[DickH]

I have lived with a 2v 4.6 for a while now, and its just time to move on. I am attempting to build a 5.4 dohc motor for cheap and want to see ~450hp. It sounds hard but im willing to throw ~8k into the motor for that 450, just not sure about how cheap I can get it. Right now im camping a few places online, trying to get anything ill need as long as its for a good price and so far I think im doing pretty well. For me, this build is more about the end cost, as my goal is to do it as cheap as possible. So far this is what I have spent.

03 navigator motor = 650 waiting for a cheap deal on freight to get it to me
boss290 manifold = 660
05 C heads = 280
accufab 1600cfm tb = 220
new navigator wiring harness = 11
0 miles fr500 valvetrain =200 (bought the entire kit never used for 700 and sold the cams for 500)

So right now im ~2k into it but thats not bad considering I am cams shy of the entire top end. Plans are to sell the navi heads in hopes of covering machining the block .020 over to end up with 5.5L. If the crank turns out to be forged that will be great, ill just need rods and pistons. Im undecided now, but I think im probably going to end up having to spend ~1500 for custom pistons to get 11:1, but im not 100% sure on that part. Ill send the heads out to livernois for a stage 2 CNC job and get bronze valveguides thrown in while its there, ill have to double check but I think that should cost ~850. Im not sure about cam specs as of now, id like to make decent power to 7k and spin it probably no higher than ~7.5. For the exhaust ill just stick with a nice set of shortys, unless I can find some longtubes that work with some reasonable effort. Intake will be of course the boss290 manifold,ported and modified for the oval throttle body, something I can do for free. Then I think the expensive part will come from little things like bolts/studs, gaskets, cam chain things, along with whatever else comes up.

I have no idea what the end total will actually be, I am taking it very very slow right now so I can catch good deals.

[Mach Boy]

You picked up some great deals on parts.

[ChrisJ]

AGREE^^

Really good deals...

[DickH]

I know, thats why its moving along so slow. There is no rush, I have money in the bank to just flat buy most of what I need but instead im just watching for very specific things, and will only get them if they are way below a normal price. I will probably sit on a pile of parts until febuaryish, then start putting it together. Currently id like it running by the end of april, but I wont rush it if I dont have to. Priorities in life change and I don't want have all my money into a motor when I need it elsewhere, thats why I dont have an extra 4k in extra parts laying around.

If anyone knows some good cam specs for the build I am completely open to suggestions. I have no idea how the cam specs affect performance, so I dont know what im looking for.

[bitemark46]

Originally Posted by DickH ok, how much are some flat top pistons with an offset wrist pin for 11:1?

Call Probe they offer one. I want to say between 500-600. How the hell did you get a boss290 intake for 660$? they go for over 1500$.

With 11:1, cams, and good intake you can easily get 420rwhp.

-Mark

[DickH]

im not sure if id need the pistons notched, but Im probably going to end up spraying so id like them coated. The rotating assembly wont be cheap, thats one place I wont cut corners and so far its looking like my pistons will probably be the most expensive parts. I got the boss manifold off of ebay, I saw it sitting for cheap and told myself if I can get it for less than a grand that id go 5.4, up until then I had planned on a high revving 4.6 (have a couple manifolds to prove it) but when I saw it was at 600 with one bid on it clear up to the last minute I threw in 1k and won it for 6something + shipping. I was pretty lucky on that one.

[slow02gt]

they the dss pistons will be good for whatever you want to throw at it...

[moneygreenstang]

You wont need your pistons notched the 5.4 has the extra PTV clearance
You need the coolant crossover tube
throttle body Cable
Tune of course

cant think of anything else right now you sound all set

[DickH]

If I get pistons for high compression, they will go closer to the top of the block, im not sure how much closer so I might need to notch them depending on the cams I go with. I have been trying to get a crossover tube, I just dont want to pay 100 for one. I believe I can get one for ~50, and if I cant, ill probably make one. The throttle body will end up pretty far forward in the engine bay, and im not sure how long the throttle cable will need to be. I have a cable from a mach, but im not going to worry about that too much until its in the car. I still have a lot more to get too, this isnt just a basic swap, im building a high hp NA motor. I have to collect as much arp hardware as I can, I will need new timing chain parts, about everything for the oil system, and a bunch of other little things. Excluding machine work and the rotating assembly, I easily have another 2k to spend on the motor.

[DickH]

Here is a question for you engine builders. I was wondering if I could get my crank grinded for an offset to change the stroke to push the piston closer to the top of the deck. The piston sits something like .110 in the block, so if I could grind the crank to close that gap I will gain some displacement and I wont have to get custom pistons for the compression. If I get some flat top +.030 pistons and take out half the gap with slightly more stroke I should end up with something like 5.57L and 11.7:1cr. So now I have to find out how much grinding the crank will cost, along with whatever ill need for rod bearings. What do you guys think?

[Smoothgrandmama]

I think you should try to get a hold of acmillr.....

[bitemark46]

Originally Posted by DickH Here is a question for you engine builders. I was wondering if I could get my crank grinded for an offset to change the stroke to push the piston closer to the top of the deck. The piston sits something like .110 in the block, so if I could grind the crank to close that gap I will gain some displacement and I wont have to get custom pistons for the compression. If I get some flat top +.030 pistons and take out half the gap with slightly more stroke I should end up with something like 5.57L and 11.7:1cr. So now I have to find out how much grinding the crank will cost, along with whatever ill need for rod bearings. What do you guys think?

You can't grind the crank. With a 4v head and flat tops your compression will be 9.5. Since the piston sits .120 in the hole you HAVE to get an offset writst pin to raise the compression height thus moving the piston close to the deck.

[K7cobra]

were did you find the intake for 660

[DickH]

Originally Posted by bitemark46 You can't grind the crank. With a 4v head and flat tops your compression will be 9.5. Since the piston sits .120 in the hole you HAVE to get an offset writst pin to raise the compression height thus moving the piston close to the deck.

Yeah I know about the pistons, but then I got curious about adding just a little more stroke to get the piston to the top. Why cant you grind a 5.4 crank?

k7, i got lucky on ebay

[K7cobra]

dam your lucky

[Everett]

amazing gear link....you just helped me make the decision to go 3.90 gears...thanks again

[rotten]

Originally Posted by bitemark46 You can't grind the crank. With a 4v head and flat tops your compression will be 9.5. Since the piston sits .120 in the hole you HAVE to get an offset writst pin to raise the compression height thus moving the piston close to the deck.

why not ? Offset grinding cranks was original way to make stroker motors . Not all machine shops can doit , but a good one will be able to . Hard part will be finding a bearing rod combo .

[bitemark46]

Because A. 4.17" is already a really long stroke...you will loose rpm. B. no rods available off the shelf which means big $$$ for custom rods and C. you increase the side load on the wrist pin at BDC.

Just look at all your fast 5.4 n/a guys... none of them stroke the motor. They either stick with the stock stroke or de-stroke it.

[DickH]

its a step up from 5.5L (with +.030 over pistons) to 5.58L, the added stroke is minimal. I would still be using stock rods, just offset ground crankshaft to push the piston higher up to close that gap for compression. No worries though, cost is too much to bother with it, ill stick with the offset wrist pin. It is a fun thought though, with a 3.7inch bore that would make so close to 6L id claim it. Too bad funds are limited, or at least im not too interested in waiting to save for it.

[bitemark46]

If you want to get close without custom pistons you can deck the block .010" and deck the heads .010- .015". Should be close to around 9.8ish which is close to the stock 9.85:1.