Newbie Here, need help selecting Engine set up!!

Young50

New Member
Jul 25, 2005
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Alright im probably the youngest one here and im going to be gettin my dream car in a couple of months, that would be 1992 LX Hatch. Im not really familiar with the engines but im getting there with all the research I been doing. I just need you guys to help me with my engine plans so with I get my 5.0 I'll exatcly what engine set up I want. Here are some part I know im going to be getting for sure:

1) Dart Block
2)AFR 185's
3) Procharger W/ Intercooler
4) Dont want 331 or 347 so I was thinking 306
5) Trick Flow Intake
6) Injectors ?????
7) Tremec 500 Trans.
8) Mac Equal-Length Headers
9)Center Force Dual Friction
10) 75mm Throttle Body
11) Pro 5.0 Shifter
12) 3.55 Gearing

Thats all i know of right now, I need some help on all the internal parts in stuff. Im looking to get around 400-450Hp. Every just help me out and post parts you think would help me out. Please help a newbie out. . . Thanks and give some opinions too
 
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your gona need a bigger fuel system not just injectors. Polyurethane motor mounts and tranny. As for the internal's I would go down to a machine shop tell them what you want to do and let them decided on the parts and have them do the work. The injectors are gona depend on how much boost your gona be running. Your also gona need a tune on a dyno.
 
Unless you are going to run high dollar internals and or a stroker- why a dart block? Unless you are a super die hard racer, why a pro charger? Why a trick flow intake when the Performer RPM works better?

I'm a compulsive spender and I have wasted 10's of thousands on "race" stuff (even recently) that didn't make me much faster and made my cars unpleasant to drive. I wasted so much time and money that I sold all of my cars and parts last Christmas. Recently bought a new car ( I couldn't stay away!) and tried to be a little more conservative and it has worked. My latest car is wicked fast and I can drive it anywhere, go low 12's on a regular radial, and then go smewhere else ....and pass California emmissions too.

Anyway, you could make your 400hp with a simple engine with an entry level supercharger. I guarantee in this respect less is more. A stock bottom end with forged pistons, good head,main, and rod bolts will be sufficient for 400hp and a young driver.

I would recommend a well rebuilt stock bottom end, a mild cam, a performer RPM intake, 75mm TB, 80mm pro M, twsited wedge heads or even the edelbrock performer rpm, 36-42lb injectors, and an entry level vortech or paxton supercharger with an anderson powerpipe. With the right exhaust and tuning this will make your 400hp and be really simple. As far as the tranny goes- whatever. Personally, I have found the G Force to be most durable but at $2500 its a little pricey. Good luck, don't be like me, don't waste money, don't be in too much of a rush, and don't fall into the common trap that most car enthusiasts wind up in. Do not fixate on a given amount of HP. When you build a combo right the power is there.
 
Young50 said:
I dont know how much boost im going to running, i want the procharger to do its job and i want to feel it without putting to much stress on the engine

With those parts you won't have to run much boost to get to the 400-450hp level. If you did a 347 N/A you could be there with no problem... I'm guessing you don't have your liscense yet and you are going to start with a 450hp car... Best idea is drive something for a year that doesn't matter if you wreck it or not...
 
mackey said:
Best idea is drive something for a year that doesn't matter if you wreck it or not...

Yeah i second that if i had my car when i was 16 i would either be dead or in jail! i would stick with bolt on's and a gear to start out, then work your way up, you have a long life to live, no sense burning your self out right away.
 
strokedandblown said:
Yeah i second that if i had my car when i was 16 i would either be dead or in jail! i would stick with bolt on's and a gear to start out, then work your way up, you have a long life to live, no sense burning your self out right away.
Yep. I know this isn't what you asked and probably not what you want to hear, but it's true. If you start out w/ a motor like that, you'll only want more and then it gets super expensive and dangerous on the street especially with a young driver.

I'd actually recommend a stockish 5.0 or mildly modded 5.0 for your first year or two of driving - if not something less powerful than that. I started w/ a 91 4 banger and worked and saved up and bought my 5.0 - by that time, I had some driving experience. I still have that stockish 5.0 nearly 4 years later and it's still fun to drive.

Most of us work our way up gradually. Not only that, but heavily modded cars aren't always the most reliable nor streetable (although they can be) and that's not something you want to have to worry about when trying to get to school or your first job.

I say get nice stockish 5.0 and save up the money (because what you're quoting is going to cost a small fortune) to mod it and do the engine when you have more driving experience. :nice:
 
I feel what all of you are saying, Im still going to get the car, but I will just stay pretty stock for about a year or so.

So I Think a Vortech V-1 SC Trim will work and 42lb injectors.

Edelbrock Performer RPM Intake, I just dont know what Heads. Is there anything else?
 
if you must get a blower dont spend all your money if your eventually gonna get the dart block. buy a blower 6-8lbs boost 24-30 lb injectors and keep the long block stock, you'll get the best of both worlds without shootin' your self in the foot!
 
Young50 said:
I feel what all of you are saying, Im still going to get the car, but I will just stay pretty stock for about a year or so.

So I Think a Vortech V-1 SC Trim will work and 42lb injectors.
listen, if your not gonna be modding for over a year from now, dont even start planning now, because not only will your plans change, it'll make you even more and more impatient to mod and all that. I had the mods for my car all planned out before I even bought it, and now about 4 months later, I have a completely different setup than I had in mind, and I like this setup better ( I can actually stop). How old are you anyway?
 
If you are going to eventually build a motor or have a motor of that caliper built, plan for it now.

Go with a blower that will suit that combo to save money down the road.

The statement that the ATI is a race piece is a little bogus, the Procharger is one of the best street systems out and the only one available with a Air to Air on a fox body. A P1SC with a 2 core intercooler would be fine on a stock like motor. When you build that dream motor you can still use it and make 600HP with no issues at all. If you wanmt another brand the Vortech S-trim "tried and true" or the Paxton Novi 2000 would be a good choice.

That above combo should make well into the 600HP range, if not something is wrong. At that level you need to address the drivetrain, chassis and fuel system to have something reliable and safe.

Every customer of mine WANTS 600HP and daily drive it, most do not NEED most are not ready for the maintence or money a combo like that costs. Just plan ahead, buy parts once, make the combo work together and you have more fun.

I wouldn't build a combo like that above for a 16 year old.....you'll get into enough trouble with 225hp.

Good Luck, and Welcome to SN :nice:
 
Have ever ridden in one or driven one? I'm only 16 and I've had mine since mid May. I grew up in a low 13 sec pickup and the first time I rode in the one I have now I was impressed. It was quicker than I expected it to be. The best part was that it was stock. TIP: Get a job now and save before you get drivers license. You'll appreciate later on down the road. The first thing you'll want to do is gears. Take it progressively. Not only will it be more fun that way, but if anything goes wrong w/ the setup you'll know what screwed it up. This is the order I'd go in with the engine compartment

1. Plugs, Wires, Oil change
2. 3.55, 3.73, or 4.10 gears.
3. Remove air silencer and replace with K&N or Cold Air Intake
4. Catback exhaust of choice
5. 70-76mm Mass Air Meter from Pro M or C&L
6. H or X pipe
7. 65-70mm throttle body
8. Equal length or longtube headers
9. Edelbrock intake
10. 1.6 roller rockers, or 1.7 if you want the stock cam
11. AFR heads if N/A, Twisted Wedge if Forced Induction
12. Cam of choice, valve springs, etc.
13. You'll probably need some 24lb or 30lb injectors by now along with a larger fuel pump.
14&15. Check compression if it's good go to a blower. If not get a shortblock. Do it in that order.
16. You have mean ride.
 
Rick 91GT said:
Go with a blower that will suit that combo to save money down the road.

I just want to add what Rick said and say that whatever you buy, you should try to buy so that you've only got ot do it once. So by al means, start planning now. Yes, I think the Dart block is over kill for your goals. Yes, I think that with your goal, you're probably biting off more than you can chew for a street vehicle. With that done and out of the way....

A nice Dart block (if you have that kind of cash) built into a bullet proof N/A street motor would be awesome! Then when time came for you to add a bit more power then all you'd have to do is add boost to a motor that's already setup to handle it.

If 400 HP is your final goal.... save your cash and build up a great stock block. You can do 400 HP on a cast crank even! Checkout CHP's builds if you haven't already then get with Rick and he'll be able to build you a motor that has all that they do and also beef up the portions where they leave weak spots.

Best of Luck with your car and build!