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best 5.0 suggestions please!

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Posted by: 38Special

I got a linc mark VII with the 5.0HO and it has 176,000 miles, is it worth doin a new exhaust from headers back? and would the motor be affordable to rebuild on a steak n shake budget? My other question is if I do decide to rebuild the 5.0, I don't have mass air i've been told I can't convert to a meaner street cam with the EFI, could I drop the EFI, slap on a holley intake/carb and make as good if not better power? Just throw suggestions at me please!


Posted by: Grape Ape

You can switch to a carb, but there's really no need for that. I have no idea what pay from S-n-S is, but I'm sure it's over $5.50 and hour, and you should still live at home... Therefore, the billare prolly low.. Work as much as possible, and save as much as possible too. With mileage this high, you don't necessarily need a rebuild(unless something's wrong), but you can't expect serious performance. Besides, you never really could, since it's such a heavy car and never made huge power to begin with. If it's not an 88model, that's the cam to choose, unless you want to have one made(bad idea) or upgrade to mass air(good idea) for about $700.

Getting an exhaust system is pointless at this time and will only serve to slow the car down, unless you have a clog in your curent exhaust. Well, not "only," cause it will also make it too loud. If you want more power, do a tune-up. Yeah, you think I'm kidding.. I'm not. Use good parts, and replace the air filter(K&N), oil filter and oil, spark plugs and wires, coil(MSD only), cap & rotor. From there, consider a rear gear swap and a 3 pulley kit(4" crank pulley). See how that makes ya feel. Besides, if you do a rebuild, all of those parts can be re-used, so you're not wasting a dime.

If you want it to perform even better, consider a complete overhaul and let us know. There are SEVERAL paths to follow, but we'll try to get you setup w/ a good idea or two. Good luck with it.


Posted by: 38Special

you brought up a good point of it being a heavy car, hmm...... I wanna sell it if it's not worth hot roddin....


Posted by: 65fairlane

I wouldn't say it isn't worth hotrodding. I will say that it isn't going to be as easy or as cheap as it would be to do a fox body mustang though. With as much as that car weighs you can't expect it to be blazingly fast. As long as you know that when you start and keep your goal in mind (which I am assuming is to build a quicker street car) you won't be let down. Putting an exhaust on a car with that high of mileage is kind of a wate from the performance perspective. If it has a crappy exhaust on it and needs a new one anyway then I would go with performance pieces, but otherwise I wouldn't bother, yet. I think you would notice more power from an engine overhaul than you would from an exhaust. The speed density to mass air conversion would make more sense to me than the carb setup if this is a daily driver. The stock pieces could likely be found for cheap since a lot of mustang guys replace them with aftermarket stuff. I am not sure but I think some of the ford motorsports cams (the Alphabet cams) might be compatible with a speed density setup, that would be something worth checking into. I say if you like the look and feel of your car then keep it and build it. If it was a hand me down or something that you are stuck with and trying to improve on then sell it and get something you like more.


Posted by: merczephyr

If you want info on hot rodding a Mark VII, go here: http://www.fordvschevy.com/forum/fo...p?s=&forumid=26

There are alot of guys working Mark VII's over there, an know these cars quite well. A couple of them have been in major magazines. Just be careful, you may wind up with more info than you really want to process. But the tune up is the basis you need to start with.


Posted by: Grape Ape

Quote:
Originally posted by 38Special
you brought up a good point of it being a heavy car, hmm...... I wanna sell it if it's not worth hot roddin....

A kinda sorta buddy of mine had an 87 Mark VII that ran 11.30's back in the mid-late 90's. You should have no problem making it quick if you want to.


Posted by: 38Special

Quote:
Originally posted by merczephyr
If you want info on hot rodding a Mark VII, go here: http://www.fordvschevy.com/forum/fo...p?s=&forumid=26

There are alot of guys working Mark VII's over there, an know these cars quite well. A couple of them have been in major magazines. Just be careful, you may wind up with more info than you really want to process. But the tune up is the basis you need to start with.



I'm a member there! I just need more help, so I went to other sources. Ive been told to change the rear axle, put headers, offroad H pipe, new mufflers, new intake, heads, and a CAI. I want more technical info than that, I wanna know what goes best with what for good low end.


Posted by: 65fairlane

Call the tech guys at a cam place and tell them how you want to drive the car, where you want your max torque, etc and then they will suggest a specific grind for you, get all the info on it then call around to the other companies and find out what parts will work well together.


Posted by: 38Special

I am thinkin of goin buick! If someone would buy this linc off me!


Posted by: imports_rule

I am making the moderators work today.


Posted by: EvilLS1

Imports_rule,
Keep the bullshit in The Pit or you'll be banned. First and last warning.


Posted by: Grape Ape

Who's the import geek? I keep missin' what the poor kids' sayin'! LOL


Posted by: RacingJason

Leave the exhaust alone. Throw a set of TFS twisted wedge heads on it, a stall converter, and a 3.73 gear. The stock cam is not the bottleneck on a 5.0 (as long as it is an HO). Then get a mass air ECU, meter and harness from a wrecked 89+ up car. If you want extra grunt get a Performer RPM intake and a 65mm TB. There are a lot of cars with over 300hp with these same mods...this may not sound like a lot but the converted and gear will make it feel like 400hp.


Posted by: 65fairlane

Car craft bolted on a set of airflow research heads and a double roller timing chain to a pretty much stock 302 and made 400hp.


Posted by: 38Special

65fairlane, tell me more!


Posted by: 65fairlane

Well you have to be willing to put about $1400 into a set of heads. That is pretty much all there is to it. They didn't change the cam or anything. I have the article at home, I can scan it for you tomorrow night or friday and email it to you if you are interested. IF you do stick with the windsor series the heads are going to limit the effectiveness of everything else you do.


Posted by: Grape Ape

Not exactly all that "stock".... but they have several combos and one made 420fwhp, with 165's, on a 302.

Horsepower: 402@6000rpm
Engine: 302ci
Heads: 165cc AFR
Compression: 10:1
Carburetor: 650 cfm Speed Demon 84/87 Jets
Intake: Victor Jr.
Ignition: MSD Digital 7, 36° Timing
Cam: Comp Cams 266, 544/555 216/224 @.050 with 1.6 Rockers, 112 Lobe Sep.

Exhaust: 1 5/8
Fuel: 92 Octane

Engine dyno tested by Westech Performance Group
Mira Loma. CA

They've done different things to other engines as well, but I can say this... That 302 was actually quite heavily modified.

PS They also made 455fwhp with 185 heads and 421 w/ 165 heads. But look at the cam... 232/240@.050... That's almost HUGE for a 302! And the lift(.565/.574) is massive for a 302. I like that stuff, but it's not "driver" material... Too radical for the street, really. Vacuum is probably pretty low. Otherwise, it would just be a fun kinda build though.. hehehe


Posted by: 65fairlane

I could have swore they did a 400hp pull with the stock HO cam... Maybe not...


Posted by: Grape Ape

They probably did, with an 8lb pulley on a Vortech or ATI!!! hehehe


Posted by: 65fairlane

I just kinda glanced at the article. I looked at the last page that said what the parts costed, decided I didn't have that much money and won't anytime soon so I didn't read it very closely. The only thing I have looked at since was my physics book. I could have swore their cover story was 400 Horse with a stock cam. I have noticed those guys aren't real big on forced induction for some reason.


Posted by: Grape Ape

Quote:
Originally posted by 65fairlane
I have noticed those guys aren't real big on forced induction for some reason.

Sure they are... They made nearly 850hp with a stroker and a blower, didn't they? And they made big power with their stroker 520 as well, but all motor on that one..


Posted by: 65fairlane

They have the occasional blower deal, but most of their buildups seem to be N/A strokers with the occasional nitrous.


Posted by: Grape Ape

Quote:
Originally posted by 65fairlane
They have the occasional blower deal, but most of their buildups seem to be N/A strokers with the occasional nitrous.

As it SHOULD be!! :btg:


Posted by: 38Special

Damn, All I want is about 280-300horsies at the crank, what all can i do? Too bad I don't have Mass Air.


Posted by: 65fairlane

For 280-300 at the crank I would recommend you bolt on a set of aftermarket heads, maybe some world products windsor jr's or you can likely get those power levels with some gt-40 or gt-40p heads. The P's will be a little cheaper(maybe) and easier to find but they will require special headers. The P heads are on Explorer's with 5.0s. If you go to a wrecker for parts I would grab the explorer intake as well if you plan to convert to mass air.


Posted by: Grape Ape

300fwhp... Man, talk about easy. Bolt on a set of TFS Twisted Wedge heads (using the poper pushrods and rocker arms) and you're there. Personally, I'd use an Edelbrock Perf. 5.0 intake as well, because there's no sense in using a cyl. head that can move twice the air of your intake. Now your exhaust will be happily swapped too.
Jason said that on page one, except the exhaust part. Even with a stock cam and lack of Mass Air, you'll make much better power. Heads and cam make all the difference. However, in this case, Ford gave the engine a decent cam to start with, and restricted the output based on the cyl. heads. Stock 302HO heads have an exhaust port that I can basically fill with my thumb. That's restrictive. You could have them ported(exh. only) and, with the right parts, make 300fwhp with those. I don't think you'll meet anyone who recommends it though.


Posted by: 38Special

how much would this cost me?


Posted by: Grape Ape

Quote:
Originally posted by 38Special
how much would this cost me?

Too many variables to be exact... but..

TFS TW heads = $1100 or less, anywhere.
Pushrods and other needed parts(gaskets etc.) realistically, $500.
Edelbrock Perf. 5.0 Int. = $490 or less. (I also like the TFS intakes, from $400 to $500.

So for under $2,000, you can have a 300+hp car. It would probably see 350 with that combo.


Posted by: merczephyr

Well, just for shits and giggles, here is the 400hp/stock cam Car Craft article. DIAL UP WARNING!!










Posted by: Grape Ape

That's a pretty good article. I'm just a little baffled that AFR themselves haven't managed to do this, yet someone else not only says they have, but shows all the parts they used to do it. My 91 made good power and really reacted well to mods.(small or big), remarkably. I always thought it was just the way they worked, seeing the same type of results from other 89-91 Mustangs... For about $2500(what I spent in 96 or 97), you can get good power from them. I think the most important thing to remember here is, dyno numbers vary widely(and wildly) from place to place.


Posted by: 38Special

My f'n oil leak went mad xtreme,when I checked it yesterday, nothin hardly on the dipstick, it needed 3 quarts.


Posted by: Grape Ape

What's leaking? Rear Main? Valve covers?? Replacing the rear main gets pricey... $23 seal(roughly) and R-n-R the tranny.. That's never good for the wallet... About a $150 bill for that.


Posted by: 38Special

its leakin from the front of the motor.


Posted by: StoneFox

Thats easy, Just buy a timing cover set


Posted by: StoneFox

oops


Posted by: 38Special

im gettin the shit fixed, and a tune up! so it's good!


Posted by: 38Special

I'm back after a while being gone, my car leaks oil no more with new oil pan, intake, and valve cover gaskets! and I have 40 series flowmasters on my car now as well.


Posted by: Grape Ape

Spose that makes ya feel better!


Posted by: 38Special

Hell YEAH! Dont have to drop a quart of oil in every 2 days! and i sound good goin down the road, also got a grant challenger wheel put in and a sunpro tach installed.


Posted by: LUNATICLINCOLN

dude i own a lincoln mark 7 and i have done extensive mods to it and im pulling mid-12's in the 1320 keep it the car is worth it


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