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Topic: anyone running a 331 or a 347 stroker in there fox? (Read 2371 times) previous topic - next topic

anyone running a 331 or a 347 stroker in there fox?

so this winter im planning on workin on the car if money allows me to. i want to paint it. im thinking about just painting it black. but my question is, is there anyone on here running a stroker in there fox bird or cougar? im really thinking about building a stroker for mine this winter but idk what all im gonna have to do. is it worth the money? i know im gonna have to at least either get a newer 302 to put in the car or rebuild the one i have because its burning oil and its got 160,000 miles on it, so i was just looking through a jegs catalog and i was thinking about just stroking it. lol but i dont want to do that if its gonna cost a couple thousand dollars
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anyone running a 331 or a 347 stroker in there fox?

Reply #1
Think Bob has a 408 in his cougar, 347Thunder (think thats right), not sure who else
1986 Cougar LS

anyone running a 331 or a 347 stroker in there fox?

Reply #2
Quote from: 88tbird5.0;235902
so this winter im planning on workin on the car if money allows me to. i want to paint it. im thinking about just painting it black. but my question is, is there anyone on here running a stroker in there fox bird or cougar? im really thinking about building a stroker for mine this winter but idk what all im gonna have to do. is it worth the money? i know im gonna have to at least either get a newer 302 to put in the car or rebuild the one i have because its burning oil and its got 160,000 miles on it, so i was just looking through a jegs catalog and i was thinking about just stroking it. lol but i dont want to do that if its gonna cost a couple thousand dollars



my 347 is far from ready to go in my tbird, but i can lend some advise. theres a couple ways to do this, the cheap way and the right way. sure you can build a super cheap 347. will it make good power? no. will it be really reliable? probably not.

you better be ready to spend some money if your gonna do things right( which i found out its better to do things right and spend a little more cash then to have to rebuild or buy the same part twice by buying cheapo stuff). figure the kit is a grand, machine work is a grand...heads, cam, intake, injectors, stall converter, rockers, lifter, all GOOD QUALITY parts. best way to sum it up, 302 parts make 302 power, they dont belong on a 347.

im not trying to scare you from the stroker, but you should know this stuff before you get in over your head.


p.s. go 347, theres no reason to do a 331 for the same price
1988 Thunderbird sport
2004 Ford F150 Lariat
2008  Chevrolet Cobalt Sport
2007 Suzuki DR-Z400S dual sport/Supermoto
1988 Thunderbird LX - sold
1988 Mercury Cougar XR-7 with GST kit - gone

anyone running a 331 or a 347 stroker in there fox?

Reply #3
Personally I were you and money was a concern, which it seems to be, I would just throw a set of aftermarket forged pistons in the motor you have now and throw that extra money you didn't spend on the stroker kit at machine work. If you want an obscene amount of power later put in lower compression pistons that will put you at a 9 to 1 ratio with the heads you are planning on running or buy a set of heads with a large CC.  Then you have the option of supercharging it later should you so desire, should you end up not supercharging it you can always pull the heads have them milled and at the same time throw a big ole cam in and rev it high heaven. Of course with soaring gas prices you just might want to stick with the lower compression and turbo/supercharge it and get 20mpg on the highway and as an added bonus in the meantime you can run 87-89 octane all day long.

Also keep in mind that when you throw a high stall converter into that AOD of yours you're going to be feeling quite a bit of extra torque right then and there.
1987 Tbird 5.0 swap, go fast mods coming soon....

anyone running a 331 or a 347 stroker in there fox?

Reply #4
I went with a 408 because the car was already setup to run a 351w and I had all the stuff to make it work (oil pan, headers, flywheel etc...) For me to rebuild 351w I was aready going to spend the money on rods, pistons, and machine work. So I figured why not buy a crank too (visions of the crank I split in half back in 2006 made me want to go forged)

Yeah its true to avoid 302 parts on larger strokers etc... on your final build. You need to put a plan in place and follow it. Mine is like this: Build solid 408 bottom end, all forged parts, and custom cam to bring it all together. I could have went with a cast crank and saved $600 on my stroker kit but I wanted to have forged for down the road if/when my combo changes.

Building engines with quality parts gets expensive. I bought some stuff used where possible like valve covers, upper and lower intake, EGR spacer, bellhousing scattershield etc.. Be prepared to go well over your est. Currently I'm $1100 over what I expected this project to cost and its not even running yet.
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anyone running a 331 or a 347 stroker in there fox?

Reply #5
ah, another thread about someone wanting to build a big motor, but has no money. good luck!
1979 Ford Fairmont
[/B]
5.0L/4R70W/8.8"/5-lug/3" Exhuast


anyone running a 331 or a 347 stroker in there fox?

Reply #6
Quote from: grutinator;235913
my 347 is far from ready to go in my tbird, but i can lend some advise. theres a couple ways to do this, the cheap way and the right way. sure you can build a super cheap 347. will it make good power? no. will it be really reliable? probably not.

you better be ready to spend some money if your gonna do things right( which i found out its better to do things right and spend a little more cash then to have to rebuild or buy the same part twice by buying cheapo stuff). figure the kit is a grand, machine work is a grand...heads, cam, intake, injectors, stall converter, rockers, lifter, all GOOD QUALITY parts. best way to sum it up, 302 parts make 302 power, they dont belong on a 347.

im not trying to scare you from the stroker, but you should know this stuff before you get in over your head.


p.s. go 347, theres no reason to do a 331 for the same price


Someone has been on sbftech.com and listening to Woody and Jay :bowdown: . Good man:D

I plan on doing a 347 when I blow my current engine, or when I have the cash, which ever comes first lol ;) . You can bet that I'll be talking to Woody for the short block (as a plus he's in Chicago) and Jay for the heads and cam.
88 Thunderbird LX: 306, Edelbrock Performer heads, Comp 266HR cam, Edelbrock Performer RPM intake, bunch of other stuff.

anyone running a 331 or a 347 stroker in there fox?

Reply #7
The only advantage of the 331 is longevity because of the shorter stroke, but I would do the 347 just because its bigger and cooler lol. You can get the kit that I bought from eagle it came with 10.5:1 JE pistons and it was ballanced from eagle with flywheel and forged crank. I have like 20,000 miles on it and all miles were done as a daily driver. So the motor can be used but you need to decide to either jump the fence or not, don't half ass too much money to loose.
1986 T-bird
347 stroker motor
185 AFR Heads
TrickFlow cam 224/232-542/563
Victor Jr. intake CNC ported
Quickfuel Holley 800 cfm
Hooker 1-3/4 long tubes
Custom built AOD
B&M 3000 stall
8.8 w/4.30 gears
UPR K-member,A-Arms,and coil-overs
UPR upper/lower control arms
Strange shocks/struts
26x10x15 M/T slicks
11.48@119.27
(coming soon Tremec 3550)
The Finished Product
http://s174.photobucket.com/albums/w92/03grinnie/T-bird/

anyone running a 331 or a 347 stroker in there fox?

Reply #8
347 will live just as long as a 331 if you build it right ;)
88 Thunderbird LX: 306, Edelbrock Performer heads, Comp 266HR cam, Edelbrock Performer RPM intake, bunch of other stuff.

anyone running a 331 or a 347 stroker in there fox?

Reply #9
Not true due to the extra angle of the rod travel, but they will go when they go nothing is a guarantee :D I have had turbo and SC      (15-20 lbs boost) friends use 331 due to the less resistance then a 347. :burnout: :burnout:
1986 T-bird
347 stroker motor
185 AFR Heads
TrickFlow cam 224/232-542/563
Victor Jr. intake CNC ported
Quickfuel Holley 800 cfm
Hooker 1-3/4 long tubes
Custom built AOD
B&M 3000 stall
8.8 w/4.30 gears
UPR K-member,A-Arms,and coil-overs
UPR upper/lower control arms
Strange shocks/struts
26x10x15 M/T slicks
11.48@119.27
(coming soon Tremec 3550)
The Finished Product
http://s174.photobucket.com/albums/w92/03grinnie/T-bird/

anyone running a 331 or a 347 stroker in there fox?

Reply #10
Money is the key in building anything. I have been running my 302 with stock crank, stock rods and forged pistons. It has been very reliable. You don't need to go overboard to have fun. You could probably pick up a complete HO, have it gone through, maybe pickup some cheap used Gt40s, cam, intake and be happy. It's all in what you want and/or can afford to pay for.
Jim

anyone running a 331 or a 347 stroker in there fox?

Reply #11
Quote from: 32VFoxBird;235947
ah, another thread about someone wanting to build a big motor, but has no money. good luck!


lol yeah and that of course is why i have decided to stick with just rebuilding my existing 302. cheaper and easier. the car will probably be sitting all winter because i dont think it will do good in the snow anyways because its already bad enough in the rain. but i plan on either painting it black or a dark red this winter if i can find a place to paint it and while im at it ill probably pull the motor and paint the engine bay and just rebuild what i have and put a stall converter in it and such. do some cheaper performance mods here and there but nothing too over the top. maybe a cam, intake, and lifters and some gt40 or ported e7 heads if i can find any. im only 16 years old and im trying hard to get a job so i can pay for all of this stuff this winter. sorry if i come off as the spoiled kid but i honestly dont think i am. i bought the car myself from a friend for $200 and my dad drove the car after i bought it til i got my license
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anyone running a 331 or a 347 stroker in there fox?

Reply #12
dont worry about 32VFoxBird...  his Bird hasnt ran in 4 years....  so he is in the same boat  :flip:  LOL

anyone running a 331 or a 347 stroker in there fox?

Reply #13
Quote from: 1WLD BRD;235991
dont worry about 32VFoxBird...  his Bird hasnt ran in 4 years....  so he is in the same boat  :flip:  LOL


thats not due to lack of funds. just lack of interest. and its been down 3 years!
1979 Ford Fairmont
[/B]
5.0L/4R70W/8.8"/5-lug/3" Exhuast


anyone running a 331 or a 347 stroker in there fox?

Reply #14
sure....  thats the same reason I havent swapped a new gt500 driveline into my tbird yet too. ;)