VID 3yr merc build almost done! megasquirted 500+hp startup

[DerekTheGreat]

...It really is too bad these 302 blocks do the splits at the 500hp mark

LoL

[sly]

yeah... 350hp would be plenty for me... still VERY interested in seeing this come together.

[turbo2256b]

Did you go with the separate LS2 coils because you were running the megasquirt? Any advantage to separate coils (or just high rpm stability?) What did you do about the distributor hole?

Separate coils advantages other than gettig rid of spark gaps before the plugs and coil saturation time is the ability to adjust dwell (the duration of the spark). Systems also have the abilty to time each spark to individual cylinders

[88Vic]

How well did the 302 run when you had the GT40P heads and XE258 cam? That combo alone with low gears would be plenty for most everybody here.

At some point, I'd like to build an LX Notchback Fox, with a Dart or Ford Racing 363 with a Procharger at low boost, maybe 6-8psi. Possibly a Coyote if the prices for those drop enough. I want an engine that'll have enough torque to pull at any rpm, even in 5th or 6th gear on the highway at 60mph. I think a Procharged 363/Coyote with a TKO600 would be a good combo for that, in a 3000lb Fox.

[DerekTheGreat]

That 454 we've got in our GMC pulls in direct drive so well that once it's rolling 20mph+ you don't need to shift. OD would be nice with that but the NV4500 trans is spendy for that, considering what we paid for it and all. Torque was rated at 385ft-lbs, with how that truck pulls I'd say that's a solid goal/target.

[merc91]

Yes the dwell is adjustable but that is the charging time the coil has before it is triggered to release the spark, same duration spark time, but the intensity of that spark is adjustable with the coil dwell time.

[merc91]

The essentially explorer motor with comp xe258 did quite well for me. 3.73 gears with 30" tires backs the ratio back down closer to 3.55 which was perfect. Did 300fwhp/360ftlbs (over 300ftlbs between 2200-6200rpm). 6.8 sec 0-60 (actual so 6.5 if we are doing the dumbdumb car rating minus rollout time) and 14.8 in the 1/4 at 90mph. Same motor with 125 shot of nitrous did 0-60 in an actual smokin 4.5sec lol, 13.3 at 100mph in the 1/4. Had 1 run in the high 12's with a 75hp shot at the line and 100 kicked in after .7 sec. At 4100lbs. It hit 60mph in 1st gear at 5900rpm... with the wide ratio trans now I only get to 45mph but faster lol.
Hopefully those numbers are some use. I do a fair bit of engine/port work for foxbody guys and they have no issues running low/mid 13's on basically ported explorer motors with a cam... 13's are no joke hmhm.

I still have that motor on the outside (same cam too) but after cutting open/building up with weld/re-designing the ports from the 75mmtb to intake valves... it really is a whole new motor. I can't wait to get numbers because man does it have more but dyno power lol.

More or less it was a template for me to build the car around in prep for the procharged dart 408, figured we might aswell see what we can get out of the ford parts motor for now... 15k and 3500hrs into building a crazy capable car but not picking up a few horse for now can't happen aha.

[merc91]

I will have to try to get some pics up in the performance section of what can really be done with explorer intakes if anyone dabbles in the fluid flow dynamics here. Street cars (6000rpm and under) 302's make more power with reconfigured explorer intakes than all the high end fancy big name pieces. Like substacially more.

[gadget73]

It really is to bad these 302 blocks do the splits at the 500hp mark

I was kinda thinking you're pushing the power limits on a stocker. Is it popping head gaskets on you? Usually when they start doing that, its a sign that things are twisting and flexing more than is good. Seems to be the step just before it cracks open.


Explorer intakes can certainly be good. Stock they're a bit meh, but its a pretty decent casting to start on it seems. My lower was done by Tmoss, and even visually you can see where its better than the stock one that came off. Matching flow does good things for motors. The Mark VII has a dead stock high mileage HO with one of those old SystemMax lowers that mates to the stock upper. They do decently, but mostly it irons out the flow differences. The improvement that gave me was a lot more than I'd have ever expected for stock iron heads on an engine with a quarter million miles. Its not a rocketship by any means but it was most definitely noticeable. The power band smoothed out quite a bit, and it has better low end torque than it did previously. None of those are things you typically hear out of an HO cam in a 2 ton car with 3.27 gears and an AOD with a stock converter.

[merc91]

Actually I have never blown a head gasket or had any issues on the intake either. The heads were barely skimmed and the block wasn't touched on the deck, that and not being shy on the arp stuff tq seems to hold for me no matter what. All cylinders still had full compression even with the cracked block. I'll keep an eye out for that though... baby gets compression checks after every race weekend during the season lol.

Those HO cams sure wind up in the top end with 1.7's don't they lol... I had to get that outa mine before I got to rev-greedy and hurt something. You actually are running the xe258 with 1.7's now? If so, those valves must be knocking on the sound barrier's door with the ramp rates haha. I hear people are happy with the tmoss portwork... for explorer motors, it really is suprizing what can be got out of 1.

[turbo2256b]

What is your cranking compression and do you have at least an est of static compression

[merc91]

170+\- 5psi cranking and close to 9.5:1 on the static. Gotta be able to do everything on the 91 pump gas we have for our premium and play it cool on the timing. I treat er to 94 for track days when I plan on spraying heavy,