I am looking to buy a 96-01 cobra.I want the 32v 4.6,are there any diffrences in the motors throught out those years?I thought they were all rated at 305 hp.Is there a year I should stay away from??
Thanks
Thanks
looking to buy a 96-01 cobra few questions
- Thread starter deltaboxr1
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Starting in 99 the motors were rated 320hp from the factory. When the 99 cobras first came out people were dyno testing them and found that they were not putting down the hp Ford claimed. A recall was done, tuning the exhaust, etc. I'm not saying all the 99 were like this but I do know of the recall. The 99 and up also have I.R.S. (Independent Rear Suspension). So like it and some hate it due to wheel hop under heavy throttle. I have an 01 and love it! It's all about preference.....good luck man
yes, the 99 (after the fix) and 01 cobras put out 320 crank hp compared to the 305 hp of 96-98. i'm not sure what the 96-98 ones feel like powerwise compared to 99/01 though. IRS is another difference as well from the 96-98 cobras as Justntym stated above. either way you can't go wrong with a 32v cobra motor :thumbsup: .
The 96-98 cars have "b" heads which are a swirl port design. They have extremely poor velocity so ford had to design a variable intake to make up for the lack of low-end. on the 96-98's the IMRC's which control the variable intake can get clogged and fail to work. Some people opt to remove the IMRC's totally, but you'll want at least a 4.30 if not a 4.56 gear in teh rear-end to compesate.
The 99's got "c" heads which are a tumble port design. The c heads have vastly improved low speed velocity which enabled ford to rid the cars of the variable intake. The 99+ cars also got coil-on plug ignition systems eliminating the need for spark plugs. It was also the first year for a returnless fuel system in the mustang.
Also as stated above the 96-98 cars have solid axle rear-ends where the 99/01 cars have an IRS.
The 99's did have low power from the factory but you'll sometimes find that fixed 99's are a little bit stronger out of the factory than the 01 cars. There has been much said that to compensate for the power failures in 99 the 01 cars are programmed with a more aggressive timing and fuel map. Some owners report pinging in high gears going up a grade due to this. The 99 IRS is a 28 spline unit where the 01 got an upgrade to 31 splines. The 01 also have vastly improved seats and the 6 disk in dash changer.
Additionally the 96 cars have a recall for a heating issue. I'm not sure if this recall carries out through the 98 model year.
You'll probably be able to find a better deal on the 96-98 cars as they are a bit older obviously. I would say choose which style you want first. Some people are more partial to the SN95 body than the new edge, others opposite. If you want an SN95 I'd look for a 98. If you want a new edge I'd look for an 01.
The 99's got "c" heads which are a tumble port design. The c heads have vastly improved low speed velocity which enabled ford to rid the cars of the variable intake. The 99+ cars also got coil-on plug ignition systems eliminating the need for spark plugs. It was also the first year for a returnless fuel system in the mustang.
Also as stated above the 96-98 cars have solid axle rear-ends where the 99/01 cars have an IRS.
The 99's did have low power from the factory but you'll sometimes find that fixed 99's are a little bit stronger out of the factory than the 01 cars. There has been much said that to compensate for the power failures in 99 the 01 cars are programmed with a more aggressive timing and fuel map. Some owners report pinging in high gears going up a grade due to this. The 99 IRS is a 28 spline unit where the 01 got an upgrade to 31 splines. The 01 also have vastly improved seats and the 6 disk in dash changer.
Additionally the 96 cars have a recall for a heating issue. I'm not sure if this recall carries out through the 98 model year.
You'll probably be able to find a better deal on the 96-98 cars as they are a bit older obviously. I would say choose which style you want first. Some people are more partial to the SN95 body than the new edge, others opposite. If you want an SN95 I'd look for a 98. If you want a new edge I'd look for an 01.
yeah i own a 99 even though i got a factory freak i would go with an 01 the irs feels a bit more solid.. and it has a COBRA bumper instead of the Mustang bumper the 99 carries.. every cobra is different .. or atleast it feels like it to me i say find the one with the lowest miles and the best price .. once you start getting into the high mileage club these baby's take alot of care .. just make the smartest choice being you cant go wrong with a cobra.
Torch10th said:
Did they switch over to diesels in 99? :-D
Torch10th said:
The recall was only for 96, 97 and 98 had upgraded A/C condensers and radiators.
CY98Cobra said:
HAHA durrr.
Missed the key word there "wires" No need for spark plug "wires"
Thanks for all the help.I had a 02 gt,so I am partial to the new edge body.A good 99-01 are hard to find a good deal on in NY,around 16k.I will probably end up with a 96-98 because I have found a few good ones for about 11k.If you know of any for sale let me know.
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