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  1. #1
    FEP Power Member moelll's Avatar
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    Default Challenge: build up a 255 ci engine

    i thought of this last night. i was wondering if it was possible to use ANY performace parts for a 302 and install those on a 255. if it is possible, i want to see if you can make at least 200 hp with this boat anchor.

    whos in for the challenge?
    1985 Ford LTD LX. 4 eyes, 4 doors-cobra powered
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  2. #2

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    dont waste your time and parts.

    you can make ANYTHING fast if you throw enough money at it...but even 200hp isn't that fast.

    just build up a 302 for your car instead

  3. #3
    FEP Power Member moelll's Avatar
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    actually, i'm planning to put a 351W in it
    1985 Ford LTD LX. 4 eyes, 4 doors-cobra powered
    2006 Ford F-150 Ashley/Smith special edition--the "daily driver"
    1986 ford mustang SVO--a man can always dream right?

  4. #4
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    there is at least one performance intake, the intake ports are round....
    down to two eyes

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  5. #5

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    That's funny becasue 200hp is not that fast. Um looking in to pick up a 2001 gt 265hp. And im thank wow that will just kill my 85 gt.
    1988 lx vert
    Rebuilt enigne with gt 40 head's and intake's.

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  6. #6
    FEP Super Member cb84capri's Avatar
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    i remember reading an article on mercurycapri.com about the 255. i think hot rod mag got an 81 and made 200 hp with it. they put in a cam, true dual exhaust, and maybe an intake not totally sure. i would think 255 stuff would be pricey since there isnt much demand for it. what was the diff between it and the 302? i was told it was an underbored 302, but if they need a specific intake, wouldn't that make them a shorter block altogether?

    cale

  7. #7

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    I would be interested in this too. Its a shame how everyone dismisses the 255 out of hand so quickly. Mine has been a faithfull unit since new.

  8. #8
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    ok... junk the 255 heads/intake and get some early 289 heads/intake... you need the smaller valves to clear the piston walls... the nice part about the 255 is the crank it's the same stroke/size as a 302 but much lighter...

    Basically a 255 is an under bored 302... if you kept the stock heads, you'd need a special intake to match it's funky ports... better to just swap to early 289 heads and then use 302 stuff...

    good luck...
    Old Heavyweight Large Body Platform, two Muscle powered feet, that get traction from a set of size 12 generic shoes. Needs alot of bodywork, and hard to start in the morning... Used to be alot faster, but now does the 1/4 in 330sec at 2.7 mph.

  9. #9
    FEP Power Member f4fntm's Avatar
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    Yeah, an underbored 302. My '81 came with one, but I never saw it cuz the previous owner had pulled and junked it in favor of a 302 already (this was in '87).

    Quote Originally Posted by Slick 5.0
    That's funny becasue 200hp is not that fast. Um looking in to pick up a 2001 gt 265hp. And im thank wow that will just kill my 85 gt.
    I think you'll be surprised - all the newer Stangs are outrageously fat (think 3500 lbs vs 3100). Power-to-weight ratio is much the same.
    Lee
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  10. #10
    FEP Super Member cb84capri's Avatar
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    would it be possible to bore out a 255 to 302 or are the walls in the block much thinner?

    cale

  11. #11
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    lol... not without sleeves... I would just switch to a 302 before going that far... but hang on to that crank... sell it to stock class racers
    Old Heavyweight Large Body Platform, two Muscle powered feet, that get traction from a set of size 12 generic shoes. Needs alot of bodywork, and hard to start in the morning... Used to be alot faster, but now does the 1/4 in 330sec at 2.7 mph.

  12. #12
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    a few questions i have... what is the stock bore of a 255? how far can it be bored out? i'd assume .030 max? So the crank is lighter weight than a 302, but how strong is it...good as a stock 302? Are the rods the same as the 302? Is the deck height of the block the same?

    Perhaps a good overbore, maybe up the compression a notch. If it would fit, maybe a stock EFI setup? How big of a valve do you think would fit in one of these things anyway? Would E7's fit? How about these old D5TE 351w heads or the D9 302 heads i have, would either of those fit and are they any good?

    I don't have a 255 laying around...but it would be kinda fun to try to get over 200hp out of one on the cheap. Maybe throw some happy gas or 8psi at it and see how long it lives. It would be fun beating up on 4.6's with what is probably the least desirable v8 of the era.

  13. #13

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    Wow this is all good stuff guys ! keep it up & if there's anyone out there with more input or support , feel free to jump in !!!

  14. #14
    FEP Power Member Mustang Marty's Avatar
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    The stock bore of a 255 is 3.68" that's more than a 1/4" smaller than a 289/302. Only the great grandaddy of the Windors is smaller, the 221. It had a 3.5" bore...

    I believe if you install newer heads on the 255, the valves will hit the deck of the block due to the 255's smaller bore. The heads are the major suck point of this engine since no other intakes bolt up to it.

    Why Ford didn't just go back to the old 289 or 260 specs, we will never know.

  15. #15

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    Quote Originally Posted by Mustang Marty
    Why Ford didn't just go back to the old 289 or 260 specs, we will never know.
    From what I remember... Ford went with that design to save weight.

    Though, I agree with you... Ford should have went back with a 260 or 289. At least you ca do some mods to a 260... just look at the very early AC Shelby Cobra.
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  16. #16
    FEP Super Member MurPHy's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by roadburner
    It would be fun beating up on 4.6's with what is probably the least desirable v8 of the era.
    Why not just get a 221 or 260, throw 10+ psi of turbo fun at it, and call it a day? It'd be cool if you used stock valvecovers too, they're friggin TINY!


    Boat engine, I know, but it's the only image I could find.
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  17. #17
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mustang Marty
    The stock bore of a 255 is 3.68" that's more than a 1/4" smaller than a 289/302. Only the great grandaddy of the Windors is smaller, the 221. It had a 3.5" bore...

    I believe if you install newer heads on the 255, the valves will hit the deck of the block due to the 255's smaller bore. The heads are the major suck point of this engine since no other intakes bolt up to it.

    Why Ford didn't just go back to the old 289 or 260 specs, we will never know.
    USAC rules for champ cars was 255, and it was a magic number for Ford when they were winning the Indy 500, perhaps that is the reason why they chose the 255
    down to two eyes

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  18. #18
    FEP Super Member cb84capri's Avatar
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    well whats wrong with porting up a stock head? i don't know so i figured i'd ask because i have an interest in these motors. someone said they had funky heads, why is this? also, could you build up a stroker 255 motor with 331 rods and crank? i know someone on here is going to tell me this is a waste of time but i just want to know more about these engines. i don't even know what one of these sounds like!

    cale

  19. #19
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    Quote Originally Posted by cb84capri
    well whats wrong with porting up a stock head? i don't know so i figured i'd ask because i have an interest in these motors. someone said they had funky heads, why is this? also, could you build up a stroker 255 motor with 331 rods and crank? i know someone on here is going to tell me this is a waste of time but i just want to know more about these engines. i don't even know what one of these sounds like!

    cale
    the heads are;
    1. cast iron
    2. poor flowing
    3. have ROUND intake ports

    for a stroker kit, you would need a custom set of pistons...

    All 1980 and 1981 V8 Mustangs are 255's and so are most 82 V8 auto's
    down to two eyes

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  20. #20

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    You have to remember in the very Early 1980's fuel was very high, (in todays dollars it was way over 3.00 dollars per gallon) so the auto companys came up with these super detuned,fuel saving power plants,along with CAFE,and EPA mandated emission controls all over these small detuned ,powerplants, ie: 267 chevolet (120 HP) 265 pontiac (115HP) 255 Ford (119HP) even the much larger 318 mopar could only muster up 120 HP in 1980! (sad)In the Early 1980's Ford was behind in bringing out a large displacement V6 (Im not talking about the German 2.8-2.9 V6)The Ford 3.8 V6 would not appear until 1982 (T-Bird)So Ford "Rengineered" their 302 as a stopgap.they were so proud of it,a selling point from FORD was "A built in EGR cooler" in the 2BBL intake! BIG Deal!!!!!( yes 255 cubic inches was a USAC-indy car magic number I remember well!)In 1980 I bought a New Mustang Cobra (255) V8,with A/C and that super high 2.26 rear end,(before overdrive automatics) the Quarter Mile is measured in minutes, But..... It has served me very well,with MPG's that V6's of that era would die for! I must have looked at that car dozens of times over the years,(and even lately) and said "That FOX needs a real motor", But I just cant do it! (Im even a Ford Perfomance Racing Parts Dealer here) I guess That little 255 (with 25,700 miles) is safe for now!!! I was at the Ford 100th Centennial Bash in Dearborn in 2003 , Ford handed out a little engine output booklet telling how many 'engines"each Ford engine factory put out from day one, They (Ford) said the "Baby Windsor" (thats what Ford called the 255) was of course built at the Windsor,Ont. Canada plant and they built 350,000 of them total. Out of 4000 Show Cars on display that weekend in Dearborn,I could not find 1 255 powered car!(sad) Gregg/Ohio

  21. #21
    FEP Super Member MurPHy's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by twister
    Quote Originally Posted by cb84capri
    well whats wrong with porting up a stock head? i don't know so i figured i'd ask because i have an interest in these motors. someone said they had funky heads, why is this? also, could you build up a stroker 255 motor with 331 rods and crank? i know someone on here is going to tell me this is a waste of time but i just want to know more about these engines. i don't even know what one of these sounds like!

    cale
    the heads are;
    1. cast iron
    2. poor flowing
    3. have ROUND intake ports

    for a stroker kit, you would need a custom set of pistons...

    All 1980 and 1981 V8 Mustangs are 255's and so are most 82 V8 auto's
    1. Not a bad thing. Ford hasn't put out aluminum heads from the factory until recently (I'm talking newer S/Ced Cobras here).

    2. Wouldn't a heavy port job fix this?

    3. Actually a good thing. Look at the 429/460 and 351C. They both use round(ish) ports, and flow REALLY good.
    1990 Mustang LX 5.0 - Ran into a tree (fixed!)
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  22. #22
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    Quote Originally Posted by MurPHy
    Quote Originally Posted by twister
    Quote Originally Posted by cb84capri
    well whats wrong with porting up a stock head? i don't know so i figured i'd ask because i have an interest in these motors. someone said they had funky heads, why is this? also, could you build up a stroker 255 motor with 331 rods and crank? i know someone on here is going to tell me this is a waste of time but i just want to know more about these engines. i don't even know what one of these sounds like!

    cale
    the heads are;
    1. cast iron
    2. poor flowing
    3. have ROUND intake ports

    for a stroker kit, you would need a custom set of pistons...

    All 1980 and 1981 V8 Mustangs are 255's and so are most 82 V8 auto's
    1. Not a bad thing. Ford hasn't put out aluminum heads from the factory until recently (I'm talking newer S/Ced Cobras here).

    2. Wouldn't a heavy port job fix this?

    3. Actually a good thing. Look at the 429/460 and 351C. They both use round(ish) ports, and flow REALLY good.
    1. hard metal to port....

    2. a schmike load of porting is needed

    3. round and rounded are 2 different things, left to right...351C 4V, 351C 2V, Edelbrock Victor Jr. intake ports
    down to two eyes

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  23. #23
    Mike Croke
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    In order to match a factory roller 5.0 circa '85-'93, it would cost at least $3K and the engine would be maxed out. As an experiment because you're a rich guy and like to keep the economy going....

    Every single component of the 255 will fight your efforts. Despite the similarities to other Windsors, that engine was designed to be a lump. It is not a de-tuned engine, it was re-engineered to be a pile of crap because every automaker was heading towards smaller more fuel efficient engines. But marketing said people who buy Mustangs want a V8 so they made one. Barely.

    - The heads are terrible and $1500 port/machine work probably isn't enough to fix them. Enough porting to get the flow up to E7s would probably break into the water passages. There isn't enough room to put bigger valves because...
    - The cylinder bore is so small that any other head won't fit because the valves will either hit the block deck or (even if they clear) will be so close to the cylinder wall that flow is restricted and defeats any advantage gained by the better head. The cylinders on the 4.2 are 3.68" diameter compared to 4" for the 5.0.

  24. #24

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    Quote Originally Posted by Mike Croke
    In order to match a factory roller 5.0 circa '85-'93, it would cost at least $3K and the engine would be maxed out. As an experiment because you're a rich guy and like to keep the economy going....
    Quote Originally Posted by Some Ricer
    Naw man, slap a 250 shot of nawz on it and leave 5.0s in the dust. :P
    2R '85 GT 'vert - VIN code M fuel injected 5.0 HO

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  25. #25
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    Quote Originally Posted by MurPHy
    2. Wouldn't a heavy port job fix this?
    lol... the heads a cast thin... no need for a dowsing rod... you'll be finding water for sure...

    Like I said earlier in the thread... junk the heads/intake... get a set of early 289 heads... (you have to have the smaller valves to clear the cylinder wall) port those if you want... add a 302 intake... a nice cam,headers,carb,etc... and be happy with it...
    Old Heavyweight Large Body Platform, two Muscle powered feet, that get traction from a set of size 12 generic shoes. Needs alot of bodywork, and hard to start in the morning... Used to be alot faster, but now does the 1/4 in 330sec at 2.7 mph.

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