ford 302 mustang build

[sweetk30]

doing a motor swap buildup of a 87 notch back mustang in the shop .

he picked all the parts and i was to just install them . . . ya right its a ford thing . . .

so today i go to install the new water pump on the long block 331 stroker he got and it wont even fit . come to find out its got a timing cover on it from the builder for a 94-95 mustang or 96-01 explorer 5.0 suv . problem is the pumps have different pulley flange heights . . . so for now the pump install is on hold .

so now i am mocking up the kenne bell FLOWZILA s/c kit and the unit hits the tall valve covers . kind of figured it might . so i stuck a 2x4 in for a spacer and its about cleared at 1.5" spacer . problem is no one i can fine quick make more than a 1" spacer for a gt40 intake . the k/b unit uses only a gt40 intake .

so i need to see what shorter valve covers we can use and then what thickness spacer it will still need . then figure out the water pump setup and hope i wont have to change the WHOLE front timing cover out on a brand new engine .

oh ya and were doing a a/c delete and p/s delete at the same time . this also make it fun as to how to mount the support bracket and run the belt on the 302 with just crank / water / alt / s/c . . . .

pic #1 no 2x4 spacer .
pic #2 spacer between the s/c and lower intake .

 

[sweetk30]

more back story on this thing from my engine ? thread in the garage section . if mine i would have never built it this way . what do you guys think ?

so its not a gm but a ford i am helping with .

fuel around here is max 91oct at pump unless 30 min drive each way for 110 no lead . no E85 unless 1hr drive each way .


331 stroker at 425hp/400ft lb at 9.75:1 static comp ratio . 58cc dart pro 1 heads . full roller engine . scat cast crank . other goody parts . here is the engine page . https://www.tristarengines.com/perf...s-retro-fit-hydraulic-roller-camshaft-lifters and looks like flat top 4 valve relief pistions in the holes when i look in the plug holes with a light .

he has this to drop on it . http://www.tpsmotorsports.com/kenne...-1986-1993-5-0l-mustang-supercharger-kit.html

using this program calculator https://www.rbracing-rsr.com/compression.htm and knowing he got a 6 / 9 / 12 psi pulley combo for it i played with the #'s and fond a BIG problem .

static comp ratio on new engine is 9.75:1 with the pistons and 58cc heads .
all info specs are at 1k feet above sea level in the calculator.
6...psi = 13.53:1
9...psi = 15.52:1
12 psi = 17.51:1

if we drop to a more normal static for a blower engine that i could see surviving i picked 8.50:1 just to play with the #'s and here is what i got .
6...psi = 11.77:1
9...psi = 13.50:1
12 psi = 15.24:1

also keep in mind this engine was sold as a N/A engine so ring gaps and suck parts are NOT set up for the big boost #'s i see if its going to run and live .

he was talking with tri star engines and told them he was going to put this blower on it and run 6 or 9psi a lot of the time and maybe toss on the 12 psi for fun ( but looks like now at this time ) . they didnt even install a blower cam that is offered for the maker they used and super close to the specs of the one in it now . also the one in it now is 110* LSA and the car is a 87 mustang with stock efi and crane cams fireball box and coil unit .

i just dont see the engine holding up at all to this combo of parts as it sits . i told him i dont play with motors but my own so i am NOT tearing in to this engine to swap stuff / fix stuff / bla bla bla . . . .and this would also void his warranty .

i told him also stock 5.0 blocks are limited to around 550 hp N/A or less on blower setups and strokers . he was thinking stud / main girdle but the builder talked him out of it . . ..

next was the parts LMR sold him for the clutch kit . the 28oz ALUMINUM flywheel is sfi spec and has grd 8 bolts and lockwashers in a ZIP LOCK BAG . . https://lmr.com/item/SPC-SF82A/Spec-Mustang-Aluminum-Flywheel-28oz-86-95-SF82A

the clutch kit was sold to him as holding up to the power of the new engine and blower . . . i call bull crap this motor if running now would make more than the 567 ft lb torque spec max it shows . https://lmr.com/item/SPC-SF482/Spec-Stage-2-Clutch-Mustang-86-01 its also NOT sfi rated and the pressure plate hardware has socket head allen 12.9 bolts and the thinnest crappy looking lockwashers .

he has a tremec t-56 6 speed in it already when i purchased the car . so we dont know if its built or just a std kit trans . it has some tags / stickers on it i will read up and find info on them . otherwise who knows if the t-56 will hold this much power and survive .

he is doing the car for street and 1/4 mile fun . tubular K-member conversion front end and coil overs . man rack conversion . has bigger brakes and 5 lug swap kit front and rear on the ford 8.8" rear .

most all the stuff he has got is from LMR and i am NOT impressed . there has been ZERO directions given and it all looks like cheeper china grade import junk to me . but i am not sure since its all ford .

i know this is a lot to read . but if any real more in depth engine guys can help we would be greatfull . . . . i am just the install guy and he picked all this stuff and it just showed up or i would have directed him to a better engine before he got this far down the rabbit hole.

 

[sweetk30]

so we got a set of FAB v/c coming with the top edge and bottom edge cut at 45* unlike the current ALL tall v/c on the engine . this should let us drop the thickness of the spacer way down . and now we know a 1.5" will just clear the current TALL v/c setup we figure the FAB v/c will let us get away with 1" spacer . if not we also ordered a 3/8" spacer and will just stack them .

but i did get the engine and k-member up in the car today and set the blower on with the 1.5" thick 2x4 and closed the 3" open bottom cowl induction hood and i can fit my hand over the top most point so we are good for room .

so waiting for the 94-95 only mustang water pump ( got a hd high flow ) / valve covers / 2 sets of spacers . then mock the whole unit up and fab a s/c nose mount bracket for the head to s/c mount and figure out the belt routing as we ditched a/c & p/s all together .

here is looking in the back of the hood at the s/c unit .

 

[sweetk30]

long hard fight to make stuff ALL play together in 1 package .

used a trick flow 1" gt40 style upper intake spacer kit . then swapped to fabricated style valve covers to get the top notch area gone and let the blower sit lower otherwise it would of been over 1.5" of spacer needed . this would have been 2 options . stack spacers or custom made from aluminum . we chose option 3 fabricated covers .

next was the custom rear support bracket i had to fab up since the blower kit one is for ALL STOCK and we are far from that level . i used some 1.5" wide x 3/16" thick bar stock and bent and welded up a beefy brace thats a LOT stronger than the nice little aluminum one they include . i used the same bolt hole location they showed in the directions on the blower body and then picked up 2 unused holes in the back of the driver side head .

the clutch kit went in along with the aluminum flywheel kit . i picked up some better bolts local in grd 8 for the bell housing to engine as the ones in it before were not the best length to fit good .

setting up for a body drop on job friday night now. rounding up a few friends for the extra eye's on this install .

 

[Wes Harden]

I don't think I would ever supercharge a cast crank. I am with you the static compression is to high for boost. 8.5 CR might be a little high as well, for the crap gas we have. Do you know if the oil cooler adapter has a thermostat, if so what brand and $$

Looks cool, and you will probably have to change that timing cover

 

[Truckman4life]

Looks like he's gonna be driving to get race gas.