Need help with 347 stroker

[pjhare1991]

I have a 5.0 out of a '87 mustang. I want to stroke it to a 347 put a mild cam in it (enough to have a good lope to it) and a good set of heads. Now this is not gonna be used for racing just something that sounds good and has a little power with it. Can you guys help me out with this?

General questions
1: brand and size of cam?
2: brand and cc of heads?*
3: what's a good stroker kit out there?

Thanks

 

[truebluedevil02]

Cam: ask woody from fordstrokers.com to make you a custom cam $350
heads: AFR185's, TFS 170's(smaller runners but outflow the AFR's so don't be fooled)
stroker kit: Coasthigh.com has good kits and shortblocks.

The best thing you can so is go to fordstrokers.com, look on there site and you'll find the "do it yourself kits" those are all you need, block, internals, bolts, etc. There made with very good parts and take all of the guess work out of it.

 

[pjhare1991]

I appreciate it. Have any idea on how big of injectors I need?

 

[FISHTAIL]

Depends on your power output, but I'd say go at least 36#ers.

 

[Boomer182]

I have always had good luck with DSS short blocks.

Small Block Ford Pro Bullet Short Block

TFS for the heads, the cam is up to you. IMO anything over .530 lift is going to be tough on the street. The F cam is tough on the street but if you get the tune right, its plenty streetable. As far as injectors go, N/A 24-30lbers Boost or nitrous, depending on the shot 30-36lbers. Maf size 76-77mm is ok. I have never had any issues with my 76 and I am running 30lbers. Throttle body 70-75mm, but this also plays into streetablity as does injector size.

 

[truebluedevil02]

I have always had good luck with DSS short blocks.

Small Block Ford Pro Bullet Short Block

TFS for the heads, the cam is up to you. IMO anything over .530 lift is going to be tough on the street. The F cam is tough on the street but if you get the tune right, its plenty streetable. As far as injectors go, N/A 24-30lbers Boost or nitrous, depending on the shot 30-36lbers. Maf size 76-77mm is ok. I have never had any issues with my 76 and I am running 30lbers. Throttle body 70-75mm, but this also plays into streetablity as does injector size.

I have to ask, why do you say the Fcam is tough, the Fcam has a near stock idle, i had it in my last coupe, it sounded stock and made crap for HP, i would never go with an Fcam unless I was adding boost.

OP, if your going 347 and plan on adding nitrous or boost I would say go with 42lb/hr injectors, you don't NEED them at the 400-450hp level but they are something you can grow into easily.

 

[Boomer182]

The f cam was tough to make my 93GT idle, with out a tune, or the idle air spacer. The f cam makes damn good power. I like its power range. 1500-6500 is where most builds are. Using the stock rev limiter which is 6250, You cant go wrong. I have seen first hand a stock 5.0 car, with a set on crane 1.6's, f cam, hooker long tubes, 4.10 gears, and a set of 28x 10.5 slicks go 8.20s in the 1/8th. You can go a long ways with the F cam, and NA. Yes it is a blower/ Nitrous cam, but wow the power is insane. It is my cam of choice.

 

[truebluedevil02]

The f cam was tough to make my 93GT idle, with out a tune, or the idle air spacer. The f cam makes damn good power. I like its power range. 1500-6500 is where most builds are. Using the stock rev limiter which is 6250, You cant go wrong. I have seen first hand a stock 5.0 car, with a set on crane 1.6's, f cam, hooker long tubes, 4.10 gears, and a set of 28x 10.5 slicks go 8.20s in the 1/8th. You can go a long ways with the F cam, and NA. Yes it is a blower/ Nitrous cam, but wow the power is insane. It is my cam of choice.

damn, WTF was wrong with my car then, although it idled just fine without a tune or anything, but it mad shit power for being HCI (235whp, 265wtq) ohwell, it blew up and I sold it so meh:beer:

 

[pjhare1991]

Ever heard of the block the factory block splitting after stroking it? Somebody was telling me you have to go in and add some braces if I plan on using the factory block.

 

[truebluedevil02]

Ever heard of the block the factory block splitting after stroking it? Somebody was telling me you have to go in and add some braces if I plan on using the factory block.

yep, it happens all the time. The thing that kills the factory block is RPM, and the stroke can cause harmonics that don't help the situation. Now you can stroke a factory block to 347 without a problem but you have to keep the rps limited to 6K to stay safe, a lot of people will take them to 6.5-7k and that's when the blocks fail. As for bracing, your thinking of a main support system or valley girdle. While its a HUGE debate between people most PRO engine builders will say not to waste money on these things, and I tend to agree. A main support system doesn't do much other than keep everything together once the engine fails. As for a valley girdle I don't know much about them but I know very few people use them so I tend to think they don't work well either.

 

[pjhare1991]

I found a valley gridle and they run a test on a stock 302 block and it held up to 9200 rpm. I'm kinda on a budget and dont wanna have to buy a block if i can get by with it. you think it would be worth a try?

Valley Girdle Pro

 

[Boomer182]

damn, WTF was wrong with my car then, although it idled just fine without a tune or anything, but it mad shit power for being HCI (235whp, 265wtq) ohwell, it blew up and I sold it so meh:beer:

6k launches :burnout: I forgot to say it had a tremec too. That car put down crazy times. It had 36k original miles too. I was able to get it to 7.6's with a Edelbrock intake, 70 mm TB, 76 mm maf, 24lb injectors, 190/160 screw in studs with 1.6 crane gold race RR's E7s upper and lowers and subframes. I made it another 9k miles on a 175 shot to which I went 7.1s then it melted a piston. That was when I went with a DSS Stroker, F cam, Edelbrock heads, and kept the same set up. I went 6.80s, but by that time, I was really starting to get bored with racing, and traded the car shortly after for a 67 rs ss camaro. I will say this though, we put a F cam in a car with a C-4 and a 3k stall and it didn't do nearly as good. It went 7.6's on a 150 shot, with TFS heads. I think the 3.73 gears though killed the car.

 

[truebluedevil02]

I found a valley gridle and they run a test on a stock 302 block and it held up to 9200 rpm. I'm kinda on a budget and dont wanna have to buy a block if i can get by with it. you think it would be worth a try?

Valley Girdle Pro

I remember that article. It doesn't matter what they did a couple times, that block wont hold that RPM for any length of time that would matter. There was a guy that made over 800whp through a glide on a completely stock bottom end 302 AND it lasted 2 years before it let go. But that was the .01% chance that the stars aligned and it held, 99.99% of stock blocks wont hold over 500whp for very long or 400hp with RPMs over 7K. The valley girdle is just a waste of time and money, if the block is going to break, its going to break. Just keep your revs down, make sure your tune is good, and you'll be fine. Also, consider a 331 stroker instead of a 347, word is the shorter stroke keeps the internal harmonics at a minimum and they last longer and a 331 can make about just as much power as a 347. Its the same reason guys don't stroke a 351W past 408 very often, the 427 stroker's can/have caused the block to split prematurely do to excess vibrations.

If you want a block that will hold and make good power then swap over to a 351W($100 at a bone yard), stroke it to 408ci and hang on, it will make all the power you want, and it will hold it for ever, just keep the rpms limited to 6500. Most properly build 408's running on pump gas will make around 450whp through a manual. Some a little more some a little less depending on cam/head combo. The swap is easy and you only need a few select parts to make it work in a fox(AC/PS mounting plate for 351, oil pan, pick up for 351, longer fuel rail connector tubes to fit the wider 351 lower intake). If I were building a motor, I would go with a 351 base without a doubt. The 351W blocks will hold well over 600hp without a second thought(no bracing required), you can also go with a cast crank instead of forged as the cast scat 9000 series cranks will hold over 600hp as well, it will help keep your costs down. My 91 coupe had a 408 in it and I LOVED IT. made 440whp through an auto:rockon:

 

[Boomer182]

I agree the 351w is where it is at, for strength. You could make a 500 hp 347 stroker, or for 1k more, you could have a 408, and be able to go 6-8 hundred, if you build it right. Don't get me wrong I always liked the 347, but if I ever build another stroker anything, it will be a 408.

 

[pjhare1991]

Thanks for all the info guys. I may just forget the stroker idea and just rebuild the 302 with some good heads and a cam. I mean this is goin in a 94 ranger either way it's just gonna blow the back tires off of it. I thought would be cool to have a stroker in a mini truck.

 

[truebluedevil02]

Thanks for all the info guys. I may just forget the stroker idea and just rebuild the 302 with some good heads and a cam. I mean this is goin in a 94 ranger either way it's just gonna blow the back tires off of it. I thought would be cool to have a stroker in a mini truck.

go with a 351 bored to 357 then, WAY worth it, especially in a truck and its about the same price since your looking at rebuilding a motor anyways.

 

[Boomer182]

go with a 351 bored to 357 then, WAY worth it, especially in a truck and its about the same price since your looking at rebuilding a motor anyways.

Will that clear the hood?

 

[truebluedevil02]

Will that clear the hood?

that's a good question, cowl hood FTW?? I would think it will clear, i know my old ranger with the v6 had several inches of clearance. He could always go with a spyder style intake instead of a long runner although it would negate the low end torque. Could also just put in low pro motor mounts. All he needs is about an extra 1-3/4" of clearance for the 351 to fit, simple measure to verify I guess.

 

[5.0Flareside]

custom ground cam...

Fordstrokers dot com stroker short block or DIY kit.. totally worth it.