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  1. #1

    Default 86 Mustang GT stock

    Hello all,

    I bought an 86 GT with stock motor, trans and rear. The car is stock with approx. 90k miles, car runs well but of course not well enough lol. I want to do some things to the car the way it is to make her run better.

    I am starting at the rear and working forward, 4.10 gears and rear-end goin over real good.

    Trans/ rebuild/ new clutch 5 speed T5

    okay here is where I am getting worried, I have been researching about this motor and speed density, seems I may be screwed lol, what can I do with this motor to get her to run better for now without putting a ton of money in it? AC delete, smog delete, pullies, complete tune-up (wires, plugs, cap and rotor) maybe a MSD coil and MSD 6 box. A good cold air that actually grabs cold air (what is recommended?). Anything else that will make her run better.

    Is there anyway to get this machine to run lets say mid 13's to 12.90's or should I start over with a complete different engine and rebuild it with better pistons with reliefs, covert to mass air, better intake, maybe GT40 heads?

    Just looking for opinions and people who have worked with these cars and know how to get them to run.

    I just bought the car, would like to do a little work now and later completely tear it down, money is also a factor lol.

    The more I read the more I think maybe find another motor from a 87-93, convert to mass air and better heads from get go, then I can run a little bigger cam also.
    Last edited by pay1973; 11-09-2020 at 08:15 PM.

  2. #2
    Moderator wraithracing's Avatar
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    The 1986 GT/LX 5.0s are great vehicles and a lot of fun. Unfortunately as you mentioned they are a bit more difficult to modify for high performance in regards to the engine. There are many things you can do to improve upon what is there, but ultimately, at least IMHO, much of it is wasted time and money. Others will disagree and that's fine. You can do all the things you suggested such as A/C delete, smog delete, cold air kit, etc. and that will free up some ponies, but most likely only 15-30 HP depending on the overall condition of the car currently. Obviously a good quality tune up will help and should improve overall power and drivability. Personally I don't think the MSD stuff is worth the expense on a relatively stock engine. Quality replacement parts and if possible OEM Ford or Motorcraft will do just fine.

    Don't know what your long term plans on with the car. If its a decent time capsule with 90K on it, you might consider just enjoying it as is with the required tuneup and maintenance if you don't plan on keeping the car for a long period. That will help in regards to resale value. The more original and stock the car is, the easier it will be to sell in most cases. If resale is not in the future plans, or if that just isn't a factor for you, then obviously you can do what you want with your car.

    My .02 would be to consider a complete engine swap with a change to MAF to gain the needed power and adjustability you are looking for. You can do a swap to the 89-93 MAF engine as an interim swap and then decide from there, but unless you just get a heck of a deal on a complete or mostly complete engine that's just wasted time and money IMHO. I think you would be better off to just start building a good engine from the start and then swap it out for the original engine when finished. That would be the most efficient use of money to meet the requirements you have for the GT. I am sure others will give you other opinions and options. Hope that helps at least a bit. Good Luck!
    ​Trey

    "I Don't build it hoping for your approval! I built it because it meets mine!"

    "I've spent most of my money on Mustangs, racing, and women... the rest I just wasted."

    Mustangs Past: Too many to remember!
    Current Mustangs:
    1969 Mach 1
    1979 Pace Car now 5.0/5 speed
    1982 GT Stalled RestoModification
    1984 SVO Still Waiting Restoration
    1986 GT Under going Wide Body Conversion Currently

    Current Capris:
    1981 Capri Roller
    1981 Capri Black Magic Roller Basket Case
    1982 Capri RS 5.0/4spd T-top Full Restoration Stalled in TX
    1984 Capri RS T-top Roller
    1983-84 Gloy Racing Trans Am/IMSA Body Parts

  3. #3
    FEP Super Member xctasy's Avatar
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    This is a 10.5 second streeter with LMR Plug and Play so the wiring is all stock. You have a choice of stock 1986 or stock 1995 SN95 wiring. MS3 is getting a Traction Control interface.

    TMoss the Stock intake, basically an upper and lower modification to the stock intake.

    add AFR 165's Painted Ford grey to look stock, and pop in a fully counterweighed stroker 347 crank and rods with Ed Curtis cam.

    One of the hard things is air flow management on the intake to preserve the 255 cfm per valve intake flow figures from the cold air intake right to the valves. So you have to cam it up, which might actually take the edge off the dangerously Verlie mid range.

    And some nice BBK style headers and exhaust.


    If its gonna be a keeper, the key part is making sure it has the slicks to hold the picks. Better rolling stock, stiffer chassis and an electronic stability program with SN 99 New Edge or SN95 ABS brakes is easy.

    Dashboards swap over, so does the SRS air bag.


    Patrick Olsen is a member here, Jack Hidely has some great ideas.

    http://www.corner-carvers.com/forums...ad.php?t=25738

  4. #4
    FEP Power Member 306gt's Avatar
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    Either rebuild your engine with some good pistons or start with a 87-93 Block. Just went through this on my son's 86 all of last year. It was bone stock with 75.000 Original miles. First thing we did was swap to mass air using a 87-93 Stock mass air meter, hoses and E3M Computer. Did this to make sure there were no issues after the conversion. Then I built a 88 block using SRP pistons .030 over. Stock resized rods and stock polished crankshaft. Used a Speed Pro hyd roller cam CS1177R. (Copy of the old Wolverine Blue Racer WG1087 cam). stock hyd roller lifters, GT40 heads with spring upgrade,1.7 roller rockers, Explorer intake and Explorer t/b. 24 LB Injectors and a 75mm Pro M Mass air meter. Shorty 1 5/8" headers, 2 1/2' off road pipe and 2 1/2" cat back with ultra flow mufflers.
    Rebuilt and installed another 8.8" with ford racing 31 spline carrier, 3.73 gears and 31 spline axles. Installed maximun motorsports lower control arms and Steeda double adjustable uppers. added a ford racing aluminum driveshaft. With a T-5 5 Speed. He has ran a best of 12.90's at 106 mph on regular street tires. This winter we are pulling the engine and trans to install some AFR 185 Heads, Holley Systemmax intake, Dual friction clutch, line loc, driveshaft loop, Frame connectors. Getting it ready for next season so he can finally launch it on slicks. Car is a work in progress and my son is only 19. It is his first car and I am proud to be his dad. We work on it together and we enjoy the time we spend together.
    Last edited by 306gt; 11-11-2020 at 09:23 PM.
    85 G.T. All motor
    337 c.i.d 11.44-120 mph

    1984 1/2 G.T. 350 (13.01-106 mph)

    1984 G.T. (Daughters car)

    1986 G.T. (Son's car) (12.99-105 mph)

  5. #5

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    Thanks for all the reply's, 306GT, I am probably to follow your blueprint, sounds like exactly what I am looking for.

    For the time being though, ordered the ford motorsport kit from LMR for 4.10 gears and a trick flow diff cover.

    I also order complete tune up parts, cap/ rotor, spark plugs, wires, coil and fuel filter. I figure this will keep me driving and having fun until I get all the parts together for the motor.

    Next parts order will be a MAF conversion wiring harness from LMR and look for a computer, A9L correct for 5 speed? GT40 heads and a mass air sensor with fenderwell CAI?

    I may have a line on a complete low mile 92 motor, will have it freshened up. I would like to find that cam, the old 1087 remake, but what matching valve train components did you use with it, springs? What all is done to your heads, I want everything to work together.

    Thanks

  6. #6
    FEP Power Member 306gt's Avatar
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    I installed comp 987 springs with matching retainers. Had to machine the spring pockets fot the dual springs. used standard 10 degree keys in intake valves and +.050 keys on exhaust. The A9L computer is the right computer, same as the E3M. Sounds like you have a solid plan.
    85 G.T. All motor
    337 c.i.d 11.44-120 mph

    1984 1/2 G.T. 350 (13.01-106 mph)

    1984 G.T. (Daughters car)

    1986 G.T. (Son's car) (12.99-105 mph)

  7. #7

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    I been driving the car a little today so nice out here, the car is stock except for off road H pipe and nitto drag radials, 275/40/17 on SVE wheels, she is a dog lol. I stopped her on a backroad and side stepped the clutch at 2500 and let it eat, spin maybe a foot and bogged, but went through gears well just thought it would be a little stronger.

    Good tune up and the 4.10's should help until I get everything together.

    What clutch is everyone going with for the T5 and something like I am going to build soon? low 13 to mid 12's eventually i hope anyway lol.

  8. #8
    FEP Power Member 306gt's Avatar
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    Right now my son's car has a stock clutch. They work fine with regular street tires. But with sticky tires We run the dual friction clutch from Centerforce. I never had a problem with them. I just put in a new disc after 20 years in my own car. I resurfaced the pressure plate and flywheel on a flywheel grinder. Just installed a new disc.
    85 G.T. All motor
    337 c.i.d 11.44-120 mph

    1984 1/2 G.T. 350 (13.01-106 mph)

    1984 G.T. (Daughters car)

    1986 G.T. (Son's car) (12.99-105 mph)

  9. #9
    FEP Power Member 87gtVIC's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by pay1973 View Post
    I been driving the car a little today so nice out here, the car is stock except for off road H pipe and nitto drag radials, 275/40/17 on SVE wheels, she is a dog lol. I stopped her on a backroad and side stepped the clutch at 2500 and let it eat, spin maybe a foot and bogged, but went through gears well just thought it would be a little stronger.

    Good tune up and the 4.10's should help until I get everything together.

    What clutch is everyone going with for the T5 and something like I am going to build soon? low 13 to mid 12's eventually i hope anyway lol.
    You like watching YouTube? Check out 50tussin: https://www.youtube.com/user/50tussin

    He picked up an 86 car and went through steps to get it faster and faster. He was fun to watch. May find some useful info in his videos.

  10. #10
    FEP Super Member mmb617's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by pay1973 View Post
    What clutch is everyone going with for the T5 and something like I am going to build soon?
    Quote Originally Posted by 306gt View Post
    But with sticky tires We run the dual friction clutch from Centerforce.
    At first I was running a Zoom kevlar clutch but I don't know if they discontinued that model or what but when I needed a new clutch 10 years or so ago I couldn't find one.

    I then bought a Centerforce dual friction and liked it even better. It held up very well to abuse at the track with sticky tires and yet had easy pedal effort for street use. After the way I beat on it at the track without complaint I can't imagine I'll ever wear it out on the street. Highly recommend!
    408/T5/3.73's

    We're not fast racers, we're more what's known as half fast racers.

  11. #11
    FEP Super Member mmb617's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by 87gtVIC View Post
    You like watching YouTube? Check out 50tussin: https://www.youtube.com/user/50tussin

    He picked up an 86 car and went through steps to get it faster and faster. He was fun to watch. May find some useful info in his videos.
    I just wanted to thank you for the link. With winter on it's way here in central PA I find myself with time on my hands and it's hard to find anything worth watching anywhere. I only watched part of the first episode so far but I can tell I'm going to like this series, and there's many hours of viewing available.
    408/T5/3.73's

    We're not fast racers, we're more what's known as half fast racers.

  12. #12
    FEP Power Member 87gtVIC's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by mmb617 View Post
    I just wanted to thank you for the link. With winter on it's way here in central PA I find myself with time on my hands and it's hard to find anything worth watching anywhere. I only watched part of the first episode so far but I can tell I'm going to like this series, and there's many hours of viewing available.
    He's a fun guy. Spoiler alert....He is no longer producing any substandard content. I loved watching his videos but totally understand that filming and editing takes a lot of time and quite frankly the fun out of the hobby.

  13. #13
    FEP Senior Member OX1's Avatar
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    Just for reference. I put a Cartech turbo kit on my stock motor Capri in early 90's and immediately went 12.52 @ 108.
    No other changes except FMS clutch, 3.27 gears and mass air conv (using stock small 55mm mass air meter).
    Didn't even change injectors, just an FMU on stock injectors.

    Best part was no tune. What a PIA that was once I did heads/intake/TB/rockers/larger MAF, etc...
    Stock drivability, idle, and gas mileage out of boost. Other best part is that with stock 86 motor, if anything
    happens to it, people will virtually give you parts to fix it for free. Now if you think your motor is tired, that's another story.

    My kit was well over 3 grand in the early 90's, but can get a cheap base kit for $1600 now.
    Not a horrible price when you add up all the others stuff you will need to get to 108 MPH.
    https://www.on3performance.com/shop/...-turbo-system/
    86 Capri, 5.0, 5Spd, A9L QH/BE, 47 lb Inj PMAS 3" MAF, Single T44 Turbo, Front Mount IC, TW170,
    Stock Cam, Explr Intake/TB, 1.7 Rockers, CF dual friction clutch, 3" DP, 2.5" full Exh, 3.27, 11.932 @ 115.78
    84 LTD, 331-10:1, TW170/Exprl Intake, 47 lbs inj/80 mm LMAF, Full Duals, Quarterhorse, Vortech 7PSI, Lentech AOD, 5 lug Mk VII brakes/rear, Eibach Sway bars, Cobra HB (dads ride, but I fix it )

  14. #14

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    Quote Originally Posted by 87gtVIC View Post
    You like watching YouTube? Check out 50tussin: https://www.youtube.com/user/50tussin

    He picked up an 86 car and went through steps to get it faster and faster. He was fun to watch. May find some useful info in his videos.

    pretty good vid and documentary, lots of good ideas. He can drive/ bang gears well also. I enjoyed it thank you

  15. #15

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    You can run twisted wedge heads with flat top pistons in a 86. My buddy has some 190r twisted wedge heads and a b303 cam, cobra intake and 30# injectors. The car has been converted to mass air and it runs good. I made the mistake of running gt40 heads with my 86 and I had to eyebrow the pistons. What a pain in the butt.
    86 coupe
    1993 GT
    My 10 Sec street cars

  16. #16
    FEP Power Member mcb82gt's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by srad2drag View Post
    . I made the mistake of running gt40 heads with my 86 and I had to eyebrow the pistons. What a pain in the butt.
    What cam were you trying to use?
    Mike

    Now stang-less.

    88 Cougar 5.0

  17. #17

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    Quote Originally Posted by mcb82gt View Post
    What cam were you trying to use?
    I was using xe270 comp cam.
    86 coupe
    1993 GT
    My 10 Sec street cars

  18. #18

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    Does anyone know if these trick flow heads will work with stock bottom end 86 motor, the flat top stock pistons with no valve reliefs? just curious

    Trick Flow TFS-51410004-M61

  19. #19
    FEP Super Member xctasy's Avatar
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    I personally love the awkwardness of the 86. You have to learn what it takes to make one work well with your parts. Do that, and you'll never be disappointed. I love speed density. The aftermarket does too, and its perfect with a turbo install if you have a 3 or 5 bar sensor MAP sensor.


    Quote Originally Posted by pay1973 View Post
    Does anyone know if these trick flow heads will work with stock bottom end 86 motor, the flat top stock pistons with no valve reliefs? just curious

    Trick Flow TFS-51410004-M61

    All Trick Flow Specialties Twisted Wedge and High Port heads on flat top 86 engines with stock piston need extra clearance at the outsides of the intake eyebrows. Even with the stock cam. You can get away with no clearance-ing, because clearance is related to valve float and engine rpm. It is not something you should ever risk, though.

    You have to do Piston to Valve clearance checks with plasticine. Clearance varies with rockers, pushrods and its over lap, not peak lift that allows piston to exhaust valve tip contact. Valves are not static, they rock and move in an engine, so you always need about 120 thou of safe clearance depth wise, 60 thou margin wise.






    On all AFR's, on all so called flat top 86's, and many 351's with the stock piston, just adding a mild Crane Cams 449681 Hydraulic Roller Tappet with an Advertised Duration 290/294, Lift .552/.563, and 114 LCA, will result in major intake valve piston to valve clearance maladies. Even with Xtreme Energy XR276RF-HR Retro-Fit Hydraulic Roller Camshaft Specifications 276/282, lift .513/.513, 224/232 at 50 thou, still gonna hit.


















    The 1986's were the last hangover of the High Swirl Combustion chamber design, a Porsche 944 and Jag HE penchant, a hangover from the TEXACO and Honda PROCO engines of 1979-1981. It was a good idea, but it just didn't work on an engine with a huge 6250 rpm rev range like the roller cam 86 has.



    Any of the stock F 303 Cams and 351W's with big 13 cc trough pistons with GT40X heads, you can literally turbo the living heck out of them and never contact a piston. Which is how Ford started designing every 5.0 and 5.8 after 1986.





    The 1986's were the awkward man. That guy..



    see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjs6...delRestoration


    Clearance-ing is physically done on the piston by either Dremel or a 200 buck cutting tool. The cutting tool is aggressive and it has to be done manually. Particulates need to be isolated and that takes a lot of care.

  20. #20
    FEP Super Member erratic50's Avatar
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    personally if it was mine with that low if miles I'd give it a basic tune up, dump some seafoam in the oil and gas to clean it up good, and drive it. But then again I have 1/2 million miles and counting on an original 86 engine.

    Mine hasn't been out of the car and hasn't had much done to it. I ran the vast majority of those miles with a B302 cam, bumps knocked off the "terrible" E6 heads, a ported stock intake, a knife edged throttle body, no intake silencer, an aggressive VM1 SD ECU, hogged out and welded back factory headers (and old school hotrod trick I must say.... I didn't do it but the previous owner had way too much fun IMO). I ran an aggressive 13.5 degrees of base timing.

    When grudge racing on the street in the 90's I did run slicks on it a few times and even somewhere around a 75 shot dry with the fuel pressure regulator crushed. No idea what I ran that way, but I did beat a 10.90 track car one damp humid morning.... the dude insulted a cousin that was like a brother to me after my cousin had passed away so needless to say the stakes were $500 + pride, etc. Won the race, but I was rewarded with a 1 7/8" twist in the unibody due to no subframe connectors ..... hard to say if it was that run or another rip that weekend. Honestly I was having WAY too much fun pounding on a 150K mile drive train. Somehow it took it for the most part. I wont speak of the 13+ clutches and 8+ transmissions and 3+ rearends I've knocked out -- that's mostly to be expected when you drive a car this way for that many miles.

    Its best run on street tires and premium fuel mixed with a little race gas for safety with a balls out run and full powershifts was 13.26 but it had a trap speed of 114 MPH which isn't 1/2 bad but not what you're wanting.

    These days I've added more stuff. 4cyl LX rear springs, Maximum Motorsports adjustable lower control arms, a 21lb Autozone flywheel, a Valeo clutch, a T5Z transmission with Hurst shifter, a Typhoon EFI intake, adjustable fuel pressure regulator, a converted Explorer 65MM throttle body, a 70MM Cobra MAF, 24lb EV6 injectors, X3Z ECU, and BBK headers. It pulls past 6000 so it usually gets shifted with my foot on the floor at 6100. Quite a fun ride. It pulls 0-60 entirely in 1st gear with the 2.73:1 rear gear out back for now but if you're nasty to the clutch to avoid bogging it or spinning coming out of the hole it gets there just under 4.5 seconds. Not bad for "terrible" heads. Lol.

    I did swap to an underdrive crank pulley when I kept blowing power steering return lines. I switched to full synthetic power steering fluid rather than type F. I also removed the cooling loop and added a small trans cooler instead. Power steering is dead silent and no more blown lines. I had to swap to a smaller waterpump pulley to speed the pump back up as it was getting hot in traffic. Summit carries a pulley that's perfect for this for around $60. I went to a smaller alternator pulley but next time I'll just swap to a 3G instead and be done with it.

    I do have an A9L and a Moats Quarterhorse board for my car that I had planned to eventually use with Binary Editor once I got around to building my Dart based 353 stroker. Time will tell - I may skip that chapter.

    If I were looking at parts and tuning fresh starting now I would not do a MAF conversion. I would get a wideband and an aftermarket ECU thats plug and play.

    If I were to pick heads, I would get 170 twisted wedge heads as the valve size is small enough to clear a piston with pretty consider able lift and duration. I'd bias the cam to the retarded side too to help move the power band up in RPM and buy some more P/V clearance too. A 1.7:1 rocker with a stock HO cam will produce around 400HP and 400 ft lbs at the crank with that setup. Around the same with an AFR165 renegade. Either one is a good choice IMO.

    Dollars spent vs power output the Typhoon is a real bargain if you can get it to seal. For sure gotta watch that.

    I would leave the emissions stuff in place because those items boost mileage just cruising around substantially and they do not subtract from power output in any way.

    Good luck with everything. Most of all stay focused on keeping it reliable so you can enjoy your 86. I've had a BLAST with mine and then some in the 28 years I've owned it.

  21. #21

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    I wrote trick flow about the heads I mentioned and maybe adding a cam (TFS stage 1, crower 15511 or NX264 comp)

    Reply from them

    "The cam will clear with those heads i would strongly recommend changing it to Mass air


    Howard Woodburn
    Trick Flow Sales/Tech"

    Just if someone else wants to know

  22. #22

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    Hello all

    Well I went ahead and ordered stuff to convert to mass air everyone keeps telling me for the best so I ordered the following

    LMR Pro M mass air conversion wiring harness/kit
    Got a A9L ECU
    LMR fender well cold air kit
    From Summit Racing a Cardone stock replacement mass air sensor for now

    Will I lose anything power wise doing this right now? I am doing it for the “down the road” features really.

    The A9L had a chip in it and I was skeptical to buy it but the guy swore up and down once the chip removed it will return to stock i hope I am not getting burned on that, but man them things are crazy expensive and I got a good deal and still expensive.

  23. #23
    FEP Super Member xctasy's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by OX1 View Post
    Just for reference. I put a Cartech turbo kit on my stock motor Capri in early 90's and immediately went 12.52 @ 108.
    No other changes except FMS clutch, 3.27 gears and mass air conv (using stock small 55mm mass air meter).
    Didn't even change injectors, just an FMU on stock injectors.

    Best part was no tune. What a PIA that was once I did heads/intake/TB/rockers/larger MAF, etc...
    Stock drivability, idle, and gas mileage out of boost. Other best part is that with stock 86 motor, if anything
    happens to it, people will virtually give you parts to fix it for free. Now if you think your motor is tired, that's another story.

    My kit was well over 3 grand in the early 90's, but can get a cheap base kit for $1600 now.
    Not a horrible price when you add up all the others stuff you will need to get to 108 MPH.
    https://www.on3performance.com/shop/...-turbo-system/
    That's a really nice way of getting assured increases with no H/C/I work.


    Just 6 PSI of intercooled boost on what was actually a modified H/C/I 5.0 88 made a 1.48 power factor increase, and a 1.41 torque increase; like making it a 436 cubic inch, 7.2 liter stoker









  24. #24

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    I realize this thread is 2 years old, but this post was helpful to me and I wanted to ask a couple of questions.

    Background — I have an 86 mustang 302 that I pulled with flat top pistons and factory heads. I don’t know how many miles it has but it came from Florida . The cylinder walls are surprisingly fairly smooth with very little ridge at the top of the cylinder walls. The pistons are tight. All rod and main caps are tight. I have not removed the caps. The heads and intake did have a lot of carbon build up. The engine oil I drained was Carmel color and I am guessing one of the head gaskets was leaking. I want to keep the motor reliable and add a little oomph. I am running a T5 and right now have the stock rear gear. I have installed MM subframe connectors and caster plates. I plan to run coil overs and upgrade to cobra brakes. Will also do a little auto cross in the future.

    Options — Option 1 is to to do a partial rebuild of 86 motor. Your post has me thinking about this, but was thinking about starting to rebuild a newer block and set the 86n in the corner. Machine shops by me are 3 months or more constipated and don’t have time for new work . So I really don’t want to send the block to the shop. I don’t think the 86 block needs machine work. It could use a hone, but might not even need that. I have looked at the TF 170 heads, they are nice and pricey. I am not sure what cam to use, but did see your cam comments. I have an explorer intake and a couple options for throttle body. I have speed density but can switch to maf. I also could get a different intake.

    Option 2 is get explorer 302 motor that is in decent shape and build with mild cam and gt40p or aluminum heads, eithe TF or maybe Flo-tel. The risk is finding out the motor needs machine work after I get it apart. But the stock internals are more desirable than the 86 block.

    Based on my summary, what direction would you go with my build and what do you think parts wise is the best bang for the buck? I doubt I will ever look into power adders, but would not rule it out.

    Thanks for comments.
    1986 Mustang GT
    1984 Mustang SVO

  25. #25

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    Quote Originally Posted by dieselfarmer View Post
    I realize this thread is 2 years old, but this post was helpful to me and I wanted to ask a couple of questions.

    Background — I have an 86 mustang 302 that I pulled with flat top pistons and factory heads. I don’t know how many miles it has but it came from Florida . The cylinder walls are surprisingly fairly smooth with very little ridge at the top of the cylinder walls. The pistons are tight. All rod and main caps are tight. I have not removed the caps. The heads and intake did have a lot of carbon build up. The engine oil I drained was Carmel color and I am guessing one of the head gaskets was leaking. I want to keep the motor reliable and add a little oomph. I am running a T5 and right now have the stock rear gear. I have installed MM subframe connectors and caster plates. I plan to run coil overs and upgrade to cobra brakes. Will also do a little auto cross in the future.

    Options — Option 1 is to to do a partial rebuild of 86 motor. Your post has me thinking about this, but was thinking about starting to rebuild a newer block and set the 86n in the corner. Machine shops by me are 3 months or more constipated and don’t have time for new work . So I really don’t want to send the block to the shop. I don’t think the 86 block needs machine work. It could use a hone, but might not even need that. I have looked at the TF 170 heads, they are nice and pricey. I am not sure what cam to use, but did see your cam comments. I have an explorer intake and a couple options for throttle body. I have speed density but can switch to maf. I also could get a different intake.

    Option 2 is get explorer 302 motor that is in decent shape and build with mild cam and gt40p or aluminum heads, eithe TF or maybe Flo-tel. The risk is finding out the motor needs machine work after I get it apart. But the stock internals are more desirable than the 86 block.

    Based on my summary, what direction would you go with my build and what do you think parts wise is the best bang for the buck? I doubt I will ever look into power adders, but would not rule it out.

    Thanks for comments.
    The Explorer setup will probably be the cheapest overall route. I wouldn’t get too hung up on either block needing machine work either. My Explorer motor had 162k miles on it, factory crosshatching with just enough of a ridge to barely catch a fingernail if at all. Had the heads rebuilt with springs and installed a Comp XE cam. Thing runs like a raped ape, no smoking or oil consumption issues.

    The SBF is a tough SOB so don’t be afraid to just run it if everything looks good.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    1984 LTD LX, 160k mile Explorer 5.0, Comp XE264HR-14 cam, Alex’s Parts springs on stock GT40 3 bar heads, Unported Explorer intake, 1 5/8 shorty headers, off-road H-Pipe, Spintech 9000 mufflers, Holley Terminator X Max, J-Mod 4R70W, Mustang 8.8 w/ 3.73s, Tubular front and rear control arms, front coilovers, Turbocoupe rear coil springs

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