1987 ThunderBird Turbo Coupe to 5.0Li and AOD

Topic: 1987 ThunderBird Turbo Coupe to 5.0Li and AOD (Read 13838 times) previous topic - next topic

1987 ThunderBird Turbo Coupe to 5.0Li and AOD

Reply #45 – March 21, 2013, 02:56:19 PM

Quote from: thunderjet302;411568

The GT40/GT40P heads are a nice improvement over E6/E7 heads but can't hold a candle to aftermarket aluminum heads. You can port the bejesus out of the GT40/GT40P and they'll maybe flow just as good as a nice aluminum head does out of the box.

You should be happy with the TW heads. The Edelbrocks I have don't flow quite as much as a TW but it was still a "holy shiznit" moment in power vs the GT40Ps.

I sure hope so. The heads themselves were toast with bad valves and guides so $900 in parts and machine work later, I should have some very nice heads. I don't know if I'm breaking even, or if I should have just gone with new heads from the start. Heads + TF 1.7RRs for $700, $900 in machine work with them being taken down to 54cc from 61 and much better guides, some bowl work, 5-angle valve job, etc. I assume new heads would have cost me $1100 + $200 rockers + $300 in machine work to get them to the same standard. It makes the price of AFR225s for a 408 seem like nothing.

I really could use a different cam, but the ones I'd be interested in require 1.6 ratio RR's, and I removed a bit of the ptv clearance so it'd be questionable on what would even work. I'm thinking stick with what I have until/if I move up to a larger motor, and hopefully the last one. When is electric going to hurry up so I move on to a 500kW motor with future battery tech providing a 500 mile range? I assume we'll die before then...

1987 ThunderBird Turbo Coupe to 5.0Li and AOD

Reply #46 – March 21, 2013, 03:15:52 PM

I've done this actually and thought I'd share my insights. Dropping in a v8 won't be as cheap or easy to upgrade unless you do it all at once up front. You can find an explorer motor for pretty cheap though which is a good start, but turning the boost up on your 2.3 is just about as much fun. If you have a stick behind your 2.3 you can have a lot of fun for cheap, stock block will take alot of abuse but then you are going to run out of injector at a point and have to look at a quarter horse or megasquirt and go up in injectors. Next you are going to have to step up clutch and this isn't to painful either, just need an adapter and new flywheel (Think Stinger has both of these still). You might even upgrade turbos and headers at this point depending on what you go with this can be expensive or cheap and fun also, stinger used to sell a cheap header and a holset is pretty cheap. I guess what I'm trying to say is you can have alot of fun with the 2.3 and do incremental upgrades for 3-500 a pop be down for a weekend and have a smile come Monday. Having said that I have a 331 in my TC now with aftermarket fuel injection and a c4 (3speed auto). Only big change I wish I made is going with an aftermarket block with my forged internals so I can run some boost, at the time I didn't know 302 blocks were bad about splitting.

This is my experience and I'm sure others have gotten different mileage than I have

PS: My 2.3 with 65mm tb upgraded guts and a holset got around 25 ish if I was nice to it, the 331 is like somewhere in the mid teens for gas mileage but I don't drive it so nice.

1987 ThunderBird Turbo Coupe to 5.0Li and AOD

Reply #47 – March 21, 2013, 03:17:25 PM

OH PS:

Didnt read most of this thread just beginning and end, but if you do go v8 Long Tube headers SUCK to put in and changing a starter / dropping trans is a PITA!

1987 ThunderBird Turbo Coupe to 5.0Li and AOD

Reply #48 – March 21, 2013, 07:13:02 PM

Quote from: Haystack;411559

I've never ran into another turbo coupe on the road, or seen one driveable.

Same here, only ever seen one other around here, and it was in the junkyard with a smashed in drivers side. From what I've read most of them where electrically problematic (mine was), and probably ended up being junked early on, at the first sign of expensive failure, and most likely the A4LD or Turbo was the first thing to go in most of them. Wish I could find more in the yards around here, so I could start ding the parts.

1987 ThunderBird Turbo Coupe to 5.0Li and AOD

Reply #49 – March 21, 2013, 07:18:39 PM

can someone tell me why when someone asks a question about a build... the subject always get thrown off and people start discussing other things in a guys thread? not trying to step on anyone's toes but if you want to discuss heads and what not, make your own thread.

1987 ThunderBird Turbo Coupe to 5.0Li and AOD

Reply #50 – March 21, 2013, 09:24:06 PM

Quote from: Gekell;411370

So I have a 1987

1987 ThunderBird Turbo Coupe to 5.0Li and AOD

Reply #51 – March 22, 2013, 12:01:24 AM

But ya know Tom, not everyone is interested in...

Quote from: TOM Renzo;411588

I spend money I don't have, To build cars I don't need, To impress people I don't know

Not everyone has access to cubic dollars...

If he wants to build a flat tappet, std headed 5.0, it's his business and surely not yours or mine... A fairly peppy performer can be built on a reasonable budget, stop trying to impress your will on other members of this board, it just the most of us off...

1987 ThunderBird Turbo Coupe to 5.0Li and AOD

Reply #52 – March 22, 2013, 12:24:44 AM

Quote from: 88turbo;411582

can someone tell me why when someone asks a question about a build... The subject always get thrown off and people start discussing other things in a guys thread? Not trying to step on anyone's toes but if you want to discuss heads and what not, make your own thread.

thank you!!!!

1987 ThunderBird Turbo Coupe to 5.0Li and AOD

Reply #53 – March 22, 2013, 05:49:51 AM

[quote=t

wow

1987 ThunderBird Turbo Coupe to 5.0Li and AOD

Reply #54 – March 22, 2013, 12:37:01 PM

So, the OP asked for help with a swap...not OPINIONS on his swap. Keep that in mind when replying.

Also, to the OP. I moved the posts regarding the body kits to the proper location. This is the Engine Tech section, so please try not to clutter up your own threads with other non-applicable questions.

1987 ThunderBird Turbo Coupe to 5.0Li and AOD

Reply #55 – March 22, 2013, 12:56:11 PM

Quote from: TOM Renzo;411594

A flat motor costs the same with machine work as doing a roller.

OR DIDN'T YOU KNOW THAT!!!!

It would cost money to buy a different block. He already owns the flat tappet block. That is why I suggest to just buy a peppy flat tappet cam. Nice cams are available in non-roller.

1987 ThunderBird Turbo Coupe to 5.0Li and AOD

Reply #56 – March 22, 2013, 04:38:23 PM

Quote from: Chuck W;411610

So, the OP asked for help with a swap...not OPINIONS on his swap. Keep that in mind when replying.

Also, to the OP. I moved the posts regarding the body kits to the proper location. This is the Engine Tech section, so please try not to clutter up your own threads with other non-applicable questions.

Thanks Chuck

1987 ThunderBird Turbo Coupe to 5.0Li and AOD

Reply #57 – March 22, 2013, 04:39:51 PM

Quote from: Chrome;411612

It would cost money to buy a different block. He already owns the flat tappet block. That is why I suggest to just buy a peppy flat tappet cam. Nice cams are available in non-roller.

its not hard to make a flat tappet block into a roller block. it can be done.....

1987 ThunderBird Turbo Coupe to 5.0Li and AOD

Reply #58 – March 22, 2013, 05:14:25 PM

Yep

1987 ThunderBird Turbo Coupe to 5.0Li and AOD

Reply #59 – March 22, 2013, 10:56:46 PM

Most the sky is falling if you use todays oils and you'll wipe your cam is baloney, there still 700-800 ppm of zddp which is as much or more than was in the '60s motor oil... No I wouldn't use most of todays oils in my .700 lift 400Lb spring race motor but for the average mild street engine they are fine...

Mobil 1 0W-40 has 1100 ppm and is some of the best off the shelf oil there is... A 40W or 50W isn't required to limit zinc to the extent the 20W & 30W have(though many have)... Valvoline VR1 oils also contain a healthy dose...

Excepting for a few brands(Castrol comes o mind) anyone that would like to check can look on line for their oil's PDS and find out what's in it...