New toy have a question?

[over2tonsofFun]

Just got home from picking up a 1985 Ford Crown Victoria 2 door. White/ red velour. 5.0 auto. My question is: Is the 85 5.0 (302) a low po motor or is it the same as all the 5.0s made that year. Was it in 86 when they changed to the roller motor and went lo-po and HO motors.

Will post up pictures once it is light out again.

Tim

[sly]

from what I've read, some 85 engines were roller blocks but with the flat tappet cam. The spider, lifter links, lifters, cam, pushrods must be changed/added to convert to roller. Full roller started in 86 IIRC. They were all LOPO though. 85 was a crossover year (though all were flat tappet I think) and 86 was the first full roller year. According to rumor, 88 was the first year of the no plastic cam gears... so you'll be getting into that engine anyhow if the timing set has never been changed.

[Tiggie]

85 Lopo to 85 HO is pretty much the same motor minus the cam, induction, and exhaust manifolds. HO got forged pistons that year I think but that's not going to make a horsepower difference. Heads would be the same in 85. You may have a roller block but don't have roller lifters unless the engine has been changed.

[gadget73]

Its CFI. More like NoPo than LoPo. There was a 5.0 HO CFI engine, but it did have a different cam, CFI unit (bigger injectors) and ECM to run it. The automagic Mustangs and some LTD's had it. The 5 speed Mustang had a carby, but was otherwise more or less the same as the CFI 5.0 HO.

Flat tappet cam from the factory, may or may not be a roller block. Not sure what pistons, and E5 heads. The E5 heads are actually pretty damn close to E7, so you could run them with an HO cam if you wanted. You'd need to do a multiport swap on it though, the CFI stuff just isn't gonna do it.

[over2tonsofFun]

Oh, The CFI stuff is eventually going to go. Will be going way more than a multi port swap.

Tim

[knucklehead0202]

Yep, motor is basically a turd. Throw dual exhaust on it to make it bearable until you can put something good in there.

[DerekTheGreat]

Duals did nothing for my CFI'd 85. Only put those on cause the CFI magic blew up my muffler. It would get a 2-3ft onewheel peel on black top from a dead stop. Was decent around town and such, very comparable to SEFI except for ergonomics. The gas pedal required more effort for erm, reasons. Annoying on the freeway and traffic with thin soled shoes. (Yes, I lubricated everything) Idle sucked even after adjustment. Did not know at the time that the dashpots are adjustable. Had I known that I could've made the car better. Also, it wouldn't fire up unless you pressed the gas somewhat, not sure what that was about but it didn't fire the infectors until you did. Seemed to be unique to my car.

[knucklehead0202]

Exhaust is mostly just for noise improvement, lol. My first '90 came with a single and was spunkier than the new '90 that has factory duals and 3.55's. #1 would do like a good 15-20ft burnout with the stock tires on it. Peg-leg of course but it sure was funny. New car is pretty dismal, especially since the front windows don't roll down and I have to run the air. It's not a total turd with the air off but when it's on, 0-60 in, sooner or later...

[DerekTheGreat]

Duals certainly made an improvement for Ashley's 89. I used to beat her by at least a car length. Now we're neck at neck like we should be. I have an H pipe and she doesn't.. I like the way the steam looks coming out of the tailpipes without H pipes, although it is said H pipe adds power. Her car now has grunt when pulling off the line, it used to just go but now is like my car in that it will put you in your seat and you can see the front end twist. She noticed the power.

It is very sad that we have V8's that when the air is on, we actually notice... Pathetic. I don't notice with my Fireturd at all. But air is worth it. Like the Who song goes, "I'm an air-conditioned gypsy."

[gadget73]

If you do all the proper maintenance to a CFI motor, and replace the timing chain so it runs right without blowing up the one thing they have going for them is they are dead smooth and pretty miserly on fuel. The '85 is the best of the CFI cars too, but they're still not exactly peppy.

[DerekTheGreat]

That supports my theory of "The last year of something is typically the best year for that thing." I miss my '85. I liked it. It was very good on gas.

[knucklehead0202]

My car does great on gas because I never drive it. Kind of depressing really but hoping to get the motor built and maybe even in this "winter" and that'll get me back in love. With the girls' soccer season ending soon maybe I can work on the car more than like 1 day a month...

[DerekTheGreat]

Eh, drive the shit out of the LoPo like I do. My TC is my daily driver. HO is optional, not necessary.

[gadget73]

Reason the 85 is the better year is the heads were better. 84 had the same hardware, other than the heads. 83 down, lets just not talk about that.

[DerekTheGreat]

Better heads yet same power rating?
I say better too because first year for EEC-IV and better TB set-up and what not.