difference between 97 & 98?

JiMi_DRiX · Mar 19, 2011

Posting from my phone, excuse the short post please!

We sold a 98gt today, bone stock. It sounds so much better than my 97! This 98 does have the aluminum crossover intake, and mine doesn't. Is that the difference?

Steven · Mar 19, 2011

There was a little difference in the tune and what not. Small things that supposedly increased the power of the 98s over 96/97. Oh, and the biggest defining difference between the two? One was built in late 96, and one was build in late 97.

PI96GT · Mar 19, 2011

Biggest difference is 96-97 cars had return style fuel systems and the 98 had returnless

and the aluminum crossover just means that his factory intake cracked and he went through the TSB ford put out

jo shmo · Mar 19, 2011

dude are cars are twins lol

97 Hitman V6 · Mar 19, 2011

Lol body wise is the 97 is longer 98 is smaller and bubble like

vermilion · Mar 19, 2011

94-98 look the same.

Mustang Mark · Mar 19, 2011

it had a different exhaust...?

JiMi_DRiX · Mar 19, 2011

Mustang Mark said:
it had a different exhaust...?

Stock 98s did?

So Ford didn't replace plastic intakes with aluminum crossover pi intakes?

Mustang Mark · Mar 19, 2011

didnt know it was stock.
no. they got aluminum crossover npi intakes

T-5 Killer · Mar 19, 2011

Mustang Mark said:
it had a different exhaust...?

Didn't the Exhaust style change a little bit, and a ECU change. IIRC The '98s were rated at 5 or 10 more HP.

mike97gt · Mar 19, 2011

returnless fuel system, "head and intake changes" says ford for the extra 10 hp, and the little clock isnt on the top of the dash.

i believe everything else is the same.

wckdgt · Mar 20, 2011

T-5 Killer said:
Mustang Mark said:

it had a different exhaust...?

Click to expand...

Didn't the Exhaust style change a little bit, and a ECU change. IIRC The '98s were rated at 5 or 10 more HP.

98's only had 4 cats 96-97's had 6

JiMi_DRiX · Mar 20, 2011

wckdgt said:
T-5 Killer said:

Mustang Mark said:

it had a different exhaust...?

Click to expand...

Didn't the Exhaust style change a little bit, and a ECU change. IIRC The '98s were rated at 5 or 10 more HP.

Click to expand...

98's only had 4 cats 96-97's had 6

That would definitely explain it. I didnt think of that.

SRT Handz · Mar 20, 2011

I have a Late model 1998 GT

Here are a few things...

- My 98' Came with 6 Cats
- my car came with no dash clock
- My car has a returnless fuel system
- My 1998 came with a plastic crossover, but i had the manifold changed through the Ford TSB. My manifold was used in court during the court case in trial.

98 motors are the same as 97, just the fuel system and the tune is different.

Also, 98's had the different cup holders like 1999's

JiMi_DRiX · Mar 20, 2011

Thanks Handz. Do you know if it was possible to replace the plastic crossover intake with a PI intake if it was done later on? Even my friends 96 sounds different, I am unsure how many cats are on it though.

SRT Handz · Mar 20, 2011

I dont really understand your question but you can install a PI intake on NPI heads.

I just said screw the BS and swapped a whole PI motor in my 98*

JiMi_DRiX · Mar 20, 2011

I meant that say years later the intake cracked or someone chose to have it replace as a precaution to it cracking, could you have put a PI intake on it instead. Would that intake make the car sound any different? I'm just trying to figure out why this bone stock 98 that we sold at the dealership yesterday sounds meatier than my 97 when it was stock, and I dont think its the mufflers. Maybe it had less cats, or its the intake, that was my two guesses.

I'd love to do a PI motor swap, or a Termi swap some day. But with the low miles on my car, I dont have any reason to other than my hot rod mind craving some more power. haha.

SRT Handz · Mar 20, 2011

After PI motor swapping my car, I realized my NPI motor was weak sauce.

JiMi_DRiX · Mar 20, 2011

Yeah, I've driven plenty of PI mustangs long before I got my 97. I didnt know the difference back then until I got in mine, took it for a spin, and noticed the tires wouldnt chirp from 1st to 2nd lol. It'll definitely get its drivetrain done some day. I said the same thing about my Monte Carlo, and it did get done. I just dont know what I want to go with in the Mustang. Something suitable for daily driving and simple, or will I have a different daily driver by that time and be able to do something a little wild? I guess it depends on my time and money when the day comes.

I still have no idea why that 98 sounded different/better.