New Engine

[bidibronco]

Okay, I finally got my block and stuff from the machine shop and if all goes well today I'll start the fun process of putting everything together. I plan on taking pictures of the build while I'm doing it and was wondering if anyone would be interested in a short write up as I go along? The only thing I'm not doing is putting the heads together. They were rebuilt a little while ago and they cleared for spring rate for my cam and spring lift as well. Let me know what you guys think and if there is anything in particular I should imphasize (spelling?) on or any "up close and personnal" pics anyone wants. Thanks!

 

[Broncobill78]

Well if anyone misses *this* write-up you'll be building another engine in what, 5 or 6 months, right ? /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" /> Now remember, when you torque those fasteners the specs are different between oiled & dry /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" /> I got nothin' but love for ya Bidi, nothin' but love. Have a good time putting it together.

 

[bidibronco]

Actually, the engine I just pulled out I had in there for right at a year so you're off by 6 or 7 mos! I can't help it! I like this crap and it's friggin' fun! I guess I'll just have to leave you out of my little loop I have. I actually found a 408 stroker kit for $800 and thought about that one too but the better half said "if you enjoy sleeping in the bed or in this house by that matter you better re-think that." My guess is she doesn't want me to get it? Oh well, maybe in 5 or 6 mos or so? You gotta love the bidi!

 

[Broncobill78]

While I can appreciate the HP & torque gains to be had with a stroker kit I really think it's a trend that's been taken too far. Or at the very least it's for guys with pockets a *whole* lot deeper than mine. Me, personally, when I build an engine I like to have something that I can pretty much run for the lift of the truck. You choose good matched parts (intake, exhaust, etc) and build a nice stout engine. After a few years and some miles you pull it for a "refresh", clean up the cylinders, new bearings & rings and you're good to go for another 8-10yrs. But with the strokers people have pretty much taken high-end engines and made them disposable throw-aways. I mean they're boring them as close to the water-jackets as they can get and running huge cranks. Not only does the block itself start breaking down after only 5-6yrs of hard use but once it does there's nothing left to do with it but throw it away and start all over again. I'll take a standard bore & stroke any day. If you want the cubes then buy the engine a 429/460 will not only outrun & outpull any stroked small block out there but it will out*last* tham as well. Start w/a standard bore & you can rebuild that thing at least twice & probably 3 times by taking care of it & cleaning up the cylinders w/a .020 overbore each time around.

I suppose it makes some degree of sense for a competition car where the engine isn't likely to last more than a season or two anyways but it just seems like such a waste on a street truck. Just build a 400 for goodness sake /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" /> with a good intake, TBI conversion, a roller cam & headers you'll see 300-320hp easy.

 

[bidibronco]

Well, I wasn't wanting to build it for the Bronco by no means but I just figured it would be a fun "project" to do. But then common sense showed up and I realized I have nothing to put it in and in a year I'm moving across crountry and it does't seem feesable to do. Now when I get home I may build an old pinto or something (just because I don't ever see thoes things) and may turn it into a fun little car. The engine I'm putting together now is a standard stroke but a 30 over bore size with some Keith Black forged flat tops and forged rods. I'm putting in a crane cam hydrolic flat tappit cam and then I have the intake and such and have a very mild port on the heads. Just enough to smooth them out basicaly. If this engine doesn't do it for me then I will build a big block or most likely just get a crate engine. I love building and tinkering but I wish it was on another vehicle. This will be try #4 in this Bronco and I know the first two were because of my big right foot but now it's lost some weight and I just want to be able to get when I need to and maybe pull a trailer with a toy on her or something. I'm sure this windsor will do it though. Just wish the wife and boy weren't sick so I could be building insted of cleaning house. Oh well, I guess there's always after work.

 

[Broncobill78]

Why the hydraulic instead of a roller ? A roller will handle *much* more agressive lobe timing & valve events and roller blocks are sprinkled like fairey dust across the junkyard landscape. You seem like a Big Cam kinda guy, figured it would be a gimme w/anything you built.

How much longer have you got ? What's your seperation date ?

 

[bidibronco]

I do want a bigger cam but don't want to go MAF or carbed nor do I want to get a stall converter at the time. I like my SD system for some reason so that limits me and I don't like the price of roller cams, at least not on this budget. I know that with roller lifters you can "re-use" them but why go all the way and re-use the old ones and that was pricey as well. After I get out and get on my feet a little better I may build another one wih more potential but at the moment my engine is at a buddies house and he doesn't like to keep the little shop we have clean so that bothers the **** out of me. I've always been tought to put your tools away after you use them and keep them clean and you can keep even some of the cheap tools for a long time. My actual sep date is Mar 15, 2009 but I'll have close to 70 days if not more of leave on the books so I'll head out of VA around the Jan timeframe. The Navy will pay me to drive two cars but the housing will also ship one so I'll ship the Bronco and drive the crown vic and pull my ****** behind a u-haul. Going to be a crappy drive since I have to find another drive because the better half doesn't want to drive to WA from here. I'll figure that out later on though. I do want a big cam with a huge lift (somewhere in the .600 with a 300+ duration and a nice lobe sep). You know, the one that doesn't hardly idle but'll rev till 9K... Just to have it and no other reason.... okay, maybe to build and take down the track but you get the idea...

 

[Broncobill78]

Whoa there Hoss. Are you saying you prefer to keep Speed Density over Mass Air ? Were you dropped on your head as an infant ? Have your wife ck your skull for dents or flat spots, your momma may not have wanted to say anything about it to you.

I can understand the budget part of it but if you're building an engine for longevity AND performance then rollers are a no-brainer & like I said there are now literally *millions* of good used roller blocks out there in the boneyards. Now I GUESS, maybe I can see it if you're just looking at this as a stop-gap engine to tide you over for a few yrs but this goes back to what I mentioned in a post a few months back about being able to build a real bad-ass 5.0 because of all the support the Mustang guys created in the 80's & 90's. .600" lift w/300+ duration ?!?!? You sure do like the big sticks don't you ? w/that kind of lift you'd best be prepared to flycut the piston heads and ck it w/clay when assembling it.

I dunno what your route will be or how pressed you'll be for time but it'd be cool if you could swing over this way & we'd be happy to have you spend the night & start out fresh in the morning. I'm sure we can get Billy ******* to come over as well & we can sit around & ******** each other with "There I Was" stories /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

 

[bidibronco]

I think the main reason I like "my" SD is because I already have it and don't feel like dealing with all the MAF swap right now. I hear it's a pretty easy swap but just not what I feel like doing. As far as carbs go I've only gotten two carb motors to start for me without the help of someone else. Those things kick my ass. I have a friend who will be showing me the "in and outs" of carbs but untill then? As long as this engine will get me to WA for a while it'll be good. Then once I'm on my feet I'm not sure what I'll do with it. Maybe put a crate in it that's more or less "stock" and get what you like, a 78/79. I've always wanted one of them with a "mild" 460 and I use mild conservitavly (spelling?). I figure a larger bump stick or maybe go with a blown 460, "everyone likes injection but I'de rather be blown." Actually, I have a friends Grand Prix GTP (super charged V6) and it's a fun little car aside from the whole front wheel drive. I almost had my "old" engine sold but they guy didn't want the tappet that was in it so I'll probably hold on to the block but ditch most everything else and may do something else with it but not sure. The guy who has the GTP actually kind of wants to put my "old" motor in his 85 Ramcharger, how funny would that be!! I would NEVER let him live that one down just because I don't have to! I'll have to see where I stand when I get out and may just have to swing down there. A little out of the way but then again, it seems like it'll be fun.

I wasn't "dropped" on my head as an infant but I did break a nice thick oak headboard with the back of my noggin when I was around 4 or 5 so maybe that's it? It could also be that damn hatch on the USS Vella Gulf that smacked the top of my noggen instantly turning me into a limp noodle for about 3-5 minutes. Not sure how long it was but it wasn't fun. Anyways, I'm at the lovely place called "work" so I better pretend to do something... I didn't say that out loud did I??

 

[bidibronco]

Fresh from the machine shop .030 bore and fresh paint from the spray can!



Isn't that crank just to purdy?



Keith Black forged flat top 4 valve relief pistons.



The "real" mechanic that did the work!

all the parts!

 

[Redneck86]

That sounds like itll be a pretty stong engine, just dont blow it. /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" /> Just curious but how do you blow so many engines?

 

[bidibronco]

Over reving mainly, I have mercury for blood in my right foot if you know what I mean. It's long stories that are better told while throwing empties at stuff. Actually, I never "blew" an engine per say, just spun a piston sideways in the first one, over heated the second one (bad radiator) and the third one I mainly just had a bad flywheel but *saved to build one with more power. Not sure how much more this one will have but everyone around here bassis everything on how much boost or "noss" they have. I like to have all motor but would love to have a big blower sticking out the top.

 

[Redneck86]

Well hopefully this one will last. And i think itd be cool to have a supercharged bronco myself, be really good for out runnin trans ams off the line, thats funny as **** to see the look on there face when a truck owns them up to about 40 /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

 

[Broncobill78]

Over reving mainly, I have mercury for blood in my right foot if you know what I mean. It's long stories that are better told while throwing empties at stuff. Actually, I never "blew" an engine per say, just spun a piston sideways in the first one, over heated the second one (bad radiator) and the third one I mainly just had a bad flywheel but *saved to build one with more power. Not sure how much more this one will have but everyone around here bassis everything on how much boost or "noss" they have. I like to have all motor but would love to have a big blower sticking out the top.

Here's a quick thought. Since ya like the power, instead of stressing a smallblock why not just step up to a 460 ? You can go real easy on it, 20% throttle on a built 460 is like 80% throttle on a 351W. You have TONS more torque and horsepower and you just don't need to get your foot into it nearly as much as you do with a smallblock. Talk to some of the other guys who've done this swap, it really IS the difference between day & night. As long as you don't go overboard with the build (puttin in a huge cam & 950 dbl pumper sorts of things) the milage doesn't change much since the 460 is just loafing along in the same conditons where the 351 had to pull hard. You also get the advantage of the fact that everything is just that much larger, stronger & harder to break. With studs & a girdle the bottom end is for all intents & purposes indestructable if it's run on the street & isn't a competition engine. A professionally built crate engine short block is pretty affordable. Once you have that pickup some junkyard heads and have them ported & rebuilt. For less $$$ than you'd expect you can *easily* put together a 425hp mill

 

[bidibronco]

BroncoBill, that's been running threw my head for about 2 and a half years now but finding them here for a decent price is a bit hard. Not to mention a fuel injected one is scarce for me to find. I know the ease of the carburator but I hate the cold starts and I hate adjusting and re adjusting the carb for this or for that. After I get back home to WA and have a lagit garage I can work in (heat and air!) then I may be more willing to do it. Also, do they make an E4OD for the 460? Or even an AOD? AOD perferably to put a 9" in the rear or maybe do a full F350 swap under neath. The sterling and the 60 (if I remember right?). Hope this one works a little better for me though.