Let us help you improve the performance in your 2005-10 S197 Ford Mustang V6 by walking you how to select performance parts!
The 2005-10 V6 Mustang featured some much-needed performance upgrades over the previous OHV 3.8L V6 Mustangs; however, Ford still left plenty of room for improvement. Many Mustang enthusiasts might laugh at modding your V6 Stang for performance; however, owning and driving a V8-powered Pony car might not be in the cards for every S197 Mustang owner. That is why many aftermarket companies like LMR have stepped up to provide V6 owners with plenty of performance modifications to help eliminate the performance gaps between the GT models.
| Horsepower | 210 HP @ 5300 RPMs |
| Torque | 240 ft-lbs @ 3500 RPMs |
| Fuel Economy | 17/26 MPG |
| Displacement | 245 cubic in. |
| Engine | SOHC with 12 Valves (2 per cylinder) |
| Transmission | T-5 Tremec 5 speed Manual Transmission or 5R55 5 speed Automatic |
| Rear End | 7.5" |
| Exhaust | Single Exhaust Outlet |
There are plenty of YouTube videos and forum posts of very quick 4.0L V6 Mustangs. We have even seen plenty in action at the drag strips and open road course. When starting a performance-based build with V6 Pony Car it is best to start with a plan. You need to decide if you are looking to create a performance Mustang that will be mainly used for street driving, drag use, or open track racing. Having driven a few of these cars and experiencing the “short-comings” in person this is our recommendation for starting a 4.0L V6 Mustang project:
The foundation to any performance build is to help your engine breathe easier. The first step is to add cold air intake. A handheld tuner from SCT and throttle body will help maximize your air/fuel performance.
Performance coil pack will help you get the most performance out of your V6 engine. It is also a good time to upgrade and do some maintenance. Replace spark plugs, plug wires, and fuel filter.
Installing a higher ratio set of rear-end gears such as 3.73 or 4.10 will be one of the most drastic improvements to your acceleration. Due to the lack of 7.5” rear end traction-lok and the high cost of the Auburn limited-slip, many V6 owners opt-in for the 8.8” rear end swap. This swap brings many performance and strength benefits. You will need the SCT tuner to change the gear ratio in your S197 Mustang. This can be one of the best bang-for-the-buck modifications you can make to your V6 Mustang.
If you have followed our upgrade plan, you now have increased rear wheel hop due to increased power. Adding a good set of rear lower control arms will help you plant your newly found power to the ground. It is also a good time to get rid of body roll with a set of lowering springs and replace worn out suspension components. If you are planning on doing any kind of road racing or autocross racing, I would highly recommend you upgrade to a good set of aftermarket sway bars as well.
Some like to start with the exhaust, but it is proven to do little as far as performance. It is more about improved exterior looks and sound - especially on the 2005-09 V6 Mustangs as they did not have dual exhaust from the factory. Personally, I would save this for the end; however, if you really want to add to the aggressive look of the rear dual exhaust and improve the exhaust tone, you can definitely start with this step. You will need a GT or GT500 rear bumper or valance (for 2010 models) to get dual exhaust openings on the rear bumper.
Wheels are completely up to you. If you are going all out for drag racing, check out some of our SVE Drag wheels. If you are looking for something that is more for street/strip use, I would suggest looking at a set of wheels that are wider and have a larger diameter. See our complete lineup of wheels here: 2005-10 Mustang Wheels Wheels. Again, this one is all about your taste and how you want to build your ride.
In no way do you have to follow this step-by-step. If you would prefer to do these upgrades in a way that better fits your personal goals – go for it! Use the following groups to check out some of the best-reviewed and most popular performance modifications for your S197 V6 Mustang!
A proven way to get more horsepower and torque is to add a cold air intake kit to your Mustang. Cold air intakes remove the restrictive factory intake box, filter, and tube. It replaces them with high-flowing components that allow your engine to get more air which means more horsepower! Companies such as BBK make performance cold air intake kits for the V6 Mustang. Check out our selection below. When doing any performance mods to an S197 Mustang the SCT Tuner is always a must. It allows for custom tunes, rear-ends gear ratio changes, data logging, and MANY more features. If you want to maximize your intake system, don’t forget to add a performance throttle body and ignition upgrades such as a performance coil pack.
Tired of the 4x4 look on your V6 Mustang? Or worse, are you tired of hearing “It needs a drop”? Look no further than our extensive line of lowering springs and suspension components! Install a set of performance drop springs from brands such as SVE, J&M, Ford Performance, BMR, & many more. See our full line here – Mustang Lowering Springs. Need help installing them? Check out our installation video here – S197 Mustang Lowering Spring Installation video. If you have been following our tips on adding performance mods to your 4.0L Mustang V6, you have found you now have a wheel hop issue! Solve this by installing a set of rear upper and lower control arms. This will help you plant your newfound power to the pavement and even further improve your handling, acceleration, and ETAs at the drag strip!
Nothing says muscle car like a dual exhaust system on your Pony car! Adding a true dual exhaust system to your 4.0L Mustang V6 requires a few parts. The outcome is a performance exhaust system that frees up a little extra horsepower and a deeper more aggressive exhaust tone. The key components you need for a dual exhaust conversion are a mid-pipe (H or X Pipe), dual over axle tail pipes, 05-10 GT/GT500 axle back mufflers, and GT/GT500 rear bumper cover. Don’t forget to add a set of performance shorty or long-tube headers to maximize performance! Check out all complete lines of performance V6 Mustang dual exhaust conversion kits and components below!!
Adding a good wheel and tire kit is one of the best ways to dress up any Mustang. We carry a complete line of wheel and tire options that will have you covered at the drag strip or just kicking back and showing off at the local car meets. Be sure to shop our complete line of wheels below.
Upgrading the brakes on your 4.0L V6 Mustang not only help you stop better at the track, but they can also set off that performance look you are trying to accomplish. There are two real options when upgrading your brakes. The best upgrades are the complete kits that upgrade to factory-style Brembo brakes found on the later Coyote-powered Performance Pack cars and GT500s. If you are looking for another great way to improve your braking performance without breaking the bank, consider upgrading your brake hoses, pads, and rotors. Remember that upgrading to one of the Brembo-style brake kits will require you to purchase a wheel and tire kit that clears these massive brake calipers.
Driveline mods for your V6 S197 Mustang can be some of the most bang-for-the-buck performance modifications you can do! Installing a limited-slip differential and higher ratio gears in your 7.5” rear end will produce increased acceleration to help your launches at the drag strip. The only drawback to this is that 7.5" rear ends are inherently weaker than the 8.8" rear ends found in the GT and GT500 models. If you are going to upgrade your rear end, the most popular option is to upgrade to an 8.8" rear out. This gives you a better and stronger foundation and makes it easier to find performance parts.
So you have installed every performance bolt-on mod you can find for your 4.0L V6 Mustang. Now what? Check out some of our power adders such as Vortech supercharger kits or even Nitrous Outlet Nitrous Kits! These will give your V6 Stang a major kick in the pants and will help you surprise those GT Mustangs that are giving you a hard time at the drag strip! Don’t forget we also offer plenty of performance packages for 4.0L V6 Mustang as well! These are designed to help you take the guess work out of upgrading your Stang with performance parts! Best of all they save you time and money.
The 2005-09 4.0L V6 Mustangs made 210 hp at 5,300 RPMs and 240 ft-lbs of torque at 3,500 RPMs. The engine featured a SOHC set up with 12V (2 per cylinder) and 245 cubic inches of displacement.
