Nice project Scaffy. Sorry to hear you had dramas at the start but at least its sorted now. I am looking to run the TFS heads on my project which will end up being a similar build. I was interested in seeing how the TFS Top End Kits went. Thanks for running us through the build and I look forward to the next stage. Oh yeah if the cam wasn't dialed in I would get someone to check it as it does make a difference. But I would expect the crowd you went to should have done so already.

Thanks mate. Hopefully in a couple of weeks I should have it all sorted as far as getting the cam checked out and stuff.

What other components do you have planned for your project?

Oh yeah, welcome to the forum. Make sure you keep us up to date with your build.

I have a few things in mind. I am looking at running a 326 or 331 bottom end. Twisted Wedge heads. 1.7 ratio roller rockers. 70mm throttle body. 90mm mass air. 30lb injectors. Adj fuel pressure reg. 255l/hr fuel pump. Cam I am still deciding on as I have 2 in mind. Will be running a main girdle as well. I will only be running an explorer manifold with some minor mods. Would like about 380-400hp at flywheel. I would go for a better manifold like one from Trick Flow, but most of our driving is on the street and think the explorer will be better suited. Will also be upgrading the spark side of things as well and will be changing the diff centre to a 3.45.

It's going to be a month of two off before I start the build. I have started buying some components but am waiting to sell another toy before I can purchase the heads. I can't wait to see them as your's looked great.

I know I am not expecting much more power than what yours has, but it is still a daily driver. Plus the keys live in the wife's hands most of the time. I will let you all know when the build begins. I know I am a whole lot keener after reading your's and XH5LWEPN's builds.

Hmm...I think you will be disappointed with the Explorer intake on a stroker with those twisted wedge heads.

Otherwise sounds like a decent combo, choose your cam wisely

It definately sounds like you've got it pretty well sussed. When I was starting to mod my car I knew absolutely nothing. I can't really claim to know all that much more, but what I have learnt is thanks to all they guys off the forums. There's a lot of good advice out there which I'm very thankful for. XR9UTE copped bucketloads of question when I was trying to decide what to get and he gave me the advice with the reasons behind it, especially when it came to injector and tb size. Cheers Pete! I was getting quite a few different suggestions from outside the forums without anything to back it up... just what people had heard or thought!

Anyways, I wish I could get the rest to happen straight away but due to things like house and woman and kids in the not-too-distant future, it's all slowed down to snails pace!

Yeah I know the intake will let it down abit. It will mainly affect it mainly above 5500rpm. Realistically it won't be there alot except when I get to take it for a squirt. It should produce some decent torque though. Scaffy I have done a bit of research, mostly from the guys in the US as they have been modding these engines for years. Forums are a great place for info and it's good to have guys like xr8ute and the likes to bang some ideas off. Also it's a good place to see peoples combo's and their results. Plus to see the trials and tribulations like yourself, most times you can learn alot from other peoples dramas. Also I have worked on cars for years, experience helps.

Go the new CNC 185 TW heads if you do go Twisted wedge and consider a Holley intake but you'll have to switch sides with your t-body. If you stay with the explorer it sort of dictates the mildness of your camshaft but it sounds like thats what your after for daily driving.

Agree with Pete the new TFS CNC heads are really impressive, through the Australian supplier they are a bit on the expensive side... I'd be looking at getting them direct from the USA.

No problem running a match ported explorer it will flow enough air to support 380fwhp, and it will make a bootload of torque on a stroker.

For camshafts well there are alot out there which will make the power, quite a few people do not like the FMS 'alphabet' cams but a stroker with an E-303 / Crane 2040 and 1.7 rockers would be a great street combo.

At least with Alphabet cams you know what your going to get!! They are relatively friendly on valve gear also...The importers of TFS heads usually import AFR heads as well.. They use the TFS heads as the budget heads as cast and don't import the CNC heads.. While they have the AFR heads CNC as they don't come any other way.. I guess they make more money that way??
The TFS heads are not inline valves which means bigger 2.02 inlet valve can be run on unotched pistons.. But still pays to check...
Over 220 @ 50 and around 10 to 1 compression the TFS inlets come good with good with correct heads...Its not just there shorter runners but the size of them, way bigger than GT P heads ports..

Last edited by EBXR8380 on Tue Apr 29, 2008 2:34 pm, edited 2 times in total.

[double post

I think were all to concerned about bigger cams/aftermarket manifolds. Explorer makes good HP/torque and all it needs is a good extrusion of the upper half to complement a stroker.

The standard cam is actually quite good with engine builders getting up to 400hp out of them!!!!!!!
I can testify to this to some degree. My engine can tear the heart out of a standard stroker and if its auto god help you.
Where is my mate REDXR347? Heading down to Calder this weekend. I have an overcammed mismatched heap of auto crap to fry!!!!

I have looked at the new heads and they also are a consideration. The cam will be mild but with the extra bit of lift from the 1.7 rockers should help out whilst still remaining a reasonable idle. The cam is probably the most difficult decision in the combo as it is a matter of getting it all to work together. Hence the reason for going the stroker route as the extra cubes will allow some exta power without loosing some of the mildness. I could have easily come up with a combo to make around the 380 to 400 with the 302 but that is when things start to get peaky in a way. I will be getting the explorer manifold extrude honed to free up some more airflow anyway. Probably the biggest thing is not to loose velocity, which generally happens with the bigger is better scenario.

Also I am getting most of the stuff from the US, especially how the dollar is at the moment.

As with the response about the standard cam, yes I have thought about it but from memory with 1.7 rockers it ends up with just over 480 thou lift. I have seen them run on 350 hp combos but I am not sure with the engine size increase that it would end up 380 to 400. Crower have a cam that mirrors the stock cam but has 531 lift with standard rockers and 580 with 1.7's. I have considered it as well. It will be the last thing I purchase anyway. I have been looking at the TF cams. How well did yours look Scaffy when you had it open.

Finally a man who talks some sense and doesn't have his head in the clouds!!!!! . You can definitely make a monster out of a very mild set up, just a matter of treading with caution when selecting mods.

6,000 redline is plenty my friend and with that you should still have a reasonable idle (900rpm or so). My car idles at 800rpm, makes power to 5,500 and uses 9.5L/100 on a flat highway run!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Economy and power what more could I want??? Now to run a flat 14.0 and what more could you want??
Good luck with the build

just for the record my car idles happily at 900 in neutral and 700 in gear... smooth and doesnt hunt. and mine makes power to 6250 running a TFS stage 2 cam.

the only reason ive got it idleing that high in neutral is due to the fact i dont have an ISC..



sorry scaffy for invading your thread....

-mitch

Aggressive cams and high-sh final drives don't help...
IMO with any performance car weighing over 1650 Kg a final drive around 3:7 is better as it lets rpm on cam better... I actually helps in fuel consumption.t

Haha I'd like to see an n/a 400 h.p with std cam ??? Hahaha

Last edited by EBXR8380 on Sun May 04, 2008 12:42 am, edited 1 time in total.