rebuilding options?
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rebuilding options?
Hey guys i was wondering what would be a good engine for my 95 Flair Side. Of course it has the 302, but the blocks I hear are pretty weak, so I was thinking maybe a 351w. The 351w is pretty much a bolt on swap right? Also, I have to have a turbo, low boost at maybe 8psi. My friend has a 99 Mountaineer with the gt40p heads thats about to get repoed so he told me to swap the heads and intake with mine. so i'm gettng a VERY nice freebie. Here's my question, to make a low boost engine with two t3/t4 hybrids with gt40p heads and intake, would it be better to rebuild the 302 or find a 351w. I will be using stock internals by the way. Also, i think i have the e-aod tranny, will it hold the extra power with a valve body kit or do i have to upgrade the clutches. Or will it be better to swap a 5 speed in and if so what 5 speed to use. i love a manual because i control when to hear the BOV.....hehe. Thanks in advance!
FTE Legend
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 31,930
Likes: 1,499
From: Ottawa, Ontario
A few points here...
8PSI is not low boost in a truck.
Your truck intake won't fit under the hood of a Mountaineer. I think the dealer will notice the hood doesn't close and the engine doesn't look like all the other SUV's on the lot.
You'll have to build custom headers for those GT40P heads or use the stock manifolds from the Mountaineer.
Stock internals are no good for a blown motor, you need low compression forged pistons and high quality fasteners minimum.
IMO, you get more power and better performance in a truck with a hopped up 351 running 9:5-10:1 compression on aluminum heads than with a blown 302.
8PSI is not low boost in a truck.
Your truck intake won't fit under the hood of a Mountaineer. I think the dealer will notice the hood doesn't close and the engine doesn't look like all the other SUV's on the lot.
You'll have to build custom headers for those GT40P heads or use the stock manifolds from the Mountaineer.
Stock internals are no good for a blown motor, you need low compression forged pistons and high quality fasteners minimum.
IMO, you get more power and better performance in a truck with a hopped up 351 running 9:5-10:1 compression on aluminum heads than with a blown 302.
Elder User
Joined: Nov 2006
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From: Pensacola, FL
your tranny should be an E4od or a 4r70w, no such thing as an e-aod. there is a aod-e, but you shouldn't have that in a 95 model, the mountaineer probably has the car intake for hood clearance. i would go to a junkyard and get the stock parts for the mountaineer, so you can still get the performance stuff for free. but i wouldn't just bolt on the performance and turbo parts onto your motor without a rebuild first. i agree with Conanski that 8psi is more mid level boost. you could go with an adjustable kit where you can go from say 5psi up to 10psi, and figure out where your truck runs best.
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i agree that 8psi is not that low but why would i need low comp pistons. the comp ratio in the trucks is only 9.0:1 correct that is low enough for 12psi. there are tons of street cars, including my friends honda civic that are running 9.1:1 pistons with 15psi. e4od sorry, so would the tranny be ok? i will rebuild the engine before boost, thats a no brainer. im not worried about the intake just the p heads will be used. sorry for my lack of knowledge, as you see by my name, i drove RX-7s all my life and never owned a piston engine until my f150. i will have a boost controller so thats no prob. so should i just stick to my 302 for this or swap to 351. also i hear that 92-93 mustang roller blocks are a great canidate for a swap because they are already rated at i think 200hp? i hope to god a iron block v8 with low compression can handle 8psi!
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Joined: Jan 2006
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From: The dark carnival
Originally Posted by rx7delsol
i agree that 8psi is not that low but why would i need low comp pistons. the comp ratio in the trucks is only 9.0:1 correct that is low enough for 12psi. there are tons of street cars, including my friends honda civic that are running 9.1:1 pistons with 15psi.
There are many other things to take into consideration when using forced induction such as exhaust, intercooler, bottom end etc etc
FTE Legend
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 31,930
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From: Ottawa, Ontario
Originally Posted by rx7delsol
i agree that 8psi is not that low but why would i need low comp pistons. the comp ratio in the trucks is only 9.0:1 correct that is low enough for 12psi. there are tons of street cars, including my friends honda civic that are running 9.1:1 pistons with 15psi. e4od sorry, so would the tranny be ok? i will rebuild the engine before boost, thats a no brainer. im not worried about the intake just the p heads will be used. sorry for my lack of knowledge, as you see by my name, i drove RX-7s all my life and never owned a piston engine until my f150. i will have a boost controller so thats no prob. so should i just stick to my 302 for this or swap to 351. also i hear that 92-93 mustang roller blocks are a great canidate for a swap because they are already rated at i think 200hp? i hope to god a iron block v8 with low compression can handle 8psi!
Moderator
Joined: Jun 2003
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From: Calhoun GA
Running the highest octane possible, and a spark plug with a lower heat range than stock, is a must in a boosted application.
I wouldn't consider 8psi a high boost application, however, even a 4-6psi application can destroy a motor if it isn't tuned properly. And if the charge temps are too high, then some type of charge cooling is needed.
I wouldn't consider 8psi a high boost application, however, even a 4-6psi application can destroy a motor if it isn't tuned properly. And if the charge temps are too high, then some type of charge cooling is needed.
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Hotshot
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 14,285
Likes: 12
From: Bend,OR
i wouldnt run P heads, do many exhaust limitations there. also they are iron and will be more apt to detonation. if your going with this build properly, locate some AFR heads or trickflow heads
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Moderator
Joined: Jun 2003
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From: Calhoun GA
Lower octane fuel, high charge temps and/or poor tuning is the main cause of pre-ignition. I can't tell you how many GEN 1 Lightning owners still run their stock heads (not the P versions though), with boost, and they all run fine when they're dialed in properly.
Trick Flow and AFR heads are excellent options indeed, and will out perform a set of GT-40's.
Trick Flow and AFR heads are excellent options indeed, and will out perform a set of GT-40's.