Hi guys, I have a 1990 Ford Bronco. I'm going to tackle my first engine build within the next month. I'm going to start with a fuel injected 351W (5.8L) short block engine. My goal by the time I'm done is to build an engine that cranks out close to 400 l.b. torque, and around 350-380 horsepower!!

To help you guys help me, the purpose of my truck is a daily driver/weekend off-roader. Even though I want it to be able to be a daily driver, I still want to blow the doors of other trucks/most cars!!!

I would really appreciate some help in deciding what parts (cylinder heads, valves, intake manifold, cam, EVERYTHING ELSE) to use in this engine that will achieve my goal. Like I said before this is my FIRST engine build so I would apprecate all the help I can get. Thanks a bunch!!!!

 

AFR 185's
Edelbrock Truck EFI
61MM BBK TB
1 5/8x3" LT headers
2 3/4" dual exhaust
220 @ .050 intake duration high lift cam (at least)
MAS conversion
Reprogrammed chip
Forged rotating assembly for nitrous.

That's all I can't think of off the top of my head at the moment.
Ohh and lots of $$$$$$$

 

Hi guys, I have another question. When putting an engine together do you guys reccomend using thread-lock on some of the bolts. Or will that cause problems.

 

Personally I don't. I actually use lube to help give me a good torque reading.

 

DON'T use thread lock. Chances are that it will either not stand up under the heat, and if it does it will be on something that you want to take apart again later. I've had a lot less trouble over the years with things automotive not wanting to come apart than with a bolt loosening and something falling off. Proper bolts in good condition torqued to the correct specs will hold up to the job they're supposed to do. Something such as anti-sieze on blots/fittings going into water jackets is never a bad idea though.

 

Hi guys, I understand that my 1990 Bronco is equipeed with speed density and not mass air. Is it really necessary to convert my truck to mass air. Can I just put in larger fuel injectors, and adjust the timing> I appreciate all of your help.

 

When you change the vacuum signal with a big cam or better breathing heads that's when you start to have problems with speed density. SD is designed to operate within a certain amount of vacuum. When the MAP sensor is given a vacuum signal out of it's range the computer will try to adjust for it by over compensating with timing and fuel pressure. When it cannot compensate it goes to limp mode.

Going to a larger injector won't keep the computer from changing the fuel pulse width. Often making it run rich because with a reduced vacuum signal, the computer thinks it's at half throttle or more.

MAS reads intake airflow instead of a vacuum signal, adapting to any changes made.

 

You can build a decent 351 and keep the stock system.

I have a 302 with a bigger cam and stock injection and works fine. you just can't go too radical one your setup, and with power like you want it should be possible.

Start with a stock 351 bottom end.
Use a comp 351 cam for the fuel injection(roller if available)
World products rousch 200 heads, and roller tip roller rockers.
Headers and 2.5 inch duals.

THis is a good setup possible of the 350-75hp and 400 torque range. My 302 with similiar setup is roughly 325hp and 375 torque. Keep the Speed Density, its possible to make more power. And a setup like this is good if you want to supercharge or turbocharge with plenty of extra room for mods. Also a ignition like msd and a computer chip would help.

 

First things first..... you really need to give us a budget because as you have witnessed from the above responses, the engine build you are about to encounter can lighten your wallet anywere from 4k-10k, a pretty big range. its what I like to call, cubic dollars.

 

Hi, I did soem searching and discovered that instead of switching my truck over to mass air, I can just get a custom chip burned for the computer. THey sell them on this site for only $350!!

As for my budget. I'm trying not to go over $7000.00!! Hope that's enough.

 

$7000!!!! Wow! That outta buy a lot of cubic dollars? Sounds like maybe you don't wanna mess with the wiring mess of changing over to MAS. You ever though about dumping the fuel injection altogether? Personally if I had $7000 to spend and since I'm limited in the whole Fuel Injection knowledge and also keeping in mind that I might want to change my setup in the future which might require ANOTHER chip to be burnt I would just carb. it so I can work on it myself. The only thing you would have to buy to change over to a carb. is a fuel regulator and an ignition system (unless I'm forgetting something). Also if your not goint to rev the motor over around 6000rpm you could just use a factory ford Duraspark system from any 1974-1984 ford vehicle, it's very easy to wire up. I would be happy to give you a wiring schematic for using the Duraspark setup.
For well under $100 you can have Duraspark and a fuel regulator. That leaves $6,900 left for a very wild carb.'d motor. Heck for about $2500 you could very easily reach 400hp at safe rpm's and on pump fuel.

My 400HP motor would go something like this:
351w block and rods
3.85 stroke crank (yields 393ci)
World Product Windsor Sr. heads or Roush 200's
Keith Black KB364 pistons (9.3:1 or so with above heads)
700-750 Holley carb.
Roller Rockers
Aluminum intake -- Single Plane or Dual Plane would depend on cam choice and rpm range wanted
ARP rod bolts
I am building a similar motor at this time but am using the smaller Windsor Jr. heads and a much lighter vehicle. Will have about $2000 invested and am hoping for around 450hp which may take a big bumpstick and lots of rev.'s
Of course maybe carbing is not what you want but is definately the route I would take because of the aforementioned little knowledge of fuel injection and my ability to work on it myself.

 

Hi guys, thanks for all the help. Here is a list of what my truck's engine will consist of.

I will start out with a stock 351W short-block.

I went with the Edelbrock cam. The specs are, 210/216 dur. @.050, valve lift is 0.469/0.484.

For inake I went with the Edelbock performer series upper/lower intake.

For heads, I went with the Edelbrock pefromer series complete heads. They have 1.90" intake valves. The exhaust valves are not listed. THey have 60cc combustion chambers.

For push-rods, I'm using hardened chrome-moly. For rocker-arms I'm using pedestal mount rocker arms from a 82-95 5.0L V8.

Other parts include:
Milidon Hi-flow water pump
Ford motorsorts valve covers
New Accel distributor
New accel spark plug wires (blue)
Complete gasket set from fel-pro
New 21 lb fuel injectors
Stock oil pan
ARP engine bolt kit
Custom burned Diablo sport chip.

Let me know what you guys think!!!

 

That sounds good, not too radical for the SD.

 

I agree that is fairly mild. In fact I beleive you may fall short on the HP and Torque numbers that you wanted. Good luck with your first motor and most of all have fun!

 

Are you saying you have $7000 for just the motor. With that knid of money I would go with AFR 185's, 408 stroker crank 6.2" Chevy rods, 9.5-10:1 compression a roller cam, roller rockers, and the Mass airflow kit which is very easy to install.