked up a 95 Blue MTX a few months back. It has 62k miles on it (lol and yes thats 62k) and I just had a couple questions.
I'm sure just about everything is original on it so when i store it this winter I will definitely be doing the following
MAINT:
-plugs/wires/coil
-valve adjustment/valve cover gaskets
-transfluid/p.steering fluid
-silicone hoses (coolant and vacuum)

Performance:
-catback/highflow y pipe (one of the mufflers is starting to get louder than stock)

Now my questions to you are:
1. What type of transmission fluid does the MTX take (and recommendations)
2. I have seen quite a bit of talk about the BBB, porting/polishing the UIM, 80MM MAF, along with the tweecer or LPN tuning chip. Cost effectiveness aside, all those done at once (with the exhaust), will that give me a notable performance gain or no?
2b. Will any year Mark VIII MAF work (with the chip of course)
2c. Throttle body options?
2d. Are the BBB's and the porting the UIM worth it in themselves?
3. Should the timing belt/CPS/water pump/front main seal be done as maint or not?

I want to keep the car until i can't drive anymore lol, so I want to make sure I do things right the 1st time so when I have another 63k miles in 15 years the car is still running.

Oh and any other suggestions on maint/durability upgrades would be greatly appreciated. I know my 2000 SVT Contour like the back of my hand, I'd like to know my SHO the same way

 

[NP SHO]

Welcome to the forum and congrats on the car.

As for the questions you've asked:

1. ATF is what you wanna use. Different people prefer different brands.
2. Doing all of these upgrades at once will definitely make a notable difference. It's a lot to undertake at once, but the difference will be like night and day. Not too sure about the MAF or different TB options, but someone else can chime in.
3. As for maintenance, you're at that 60K mark, so here's a link to SHO Phoenix's website with a step-by-step for the front and upper 60K service as well as parts lists, etc.

As for suggestions for other upgrades:

-Look into suspension upgrades: struts/springs, aluminum subframe bushings, etc.

-Upgrade the brakes: 96 brake upgrade

If you want to get a big increase in power, you could always go forced induction...


Looks like you have a pretty good list going on. Good luck and keep us updated!

 

[zach44102]

a throttle body will not help unless your heavily moddified... bbb, extrude honed runners will help you significantly. a 80mm maf will not give you a huge gain unless your heavily moddified. consider a 80mm maf after the bbb, ported runners. under drive pulley can help alot.. especialy if your at redline alot. but remember!!!! MAITNENCE COMES FIRST!!!!! i also reccomend valvoline dex/merc atf. and before you get into mods please weld your diff pins/ buy a lsd diff otherwise you will trash your trans. anyway welcome to sho ownership. btw your bank account just got smaller

 

[NP SHO]

btw your bank account just got smaller

...and will continue to get smaller as long as you own the car! lol

 

[shooff82]

I think dexronmerconIII, but I think full synthetic would be best. Do whatever gaskets you can get to. Especially the valvecovers. Timing belt; yes. Don't worry about the coil pack. But there is an Accel one available but I don't know if its worth the $. I would say don't worry about the CPS if its runnin. That usually doesn't become a problem unless the waterpump starts leaking. And that's usually the pump itself, not the gasket.
The biggest gains for the money, I think, would be to go with a high flow y-pipe and a bigger MAF with a K@N and lose the silencer cone. I don't believe an open air filter is worth the money. The stock airbox should be sufficient. You can get a MAF from C@L that's calibrated to work with the stock injectors for a pretty fair price. They also offer one with a mustang tune, but you car will run rich. The BBBs and ported UI will get a bigger gain on the top end, but I'm not sure if that will effect low end torque. Our 6s really don't have bags of torque to spare anyway, but its your ride. If you were going force fed, I'd say go for it.
The throttlebody should be plenty big. Right off hand, I'm not sure if there are many choices anyway.
I think that about covers it. But just like any other car, keep up your PM and change the oil religiously and it should last damn near forever. If not, I have a stout 3.2 I could stand to lose
I'm sure if I've missed anything, someone will cover it. Ive been around SHOs for awhile but only on the forum for a short time and there seems to be plenty of fine, knowledgable individuals to help you if you need anything.
Welcome to the club!

 

[zach44102]

...and will continue to get smaller as long as you own the car! lol

damn isnt that the truth. my bill this month is 600$

 

[SHOtime2511]

skip the NA mods,keep it stock or spray/forced induction.

 

[vsofouk]

I've read a couple posts about welding those pins, that will probably come at a later date, or when I recover from the financial dip of this 1st set of maint/mods i will be doing. I'll probably replace the clutch/flywheel while I'm there.. I don't really beat on it so that's not top priority haha... I did a quick search (obviously not deep enough since i'm sure it exists) but anybody have a how-to on that?

 

[tool88]

well your car is low mileage but for me i had no choice 3 days after i got the car i was in search of a new tranny.

 

[Irish Pride]

Welcome to the forum and congrats on the car.

As for the questions you've asked:

1. ATF is what you wanna use. Different people prefer different brands.
2. Doing all of these upgrades at once will definitely make a notable difference. It's a lot to undertake at once, but the difference will be like night and day. Not too sure about the MAF or different TB options, but someone else can chime in.
3. As for maintenance, you're at that 60K mark, so here's a link to SHO Phoenix's website with a step-by-step for the front and upper 60K service as well as parts lists, etc.

As for suggestions for other upgrades:

-Look into suspension upgrades: struts/springs, aluminum subframe bushings, etc.

-Upgrade the brakes: 96 brake upgrade

If you want to get a big increase in power, you could always go forced induction...


Looks like you have a pretty good list going on. Good luck and keep us updated!

http://www.shophoenixproject.com/

 

[FastAndFurious]

...and will continue to get smaller as long as you own the car! lol

This is very true. There's a solution tho.

You can sell that car to me 95 blue mtx with low mileage!

Anyways.. if you change the tranny fluid and if you don't drive it like you stole it, you won't have to worry about diff pin ejecting for a while.

 

[LOUDSHO92]

2. Yes it is a noticable gain.
2b. Up to 95. The 96+ has a different harnes. I am not sure of the curve is different.
2c. No, not really needed or much of a gain.
2d. I think so.
3. Yes

We have the parts you would need to do the work: SHO Source

 

[NP SHO]

http://www.shophoenixproject.com/

Oops. I guess it helps if I add the link, huh. :brainfart: lol

 

[Irish Pride]

Oops. I guess it helps if I add the link, huh. :brainfart: lol

i was half asleep when i first read this thread and i was just stareing at your post wondering why i couldnt see the link. i bet i read it 5 times.

 

[vsofouk]

Thanks for all the help thus far guys! Rounding up parts now... This is going to be my winter project since I'm not letting this car see snow hahaha. Another question about the MAF.

Since some fabrication would need to be done to install the MAF assembly (or using the shonut adaptor kit) couldn't I just use the MAF reader off a Mark VIII and put it on the taurus sho MAF housing, and it should in theory work? Or no?

 

[platoribs]

Thanks for all the help thus far guys! Rounding up parts now... This is going to be my winter project since I'm not letting this car see snow hahaha. Another question about the MAF.

Since some fabrication would need to be done to install the MAF assembly (or using the shonut adaptor kit) couldn't I just use the MAF reader off a Mark VIII and put it on the taurus sho MAF housing, and it should in theory work? Or no?

Lots og folks have tried lots of different MAF's with and w/o chips to make them work...

At the end of it all I think the general concensus is the OE 55mm MAF works fine (better than all others) for any naturally aspirated (and some lower boost) applications!

The SHO really doesn't suffer too much from breathing issues.

 

[zblackbeast]

a throttle body will not help unless your heavily moddified... bbb, extrude honed runners will help you significantly. a 80mm maf will not give you a huge gain unless your heavily moddified. consider a 80mm maf after the bbb, ported runners. under drive pulley can help alot.. especialy if your at redline alot. but remember!!!! MAITNENCE COMES FIRST!!!!! i also reccomend valvoline dex/merc atf. and before you get into mods please weld your diff pins/ buy a lsd diff otherwise you will trash your trans. anyway welcome to sho ownership. btw your bank account just got smaller

.. Maybe we should practice what we preach!

But this is all still correct info!

Your very low millage SO if the car wasn't thrashed on, this should all go very smoothly. GL and congrats on the SHO!

 

[LOUDSHO92]

Thanks for all the help thus far guys! Rounding up parts now... This is going to be my winter project since I'm not letting this car see snow hahaha. Another question about the MAF.

Since some fabrication would need to be done to install the MAF assembly (or using the shonut adaptor kit) couldn't I just use the MAF reader off a Mark VIII and put it on the taurus sho MAF housing, and it should in theory work? Or no?

No it wont. Each sensor is calibrated for the particular diameter. Screw with that and it wont read correctly.