I am fairly new to the forum and am curious to know how much pressure you can run on stock pistons on the 3.8, and how much HP/TQ the 3.8 can develop on stock internals without sacrificing reliability, I don't have a problem upgrading pistons, but would like to keep it at that. My goal is to run no higher than 12lbs of boost at the track, and around 6-8 psi on the street, is this a posibility or am I asking to much of the stock internals? BTW this would be on a single turbo set up. Thanks in advance, Josh Oh yeah, should probably include that its a 2003 mustang
If you really dont mind the labor involved and price as well of upgrading pistons, I'd say go ahead and do that first, along with some forged I beam rods and you'll be pretty much set. If not, then you could get by with 11-12 intercooled pounds @ the track and still survive on 6-8 psi on the street. I dont think that would be asking too much. BUT, for the extra boost @ the track you will need a program on your chip specifically for that purpose. The tune is the key to keeping your engine from grenading. Alot of guys are running the 11psi ATI kit everyday and very few have lost an engine staying at those boost levels. I don't see why 11-12 psi for just the track w/a good tune would not be reasonable.
ditto.......if you're gonna tear it down anyway.....get forged pistons along with graphite coated head gaskets (some people don't know to use them with the newer engines and aluminum heads). But if you're gonna have it torn down that far, you get could the block machined to accept a 4.2 crank from an F-150. It would just need notched a tad bit at the bottom of the piston sleeves and it'll give you a little more stroke. More stroke = more power. I've been running 11 psi of boost for about 2 years now and I've never had a problem, and the car is my daily driver.
good to hear.. I don't really care to upgrade much other than the pistons at this point as its my Girlfriends car and will not be seeing a whole lot of leadfoot , I had planned on a bigger MAF, injectors, and probably some sort of dual program chip (anyone know if Diablo has a flipchip for the 3.8??) it will be and intercooled single turbo set up, and must be well mannered at low boost levels because it will be seeing minnesota winters and, well... Lots of power on the street + snow = not good Any reccomendations on brand of pistons and "possibly" rods? I have been searching so bear with me, I build Jeeps and motorcycles, this will be the first V6 stang I have touched Josh
Contact either www.rpm-mustangs.com or www.supersixmotorsports.com for rod/piston combos and I'd get i touch with Justin @ www.velocitymustangperformance.com to see about your MAF/Inj/Pump/Chip needs. He'll take real good care of ya, and he even has first hand experience with turbo setups so he'll know exactly what you need.
