Vern Schulman (? Sp) used to sell a set of laminated metal head gaskets. When I got them they looked bit strange, but a long time racing buddy said he was surprised I could get those for a yblock and that was all he used on new Fords and blown head gaskets were pretty well a thing of the past. They're on the car now, but I don't have miles or load to know what's true.



I also read somewhere that alcohol required twice the lbs/hr as gas for the same hp. Not quite sure how that works with E-85, but if you could verify it and adjust it,maybe that would help with a start point.



Your rwhp observations are inline with local dynos near me. At 400 hp off an engine dyno, the wheel unit shows 100 hp less, typically. The gross can be 400, and corrected 210 or so. Big differences.


miker
55 bird, 32 cabrio F code
Kent, WA
Tucson, AZ

Thanks guy right now I am just using fel-pro head gaskets because that is all I really can find.  I had a alot of trouble blowing head gaskets even before we boosted it.  We ended up posting the heads and throwing the torque spec out the window.  I am using ARP head studs and don't know the the torque but I got tired of replacing head gaskets so I torqued them to a 100 lb/ft and then gave them a hell of lot more.  I have not blown a head gasket since.  If you could give a link o place to get those head gaskets that would be great because I have a feeling that 8lb's of boost won't be enough and I will push this engine to the max.  That's why we build them!!  All the internals are forged so I am not worried about the lower end.  I decided to just order 4 bigger injector instead of adding four.  Gonna make some phone calls this week and try to get some ordered.  I will keep you posted.  Don't have a video yet because my dyno runs last about 2 seconds.  Started a run last night at 80 mph in 3rd gear and my split second WOT before it went lean started at 195 wheel horsepower.  I am sure I will order some injectors this week I won't be able to sleep just wondering what that Y-Block can do.

Hutz, Keep up the good work.   The only way to figure to it out and get everything sorted is to jump in and expirement like your doing and work out one detail at a time.  Just make sure it doesn't ping.  Starting with the lower boost is a good idea until you get the fuel to it.    It took me a while to get my VR57 blower car working right with the teapot, but now it is pretty darn fast.  My original set-up with the blower had cast pistons and all stock everything including head gaskets.  That long block is still in running condition, but in storage today.  I started breaking stuff when I began building hotter combo's with more cubes, better flowing heads, and bigger cams.  It was sort of a grenade for awhile.   I think the first thing to go when I added the blower was the t5 which I broke three in a row before I upgraded to a Tremec TKO.  Of course then I started wasting motors, but I got really good at tunning it and have really figured out a good combo.  You may break a few things, but if you just keep working on it you will develop your own combo and the thing will be a thrill to drive.   Good Luck with the dyno, and keep having fun.

Pat Fleischman

Hutzie.. I dont know the full extent of what has been done to your motor but I get the feeling you have a lot of "techincal" work done but maybe some basics are missing when it comes to forced induction. If you have gone to the trouble of getting a dyno I think you are going to try and.. how shall we say..." Get the most out of it", I dont think you are going to be happy with just 8 lbs boost .

What sort of head gaskets are you using?

Are you using ARP head studs?

The block or heads should be O ringed with a copper ring and a copper head gasket as well.

Tip; Dont use a coolant with glycol in it. Glycol has a "serching molecule" and the slightest crack or hole it will find it.

Those Finish guys with hollow heads should give you some more info.

Hate to see all your hard work come undone too quick.



"Came too close to dying to stop living now!"

I am not sure what O ring means.  I am running a crank trigger for our commander software and we are in control of the timing curve throughout the whole map so we can retard the timing or advance at will, we found to pull out about 1 degree of timing per pound of boost.  We got it tuned today on the dyno and found out what we were concerned with.  As soon as we started out dyno pull and boost started we ran out of injector.  Me setup has four 85lb injectors.  As soon as I hit wide open throttle the duty cycle spiked at 115 which is irrational.  Our air fuel went to 14.5 when it should be 11:1.  So we are either going to buy four 2000 cc injecors or install four more injectors into the current system.  We have a 2in spacer plate under the throttle body and four injector bosses that we can weld in and then build some fuel rails.  This will be a little more work but the four injectors are about $1100.  I am happy with the engine so far though.  We started the dyno pull in 3rd gear (E4OD Auto locked in dyno mode) @ 65 mph and only pulled four about 2 seconds but the engine started there 185 wheel horsepower and 225 lb/ft of torque at 3100 rpm.  Ir shows good potential with over 3000 rpm's to go and 10 lbs of boost.  All I need now is MORE FUEL!!!  I will try to get some video soon the engine sounds nasty with the turbo and 4in straight pipe.  You can really here the compression just listening to the exhaust.  It turns heads.

have you 'O' ringed this motor ?



"Came too close to dying to stop living now!"

This is true BUT this is also on modern engines which are completely computer controlled and typically have computers and software designed specifically for the type of boost. The computer can recognize problems and adjust for them quicker than you can react to a gauge and do the same. This can be the difference between blowing up the engine and keeping it unharmed and together to drive another day. His setup is more universal and lacks much of this. There may be other design elements that permit the higher static compression which are probably non existant in his engine. The E85 will help. Just watch it carefully.


Lawrenceville, GA

Nowadays 11.1 is more than normal with boost and especially with E85. Go on with your trial, but be sure if you hear any knocking, back up immideately.

 Seppo from Järvenpää, Finland
www.hollowheads.net (just click the hole in the head to proceed)

Turns out the octane rating of E-85 is higher than you might think. RB worked with this a year or so back. He may be a source on relative timing and Jetting. I know it's going to require more fuel than it would on Gasoline. But with 85% alcohol it'll run a lot cooler than gas and burn slower. will need more than 22 degrees I'd bet

Frank/Rebop

Bristol, In ( by Elkhart) 

I would not be running your engine at 10;1 with ANY boost ! Im no expert but I have fitted a supercharger with help from guys that have been doing it for years..

I bought my supercharger from a mechanic that had no idea what he was doing it lasted 11 minutes on his car.. he did learn alot after that.

This might be old rule of thumb. but if you want to be running any sort of decent boost you should be at 7.5;1 that should be good for 12lb boost.

Timing should have a fair bit of initail advance and maybe no more than 30 degrees all in by 3000rpm that should be a good start depending on your fuel! IF you are running all that MSD gear then go buy their boost retard to add to it.

Be careful all that hard work can be undone very quickly.



"Came too close to dying to stop living now!"