Time for the engine, help guide me.

[dreamr]

Hey folks.....first I should preface this by saying that I am well aware of the fact that what I am about to ask is one of the most over asked questions on Mustang sites throughout the internet. However, with that said I have read till my brain hurts, and gotten nowhere. There are just too many variables that others have done, and I want a balanced vehicle.

What the heck is he getting to you ask.......well hang on I'll get there.

First you need the purpose and the plan. Right now my bottom end is running strong and not eating a drop of oil so nothing will be happening there yet. I had thought to stroke it to a 331, but for the sake of a more reliable daily driver when it goes it will be rebuilt with a forged bottom end and bored a bit to become a 306. That is later though, for now I am going to get started on the top end.

There is such a huge multitude of parts available for the 5.0 foxes that one can easily get off track and have a poorly balanced combo!!! When I did the last stang things were a bit easier as it was a decade ago and parts were more limited, and I had a speed shop do most of the work. I will be doing it all this time to save a few bucks. Overall I would like to see about 350 to the tires.......give or take of course. Going with a 306 the easiest means is to throw on a supercharger.......more questions here later..

Right now I begin working on the top end starting at the airfilter and working through the top end and exhaust.

Here are my thoughts at this point....
Leave the stock air box with the K&N Panel

73mm or 76 mm? C&L Mass Air with the true flow upper inlet pipe.

Throttle Body.....I like BBK or Ford Racing......but do I go 65 or 70 mm

Upper and lower intake I am leaning toward the Cobra intake though I know I could build a bit more power with say edlbrock....any thoughts here?

Heads.......a Big one here. Personally I am inclined to go with a set of either gt-40p's from an explorer, or aluminum gt-40x's any input?

Roller rockers. Should I go 1.6 or 1.7 I am leaning to staying 1.6.

Exhaust Is straight forward and I have no questions. It will be FRPP shorties dumping into a X pipe with cats, and likely flomaster catback.

For the fuel system the pump is already at 190 lph, and I am leaning to 24 lb injectors with a FPR in line.

With that all said and a few questions already asked let me expplain my dilemma. If I build up N/A everything above works well. And it will be a slow build (poor little me) so I do not want to get to far ahead of myself, yet at the same time I need to prepare for future plans without having to yank all the parts I spent money on to accomodate a SC.

As to a SC I am leaning toward a Vortech SQ S-Trim running between 6-8 PSI. As I said this is a daily driver and reliability is paramount hence the low boost numbers.

Help guide me please :smack: I will start with the intake tube then MAF then TB then Intake, Then heads and headers, then exhaust, of course while the intake is off injectors. I just really do not want to set myself up to have to buy a bunch of supporting mods when it comes time to throw on the vortech kit. I would like them to all be in place already.

I know this is a newb question, but as I said folks have done so many possible combos that I have baffled myself researching what I need to properly support the Vortech......

Thanks in advance.

[junior73]

I personnaly would recommend looking into either the Trick Flow or Holley top end set ups. You get the heads, cam and intake and they all work well together. Either one of those kits will get you close to 300 at the rear wheels on a stock bottom end.

[YsOffcr]

I personnaly would recommend looking into either the Trick Flow or Holley top end set ups. You get the heads, cam and intake and they all work well together. Either one of those kits will get you close to 300 at the rear wheels on a stock bottom end.
I agree, if you want a balanced combo these two companies sell their's in a package deal which will save you some $$. As for the TB, I'd go with the 70mm. and the 76mm MAS.

[91GT347]

Get the trickflow heads for sure. I personally like the RPM II intake. A 70mm TB,if your going with a 306.If you do plan to stroke it,get a 75mmTB. It will still work fine on the 5.0 'til you get the block done.I ran mine with 75 for about 2 years on the stock block. Use the 1.6 rockers. Your 190 fuel pump will be fine with this setup.As will 24lb. injectors. That is until you get the blower. Then you need injectors and a new pump.Also if you go with a 331,you'll need 30lb. injectors.
A "E" cam or TFS stage 1 would also be a good choice.

[dreamr]

Thank you all for the feedback.....

I had looked into the top end kits mentioned, but had shied away basically because for the next year or two untill the truck is paid off as well as another loan I would have a hard time coming up with 2K+ all at once, and I suck at saving money :lol: .

For now I will take the advice offered on the air inlet side of things. Then likely do all the exhaust stuff. Heads and headers will go on as a set after the Intake and injectors.

On the itake I have heard that the Trickflow and Holley intakes as well as the GT-40 do not leave a lot of room for porting further. Where as the Cobra can easily be opened up to flow a bit better than the GT-40 due to the casting process during manufacture and in the end still be cheaper. The Edelbrock appears to be an all around great intake....Note I realize there are a few of each company available. My powerband however will be kept in the low end so ....add that in and it explains which Trick Flow or Performer I would choose. So any comments on that bit oif intake info?

Heads .....well I like the Twisted Wedge as well......I can get GT-40 p's very cheap though and have them "cleaned" up a bit at a local machine shop.

As to a cam I will leave that and a new timing set out of the equation untill I tear into the block to simplify the install a bit. I had been leaning toward a custom grind from Comp cams, but if indeed the TFS stage 1 is a good grind it'll save me a few bucks to buy the kit. I never really have liked the "ABC" ford cams that much (had an e303 in my last car).

Supporting the Vortech. I suppose I have many more questions here :drool:
With say 6-8 PSI what LPH fuel pump and what injector size will I need? I see that many of the kits come with most of the fuel system components minus the injectors so it will likely answer it's own question. But I like to think ahead......in this case a year or two ahead :hmmm: .
And for one more. I am leaning to the Vortech system as it seems to be a very complete kit and one of the better ones, however I have little experience with power adders so is there a better option. I do not want :nos: unless I add a small dry kit for track use. Turbo's are out because I want my power down low........procharger, powerdyne, ford racing, paxton, etc... all have decent kits out there as do others, but like I said I have had no personal experience with them. I have read a lot, but I ask those of you with first hand experience to offer pro's and con's.

Anyway thank you all for the input provided so far :thumpupn:

[junior73]

With the Vortech, I would recommend a minimum of a 255lph pump, 42lb injectors and ditch the FMU. That S-trim can give you alot of boost, and you don't want to buy things twice once you fell like bumping it up. Definatly look into either the UPR or Anderson Power pipes for it. Either of those will greatly improve your incoming airflow.

As for not wanting turbos because of the power, take a look at HP motorsports kits. Flat tourque curve from about 2000rpm. If you want to stick with a supercharger and want the power down low, than you need to look at a Kenne Bell or some other roots type 'charger.

[91GT347]

With the Vortech, I would recommend a minimum of a 255lph pump, 42lb injectors and ditch the FMU. That S-trim can give you alot of boost, and you don't want to buy things twice once you fell like bumping it up. Definatly look into either the UPR or Anderson Power pipes for it. Either of those will greatly improve your incoming airflow.

As for not wanting turbos because of the power, take a look at HP motorsports kits. Flat tourque curve from about 2000rpm. If you want to stick with a supercharger and want the power down low, than you need to look at a Kenne Bell or some other roots type 'charger.
I agree with that too. Beyond popular belief turbo's these days make boost at much lower RPM's than people believe. They are using Variable Turbine Geometry. It's been used in deisel turbo's for years. Even like the new Porche's with their small cubes are going to single turbo's because of this.
I also believe if your sure your going to be using a power adder,you dont want a GT-40 or Cobra intake.They just wont flow it.
You also mentioned getting the GT40 P's ported. Have you priced QUALITY port work ? Unless you know someone,it'll still be as cheap to just get a good set of heads to start with. Just my 2 cents.

[Joe Friday]

AFR165 or 185 heads, Cobra or GT40 intake, and a good cam and sit back and enjoy 300-325 rwhp on pump gas. Add in a blower with 6psi and go rock 400-450 rwhp all day long.

just my $0.02

[dreamr]

You also mentioned getting the GT40 P's ported. Have you priced QUALITY port work ? Unless you know someone,it'll still be as cheap to just get a good set of heads to start with. Just my 2 cents.

I might and it is what they do for a living on Stang's only :devil:

I guess on the turbo side I have heard to much about them from ricers......err I mean tuners who strive for 9000 rpm's, I want it down low.......Perhaps I need to go do some reading, but then again I think I have sold myself on the future idea of a SC.

[dreamr]

AFR165 or 185 heads, Cobra or GT40 intake, and a good cam and sit back and enjoy 300-325 rwhp on pump gas. Add in a blower with 6psi and go rock 400-450 rwhp all day long.

just my $0.02

I like that answer, I have been dreaming of AFR's for a while now. Hmm the big intake question continues to loom in my mind.......

I like the price of the Cobra

I like the flow charts on the Performer

And then right in the middle of the two is the Street Heat from trickflow :confused:

[91GT347]

The AFR 185's are sweet. You cant run them on a stock shortblock though.The 165's are nice to for a driver,but they wont make the power that the Twisted Wedges will.I had a set of those before my Trickflow's. As for a intake from the test I've seen the TFS street intake doesnt seem to do so well. Not bad but not that good either. Here's is a intake shootout done on a 306 by Anderson Ford Motorsports.You will see the RPM intake loses a little torque to the Performer,but more than makes up for it later. http://www.andersonfordmotorsport.com/media/intake.htm
Also here is all the flow rates on the popular small block Ford heads.Just hold your cursor over the CYLINDER HEADS :FORD,and a list will pop up. You will see the TFS is right with the AFR 185's,and can still be used on a stock block.
http://www.totalengineairflow.com/products/fordhead/tfstw/

[dreamr]

Good info!!! thank you

It looks like Trick flow may be my best bet for heads. As to intake.......well
Hmmmm The Edelbrock looks like a good bet, but they are all pretty damn close honestly. It may come down to a question of price though and after looking at those charts it may be the Cobra in the end. But we'll see, I only glanced as I am headed out the door, but I will go through the info you provided more thoroughly after I get home. Thank you for all the support, I am to used to getting flamed if I ask a newbie question on other mustang sites.

[91GT347]

You got it man !! I dont think you'll be disappointed with any of them.