Here's what I'm looking for. I want to build a motor that puts down ~400RWHP (~500HP at the crank), can pull down +20MPG, and will run all day long.
Please notice that I am asking HOW, not IF this can be done. I've spent the past two days searching, and most of the replies just criticize why someone would want this. This questions has to do w/ engineering, not motivation. So please refrain from any comments along the lines of "you can't have your cake and eat it too" or "v8s and gas mileage don't go together". Thanks.
Back to my goals.. The HP number can be an "on demand" value.. I.e. nitrous. I'm fine with that, as long as I can make it when I need to. The 20mpg number is the minimum that I'm looking for when cruising the highway. I would like ask for 25mpg, but I'll set the bar a little lower. I understand that in town mileage will be lower, and I'm ok with that. I'm also looking for a motor that I can rely on. I don't want to worry about splitting a block going down the strip.
OK, so here's what I'm starting with. My car is currently a 302, just the way Ford made it, hasn't been touched. The rest of the car has been. I've been prepping for a 351W stroker swap. But with gas prices going way they are, I've had to rethink that plan. The all out, brute HP attack isn't going to work, I want a more intelligent build than that. The car has 3.73s (which I can change... a 5 lug conversion might be on it's way), new suspension on all corners (more of a road race suspension), subframes, TKO 5spd, SPEC clutch... I think that's about it. I also have a TwEECer at my disposal, although I haven't played with it much (I have one calibration that gives me a 2750rpm idle for launching at the track..
)
So here is my train of thought. I want to keep the motor CID small, to help mileage. That brings me to a 302 based motor (306/331/347). I'll probably put it in a Dart or R302 block to remove worries of splitting the stock 302 block. Preference right now is a DSS 331... But I could be talked out of that quickly. That is about as far as I've made it though...
I'm guessing that these are unrealistic HP numbers for NA + CID. Nitrous looks really nice, for the ability to make the power, with out always chuggin the gas. But, I think I will disappoint myself, spending a ton of cash, and not having all the power there, under my foot, on my daily drive to work. So, a turbo or two might be what I'm looking at. I'm guessing, that keeping out of it on the highway, I can see the mpg numbers I'm looking for, but still be able to spool it up when I want. I would rather have and auto for tubas, but the "fun factor" of the stick is too much. And I'm guessing the turbos will give me the TQ that I LOVE, the same as a NA 408W would have. And there is a possibility to go to a T56 too to cut down the highway revs. I wouldn't be looking at anything too crazy for heads, maybe AFR 185s (the AFR band wagon is still ridding well). And for sure EFI. I'm guessing w/ the TwEECer, I can have an ultra lean setting for mileage on the highway, and a balls out 2mpg setting for the strip.
Cliff notes: Does (331 + Dart block + boost/nitrous + TwEECer) = (400RWHP + 20MPG + reliability)????
So, those in the know... what do you say? HOW can I make this happen?? Anyone out there done this already? Lets hear it....
Thanks,
DJ
Please notice that I am asking HOW, not IF this can be done. I've spent the past two days searching, and most of the replies just criticize why someone would want this. This questions has to do w/ engineering, not motivation. So please refrain from any comments along the lines of "you can't have your cake and eat it too" or "v8s and gas mileage don't go together". Thanks.
Back to my goals.. The HP number can be an "on demand" value.. I.e. nitrous. I'm fine with that, as long as I can make it when I need to. The 20mpg number is the minimum that I'm looking for when cruising the highway. I would like ask for 25mpg, but I'll set the bar a little lower. I understand that in town mileage will be lower, and I'm ok with that. I'm also looking for a motor that I can rely on. I don't want to worry about splitting a block going down the strip.
OK, so here's what I'm starting with. My car is currently a 302, just the way Ford made it, hasn't been touched. The rest of the car has been. I've been prepping for a 351W stroker swap. But with gas prices going way they are, I've had to rethink that plan. The all out, brute HP attack isn't going to work, I want a more intelligent build than that. The car has 3.73s (which I can change... a 5 lug conversion might be on it's way), new suspension on all corners (more of a road race suspension), subframes, TKO 5spd, SPEC clutch... I think that's about it. I also have a TwEECer at my disposal, although I haven't played with it much (I have one calibration that gives me a 2750rpm idle for launching at the track..
) So here is my train of thought. I want to keep the motor CID small, to help mileage. That brings me to a 302 based motor (306/331/347). I'll probably put it in a Dart or R302 block to remove worries of splitting the stock 302 block. Preference right now is a DSS 331... But I could be talked out of that quickly. That is about as far as I've made it though...
I'm guessing that these are unrealistic HP numbers for NA + CID. Nitrous looks really nice, for the ability to make the power, with out always chuggin the gas. But, I think I will disappoint myself, spending a ton of cash, and not having all the power there, under my foot, on my daily drive to work. So, a turbo or two might be what I'm looking at. I'm guessing, that keeping out of it on the highway, I can see the mpg numbers I'm looking for, but still be able to spool it up when I want. I would rather have and auto for tubas, but the "fun factor" of the stick is too much. And I'm guessing the turbos will give me the TQ that I LOVE, the same as a NA 408W would have. And there is a possibility to go to a T56 too to cut down the highway revs. I wouldn't be looking at anything too crazy for heads, maybe AFR 185s (the AFR band wagon is still ridding well). And for sure EFI. I'm guessing w/ the TwEECer, I can have an ultra lean setting for mileage on the highway, and a balls out 2mpg setting for the strip.
Cliff notes: Does (331 + Dart block + boost/nitrous + TwEECer) = (400RWHP + 20MPG + reliability)????
So, those in the know... what do you say? HOW can I make this happen?? Anyone out there done this already? Lets hear it....
Thanks,
DJ
