LYCOS RETRIEVER 
1986: 1986 Mustang
built 478 days ago
The 1986 Mustang had some interesting new changes. For example, 1986 proved to be the last year for the SVO that had lasted a full three model years. Also, a third brake light was introduced on the Mustangs this model year as well. The 1986 Mustangs were very similar to the 1985 Mustangs regarding the available engines as well as exterior design. The 5.0L V8 was reduced to 200 horsepower from 210 and the 302 small block was changed for a specialized head that reduced emissions. Unfortunately, the new high swirl valve head did not enhance Mustang performance but rather hindered it. Due to lack of performance and plenty of competition Ford decided to dump the new valve heads and return to the wedge heads that had been used from '68-'85.
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Although visually, the 1986 Mustang GT was nearly identical to the 1985 GT, under the hood was a completely different story. Replacing the tried and true 4V carburetor was a sequential multiple-port fuel injection system perched atop a revised 302 HO V8 block. This engine was installed in both the manual transmission and automatic overdrive units with horsepower now equal for both. Although horsepower was down 10, torque was up 15 foot-pounds. The compression ratio was increased from 8.4:1 to 9.2:1 with new forged flat-top pistons and redesigned cylinder heads featuring a new fast-burn combustion chamber. While retaining the roller lift cam and stainless steel tubular headers, the new fuel injection setup featured a 58mm throttle body (540 cfm) with 19 lb-hr.
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Although the 1986 Mustangs were very similar to the 1985 models changes definitely occurred. For example, the 1986 5.0 HO had a fuel injection induction system. This new system resulted in 19 lb-hr injectors on a 58mm throttle body with an aluminum intake manifold. The resulting horsepower was 200 on the manual and automatic GTs. A dual exhaust system was introduced as well that meant two catalytic converters that led the exhaust to the �Stang's tail pipes.
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Basically, by 1986 everything including the basic short block had been redesigned or exchanged in the 5.0L. The 5.0L GTs were frisky and gutsy and demanding respect. But with the '80s perfommance wars heating up, Ford decided that the high-swirl heads were a poor choice for the 5.0L Mustang and that the old wedge heads should be reintroduced. The stage was now set for the fuel injected engines to follow.
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1986 Mustang