Turbocharging

deerefan · Mar 24, 2011

I just finished reading a series of articles in hot rod magazine regarding turbocharging the 5.3l gm motor and the 4.6l ford (PI). They pulled these motors out of the wrecking yards, tuned them up, added bigger injectors and slapped on a turbo and intercooler. Everything else in these motors was left stock. Both made well north of 550 hp and 500 ft/lb tourque. In an article in this past months issue, they took 2 leaf blowers, attached them to a stock 350 in a 80's model corvette and made 25 more hp on the top end and 50 more down low for less than $200. Of course, these articles got my brain brewing. I currently own a 97 F150 with the 4.6 (a non PI motor, makes only 215hp versus 260) and am toying with the notion of doing this when I retire the truck to see if it helps with not only power but economy. It also made me wonder why waste twin turbos on a V6 when you can slap 1 on a V8 and make even more power and tourqe and not work the engine as hard as you would the V6. I have long given up serious drag racing simply because it got too expensive and I could not keep up with the turbo cars. It seems turbocharging is going to be a mainstay power adder as fuel prices continue to rise. If you get a chance, read these articles. It is amazing what you can get out of a stock motor.

sparrowhawk · Mar 24, 2011

The best part of turbocharging is it can be used to produce better economy or performance. It's all in the tuning and total engine design.

Diamondpilot · Mar 24, 2011

550HP is impressive but where at and what torque does it make? The new Ford TT V6 which I am sure inspired this article, makes all its power below 2500 rpm. Thats where you want it on a truck, not on the top end.

I could care less if it makes 550HP at 6,000 rpms. Now if it made 400HP of the 550HP total at 2500 rpm that would be something but remember it still has to have torque to back it up. This is where the diesel engine has shined for so many years. They make big power down low.

How about longevity? The new motor Ford has was designed from the get go to be turbo charged.

Chris

deerefan · Mar 24, 2011

Diamondpilot said:
550HP is impressive but where at and what torque does it make? The new Ford TT V6 which I am sure inspired this article, makes all its power below 2500 rpm. Thats where you want it on a truck, not on the top end.

I could care less if it makes 550HP at 6,000 rpms. Now if it made 400HP of the 550HP total at 2500 rpm that would be something but remember it still has to have torque to back it up. This is where the diesel engine has shined for so many years. They make big power down low.

How about longevity? The new motor Ford has was designed from the get go to be turbo charged.

Chris

The actual inspiration for the article was budget horsepower, mostly tuned for top end drag racing applications. With the proper tuning, it can be made for low end much like the TT V6. These motors were junk yard motors, not really designed for this but just to prove a point. With the proper build (teflon coated pistons, forged crank, 6 bolt mains) these mtors would be rather stout and probably have great longevity. I will look at the article again tonight and see where the most power was made and report back.

Diamondpilot · Mar 24, 2011

deerefan said:
The actual inspiration for the article was budget horsepower, mostly tuned for top end drag racing applications. With the proper tuning, it can be made for low end much like the TT V6. These motors were junk yard motors, not really designed for this but just to prove a point. With the proper build (teflon coated pistons, forged crank, 6 bolt mains) these mtors would be rather stout and probably have great longevity. I will look at the article again tonight and see where the most power was made and report back.

My mechanic has a Lincoln Mark VIII with the 4.6 that he picked up 10 years ago with 100,000 miles on it for $5500. If you are not familiar with these cars they had the 32V 4.6 that the Mustang had and were built on the same platform the Mercury Cougar and Ford T-Bird was at the time.

We swapped the gear set from 3.73 or 3.55, can not remember now, to 4.10's. Put a larger fuel pump on it, better injectors, a Super Charger, 100 shot of Nitrous, under drive pulleys, and a custom tune to the computer. He has about $8,500 in the car and it will run in the 12's all day long. He has had it in the 11's.

Gets a lot of attention at the strip. Can run down most any other street legal ride out there. He has not driven it in a few years now, leaking oil pan. It has 160,000 miles on it and never had the tranny or motor opened up. Not even the valve covers off.

I have only had to bring it home from the strip once on my trailer when he broke a lower ball joint. Now it just sits in my Airplane Hanger collecting dust. He has won well over 75 trophy's with it bracket racing.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lincoln_Mark_VIII

Chris

timswi · Mar 24, 2011

Diamondpilot said:
My mechanic has a Lincoln Mark VIII with the 4.6 that he picked up 10 years ago with 100,000 miles on it for $5500. If you are not familiar with these cars they had the 32V 4.6 that the Mustang had and were built on the same platform the Mercury Cougar and Ford T-Bird was at the time.

We swapped the gear set from 3.73 or 3.55, can not remember now, to 4.10's. Put a larger fuel pump on it, better injectors, a Super Charger, 100 shot of Nitrous, under drive pulleys, and a custom tune to the computer. He has about $8,500 in the car and it will run in the 12's all day long. He has had it in the 11's.Gets a lot of attention at the strip. Can run down most any other street legal ride out there. He has not driven it in a few years now, leaking oil pan. It has 160,000 miles on it and never had the tranny or motor opened up. Not even the valve covers off.

I have only had to bring it home from the strip once on my trailer when he broke a lower ball joint. Now it just sits in my Airplane Hanger collecting dust. He has won well over 75 trophy's with it bracket racing.

Lincoln Mark VIII - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Chris

Still trying to digest this one as a recovering drag racer. A 550HP Z06 will barely make 13's.

Not saying it didn't happen, but.....

CLinton_in_FL · Mar 24, 2011

It is called, he knows how to drive and can hook up

timswi · Mar 24, 2011

CLinton_in_FL said:
It is called, he knows how to drive and can hook up

I could do both with a 396 with 4:10's and barely made 13. Friends with semi-pro built cars were getting into the high 10's adn 11's with 20K pro built motors and slicks...Just sayin.

There was a reference before to a 12 second Aviator too.

A Z06 wil hook perfectly too...It'll never see 11 without 20K in add-ons. The Z06 numbers are professional, not weekenders.

Not saying it didn't happen..but...

Diamondpilot · Mar 24, 2011

timswi said:
Still trying to digest this one as a recovering drag racer. A 550HP Z06 will barely make 13's. Not saying it didn't happen, but.....

I ran 14.1 in my 04 F-250 and my neighbors brother ran 13.9 in a 05 2500 Dmax. We both had mild chips and intakes with 4" exhaust. Maybe a extra 175HP to the rear wheels. My truck was 7,500# and his was just a tad shy of 7,000#.

Not sure who was driving that Z06 but it should do much better than that.

He ran DOT legal slicks on the rear. Just a grove down the middle if I remember right and had it stripped of interior panels, passenger seat, rear seat, ect.

Dont get me wrong, this car is the exception. I know guys who have nearly 40K in a Malibu Wagon and another with a Mustang with even more time and money in whom he beat all the time. We always got a kick out of watching some doctor show up in a new Vette or whatever and he would eat there lunch.

Same can be said for the Honda Civic crowed, ect. You can pick them up all day long for $3000. Build the clutch up, put a $5000 motor in it and if you can get the CV joints to hold together you can put down some serious times for about $7500 to $10,000.

Chris

timswi · Mar 25, 2011

Diamondpilot said:
I ran 14.1 in my 04 F-250 and my neighbors brother ran 13.9 in a 05 2500 Dmax. We both had mild chips and intakes with 4" exhaust. Maybe a extra 175HP to the rear wheels. My truck was 7,500# and his was just a tad shy of 7,000#.

Not sure who was driving that Z06 but it should do much better than that.

He ran DOT legal slicks on the rear. Just a grove down the middle if I remember right and had it stripped of interior panels, passenger seat, rear seat, ect.

Dont get me wrong, this car is the exception. I know guys who have nearly 40K in a Malibu Wagon and another with a Mustang with even more time and money in whom he beat all the time. We always got a kick out of watching some doctor show up in a new Vette or whatever and he would eat there lunch.

Same can be said for the Honda Civic crowed, ect. You can pick them up all day long for $3000. Build the clutch up, put a $5000 motor in it and if you can get the CV joints to hold together you can put down some serious times for about $7500 to $10,000.

Chris