Coyote in 94-98 Mustang w/T45 or 3650 - Exhaust Clearance Problem

[xtort]

I'm working on putting a Coyote 5.0L (F-150 junkyard motor) in my 97 GT with a non-Cobra-spec T45, but I've run into a problem with the BBK Coyote swap headers. The driver's side is header points into the transmission crossmember, making it impossible to install the matching mid pipe. The problem exists with the stock crossmember, as well as a Stiffler's crossmember to basically the same extent.

Has anyone else run into this? If so, how did you fix it? Could my header be bent? It does not seem like there's any slop in the installation of the header that would let me tweak the alignment.

 

[sneaky94cobra]

Hows it going, ya I had the same problem and had to have a exhaust shop use my old 2 1/2 inch exhaust and press bend the shit out of it to make it work. You will experience lower power numbers if you do this. When I had the cobra jet intake on the white car it made 451 at 6500 rpm and the graph kind of petered off after 7000 my tuner said it was because of the exhaust. I am currently doing a t-56 swap and will be posting a bunch of pictures soon in this section. So I am in the same boat as you are now. Cuz I am doing 3 inch what ever it take and having Shaun at AED retune it for maximum efficiency. So if you want we can brainstorm. I am thinking of either making a factory 03 cobra mount work or using k member spacers. This will also allow me to get the cobra jet intake back on the car as well. Thanks for take on for the team and ordering the stiffer cross member that was one of my ideas. Let me know I am on here pretty regularly.

 

[xtort]

It's good to hear that I'm not alone in this problem.

Stiffler's is going to send me a modified transmission crossmember that they think will get more room - that would be the ideal fix for me, as I'd like to keep the exhaust and everything as "off the shelf" as possible. Granted, I'm still going to have to transition to 2.5" to match my catback.

 

[sneaky94cobra]

It's good to hear that I'm not alone in this problem.

Stiffler's is going to send me a modified transmission cross member that they think will get more room - that would be the ideal fix for me, as I'd like to keep the exhaust and everything as "off the shelf" as possible. Granted, I'm still going to have to transition to 2.5" to match my catback.

Cool post up some pics of the new cross member and if it works let me know the part number i will give them a call too. Also I would go full 3 inch. Shaun at AED is very adament about this. If its a cost thing I understand, thats why I am finally getting to it now. My best time with the current setup (in my white car (less weight but 3.73) was 11.3 so the exhaust is not to horrible but still on the quest for 10s every bit helps. I will be posting before and after dyno and intall pics of the 2 1/2 to 3 inch and the new AED tune after i get the car back together in the next couple of weeks.

 

[97CasperCobra]

Any update on this?? Was a modified transmission crossmember ever sent and did it work???

 

[xtort]

I've dropped the ball on finishing the car. It does look like the new crossmember will help, but I can't fully bolt up the X pipe until I have a catback installed.

 

[rktsci25]

I had to take mine to an exhaust shop, go down to 2.5" and it's got a decent bend to it, but I got mine around the T56 k-member. This might be a slightly crazy idea, but have you thought about getting a pair of dumps, using them 'backwards' to get the bend around you need then bring it back in?

I can get pictures of mine clearing the T56 cross tonight.

 

[97CasperCobra]

I'm going to do a mock-up install my Stifflers T56 brace tomorrow as well as the BBK X-pipe to see how the fiment is with the Coyote swap gear.

 

[rktsci25]

Here is the wway mine clears my T56 cross member. It's not the best picture, but I have to raise the car up a bit more later and can get a better one then.

It's the BBK swap headers going into a Bassani x that I already had on the car.

 

[97CasperCobra]

The shop hasn't had any clearance issues, but they have had to buy reducer flanges where the X-pipe comes to the pipes before muffler.