I've now put 150 miles on my new engine; thought I'd give some report.
I built it using a stock 1990 mustang block and reused the pistons and crank. I don't think it's very different from the stock lopo block; just forged connecting rods and flatter piston tops.
I just cleaned it up; steamed it, rehoned the cylinder walls, replaced bearings.
Then I was going to use the stock E7TE mustang heads, but found some GT40 heads off a '96 explorer at the junkyard for $100.
I cleaned those up too; new valve guides and valve seats. Err, the seats were not originally in the plans, but I'd drilled the guides crooked so.... hahaha.
The camshaft is a clean one from an explorer also. Why? Cause while I'm having fun with it, this really is still a 4000# daily driver, and I'm going to spend most of my time accelerating at not more than 3 grand and cruising at 1500rpm.
While I'd found that 96 explorer at the junkyard, pulling the block out in that mud would have been a pita and so I just asked for one from the forum; someone else who used an explorer block and put a performance cam in and still had the explorer shaft. Figure I need the low-end pull more than high-end power.
The computer is from a 1990 lincoln that had the HO.
Put on 2" dual exhaust with stock mustang headers.
The intake is actually stock mustang HO as well. For the same reason as the explorer camshaft: it's actually a tad better for low end torque and not much worse for those few moments of high-rpm power. It's also cheaper and easier to come by
To do the dual exhaust, I said to hech with the air pump; so that is off. I've got a somewhat awkward pulley arrangement with a belt that barely fits on, and maybe should find a kit to let me put an idler where the air pump was, but it seems to work.
I guess for all intents and purposes this IS an explorer swap, as the heads and camshaft are out of an explorer, and other than the hypereutectic pistons on the explorer, there's no other difference.
I'll say that it does seem to run smoothly, barring some adventures with a possibly stuck-open thermostat and some toying with the tv cable that I need to do, and a rattling exhaust component;
and whatever problems I know one or two people had with an explorer swap and having some strange fuel trim issues? Have not manifested. I seem to be doing alright with the stock MAP system; though I may go mass air in the future anyway, when I have $300 to burn and feel like toying with it. For now I'm plain sick of working on this car, and just want to enjoy it for a few months before I pick another project-- probably repainting
I do also have an electric fan, which I may install in week or two if I feel like it.
One last thing; my first tank of gas is also run out, which translates to 10mpg fuel economy. Probably, normal for city driving, running cold all the time, and having fun with the gas pedal and taking off from stop lights? Or can it point to engine tuning issues? When, or if, I should go back to driving like a grandpa, then maybe my fuel economy will return to 18-21mpg mixed. Can a lead foot and enthusiasm over a new and non-lopo engine fully and readily explain 10mpg?
I built it using a stock 1990 mustang block and reused the pistons and crank. I don't think it's very different from the stock lopo block; just forged connecting rods and flatter piston tops.
I just cleaned it up; steamed it, rehoned the cylinder walls, replaced bearings.
Then I was going to use the stock E7TE mustang heads, but found some GT40 heads off a '96 explorer at the junkyard for $100.
I cleaned those up too; new valve guides and valve seats. Err, the seats were not originally in the plans, but I'd drilled the guides crooked so.... hahaha.
The camshaft is a clean one from an explorer also. Why? Cause while I'm having fun with it, this really is still a 4000# daily driver, and I'm going to spend most of my time accelerating at not more than 3 grand and cruising at 1500rpm.
While I'd found that 96 explorer at the junkyard, pulling the block out in that mud would have been a pita and so I just asked for one from the forum; someone else who used an explorer block and put a performance cam in and still had the explorer shaft. Figure I need the low-end pull more than high-end power.
The computer is from a 1990 lincoln that had the HO.
Put on 2" dual exhaust with stock mustang headers.
The intake is actually stock mustang HO as well. For the same reason as the explorer camshaft: it's actually a tad better for low end torque and not much worse for those few moments of high-rpm power. It's also cheaper and easier to come by
To do the dual exhaust, I said to hech with the air pump; so that is off. I've got a somewhat awkward pulley arrangement with a belt that barely fits on, and maybe should find a kit to let me put an idler where the air pump was, but it seems to work.
I guess for all intents and purposes this IS an explorer swap, as the heads and camshaft are out of an explorer, and other than the hypereutectic pistons on the explorer, there's no other difference.
I'll say that it does seem to run smoothly, barring some adventures with a possibly stuck-open thermostat and some toying with the tv cable that I need to do, and a rattling exhaust component;
and whatever problems I know one or two people had with an explorer swap and having some strange fuel trim issues? Have not manifested. I seem to be doing alright with the stock MAP system; though I may go mass air in the future anyway, when I have $300 to burn and feel like toying with it. For now I'm plain sick of working on this car, and just want to enjoy it for a few months before I pick another project-- probably repainting
I do also have an electric fan, which I may install in week or two if I feel like it.
One last thing; my first tank of gas is also run out, which translates to 10mpg fuel economy. Probably, normal for city driving, running cold all the time, and having fun with the gas pedal and taking off from stop lights? Or can it point to engine tuning issues? When, or if, I should go back to driving like a grandpa, then maybe my fuel economy will return to 18-21mpg mixed. Can a lead foot and enthusiasm over a new and non-lopo engine fully and readily explain 10mpg?
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