FAQ

ADTR Crown Vic Supercharger Systems

Are the systems 50 state smog legal?

Our systems are not smog legal at this time.  They are designed for off-road use as are 99% of the items on our webpage.

Do you have a dyno video? What does it sound like?

Here’s the dyno video when it put down 361 rear wheel hp and 365 rear wheel torque

Here’s the first start showing what the standard system (with polished headunit) looks like.  Optional coatings and polished supercharger headunit are available.

Here’s what the car can do now with all that Vortech power!

Do your systems include a computer tune?

Our systems do not include a computer tune as each vehicle is different and we suggest a custom dyno tune for each installation.

I am planning on more radical modifications and looking to make over 500 hp going supercharged. Will your systems work for me?

Our systems can be adapted to each customer’s individual needs.  We have intercooler systems capable of handling up to 800 hp and can upgrade fuel systems to handle the power.  Contact Chris for more information.

What does blow through system mean? What’s the difference between a centrifugal and roots type supercharger? What is an air-to-air intercooler and will it work on my car?

The answer to these and many more can be found in the supercharger FAQ

What kind of horsepower does the system make?

Our 2004 CVPI with our system and Stainless Works long tube headers put down 361 rear wheel horsepower and 365 rear wheel torque on 8 pounds of boost.  The vehicle was on 91 octane fuel and using a stock engine and transmission.

What kind of superchargers are used with your systems?

We use the Vortech V3 self contained headunits so no tapping of the oil pan is necessary.  You have to do an oil change on the blower after the first 2500 miles and then every 7500 miles after that.  Supercharger oil is available through ADTR.  Check with Chris for pricing.

Engine Modifications

Should I be worried about driving around town with underdrive pullies?

If you are planning on running a large stereo or ton of electronics, I would suggest leaving the stock alternator pulley on to make sure your charging system works correctly. If you are at all worried about charging problems, just leave the alternator pulley stock and you should have absolutely no problems. When you do put the alt. pulley on, the lights tend to dim at night when you come to a stop.  To compensate for that, many tuners will up the idle speed.

 

I ran around with my underdrive pullies on my 1998 CV for over 75k miles and had no ill effects.

What does my engine weigh? What’s the difference between a 4.6L SOHC and 4.6 DOHC? What’s the difference between a Romeo vs Windsor?

Check out Sullivan’s tech page for more information and some very useful information, dimensions, port shapes, etc etc.

Check out this great article on the differences between the modular motors hosted by Optik for 2vmodular

When talking of PI in engines, what does that mean?

PI when talking about engines refers to the Performance Improved heads that were available on the Crown Vics from 2001+  The head design is different and the intake is also different.

For more information on the differences between PI and non PI heads and Moduar engines in general check out this great article hosted by Optik for 2vmodular.

Intake Modifications

70mm or 75mm Throttle body?

70mm is the largest I’d suggest on a relatively stock car. With a 70mm throttle body, there will be a slight gain in throttle response and maybe some horsepower. Many will argue that it costs horsepower, but I felt a gain on my personal car. A 70mm throttle body and our ported upper plenum are a great combination and you’ll definitely notice a difference.

The 75mm throttle body works very well with the AED kits. This is not suggested for a naturally aspirated car.

If you have a 2005+ Crown Vic / Grand Marquis or Town Car I do not suggest upgrading the throttle body as it’s electronically controlled.  Some customers have successfully put a larger throttle body on but many ran into drive-ability issues and required a tune to get the vehicle to run correctly.  We recommend putting your money into other modifications that may give a larger gain.

Do you need a larger MAF (mass air flow sensor) to make a 70mm TB work?

No you do not need a larger MAF, but the two parts compliment each other nicely.

If I have a ’95 or earlier car what do I need to do to swap to the PI intake?

Check out the following link on GrandMarq.net

You’ll need the PI Intake Swap kit, 96-02 plenum, throttle cable, intake tube, fuel rails, and more.  The modification is totally doable and that upgrade will get the vehicle more hp and add more options in the future.

What do I need for the PI intake manifold swap?

You need the following:

  • PI intake manifold
  • PI coolant tube
  • PI coolant nipple
  • PI intake manifold gaskets
  • Modification to existing alternator bracket

Check out our PI intake swap kit on our shopping cart which includes everything necessary for installation.

For older 92-95 cars you’ll need the PI intake swap kit but you’ll also need a couple more items to upgrade to the 96+ intake configuration.  Check out the following link for more information: GrandMarq.net PI Intake Swap How to (92-95 Specific)

What do you think of aftermarket drive-by-wire throttle bodies?

Unfortunately we aren’t big fans of aftermarket throttle bodies for the drive by wire 2005+ cars.  We don’t sell any throttle bodies that fit the 2005+ cars because in our opinion they are not a true bolt on.  Some customers have used aftermarket throttle bodies and have had decent luck but I’ve had too many customers that ran into drive ability issues which is why I refuse to sell them.  I’m sure there are some gains to be had but the potential for issues in my opinion make it not worth the effort.  I’d rather see you put the $$$ into suspension or other modifications that will give a more noticeable gain.

What else do I need to get the Marauder airbox to work?

You need the Marauder airbox assembly and a custom computer tune. (No a Superchips 1725 tuner will not work)  We suggest you talk to Marty at Mo’s Speedshop which can be found here: Mo’s Speedshop Custom Tuning

Other suggested parts to go with your Marauder airbox would be the following:

–   Either the ’04 or ’06 PI intake tube as the opening going onto the MAF is the correct size. You can use your stock tube but it will require effort to make it go on.  Since the ’04 intake tube is no longer available from Ford we have a high flow intake pipe that can be found here: ADTR’s High Flow Intake Tube

For more information on intake tubes check out the following link compliments of dRock

–    Marauder MAF wiring harness replaces your stock wiring harness and relocates the IAT sensor which used to be in your airbox into the MAF. This makes for a cleaner install on all 02 and earlier Panthers. If you don’t want to do any wiring, you just need to drill a hole in the airbox for the IAT sensor like stock. 03-04 Panthers have the same MAF pigtail and modifications are not needed. All 05+ Panthers should use the 04 PI airbox as that utilizes the same MAF connector and incorporates the larger 80mm MAF.

–    180 thermostat and 22c plugs are a good addition as they help reduce pinging and detonation. Most tuners suggest these.

What kind of PI tube do I need on my car?

For all information on the differences in Zip tubes, check out the following link compliments of dRock

Since the 2004 PI intake tube has been discontinued from Ford, we only have the 2006+ intake tubes (which will fit all 2005+ Crown Vics / Grand Marquis and Town Cars) and the ADTR High Flow Intake tube (which will fit all 1996+ Crown Vics / Grand Marquis / Town Cars)  Both parts can be found in our Intake section on our shopping cart

What throttle body should I get?

Trying to figure out what throttle body to get?

  • As far as price goes, BBK Throttle body 70/75mm unit ($$) > Aviator 70mm unit ($)
  • The Aviator throttle body is a 70mm throttle body at both ends, but have a step in the inner part of the body. The inner diameter steps down to 68.34 mm.
  • The Aviator has a plastic throttle bracket while the BBK pieces have a steel bracket.
  • The BBK pieces are one piece billet bodies that are 70 or 75mm all the way through. As far as build quality goes, the BBK is a nicer piece then the others
  • Will you notice a difference in performance between the different 70mm throttle bodies?  No not really.  All will give a noticeable gain and increase in throttle response
  • On a stock car, we do not suggest anything larger than a 70mm throttle body! You will lose low end torque and the car may bog off the line.  For heavy modifications (cams/nitrous/blower/etc) you can go with the 75mm throttle body or larger 78mm throttle body/plenum upgrade
  • If you have a 2005+ Crown Vic / Grand Marquis or Town Car I do not suggest upgrading the throttle body as it’s electronically controlled.  Some customers have successfully put a larger throttle body on but many ran into drive-ability issues and required a tune to get the vehicle to run correctly.  We recommend putting your money into other modifications that may give a larger gain.
Which should I get? Marauder airbox or K&N FIPK?

I personally would go with the Marauder airbox assembly as it includes an 80mm MAF and will give you a documented 15 rwhp. The FIPK kit is nice, but the main problem is that it would require modification to make an 80mm MAF work.

Why do you suggest the colder plugs and thermostat?

The answer is that it allows the tuner to be more aggressive with the tune and helps prevent pinging and detonation.

Normally 1 heat range colder on the plugs is for N/A cars and 2 heat ranges are meant for heavily modded cars with boost or nitrous.

Panther General FAQs

Do I need a computer tune when putting on normal boltons?

No you normally do not need a computer tune when installing normal boltons. That includes throttle bodies, intake tubes, K&N intake system, exhaust, ported plenums, etc. You will need a tune for the following: cams, MM airbox or any different than stock MAF, nitrous, supercharger, turbo, It would be ideal to get a tune when you do the PI intake swap, but it is not necessary. It would be ideal to get a tune when you put on the underdrive pullies to raise up the idle to keep the battery charged. If you have any other specific parts, please contact Chris and he’d be happy to answer.

Do you have any used parts available?

Ask Chris as sometimes we have the original parts used for testing or know of used parts that are available.

Does my car have PI heads?

Any Panther model year 2001 or later has them.

How do I place an order?

You can place an order online through our store, email or call me.  Whatever works best for you!

Is there anything else?

If there are other FAQs that you think would be beneficial or worthwhile to add to this, please email Chris and let him know:

[email protected]

What are some modifications that I should get?

Steeda underdrive pullies, throttle body (Pre-2005), Heinous or Metco control arms, 80mm Marauder air box or 04+ PI airbox and a computer tune.  Later on down the line, exhaust, rear gears and trac loc (if you don’t already have it), shocks/springs and sway bars.

What is a Panther?

A Panther is the designation for the chassis on a Town Car, Grand Marquis and the Crown Victoria

What is the MZT?

The MZT is a term that many of the Crownvic.net members call the Marauder airbox, Zip tube and custom computer Tune.

For more information click on the www.Crownvic.net link compliments of dRock

What size u-joint do I need when doing a PI driveshaft swap?

There’s not a clear cut answer to this.  Ford used different manufacturers and depending on who made it and what parts were available will dictate what u-joint you have in the vehicle.  All you need to do is measure the cap size on the front u-joint on your stock driveshaft and then measure the cap size on the new PI aluminum driveshaft.  If they’re the same size then it’s just a straight swap and put the civilian yoke on the PI shaft.  If it’s a different size, just get the correct hybrid joint using the dimensions you got earlier (Hybrid joint found here: http://adtr.net/product/ford-crown-victoria/moog-hybrid-u-joint-1330-to-1350/) and then install the civilian yoke on the PI shaft.

Who do you recommend I get a custom tune from?

Talk to Marty at Mo’s Speedshop Custom Tuning  He knows his stuff and strives to make every customer happy. Tell him Chris sent you!

Rearend Modifications

Do I need friction modifier with a trac-lok rearend?

Yes you do.  We sell the Ford Racing friction modifier and it is required with a trac lok rearend.  If you’re running a synthetic rearend fluid you may not need it as many companies already include it.  Check with the manufacturer to see if it is needed on your application.

My Speedo doesn’t read correctly after a gear change?

After swapping in different gears, you’ll need to adjust the speedo to read correctly.

2002 and earlier cars can swap the mechanical speedo gear to get the speedometer to read correctly. 3.55, 3.73 or 4.10 all uses a 23 tooth speedometer gear. For more precise adjustment a speedcal is suggested.

2003+ cars have no speedo gear and require a computer tune to calibrate the speedometer.

What gear should I put my car?

(Courtesy of TurboVic) Gear choice depends on several things, it’s a trade-off. The more gear you get, the faster you can accelerate, to a point. The trade off is that your gas mileage will suffer with each step up on the gear chain.

 

Most civilian Crown Vics come with 2.73 gears, 3.27 in the performance and handling package (99-00 Vics with P&H get 3.55’s). Police interceptors get 3.27’s from the factory, which was upped to 3.55’s for 99-00.

All civilian Crown Victoria’s come with open differentials, which means you will only leave one mark when you try a burnout. 3.55’s should be the minimum you should consider to up the performance of the Vic. 3.73’s are a much better choice and are still very good with gas mileage. 4.10’s would be about as far as I would go on a modded Vic due to the fact you run out of revs at around 4250rpm.

 

Regardless of which gears you choose, consider it a good time to replace your differential at the same time, the labor is not extra when doing a diff and gears at the same time. Most shops will charge between $250-300 for installation, add an extra $100 if your bearings are shot.

You will need a 23 tooth speedometer gear to switch to any of these gears. With 3.55’s, your speedo will read about 3mph slow at 65mph. With 4.10’s, it will read about 3mph fast. 3.73’s will read about perfect. On the newer cars, you’ll need an electronic speedometer compensator, which is available from Abbott.

What is a trac lok and how can I find out if I have one or not?

Knowing what your car comes from the factory is an important part of upgrading.  No point in buying a complete trac lok assembly if your rearend already has one but it’s just tired and needs to be rebuilt.  There are two ways to figure out what you’ve got in the car

Door Tag:

The easiest way to find out what your rearend has is finding your door tag on the driver’s side door normally near the door latch.  Under the barcode you’ll find a bunch of codes and abbreviations.  The AXLE code is what were interested in.  Find that and look in the list below

Door_tag_sample

  • 2004+:
    • 1 – 2.73 conventional (non limited slip)
    • 4 – 2.73 conventional (non limited slip)
    • 5 – 3.55 conventional (limited slip)
    • C – 3.27 (limited slip)
    • F – 3.55 (locker)
  • 1998-2003:
    • C8 – 2.73 conventional
    • 58 – 2.73 conventional
    • AZ – 3.08 conventional
    • JY – 3.08 conventional
    • MY – 3.08 conventional
    • Z5 – 3.27 conventional
    • X5 – 3.27 (locker)
    • 9E – 3.27 (locker)
    • R2 – 3.55 conventional
    • 55 – 3.55 conventional
    • DK – 3.55 (locker)
    • 56 – 3.55 (locker)
  • Pre 1998:
    • 8 – 2.73 conventional
    • 8M – 2.73 locker
    • Y – 3.08 conventional
    • YZ – 3.08 locker
    • 5 – 3.27 conventional
    • 5E – 3.27 locker
    • 2 – 3.55 conventional
    • 2k – 3.55 locker

Axle Tag:

Get under the vehicle and on the rearend cover there should be a small rectangular metal tag that looks like this 88_axletag

If you’ve got for example a 3 08 then you’ve got an open differential.  If you’ve got a 3L08 then you have a locker.

What is the difference between 28 and 31 spline axles?

28 spline axles are stock on all Panthers up to 2004 except for the Town Car limo packages. 31 spline axles came standard in all 05+ Panthers. To upgrade to a 31 spline trac-lok, you would need to replace the trac-lok unit as well as a set of 31 spline axles.

You can find out your rearend combination by checking out the following vin decoder compliments of Liquid

The advantage of 31 splines is with more splines it can withstand more hp and heavier launches on the track

What’s the difference between the Ford Racing install kit and the Ford Racing overhaul kit?

An install kit is suggested when you replace your rear gears.  The Ford Racing overhaul kit includes axle seals and axle bearings on top of all the shims, crush washer, pinion nut etc that’s included in the basic install kit.  If the car has over 80k miles then I highly suggest the overhaul kit so you hopefully never have to go in there again.

I am running the Ford Racing overhaul kit in Casper and quality and performance have been fantastic so far!

Stainless Works Header and Exhaust Systems

Are all the O2 bungs and EGR hookups still available and part of the long tube header packages?

All factory sensors are still retained.  Depending on you year there will be O2 extensions included for the front sensors and the rear sensors will connect like stock.  EGR is still retained but can be capped off with the Ford Racing EGR cap available through us.

Do I have to lift the engine off the mounts when installing the headers?

We did not on our install.  Some of our customers were able to leave the engine in the mounts while others had to remove the driver’s side engine mount for clearance to install the oil dipstick.  No matter which way you do it, removal of the starter is required.

Do I need new exhaust gaskets or anything else for the install?

Gasket making material, bolts, and hardware are included in the kit. Locking header bolts are available as an option.

Have you had problems with the bolts backing out?

With any header, this is a common occurrence. You will definitely have to tighten them after a couple of heat cycles and you may have to tighten the bolts every once and a while. If it is a big inconvenience you can get the locking header bolts to ensure a tight bolt every time.

What do the systems sound like? Do you have any videos?

Here’s Stainless Works’ promotional video

Here’s our 2004 CVPI with full SW headers/catted lead pipes and SW catback system with chambered mufflers

Here’s some videos of the headers and cat back system installed on customer’s cars
– 2003 CV with SW headers and factory cat back
– Cameron’s CV with SW headers, custom exhaust and Dynomax ultraflow mufflers with turndowns
– Lonnie’s 1999 CV with SW headers/catted lead pipes and SW catback system with s-tube mufflers
-Tom’s 2005 CV with SW headers/catted lead pipes and SW catback system with chambered mufflers

What kind of horsepower gains will I get with the headers?

One of our customers installed headers with the full Stainless Works catback system on a 2006 CVPI and he picked up 18.86 hp and 31.43 ft-lb  Other customers have done drag strip tests and have knocked off .6 – .8 seconds off their 1/4 mile time.  Not only do the systems sound good but they perform great as well!

Will I need a computer tune?

No you will not need a computer tune but they are suggested.

If you chose the off-road version you will need to either get MIL eliminators or turn off the rear O2 sensors.  You may get additional codes as indicated HERE.  A computer tune will be able to remove those issues.

Suspension Modifications

Do the ADTR swaybars include everything needed for installation?

Yes they do assuming you have swaybars on the car currently.  Some models do not have a rear swaybar so the bushing brackets, bolts and nuts need to be purchased to install.

The front bars for the 2003+ cars re-use the stock endlinks so if your endlinks are questionable we suggest replacement.  There are no polyurethane endlinks available for the front swaybars on the 2003+ cars.  Also we suggest factory Ford OE replacement front endlinks on the 03+ cars with ADTR bars as the aftermarket brands (ie Moog) have a larger body size and have been known to rub on the spindle and lower control arm.

Do the Heinous control arms have a HP limit?

Quick answer, no they do not.  They are made out of the same material and have the same bushings as the Metco pieces.  The bushings themselves would fail first before the billet aluminum would break.

I have a PI and have heard the ADTR sway bars don’t fit. Is this true?

No it is not true. If you just bolt it on, the oil cooler line does run into the sway bar. ADTR includes an aluminum spacer to put between the sway bar and the frame if needed for additional clearance. The oil line rests on the bar, but is not bent or kinked.

My car has rear air suspension, will the Heinous or Metco control arms still work?

Yes they will.  Doesn’t matter if its lowered, PI, civilian, spring or air spring, both offerings will fit and improve handling performance.

Using the Metco Aero control arms, how do I change the pinion angle? What advantage is there to adjusting pinion angle?

Check out the following Car Craft article for more information.

(This only applies to 92-97 aero cars using the Metco adjustable upper control arms)

What are some of the more popular suspension mods and why?

Control arms, watts link and swaybars are some of my biggest sellers.

The control arms help put the horsepower to the ground and improve handling as well.  The stock control arms are made of stamped steel and have rubber bushings while the Metco and Heinous offerings are made out of 6061 aluminum and have polyurethane bushings.  The reduction of flex and mushiness of the stock arms and bushings help off the line acceleration by reducing the vehicle’s tendency to squat and improve handling by tightening things up.

The same can be said of the Metco watts link.  The watts link helps keep the rearend centered and the reduction of slop and play from the stock arms aids in cornering ability and makes the car feel much more sure footed in the corners.

The swaybars help even if you’ve got large swaybars from the factory.  The addition of the ADTR swaybars front and back with polyurethane bushings helps keep the body flatter in the corners and makes the car so much more enjoyable in the twisties!

What lube do you suggest I use when installing control arms, watts link or the ADTR swaybars with polyurethane bushings?

Energy Suspension has a specific lube for polyurethane bushings and we suggest that as it’s thicker and stickier than a regular lithium grease.  It should be available at most large chain auto parts stores or contact Chris for pricing.

What’s the difference between the Heinous and Metco control arms?

Either the Heinous or Metco control arms are quality pieces and will give you a noticeable difference in handling and acceleration.  Both are made of 6061 aluminum, both have polyurethane bushings and both have greaseable zerk fittings.  It really just depends on what style you’d like.

Some like the understated and stealthy look which is why I run the black Heinous arms on both my cars.  Others like the silver finish of the Metco pieces and honestly they do look amazing.  Either way you go I can guarantee you’ll be happy with the outcome.  I’ve never once had a customer contact me regretting the upgrade.  There’s a reason the control arms are one of my top sellers!

Why are the Metco Aero arms adjustable? Are they strong enough?

The uppers are adjustable, the lowers are fixed. The upper design of the original Heinous arms was 4 different pieces welded together due the the design of the stock arm. There really isn’t a way to make it cheaper than this. In the end, the cost of the adjustable uppers is maybe a little bit more than the original welded design but also offers pinion angle adjustment and looks super badass.

As for how strong it is I called Metco and did some research online. Metco did an independent tensile strength test of a stock Cobra control arm (before it was IRS) and compared to their adjustable arm offerings and theirs was 440% better out of the box.

My rep at Metco also mentioned that they have customers with 1000+ hp and have had no history of ever breaking or snapping a control arm. Further, Metco completely stands behind all of their products with a lifetime warranty on the bushings. I’m putting a set on the Couch with no reservations.

Why can’t I find lowering springs on your site? What do you recommend?

We stopped selling lowering springs as our supplier was having issues providing good customer service and their springs consistently lowering the advertised drop on multiple CV models.  We suggest you talk to Coilsprings.com and they can custom make springs for your specific application.  Make sure you give them the proper spring code off your spring or you may not get what you want!

Why can’t I use the Energy Suspension control arm kit on my 03 plus Panther?

The suspension design changed on the 03 plus Panthers as they went under a complete redesign and implemented rack and pinion steering.

You can try to make your own kit piece by piece, but as of now, there are no complete kits for 03 plus cars.