Mild performance engine build suggestions

Here's a great combo that's garanteed to burn the tires down on demand, yet still get excellant fuel economy: Stock Ford roller 5.0 shortblock from a 94-97 E or F series (van or truck) or a 96-2001 Explorer/Mountaineer 5.0 (these already have great heads in the GT40/GT40P, only the P's will give you header selection fits) Augment the cam's lift with a set of 1.7 pedestal full roller rockers, top it with a Ford A321 intake (highrise dual plane as I mentioned earlier in this thread) top it with a Holley 570 Street Avenger carb, add headers. This combo gets 16-18 MPG in my 89 Ranger (3800 lbs) without overdrive at 70 mpg. It will melt the 275/60's down with traction loc on demand. Pulls smooth as silk from idle to 6000. Runs on 87 octane fuel with 12* initial timing. I wouldn't be surprised to see it get 20 mpg with overdrive. And that's better than a friend's 1999 Mountaineer with the same engine fed by EFI. The roller cam in these motors when used with 1.7 rockers specs like this: .445/.473 lift, 1.6 rockers is .422/.445. Advertised duration is 256/266 degrees with a 116* LSA. The HO roller has slightly more lift on the intake and about 10-20 degrees more duration (depending on where you get the specs from) with a 115.5 LSA.

 

I built everything around the cam I decided on. On my trip from Seattle to Los Angeles & back, I averaged anywhere from 19mpg to 23mpg. Once I got back home & just drive it local, not so high. Just can't help myself, I have to get on it... Hard to keep your foot out of it when it sounds so good. I love to feel the power. PaulS built my trans to withstand up to 500hp. My car will never see that kind of horsepower. I'm more around the 300hp level. Paul told me if I stay at 300hp it's the last transmission I'll ever need to buy. Got to say that the trans & 2500rpm torque converter really woke up the engine. The 355 gears help it also. I like the feel of getting thrown back in the seat, when the converter kicks in. Wish I had a video camera, so you could hear the lope @ idle. Talk about a sleeper....LOL Great street car & not bad @ the track. My quickest time was 14:40 @ 92mph, in the 1/4 mile. Last year in Canada @ the track I was in the high 14's. Hope this info helps. I was on a buget when I did the rebuild. I'll add up my receipts & let you know the price.

 

Coop i don't know how you drove from seattle to LA...lol

i cant imagine doing that in my mav(because of gas prices)....I'll probably just end up flying out there later on this year, i'll be next door to you in auburn

 

Really wish I had someone around here to talk the details of building an engine but all I have is you guys (which is more than enough in my humble opinion!).

Regarding cams: I'm about 99% sure I'm going to spring for the E-Street aluminum heads and it was mentioned that there are some cams that go with it, but I couldn't find anything on the Edelbrock site or a search of the interwebs. I'm still waffling on the RPM vs Air-Gap but I'm going to take it slowly as I'm sure my choice in cam will also influence that. Won't be going over on the bottom end; everything looks tight and I'd rather not tear it up any more than I need to (plus this is getting 'spensive!!). I still can't find anything with the low duration Coop and others have mentioned - y'all have any part numbers to your cams, or am I missing something in the "advertised" duration numbers?

 

If you've got a flat tappet block, you can't go wrong with a Comp Cams 268H. If you're going to drive it primarily in warm weather, go with the Air gap RPM. If not, go with the RPM, or Ford's A321. If you've got a roller block, you've got lots of good cams to choose from, both stock and aftermarket. For a stock roller, you've got the F4TE (this is the one I'm running in the Ranger's 5.0) or the HO roller. There's also the GT40 cam, but these are hard to come by. They were only used in the Cobra 5.0's and the 93 T-Bird. The F4TE was used in all 94-97 pickup/van 5.0's and the 96-2001 Explorer/Mountaineer 5.0. The HO roller was used from 85 to 95 in the Mustang HO 5.0 and in the Lincoln Mark VII LSC. Basically what you're looking for in a cam is something with the advertised duration numbers from 260 to 270-280. Or the @.050 from 195 to 220. A wider LSA (112-116) is also something to look for, even with a carbed motor, this gives you more bottom end and fuel economy while still being able to deliver power up to 6500 rpms. The total lift specs will need to be determined by the valve springs you use, but typically these cams will also have less lift than bigger cams which will keep you out of coil bind territory

 

Not sure how to say this,,, Bottom end is the foundation. It needs going over and brought up to snuff, may look ok but that may be the only ok part of it. Not sure how many miles on engine and how many were run with the gas in oil?

If you want to leave bottom end alone, I would go over stock heads, clean everything up and put engine back together stock.

Put your cash aside as you gather your list on new engine and when your close to the budget, start your project.

Your old engine is set for the compression you have now. I've seen on older engines when they do a good head job, ups the compression from "tired state" , higher compression blows the rings out. Bottom end is the best and first place to start,,, but that is just my opinion,,, yep, we all got one and they all stink! well except mine, hee hee

 

The regrind cam & lifter set cost me $94. Machine shop charge for boring .030 $109. The master engine kit cost $352. This consisted of connecting rod set, main bearings, piston ring set, cam bearing set, timing chain & gears, oil pump, master gasket set, oil pump shaft, & freeze plug set. I got a new flywheel 157 teeth $25. U-joints $20. Flowtech headers $90, power steering drop down bracket for headers $16. Spark plugs $11. 3 core radiator $202. Holley Street Avenger carb 570cfm $350. Taylor spark plug wires $$43. Manifold gasket $12. RPM Performer intake manifold $190. Ford racing valve covers $130. Motor & trans mounts $39. Torque converter 2500rpm $230. Another $100 for misc items, hoses, belts, fuel pump, air filter, etc. I kept the stock heads.
The grand total $2013. Later on I added a built C-4 $750 from PaulS (2009). And had my rear springs rearched & added a 4th leaf $175 (2005). Just remember that I built my engine in 2001. Prices may very...LOL Engine still running strong, no problems after 9 years.

 

When I drove to California, it was in 2006, to the Knotts Berry Farm show. I'm 2 blocks from Auburn. Give me a call when you get here. I'll show you my collection & we'll talk Mavericks/Comets...LOL

 

Two blocks from Auburn ? Do they still make "Tim's Cascade" potato chips there ? And try to tone down your results, you wouldn't want those who advocate using smaller intake manifolds (like the Performer) change their minds about using high rise intakes on mild builds. "it's not supposed to work, they're not matched parts"

 

This week I've been researching cams, trying to figure out what configuration (rise/duration) I wanted, and completely skipped over the roller/flat tappet part. Many of the cams I've been looking at are roller; a 73 Maverick stock block would be flat tappet, correct? I've read there are roller conversion kits available but would it be worth it to go that route? I'd hate to spring for a flat tappet cam then realize later for just a bit more on the conversion kit I could have had better mpg/hp/etc.

Yesterday I went and ordered the E-Street heads (#5023, max height .550). My plan, if all goes well, is to piece this engine together next week; right now I'm waiting on a few incidentals and my cam choice. The plan is to hold off on boring the cylinders - I'd do it now if it wasn't for the fact that 1) the local machine shop is backed up several weeks (they gave me the best price and are the best in the area), 2) I need my car on the road so I can stop using my leased, almost-over-its-miles current car, and 3) because I'm about to enter the poorhouse. Seriously. This car will bankrupt me (but be awesome).

 

Well your block is a flat tappet block and to go roller in it will cost you three times as much a flat tappet grind will. Now considering the increased cam failures flat tappets have had in the past ten or so years, maybe that's money well spent. What I would do is buy a roller short block, replace the rod bolts (unless you fork out the extra dough and buy a S/Block from a reputable engine builder) replace the cam with the performance roller of choice ( I like the economy of a barely used off the shelf grinds, others don't.) bolt on your heads and intake and enjoy. This way you can keep driving your car while you assemble the engine. And didn't you mention a $4000 budget ? With that kind of money, you can buy a hell of a stroker motor. That's about what I spent on my 331 6 years ago, less the 3x2 induction ($4500 total with the 3x2's)

 

will do! thanks:Handshake

 

Based on a few observations (such as the E-Street heads not having drill holes for the pulley brackets and my dwindled budget), there's been a minor change of plans: I've decided to, for the moment, use the stock heads and only do minor upgrades to the engine and later build up another 302. So far I have a Performer RPM intake, 600cfm Edelbrock 4bbl, the Hookers that came with the car and, if all goes well, a new cam. I'm having difficulties locating stock valves though, neither Jegs nor Summit has them and most of the area automotive shops don't carry them either; I was hoping, if the price was right, to replace them (one seems a bit bent but may still be within specs). The real question though is the cam height allowance: as I'm using the stock heads and hardware, I don't want to get a cam that has too much lift but I also have no idea how high is too high for stock. A pretty comprehensive search on Google also isn't helping me, which comes as something of a surprise. Anyone know the tolerances of the stock block and heads for a cam? I was thinking of the Edelbrock Performance Plus (not the RPM) camshaft but really need to know whether it's too high or okay.

ETA: Also the Dude brought up a good point for now: there's a smog port in the back of the heads for the emissions control crap. Other than putting a plate over it is there anything we can use to plug it that will look semi-decent when it's painted?

 

Cam for a stock heads and springs ? Go with a Comp 268H. It's designed to work with everything you have. If you need replacement valves, I've got lots of good used extras.

 

Is this the comp cam you were talking about? Looks like a good height/duration for what I want; I probably wouldn't want to go any higher than this for the stock motor, but what are the limits for replacing a stock cam? I was also thinking of the Edelbrock Performer Plus cam set which is close to the same lift/duration; would either work? The Edelbrock is a few dollars cheaper which is why I'm asking.

I may take you up on the valves but we're still trying to figure out whether we're going to port the heads or not. So far it's just one valve that's not within clearance but then we've only gotten to one head. If I get a new cam I'm probably getting hardened valves to replace what I have; if I do go the machine shop route hopefully they can find some in the new size.

Any thoughts on the head's smog port plugging problem?