oatmeal

Weren't there worries that the internals of the engine might not be able to handle gains like this? What happened with those concerns?

mikem

I think the whippple Charger is the best in overall.Efficiency and looks but the price tag reflects this.6,000 :shock:

mikem

Also I think the internals of the engine could hold up well into the 500,s
My 1987 Buck GrandNational pushed about 500 HP with 22 psi of boost with no Problems and that was a small V6.Time will tell when the first person to have engine failer reports on here.

Mongoose

You are the only one thinking that way. This is not a 97 Buick. The people in the know (Not Myself ) say the linit is 400 before parts start flying.

O5GT

well, pushed back another dam n week, im sick of being told week after week, oh it will be next week, esp since my card has been charged!!!!!

Madhouse

No kidding?!? That's not really considered acceptable business practice - to charge the card before shipping the order, unless it's a stocked item that will ship within 24 hrs. Bummer bro.

mikem

You are the only one thinking that way. This is not a 97 Buick. The people in the know (Not Myself ) say the linit is 400 before parts start flying.
[/b][/quote]
So Vortech,Procharger and Whipple must all be wrong.Acording to you, as soon as you put they're superchargers on your motor....Kaboom!!!. The people in the know.

sranger

Not an expert, but I do not think that the engine should be pushed much over 400hp without new forged pistons, rods, crank, and some new bearings. I do not know why, but 350-400hp seems to be a point where most stock V8 engines start getting pushed passed the engineering safety margin...

Saleen puts forged short block hardware in their 500hp extream Super charged model. I doubt that they would go to that much trouble if they did not feel like it was necessary for long engine life. ( keep in mind that they have to provide a full factory warrantee )

Of course all of this is really realitive to how you drive the car. If you run it up to the red all of the time, it won't last long even if you do nothing to enhance the engine's performance. It simply wears out faster if pushed hard all of the time.

If you only hit the gas hard a few times a week ( and for short periods of time), 500hp would probably not hurt a thing...

Unless your have so much power to physically bend a rod, crank or blow past a piston ring, the usual causes of short life are:

1) Too Lean burn ( or preignition ) which heats the piston up to much and distort it or burns a hole in the top. A professional tune and good premium gas should eliminate this problem.

2) Too much heat buildup in the engine. Basically you are producing so much power the engine's cooling system cannot get rid of the heat fast enough. The result is usually warped heads, or seized bearings & broken rods. I would certianly look at a bigger ( or more efficient ) radiator/fan assembly if I ran the car up to or above 450hp...

Do not flame me too bad, it is just an "opinion" ( and we know what they are worth ) based on the materials used in the lower part of the new engine and what some of the tuners are saying...

I will probably go with the Saleen S.C. and limit to around 400hp and hope for the best. I like the 5psi and water/air intercooler idea...

By the way: God give me patients and I want it NOW!!! ( I hate it when new toys are late )

96vert

400-450 HP has traditionally been the limit of the engine internals for 4.6 Ford engines (not forged like the 03-04 Cobras). Rods and pistons have been the limiting factor in the past, but all the items listed in the above post are accurate.

I know in the 96-98 Cobras, detonation is the real problem - one hint of detonation in a high-boost environment, and there are problems with pistons and/or rods.

j-stang

Good stuff fellas.

Sounds like I would go with the Saleen SC also. I'd be a little reluctant to push the motor pass 400 hp. Just my opinion but I'm no expert.



Cheers_Jay