Need advice modding 5 liter Towncar

[Soon2beBlown]

Since I've had a lot of free time lately I decided to start modding my 1989 lincoln towncar, since it has basically the same 5 liter motor as all of our cars. I recently did a head/intake swap on the mustang so I plan on using the stock parts on the lincoln.

So far I've swapped upper/lower intake manifold, rigged up a cold air kit, stock headers/H pipe dumped, no mufflers. Thats about it right now, I dont see the need for mufflers, it still a little too quiet. I want to swap on my stock throttle body as well but it looks like I'll have to give up cruise control? Right now it runs just as perfect as stock. It actually seemed to respond to the mods pretty well, definate up in power. Anyone know how much of a hp gain I am looking at by swapping cylinder heads? I may have the e7's ported a little on the exhaust side. With it being speed density I am a little hesitant to swap them, I really dont want to give up much stock drivability. I would of course use my 19lb injectors over the stock 14lb. The other option I am looking into is just swapping the 19lbers in, and DIY single turbo, I am really only looking for about 275RWHP. But I really want it to drive as stock since it'll be driven daily. I know this isn't a lincoln forum but hopefully someone knows some specs on the cylinder heads they came with. Any help is appreciated.

 

[Gearbanger 101]

To tell you the truth, unless you're willing to do an HO cam and computer swap, you're not looking at any big improvement. The difference between your engine and even the lowers horsepower HO ('86) is about 50hp and 75hp if it's any newer than that. I say if you're going to go as far as swapping out to a set of E7TE's, then you might as well swap the bumpstick too.

275rwhp isn't an easy figure to attain with the stock speed density set up, so a careful selection of parts is necessary.

 

[Michael Yount]

The other thing to be careful of is WHERE the combo you put together makes it's power/torque. The Towncar is a heavy beast and it needs plenty of low-end torque to get it moving. The factory set up provides that at the expense of top end HP. When you start swapping in parts that will improve top end power, unless you're really careful about your selection of parts, your bottom end torque can be significantly less - which will actually make it LESS fun as a daily driver.

If you've got it running pretty good now, I'd consider swapping a bunch more rear gear into the car. That'll really wake it up without altering drivability. May improve in-town mileage.

 

[89MustangGX]

If you've got it running pretty good now, I'd consider swapping a bunch more rear gear into the car. That'll really wake it up without altering drivability. May improve in-town mileage.

I like this idea. It's either a 7.5 or 8.8 so gears shouldn't be hard to come by, and maybe get a Trac-Lok if one isn't in there already. Will definitely improve the fun-factor. I don't knowwhat's available for speedo calibration, but surely whether it's electronic or mechanical you can find something.

 

[Funanin]

yea some 4:10's should give the rice a good woopin

 

[JB66]

Personally, I think you're looking at a disaster waiting to happen. The pistons in your TC are not notched for the bigger lift of the HO cam, nor are they as strong as the HO pistons. I know on several other forums this type of 'upgrade' is NOT recommended. It's lots more beneficial to start with a HO motor, then mod that.

 

[Michael Yount]

JB - peak lift increases don't reduce p to v clearance. At peak lift the pistons are way down the cylinder. It's increased duration that causes the problems -- opening the intake earlier and closing the exhaust later during overlap as the piston is passing through TDC that reduces clearance. Not to worry though - the 86 HO motor in the Stang had the flat top pistons with no reliefs and the HO cam (same specs on the cam from 85-88; slightly more intake duration from 89-95) too with no clearance issues.

 

[Soon2beBlown]

So does anyone think it'd even be worth it to swap the heads without doing the cam as well? The only reason I am still thinking of doing it is because I already have the heads so its basically free horspower(minus new headgaskets and bolts)

On the other side, what about running a turbo with speed density? Any specific things I need to know that would be different from turbocharging a MAF sensor car?

New gears are a definate after I get a new tranny, overdrive doesnt work on the current one.

 

[Michael Yount]

I think the heads AND cam are workable, provided you go with more gear too. However, if the tranny's already ailing, more power/torque probably isn't going to help things.

If you can afford gear, tranny repairs, etc., you can afford mass air conversion before adding boost. SD cars have been boosted successfully. But you probably ought to post separately and ask the SD guys to tell you how to make that work. The system is looking for readings from the MAP (manifold absolute pressure) sensor that are between zero (full vacuum) and atmospheric (wide open throttle). When you pressurize the manifold you create conditions the system isn't expecting or programmed for. So there are changes that have to be made - the blown SD guys can tell you about it. But I think you'd be MUCH better off converting to mass air before you go adding boost. In any event, adding the HO SD computer when you add the heads/cam/19# injectors is gonna be necessary too - I'm pretty sure the HO firing order is different than the non-HO motor. Check yours on the Lincoln out - if it starts out 1-3 then it's HO; if it starts out 1-5 then it's non-HO. Changing the cam is what changes the firing order - so if you go with the HO cam, ignition and injection sequence has to change to match.

 

[JB66]

Michael, thank you for that clarification. I didn't have that information. It's nice to know the facts for sure before getting into these projects.

 

[Michael Yount]

No prob JB - and I don't know about facts either; my post is full of "IF this, then that..."

 

[90mustangGT]

Hot-Rod Lincoln!!!

Sounds like fun, but it would take A LOT to make it really fast. I understand you just want to give it some extra punch, but enough punch to knock out any stangs it's going to take a lot. It's a heavy car. Definatly do a gear in it, at least 4.10 if not 4.30's. They come with some pretty tall tires in the first place, so 4.30's would act more like 4.10's. Then put a different converter with a higher stall speed and a shift kit. Some home ported E7's and lower intake off a '87+ mustang, HO cam with some extra lift from some RR's, a stall, shift kit, gear, I think you would have some fun.