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Topic: My GTbird build (Read 52831 times) previous topic - next topic

My GTbird build

Reply #15 –

Picked up my motor today along with some new 24lb injectors and a Cobra 80mm MAF.

Should have motor on stand this weekend and start pulling it apart.
Brian R.
88 2.3t Ranger
83 TC  gt40p motor,Vortech,TFS1 cam,long tubes,MS PnP,T5,8.8,17x9 Cobra 17s

My GTbird build

Reply #16 –
Well I dont think I can fill the car with anymore boxes of parts! Interior and trunk full of all the new stuff for it and now its spilling over into the garage.

BBK long tubes, 95 Cobra coils that were taken out when it was brand new,87 GT spindles,3 month old KYB struts and shocks out of buddies 92LX

My Stinger stainless 3" exhaust showed up today.


I tore down the 5.0 and found it in great shape. Only down fall was somebody robbed the oil filter adapter off it and layed motor on its side in the dirt so the two oil passages got packed with dirt. So it wasnt in my plan but now its a full rebuild.
 

I stripped block lastnite and taped the front oil galley plugs then dropped it off for the hot tank.
I ordered all new bearings,rings,freeze plugs,timing set,MellingHV oil pump,valve spring kit from Alex's Springs and had the heads cleaned and valve job done.

Should be able to start putting motor together next weekend.
Brian R.
88 2.3t Ranger
83 TC  gt40p motor,Vortech,TFS1 cam,long tubes,MS PnP,T5,8.8,17x9 Cobra 17s
 

My GTbird build

Reply #17 –
Quite the parts horde you have there.  I'm digging the black cobra wheels...nice contrast to the red paint.
'88 'bird, 10.9:1 306 w/TFS top end, forged rods/pistons, T-5 swap & bunch of other stuff, 1-family owned, had it since ‘98, 5.0tbrd88 on Instagram and YouTube

My GTbird build

Reply #18 –
Picked up my heads and block from machine shop today. The heads were surfaced,5 angle valve job,one helicoil installed,all new Alex's Springs valvetrain kit. Only $339 invested into the heads.

The block was honed,hot tanked, new cam bearings,new freeze plugs, oil galley plugs tapped for screw in plugs and the crank was chamfered and polished. Im thinkin motor will be together before the weekend is over.

Grabbed a stock Mustang fan shroud to mount my fan inside of.


And I scored a 86 grill I plan to strip and mod.
Brian R.
88 2.3t Ranger
83 TC  gt40p motor,Vortech,TFS1 cam,long tubes,MS PnP,T5,8.8,17x9 Cobra 17s

My GTbird build

Reply #19 –
Is there a reason for the HV oil pump? Just curious.

Which Alex springs did you go with? I've walked away from the same set of already pulled gt40p heads sitting in a junkyard that look good a few times.
Quote from: jcassity
I honestly dont think you could exceed the cost of a new car buy installing new *stock* parts everywhere in your coug our tbird. Its just plain impossible. You could revamp the entire drivetrain/engine/suspenstion and still come out ahead.
Hooligans! 
1988 Crown Vic wagon. 120K California car. Wifes grocery getter. (junked)
1987 Ford Thunderbird LX. 5.0. s.o., sn-95 t-5 and an f-150 clutch. Driven daily and going strong.
1986 cougar.
lilsammywasapunkrocker@yahoo.com

My GTbird build

Reply #20 –
Every 302 I have built the past 25 years has gotten a HV oil pump and a ARP shaft just because. No rhyme or reason other than every subject I have read about SBF oiling systems have said to use one.

I got the spring kit rated for .540 lift since Im using a TFS st1 cam with .512 lift. Was good to know the spring actually came in a few pounds stronger at height than advertised.
Brian R.
88 2.3t Ranger
83 TC  gt40p motor,Vortech,TFS1 cam,long tubes,MS PnP,T5,8.8,17x9 Cobra 17s

My GTbird build

Reply #21 –
Unless you are using increased bearing clearances, a HV pump does nothing but waste HP...

My GTbird build

Reply #22 –
Quote from: TurboCoupe50;455297
Unless you are using increased bearing clearances, a HV pump does nothing but waste HP...
Im cool with giving up 2hp for the insurance on a daily driver.
Brian R.
88 2.3t Ranger
83 TC  gt40p motor,Vortech,TFS1 cam,long tubes,MS PnP,T5,8.8,17x9 Cobra 17s

My GTbird build

Reply #23 –
Actually instead of me sounding like a ass I will give my explanation.

The HV pump will only provide the extra volume if the engine needs it. Its all dependent on bearing clearances. As bearings wear and clearances open up that's when a HV pump earns it keep. I didn't turn my crank on this rebuild as all bottom end clearances checked out ok but at the high end of good. Obviously these clearances aint getting any tighter after I put about 600 miles a week on this motor so this is my insurance I will get a long life span on this rebuild. As clearances open up I will still have the volume there for good pressure even with thin oils on a hot motor sitting at idle {think lots of Detroit expressway driving}.

The gear failure everybody talks about was a much bigger problem back when 99.9% of Ford cams were cast iron with cast iron distributor gears. Yes they would fail with HV and HP pumps. After Ford switched to steel roller cams and steel gears it is much less of a problem now as these parts are much stronger. In fact I have only seen distributor roll pin failures and twisted shafts myself on 5.0 motors with roller cams. I have yet to see a gear failure.

That said... I did buy a good ARP driveshaft and I will be running a Comp Cams Poly distributor gear which are indestructible.
Brian R.
88 2.3t Ranger
83 TC  gt40p motor,Vortech,TFS1 cam,long tubes,MS PnP,T5,8.8,17x9 Cobra 17s

My GTbird build

Reply #24 –
I saw a back to back dyno run HV vs standard, it was a 12hp loss on a 300rwhp motor.

Extra insurance won't hurt anything, I was just curious. I am not sure what a stock spec oil pressure should be, but if I remember correctly the dash light comes on at 6psi. I checked pressure on my first 86 with about 290k miles on it and it was pushing 12psi if I remember correctly, hot at idle. I don't think its the pressure loss that eats things up as much as flow, but hey, I don't know anything.

Sorry, wasn't trying to highjack the thread, I was just curious.
Quote from: jcassity
I honestly dont think you could exceed the cost of a new car buy installing new *stock* parts everywhere in your coug our tbird. Its just plain impossible. You could revamp the entire drivetrain/engine/suspenstion and still come out ahead.
Hooligans! 
1988 Crown Vic wagon. 120K California car. Wifes grocery getter. (junked)
1987 Ford Thunderbird LX. 5.0. s.o., sn-95 t-5 and an f-150 clutch. Driven daily and going strong.
1986 cougar.
lilsammywasapunkrocker@yahoo.com

My GTbird build

Reply #25 –
Each his own, my fresh 331 has a std pump... If it is indeed a 12Hp difference, that's far more than I'd give up...

Wasn't like new 5.0 Stangs were suffering oil problems because factory used std pumps...

My GTbird build

Reply #26 –
Quote from: TurboCoupe50;455302
Wasn't like new 5.0 Stangs were suffering oil problems because factory used std pumps...
I agree. The key word there is "new".
Brian R.
88 2.3t Ranger
83 TC  gt40p motor,Vortech,TFS1 cam,long tubes,MS PnP,T5,8.8,17x9 Cobra 17s

My GTbird build

Reply #27 –
ARP oil pump driveshaft is a great piece. Definitely use it.

The HV oil pump isn't really necessary. If you bought it use it. if you haven't purchased it just get a standard Melling oil pump. The HV pump is kind of a waste on a street driven SBF. I'm running a standard Melling in my Thunderbird without issue and have been for almost 10 years.
88 Thunderbird LX: 306, Edelbrock Performer heads, Comp 266HR cam, Edelbrock Performer RPM intake, bunch of other stuff.

My GTbird build

Reply #28 –
Wow what a weekend....

Im done buying from Jegs. This last order from them was a complete mess and has cost me a week of downtime. I used a 94 Mustang 5.0 as "my vehicle" to look up all the parts I needed,which was all bearings and rings. The first thing I noticed when I opened the box was there was a  single rod bearing and not 8. Going back to their site I see the bearing I ordered was listed as rod BEARINGS and was 15.99 so I called them and they said it needs to say "bearing set" to contain all 8 so I find another SET for 27.99 and reorder those and return the single. Next I drop the cam bearings off to machine shop for install and he calls me to tell me they are 2.3 cam bearings! Soo those get sent back and I find a set local. Now today the new rod bearing set shows up and again its a single bearing! I check the site and it clearly says its a bearing set and call Jegs and they have no explanation. Back to Jegs they go and I find a set locally.

But here the best one. I bought a new DynaGear steel timing set off some speedshop on Ebay for $75 a few weeks ago and finally got around to installing it yesterday. Check this out..
YouTube video:
Video Preview Image


The hole for the pin was to big so the gear rocked on the cam.The key way slots were to big also and I swear the chain had an extra link in it.Total junk. Ran down to Orielys and grabbed a cheap off the shelf set and its good to go now.
YouTube video:
Video Preview Image


So was able to install the TFS cam and put the front of the motor together. I mocked up my brackets and figured out my alt mounting.


I also grabbed a nice factory fan shroud then mounted my overflow bottle to it and will make some brackets to mount my Spal fan inside of it.
Brian R.
88 2.3t Ranger
83 TC  gt40p motor,Vortech,TFS1 cam,long tubes,MS PnP,T5,8.8,17x9 Cobra 17s

My GTbird build

Reply #29 –
Been taking care of house work last few days but I have time to get intakes all ready.

I got the air temp sensor installed into the lower to work with my Mustang wire harness.


I also removed all the extra vacuum hard lines on the bottom of the upper intake and drilled and tapped them for 1/8th pipe plugs.

I also picked up a cable/quadrant kit
Brian R.
88 2.3t Ranger
83 TC  gt40p motor,Vortech,TFS1 cam,long tubes,MS PnP,T5,8.8,17x9 Cobra 17s