Bolt on or new turbo

[5.0yote]

Sliver,

My Vote would be Bolt ons first, lose some weight with lighter rims and aluminum driveshaft, fix the wheel hop issues in the IRS, and then have fun with a safe, nimble car that feels good. If in a year or so you want more power then go with the bigger turbo since you have already laid the ground work to support the bigger turbo.

The bigger Turbo REALLY would need an intercooler change and some exhaust changes and other things to support it right. So you kinda needs the bolt ons first if you want to be safe.

Hope it works out for you either way. Post pictures and stuff after.

You can meet those numbers with full bolt on and tune, +93 octane. I.e. IC, down pipe included, loose the stock resonator, better air filter or CAI. It is possible to go higher but 350-360WHP and 350WTQ is very reachable on the stock turbo.

Increasing the turbo to a drop in unit would still require a better intercooler and turbo back exhaust at a minimum to make best use of the larger unit.

Sponsored

 

[Banjo]

It would be interesting to see how just the drop in turbo with a tune would do. I think a bigger intercooler would still be advisable, but you could probably get away with it better than someone in Florida or Texas. I current am full bolt on, trying to decide if a bigger turbo is worth it. I would love to have the top end pull.

 

[5.0yote]

It would be interesting to see how just the drop in turbo with a tune would do. I think a bigger intercooler would still be advisable, but you could probably get away with it better than someone in Florida or Texas. I current am full bolt on, trying to decide if a bigger turbo is worth it. I would love to have the top end pull.

The stock weak link of the EBM is the intercooler even in its stock form, regardless of turbo or tune used you should upgrade that asap. Its fine for the stock 14-17psi but 20+ the heat soak would not be your friend.

My current stock turbo setup with full bolt ons without the WMI turned on is making 363/408 @24 PSI on 93. There just is not enough fuel to go higher, on meth I am making about 25+ more HP and about 21 more torque.

I am working on suspension and chassis bracing this season and I put off the drop in turbo for next spring till I see some vids, and dyno numbers to get an idea where it sits on pump gas.

 

[DUNDEM]

The stock weak link of the EBM is the intercooler even in its stock form, regardless of turbo or tune used you should upgrade that asap. Its fine for the stock 14-17psi but 20+ the heat soak would not be your friend.

My current stock turbo setup with full bolt ons without the WMI turned on is making 363/408 @24 PSI on 93. There just is not enough fuel to go higher, on meth I am making about 25+ more HP and about 21 more torque.

I am working on suspension and chassis bracing this season and I put off the drop in turbo for next spring till I see some vids, and dyno numbers to get an idea where it sits on pump gas.

Those WHP? Thats awesome. You daily it? I got 8k plus of power train warranty and thinking of bolt on or saving for a drop in turbo. Dream is drop in Like turbonetics for example and daily.

Your numbers on a drop in turbo a safer setup or doesn’t matter for a daily?

 

[5.0yote]

400 wheel is about the safe limit on the stock turbo so I would imagine due to the size, and dual ball bearing setup of the turbonetics drop in it would be comfortable to run reliably over 25+ PSI all day long, its a strain on the stock unit to run much over 27-28+ psi full time and if you have the map sensor for it and fuel you could do it. It just adds money to add a aux fuel system, +3 bar map sensor etc.

I think you could live very comfortably with an intercooler, the drop in unit, better BOV/DV good downpipe and exhaust and sit in the 390/425 range reliably on pump gas, and that's a good amount of power for these cars and you gain some well needed top end power instead of the 5K drop off, of the stock unit, and should still have stock like spooling.

It is my daily driver and I am nearing the end of my warranty. So waiting for the drop in is just a good thing, plus the price on them has been dropping slowing so it is more affordable.

 

[akatagyourit]

I ended up getting a maperformance cold air intake and intercooler from the parts forum here. CAI was $100 shipped and intercooler was 325 shipped. Picked up a cobb ap for $325 and bought the lifetime tuning option. Getting a custom tune really wakes the car up. I've gotta wait till my schools get back in session to get the auto shop staff member to slap it on the dyno, hopefully will be done with the revisions come august and see what its putting down with just those mods.

 

[Manders Mustang]

The stock weak link of the EBM is the intercooler even in its stock form, regardless of turbo or tune used you should upgrade that asap. Its fine for the stock 14-17psi but 20+ the heat soak would not be your friend.

My current stock turbo setup with full bolt ons without the WMI turned on is making 363/408 @24 PSI on 93. There just is not enough fuel to go higher, on meth I am making about 25+ more HP and about 21 more torque.

I am working on suspension and chassis bracing this season and I put off the drop in turbo for next spring till I see some vids, and dyno numbers to get an idea where it sits on pump gas.

How the heck are you running 363/408 ?!

I ran dyno and made 360/400 ENGINE horses on a maha 2 dyno. With ETS IC, Cobb DP, MF comp catback, WGA, Intake (Velossa/K&N/AIRRAID).

And I'm on 99 octane (UK) 95 (US) fuel :shrug:

What is your gearing? I'm 3.31 and it was ran on 5th gear on the dyno

 

[Brian V]

How the heck are you running 363/408 ?!

I ran dyno and made 360/400 ENGINE horses on a maha 2 dyno. With ETS IC, Cobb DP, MF comp catback, WGA, Intake (Velossa/K&N/AIRRAID).

And I'm on 99 octane (UK) 95 (US) fuel :shrug:

What is your gearing? I'm 3.31 and it was ran on 5th gear on the dyno

Do you think that his # s are close enough to yours to be acceptable at this juncture ?

I do ! K&N filters are the worst for any application as far as I have researched .

 

[5.0yote]

How the heck are you running 363/408 ?!

I ran dyno and made 360/400 ENGINE horses on a maha 2 dyno. With ETS IC, Cobb DP, MF comp catback, WGA, Intake (Velossa/K&N/AIRRAID).

And I'm on 99 octane (UK) 95 (US) fuel :shrug:

What is your gearing? I'm 3.31 and it was ran on 5th gear on the dyno

Peak numbers on the stock turbo were @ 25.6PSI at 22%humidity at 45 degrees F. on 93 octane, running 3.55 gears in 4th (was data logging). Are you saying on the dyno you showed roughly 298WHP and around 330WTQ SAE? or did the dyno give you your reported results? From my understanding dyno results are wheel not crank.

As far as my numbers go you should take them with a grain of salt, you cannot equate them to what x car made over y car. I live in a different area, the dyno most likely was not the same type of unit as yours, weather considerations, mods etc. I do not have a balance shaft in my 2.3, I am running a lightweight flywheel, and one piece DS, 3.55 gears etc. The only true dyno that counts technically is an engine dyno as far as accuracy.

On a dynojet I tend to get higher numbers SAE than on the Mustang dyno at the local shop I usually hit. I have compared those numbers to both the APs estimated values, and also used virtual dyno in the past on my logs and the numbers are fairly accurate within 10 to 12% from what I have found. I only use the dyno at Dez racing to get base lines based on changes.

My car is very well sorted right now I was making 325-330WHP prior to the catless downpipe, I picked up just shy of 38HP after and with a tune revision and I consistently hit 24PSI on consecutive pulls even when AITs go above 85 degrees.

The OP can absolutely hit 350 wheel stock. He just needs to hit all the check boxes on the supporting mods. I would also like to point out if you can increase your octane, and you do not care about the longevity of your stock turbo, you can easily hit 400wheel with Aux fuel and e30, or get close on a WMI setup as you can get a 20% increase across the board on a 70/30 mix and around 27-28PSI. Just do not expect the stock turbo to last its warranty period. (FYI stock turbos are like 600 bucks, as apposed to a 2K aftermarket). So if you do not care if you smoke your stock unit provided its just a worn out bearing issue as opposed to throwing inducer wheel parts into your engine, then you may just want to drive it till it does and drop a new unit in for $600 in 45 Minutes =)

I would like to add, that when you consider what your peak numbers are also consider your gains under the curve. When you start modding and tuning your 2.3 you will see rather larger peak gains under the curve where it counts the most, even if you only hit say 300WHP and 375-380WTQ you have to remember stock your around 252WHP. That 48HP gain does not matter one bit, and just resolve to throw that number out of your head, you will find lower in the RPMS you will see 60 to 100HP gains in your mid range and that's what you can actually use on a daily basis. When you daily drive your car to work and you are not smashing it on the freeway you will find that you at best will use 125HP and around 225TQ just driving to work doing normal speeds. You almost never make peak power or use peak power during your daily drive let alone max your PSI numbers, unless you are smashing =)

Oh and a PSA =) if you find that you are seeing knock and ping and you know you're on good gas, check your spark plug gaps, as a matter of fact check your gap every other oil change and make sure you maintain a .026-028 gap. These motors like to heat those plugs up and I have seen plug gaps change over short periods beyond the correct gap.

 

[cvf-jason]

You can meet those numbers with full bolt on and tune, +93 octane. I.e. IC, down pipe included, loose the stock resonator, better air filter or CAI. It is possible to go higher but 350-360WHP and 350WTQ is very reachable on the stock turbo.

Increasing the turbo to a drop in unit would still require a better intercooler and turbo back exhaust at a minimum to make best use of the larger unit.

Totally agreed!

 

[DeVito757]

Under the hood mods- In the order in which I would do them, but many of them can interchange spots. (Everything is just my personal opinion, I could be wrong on some cases and you overall have the freedom to do whatever you want!)

Format is: mod - (new price, what I've seen it go for on M6G)

1. UPR DVCC - ($250, 150)
-Carbon build-up + mods + bad plug gaping = ecoboom. Carbon build-up is pretty bad on this engine. (Interesting how ford changed to a dual (port & direct) fuel injection system in 2018 GT)

2. ETS/Levels FMIC - ($550, $450)
-Bad heat soaking on OEM at stoplights, charge pipe temps range 100-150, hot air makes the car pull very very weak

3. Cobb Accessport V3 - ($500, $325)
-Necessary for future mods, honestly it would be best to not ever run an OTS map but if you're horrible at waiting on money to become available like me you can run the COBB OTS stage 1 when you get the AP. Definitely do not run any of the other OTS maps. Gauges being monitored can vary but I prefer monitoring Cyl 1-4 timing (each individually) corrections, Boost Pressure, and AFR (actual).

4. NGK 6510 1 step colder plugs ($45, - )
-OEM plugs known to have inconsistent gaping, many people believe this should be the first mod done and I definitely also agree with that. Make sure you get these gaped correctly (varies based on fuel type) and you change them often. (I've seen people say anywhere from 8,000 to 15,000, I personally go with 8,000 just because although it may be overkill, its not that costly and I try to do the most preventative maintenance I can.) These can come pre-gapped from Tune +, or you can gap them yourself, but just be very careful with handling and installing b/c the iridium tip is very delicate.

5. Purple Drank/Tune + lifetime - ($300, $350)
-I like and have PDtuning, they have lots of experience w/ turbos and alternative fuel, they respond quickly and are nice. Adam from Tune+ knows a lot about the car but he can be unpleasant and in my opinion has too many tuning customers to do more than just the minimum communication w/ customers. The tunes are different, I can't speak personally for Adam's but PD's has a sluggish low band (>2500) that you have to accept to get their ridiculous top end. Both tunes will transform the drivability of the car away from the quick threshold jumpy boost that dies at 5,500 to a more top-end focused drawn out power curve.

6. Airraid Big Intake Tube w/ drop in filter for stock airbox - ($250, $150)
-Swapping out the stock box for a aftermarket box or cone style filter has shown to actually cause power losses. Adam recommends a drop in filter and the option of installing the airraid tube. Many people also wrap the intake tube in heat shielding tape. Retune recommended

7. 100 PSI upgraded checkvalve for UPR CC - ($55, sometimes included on forum)
-Kinda going out of order now but you really wanna just get this done ASAP & definitely as soon as you get the protune. When you get the DVCC off of M6G try to score one with the upgraded check valve already included. Probably should have included this with #5. Retune not required

8. Turbosmart/Tune + upgraded WGA - ($140, $100)
-Many benefits, all relating to boost & boost consistency. Can also increase top end boost slightly in some cases by 1-3psi. Requires retune.

9. Turbo Back exhaust- I like the Borla DP - ($500, $250) + MBRP Race catback - ($600)
-Obviously mostly personal opinion & a lot of different choices, MBRP being one of the cheapest, but better sounding. Pretty much all of them sound pretty awful. If you're on a quest to make big power I'd recommend having 3" exhaust all the way back from the turbo (may require custom fab work if your cat-back has a step-up/step-down from 3" to 2.5" like the MBRP) and a wide-band 02 sensor. Retune required

10. If you're ugly and have an auto you probably wanna get some tranny tuning - ($150)

At this point is where you can go a variety of different directions, common directions most people go include:

1. Charge piping + BOV
- If you are satisfied being around the same power you are at now, go ahead and grab some charge pipes and a BOV. I recommend MAPerformance ($480, $325) or ETS charge pipes ($380, IDK) with the Boomba Racing or C&L bypass valve adapter ($60). This will allow your OEM BOV to still be controlled by the ECU (allowing for PD or Tune + to make adjustments if necessary), isn't as annoying as the vacuum controlled BOV's, and still gets rid of the poor-designed re-circulation back to the intake. If you do go with a vacuum controlled, don't do the dumb T-tap vacuum line or whatever it says in the installation guide, pick yourself up a turbosmart boost reference adapter ($40). It reads pressure directly from the intake manifold and also allows for an optional boost gauge or whatever accessory you want to connect. Whatever you do, do not buy the C-Pe MAP Tap, its garbage (said by Ryan @PD after I told him I bought one).

2. Charge piping + BOV + E30 (Sadly I don't have access to ethanol)
-Same as above but if you have access to ethanol and want some more optional power E30 tuning is included in both Tune + and PDtunings lifetime packages. You just have to go through the extra work of always being mindful of you current mix of 93/ethanol in your tank and the actual percentage of ethanol at the pump in order to calculate the numbers correctly and always have around the right mix.

3. The full send option, aka the bolt on turbo kit
-If you're a power nut and happen to have around $3,000+ you could spend at any minute of the day on a new block without feeling financially unintelligent this option is for you. Less dumb smaller options include the Vargas stage 1 and stage 2 turbos ($1000-$1600), but most people go with a VTT stage 2+ ($1800), CP-e + Borg Warner EFR twin-scroll kit ($3,500-$5,000), or a MAPerformance + precision single-scroll kit ($4,000). The kits will include charge piping, necessary manifolds, and a BOV. You're probably going to want to upgrade the clamps that connect the charge piping to constant tension clamps ($70) if you feel the clamps included/clamps you already have are questionable. Only god knows how long your block will make it with a big turbo, so good luck if you go this route. If the condition of your block may already be questionable and you think you would not be able to receive any sort of money for it or the internals than I guess this route would actually make some sense.

4. Built motor (2 common options)

Option 1: Sending in your 2.3L to be built
-Lots of good options from different shops, I personally like what speed perf6rmanc3 has to offer with their 500hp stage 1 ($3,784) and 700hp stage 2 ($5,140) packages for the 2.3 block. Although most shops offer around a 12-15k mile warranty, keep in mind that the 2.3L block is an open-deck design and there is not much structural rigidity surrounding the cylinders, especially on the backside of the block.

Option 2: Built 2.0L block w/ 2.3 internals
-Much better option. Closed deck design provides lots of rigidity and has been rated to higher HP numbers than you probably ever want to achieve. Despite a custom passenger side mount, the install is pretty close to the 2.3. I'f you somehow haven't blown your 2.3L by now some shops may give you a core charge for the block (not really sure), but probably will only give you a core charge for the head ($450 for a 2.3L head from tune +). Prices range from SP63's 500hp, $4,500 Stage 1 2.0 (new OEM block included) to Adam's Type C 800hp, 8,000 redline, $11,000 monster (new block as well).

Additional Costs with Built Motor

Obviously depending on how much HP you're seeking you're going to run into some fueling problems and might have to purchase bigger injectors, most likely the DW 1700cc injectors ($635/set of 4) and a High-Pressure Fuel Pump (The livernois one in the record setting ecoboost is $1600.) along with some dyno tuning to get the set up right. You're probably also going to be purchasing a big turbo kit down the road and will also need to upgrade to a 5-bar MAP sensor ($160). If you have somehow found the budget to make it this far you probably have also done a decent amount of spending in the cars suspension, driveshaft, clutch, differential, brakes, wheels+tires, and possibly transmission.

The Verdit (My Opinion)

If you do the installs yourself and are patient enough to get everything off of forums or facebook groups you can achieve pro tuned, full bolt-on with or without e30 for about $2,400-$2,600. Although it varies drastically from car to car, you can most likely expect somewhere around 370-400hp and 400+tq on e30. This is also kind of considered the max level of somewhat safe power output for the stock block. For around another $6,000 you can have a brand new closed deck 2.0 block w/ a VTT stage 2 twin scroll turbo that can easily daily as a reliable, 500 hp beast. The best part is the block itself is easily rated up to around 700hp (and can be sleeved to support even more), so down the road if 500hp is not enough for some reason you can upgrade your current internals or swap out the VTT for a bigger turbo.

Summing it Up

2015 Ecoboost Mustang (50k miles)- $17,268 avg.
2015 Mustang GT (50k miles) - $24,062 avg.
Average of $6,794 gap


Builds

1. FBO Eco Build - roughly $20,000 +/- 1.5k - 380/400 "max OEM"
2. FBO + VTT stage 2 - roughly $21,500 +/- 1.5k - 420/430 "send it"
3. FBO + 2.0L + VTT stage 2 - roughly $27,500 +/- 2k - 500/500 "DD beast"

4. Stock GT - roughly $24,062 - 380/350 (measured by MAP)

 

[cvf-jason]

Under the hood mods- In the order in which I would do them, but many of them can interchange spots. (Everything is just my personal opinion, I could be wrong on some cases and you overall have the freedom to do whatever you want!)

Format is: mod - (new price, what I've seen it go for on M6G)

1. UPR DVCC - ($250, 150)
-Carbon build-up + mods + bad plug gaping = ecoboom. Carbon build-up is pretty bad on this engine. (Interesting how ford changed to a dual (port & direct) fuel injection system in 2018 GT)

2. ETS/Levels FMIC - ($550, $450)
-Bad heat soaking on OEM at stoplights, charge pipe temps range 100-150, hot air makes the car pull very very weak

3. Cobb Accessport V3 - ($500, $325)
-Necessary for future mods, honestly it would be best to not ever run an OTS map but if you're horrible at waiting on money to become available like me you can run the COBB OTS stage 1 when you get the AP. Definitely do not run any of the other OTS maps. Gauges being monitored can vary but I prefer monitoring Cyl 1-4 timing (each individually) corrections, Boost Pressure, and AFR (actual).

4. NGK 6510 1 step colder plugs ($45, - )
-OEM plugs known to have inconsistent gaping, many people believe this should be the first mod done and I definitely also agree with that. Make sure you get these gaped correctly (varies based on fuel type) and you change them often. (I've seen people say anywhere from 8,000 to 15,000, I personally go with 8,000 just because although it may be overkill, its not that costly and I try to do the most preventative maintenance I can.) These can come pre-gapped from Tune +, or you can gap them yourself, but just be very careful with handling and installing b/c the iridium tip is very delicate.

5. Purple Drank/Tune + lifetime - ($300, $350)
-I like and have PDtuning, they have lots of experience w/ turbos and alternative fuel, they respond quickly and are nice. Adam from Tune+ knows a lot about the car but he can be unpleasant and in my opinion has too many tuning customers to do more than just the minimum communication w/ customers. The tunes are different, I can't speak personally for Adam's but PD's has a sluggish low band (>2500) that you have to accept to get their ridiculous top end. Both tunes will transform the drivability of the car away from the quick threshold jumpy boost that dies at 5,500 to a more top-end focused drawn out power curve.

6. Airraid Big Intake Tube w/ drop in filter for stock airbox - ($250, $150)
-Swapping out the stock box for a aftermarket box or cone style filter has shown to actually cause power losses. Adam recommends a drop in filter and the option of installing the airraid tube. Many people also wrap the intake tube in heat shielding tape. Retune recommended

7. 100 PSI upgraded checkvalve for UPR CC - ($55, sometimes included on forum)
-Kinda going out of order now but you really wanna just get this done ASAP & definitely as soon as you get the protune. When you get the DVCC off of M6G try to score one with the upgraded check valve already included. Probably should have included this with #5. Retune not required

8. Turbosmart/Tune + upgraded WGA - ($140, $100)
-Many benefits, all relating to boost & boost consistency. Can also increase top end boost slightly in some cases by 1-3psi. Requires retune.

9. Turbo Back exhaust- I like the Borla DP - ($500, $250) + MBRP Race catback - ($600)
-Obviously mostly personal opinion & a lot of different choices, MBRP being one of the cheapest, but better sounding. Pretty much all of them sound pretty awful. If you're on a quest to make big power I'd recommend having 3" exhaust all the way back from the turbo (may require custom fab work if your cat-back has a step-up/step-down from 3" to 2.5" like the MBRP) and a wide-band 02 sensor. Retune required

10. If you're ugly and have an auto you probably wanna get some tranny tuning - ($150)

At this point is where you can go a variety of different directions, common directions most people go include:

1. Charge piping + BOV
- If you are satisfied being around the same power you are at now, go ahead and grab some charge pipes and a BOV. I recommend MAPerformance ($480, $325) or ETS charge pipes ($380, IDK) with the Boomba Racing or C&L bypass valve adapter ($60). This will allow your OEM BOV to still be controlled by the ECU (allowing for PD or Tune + to make adjustments if necessary), isn't as annoying as the vacuum controlled BOV's, and still gets rid of the poor-designed re-circulation back to the intake. If you do go with a vacuum controlled, don't do the dumb T-tap vacuum line or whatever it says in the installation guide, pick yourself up a turbosmart boost reference adapter ($40). It reads pressure directly from the intake manifold and also allows for an optional boost gauge or whatever accessory you want to connect. Whatever you do, do not buy the C-Pe MAP Tap, its garbage (said by Ryan @PD after I told him I bought one).

2. Charge piping + BOV + E30 (Sadly I don't have access to ethanol)
-Same as above but if you have access to ethanol and want some more optional power E30 tuning is included in both Tune + and PDtunings lifetime packages. You just have to go through the extra work of always being mindful of you current mix of 93/ethanol in your tank and the actual percentage of ethanol at the pump in order to calculate the numbers correctly and always have around the right mix.

3. The full send option, aka the bolt on turbo kit
-If you're a power nut and happen to have around $3,000+ you could spend at any minute of the day on a new block without feeling financially unintelligent this option is for you. Less dumb smaller options include the Vargas stage 1 and stage 2 turbos ($1000-$1600), but most people go with a VTT stage 2+ ($1800), CP-e + Borg Warner EFR twin-scroll kit ($3,500-$5,000), or a MAPerformance + precision single-scroll kit ($4,000). The kits will include charge piping, necessary manifolds, and a BOV. You're probably going to want to upgrade the clamps that connect the charge piping to constant tension clamps ($70) if you feel the clamps included/clamps you already have are questionable. Only god knows how long your block will make it with a big turbo, so good luck if you go this route. If the condition of your block may already be questionable and you think you would not be able to receive any sort of money for it or the internals than I guess this route would actually make some sense.

4. Built motor (2 common options)

Option 1: Sending in your 2.3L to be built
-Lots of good options from different shops, I personally like what speed perf6rmanc3 has to offer with their 500hp stage 1 ($3,784) and 700hp stage 2 ($5,140) packages for the 2.3 block. Although most shops offer around a 12-15k mile warranty, keep in mind that the 2.3L block is an open-deck design and there is not much structural rigidity surrounding the cylinders, especially on the backside of the block.

Option 2: Built 2.0L block w/ 2.3 internals
-Much better option. Closed deck design provides lots of rigidity and has been rated to higher HP numbers than you probably ever want to achieve. Despite a custom passenger side mount, the install is pretty close to the 2.3. I'f you somehow haven't blown your 2.3L by now some shops may give you a core charge for the block (not really sure), but probably will only give you a core charge for the head ($450 for a 2.3L head from tune +). Prices range from SP63's 500hp, $4,500 Stage 1 2.0 (new OEM block included) to Adam's Type C 800hp, 8,000 redline, $11,000 monster (new block as well).

Additional Costs with Built Motor

Obviously depending on how much HP you're seeking you're going to run into some fueling problems and might have to purchase bigger injectors, most likely the DW 1700cc injectors ($635/set of 4) and a High-Pressure Fuel Pump (The livernois one in the record setting ecoboost is $1600.) along with some dyno tuning to get the set up right. You're probably also going to be purchasing a big turbo kit down the road and will also need to upgrade to a 5-bar MAP sensor ($160). If you have somehow found the budget to make it this far you probably have also done a decent amount of spending in the cars suspension, driveshaft, clutch, differential, brakes, wheels+tires, and possibly transmission.

The Verdit (My Opinion)

If you do the installs yourself and are patient enough to get everything off of forums or facebook groups you can achieve pro tuned, full bolt-on with or without e30 for about $2,400-$2,600. Although it varies drastically from car to car, you can most likely expect somewhere around 370-400hp and 400+tq on e30. This is also kind of considered the max level of somewhat safe power output for the stock block. For around another $6,000 you can have a brand new closed deck 2.0 block w/ a VTT stage 2 twin scroll turbo that can easily daily as a reliable, 500 hp beast. The best part is the block itself is easily rated up to around 700hp (and can be sleeved to support even more), so down the road if 500hp is not enough for some reason you can upgrade your current internals or swap out the VTT for a bigger turbo.

Summing it Up

2015 Ecoboost Mustang (50k miles)- $17,268 avg.
2015 Mustang GT (50k miles) - $24,062 avg.
Average of $6,794 gap


Builds

1. FBO Eco Build - roughly $20,000 +/- 1.5k - 380/400 "max OEM"
2. FBO + VTT stage 2 - roughly $21,500 +/- 1.5k - 420/430 "send it"
3. FBO + 2.0L + VTT stage 2 - roughly $27,500 +/- 2k - 500/500 "DD beast"

4. Stock GT - roughly $24,062 - 380/350 (measured by MAP)

Solid, thoughtful contribution. Thanks for taking the time!

 

[TorqueMan]

-Carbon build-up + mods + bad plug gaping = ecoboom. Carbon build-up is pretty bad on this engine. (Interesting how ford changed to a dual (port & direct) fuel injection system in 2018 GT)

Can you share any evidence you have for this claim? I'm not aware of anyone reporting issues with intake deposits with the 2.3L EcoBoost. Ford has developed strategies (mainly tweaking fuel injection timing) to mitigate this issue which based on the lack of reported problems seems to be working.

While it's true that combining port injection with direct injection can help prevent carbon deposits on intake valves I don't believe that's the primary reason Ford went with this strategy for the 2018 5.0L. There has been a lot of speculation online about this change, with many pointing the finger at carbon deposits on the valves. As with the 2.3L EcoBoost, however, I don't believe the 5.0L suffers from excessive carbon deposits.

There are other benefits to combining port and direct injection besides keeping the valves clean (although I concede that would certainly be a side benefit), namely that by mixing fuel with the intake air in the port you cool the fuel/air mixture BEFORE it enters the cylinder which increases charge density, and allows more time for fuel vaporization. This improves low-end torque (a weak point for the 2015 - 2017 5.0L engine) horsepower and fuel economy. Combining PI with DI is a big part of the reason the 2018 engine produces 25 more hp and 20 lb/ft more torque than the 2017. In addition, if you look at the torque curves for both engines you'll see that although both produce peak torque near 4.5K rpm, the 2018 engine achieves 300+ lb/ft of torque around 2000 rpm, where the 2017 engine requires 3k rpm.

 

[cvf-jason]

Pro install without Performance Pack:

Brakes:2-4k
Tires and Rims: 1.5k
Suspension: 1.8k (w/alignment)
Intercooler:1.1k (charge pipes add another 3-4 hundred)
Blow off valve: 600
Turbo w/ wastegate kit (cp-e) 3.1k with install
Custom tune and device: 800
Downpipe + exhaust: 1800 with install

You're looking at 3.2-3.8k all said and done. 28k instead of a 38-40k for a new v8. Up to you, but without ethanol, your ceiling is going be around 330-340whp.

That's quite expensive for the FMIC, IMO. Levels and ETS are moderately priced by comparison (and still overpriced, IMO).

 

[cvf-jason]

Under the hood mods- In the order in which I would do them, but many of them can interchange spots. (Everything is just my personal opinion, I could be wrong on some cases and you overall have the freedom to do whatever you want!)

Format is: mod - (new price, what I've seen it go for on M6G)

1. UPR DVCC - ($250, 150)
-Carbon build-up + mods + bad plug gaping = ecoboom. Carbon build-up is pretty bad on this engine. (Interesting how ford changed to a dual (port & direct) fuel injection system in 2018 GT)

2. ETS/Levels FMIC - ($550, $450)
-Bad heat soaking on OEM at stoplights, charge pipe temps range 100-150, hot air makes the car pull very very weak

3. Cobb Accessport V3 - ($500, $325)
-Necessary for future mods, honestly it would be best to not ever run an OTS map but if you're horrible at waiting on money to become available like me you can run the COBB OTS stage 1 when you get the AP. Definitely do not run any of the other OTS maps. Gauges being monitored can vary but I prefer monitoring Cyl 1-4 timing (each individually) corrections, Boost Pressure, and AFR (actual).

4. NGK 6510 1 step colder plugs ($45, - )
-OEM plugs known to have inconsistent gaping, many people believe this should be the first mod done and I definitely also agree with that. Make sure you get these gaped correctly (varies based on fuel type) and you change them often. (I've seen people say anywhere from 8,000 to 15,000, I personally go with 8,000 just because although it may be overkill, its not that costly and I try to do the most preventative maintenance I can.) These can come pre-gapped from Tune +, or you can gap them yourself, but just be very careful with handling and installing b/c the iridium tip is very delicate.

5. Purple Drank/Tune + lifetime - ($300, $350)
-I like and have PDtuning, they have lots of experience w/ turbos and alternative fuel, they respond quickly and are nice. Adam from Tune+ knows a lot about the car but he can be unpleasant and in my opinion has too many tuning customers to do more than just the minimum communication w/ customers. The tunes are different, I can't speak personally for Adam's but PD's has a sluggish low band (>2500) that you have to accept to get their ridiculous top end. Both tunes will transform the drivability of the car away from the quick threshold jumpy boost that dies at 5,500 to a more top-end focused drawn out power curve.

6. Airraid Big Intake Tube w/ drop in filter for stock airbox - ($250, $150)
-Swapping out the stock box for a aftermarket box or cone style filter has shown to actually cause power losses. Adam recommends a drop in filter and the option of installing the airraid tube. Many people also wrap the intake tube in heat shielding tape. Retune recommended

7. 100 PSI upgraded checkvalve for UPR CC - ($55, sometimes included on forum)
-Kinda going out of order now but you really wanna just get this done ASAP & definitely as soon as you get the protune. When you get the DVCC off of M6G try to score one with the upgraded check valve already included. Probably should have included this with #5. Retune not required

8. Turbosmart/Tune + upgraded WGA - ($140, $100)
-Many benefits, all relating to boost & boost consistency. Can also increase top end boost slightly in some cases by 1-3psi. Requires retune.

9. Turbo Back exhaust- I like the Borla DP - ($500, $250) + MBRP Race catback - ($600)
-Obviously mostly personal opinion & a lot of different choices, MBRP being one of the cheapest, but better sounding. Pretty much all of them sound pretty awful. If you're on a quest to make big power I'd recommend having 3" exhaust all the way back from the turbo (may require custom fab work if your cat-back has a step-up/step-down from 3" to 2.5" like the MBRP) and a wide-band 02 sensor. Retune required

10. If you're ugly and have an auto you probably wanna get some tranny tuning - ($150)

At this point is where you can go a variety of different directions, common directions most people go include:

1. Charge piping + BOV
- If you are satisfied being around the same power you are at now, go ahead and grab some charge pipes and a BOV. I recommend MAPerformance ($480, $325) or ETS charge pipes ($380, IDK) with the Boomba Racing or C&L bypass valve adapter ($60). This will allow your OEM BOV to still be controlled by the ECU (allowing for PD or Tune + to make adjustments if necessary), isn't as annoying as the vacuum controlled BOV's, and still gets rid of the poor-designed re-circulation back to the intake. If you do go with a vacuum controlled, don't do the dumb T-tap vacuum line or whatever it says in the installation guide, pick yourself up a turbosmart boost reference adapter ($40). It reads pressure directly from the intake manifold and also allows for an optional boost gauge or whatever accessory you want to connect. Whatever you do, do not buy the C-Pe MAP Tap, its garbage (said by Ryan @PD after I told him I bought one).

2. Charge piping + BOV + E30 (Sadly I don't have access to ethanol)
-Same as above but if you have access to ethanol and want some more optional power E30 tuning is included in both Tune + and PDtunings lifetime packages. You just have to go through the extra work of always being mindful of you current mix of 93/ethanol in your tank and the actual percentage of ethanol at the pump in order to calculate the numbers correctly and always have around the right mix.

3. The full send option, aka the bolt on turbo kit
-If you're a power nut and happen to have around $3,000+ you could spend at any minute of the day on a new block without feeling financially unintelligent this option is for you. Less dumb smaller options include the Vargas stage 1 and stage 2 turbos ($1000-$1600), but most people go with a VTT stage 2+ ($1800), CP-e + Borg Warner EFR twin-scroll kit ($3,500-$5,000), or a MAPerformance + precision single-scroll kit ($4,000). The kits will include charge piping, necessary manifolds, and a BOV. You're probably going to want to upgrade the clamps that connect the charge piping to constant tension clamps ($70) if you feel the clamps included/clamps you already have are questionable. Only god knows how long your block will make it with a big turbo, so good luck if you go this route. If the condition of your block may already be questionable and you think you would not be able to receive any sort of money for it or the internals than I guess this route would actually make some sense.

4. Built motor (2 common options)

Option 1: Sending in your 2.3L to be built
-Lots of good options from different shops, I personally like what speed perf6rmanc3 has to offer with their 500hp stage 1 ($3,784) and 700hp stage 2 ($5,140) packages for the 2.3 block. Although most shops offer around a 12-15k mile warranty, keep in mind that the 2.3L block is an open-deck design and there is not much structural rigidity surrounding the cylinders, especially on the backside of the block.

Option 2: Built 2.0L block w/ 2.3 internals
-Much better option. Closed deck design provides lots of rigidity and has been rated to higher HP numbers than you probably ever want to achieve. Despite a custom passenger side mount, the install is pretty close to the 2.3. I'f you somehow haven't blown your 2.3L by now some shops may give you a core charge for the block (not really sure), but probably will only give you a core charge for the head ($450 for a 2.3L head from tune +). Prices range from SP63's 500hp, $4,500 Stage 1 2.0 (new OEM block included) to Adam's Type C 800hp, 8,000 redline, $11,000 monster (new block as well).

Additional Costs with Built Motor

Obviously depending on how much HP you're seeking you're going to run into some fueling problems and might have to purchase bigger injectors, most likely the DW 1700cc injectors ($635/set of 4) and a High-Pressure Fuel Pump (The livernois one in the record setting ecoboost is $1600.) along with some dyno tuning to get the set up right. You're probably also going to be purchasing a big turbo kit down the road and will also need to upgrade to a 5-bar MAP sensor ($160). If you have somehow found the budget to make it this far you probably have also done a decent amount of spending in the cars suspension, driveshaft, clutch, differential, brakes, wheels+tires, and possibly transmission.

The Verdit (My Opinion)

If you do the installs yourself and are patient enough to get everything off of forums or facebook groups you can achieve pro tuned, full bolt-on with or without e30 for about $2,400-$2,600. Although it varies drastically from car to car, you can most likely expect somewhere around 370-400hp and 400+tq on e30. This is also kind of considered the max level of somewhat safe power output for the stock block. For around another $6,000 you can have a brand new closed deck 2.0 block w/ a VTT stage 2 twin scroll turbo that can easily daily as a reliable, 500 hp beast. The best part is the block itself is easily rated up to around 700hp (and can be sleeved to support even more), so down the road if 500hp is not enough for some reason you can upgrade your current internals or swap out the VTT for a bigger turbo.

Summing it Up

2015 Ecoboost Mustang (50k miles)- $17,268 avg.
2015 Mustang GT (50k miles) - $24,062 avg.
Average of $6,794 gap


Builds

1. FBO Eco Build - roughly $20,000 +/- 1.5k - 380/400 "max OEM"
2. FBO + VTT stage 2 - roughly $21,500 +/- 1.5k - 420/430 "send it"
3. FBO + 2.0L + VTT stage 2 - roughly $27,500 +/- 2k - 500/500 "DD beast"

4. Stock GT - roughly $24,062 - 380/350 (measured by MAP)

For anyone interested, this post got moved to a new thread here:

https://www.mustang6g.com/forums/showthread.php?t=105065

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