3v discussions

[tooslow]

I'm sort of surprised that this hasn't been brought up to great affect here at sn95forums. so, i'll do the honers.

this thread is to be used to discuss the possibilities and potential for 3v swaps in our sn95 cars. I know the big power step up advocated among early modular stangs is the PI head swap. Since the debut of the new edge, the swap has spread like wild fire. Now, 2 years after the introduction of an even more potent SOHC 4.6l i wonder why it hasn't been adopted as the new retrofit for our cars.

I know a handful have done the swap, and it seems that it shouldn't much more involed or difficult than any other SOHC head swap. Using the correct parts and properly deleting what the early computers can not control, 3v heads can be mated to any early modular block and ran using the stock GT computer (retuned of course).

So, lets hear some thoughts and opinions - pros and cons - and maybe even share some collective information about this idea learned from others or first hand experience.

in the mean time, i'll be gathering info to share and posting what i find.

 

[tooslow]

i know logan makes a kit, that has the throttle hardare needed and deletes the VCT system. i don't know the price of it though.

interesting find i made while looking for random parts.

stock 3v heads can easily be found for much much much cheaper than ported PI heads. and to my knowledge, few if any 2v heads ported by anyone flow as much or better than even stock 3v heads.

3v intakes can be found pretty cheaply as replacement parts also.

 

[DropTopPony]

The reason its not as popular as a PI swap is probably because of the extra parts needed to do it. Timing Cover and parts etc.
I know a guy who did the entire engine swap and that wasn't bad at all. If i was gonna do a 3V swap i would just say screw it and go 4V.

 

[tooslow]

a lot of people feel the same way.

if i were to do an engine swap, i'd do 4v.

but just the head swap, can be done with minimal wiring using the stock 2v ECU.

here is a link to a swap i just found.

http://www.bmcforums.com/showthread.php?t=24369

if swaping to stock 3v components, it can be done for much cheaper than a 4v swap. barely more expensive than a PI head swap. and much cheaper than a ported PI swap while making more power with more potential still on the table.

the reason i thought to bring this up, is because of an idea i had. and it involves forced induction.

this wouldn't exactly be the cheapest idea, but has my interest peaked. just try and follow along and see if you notice what i have. FRPP makes a whipple based 3v supercharger. it is a 2.3l w140ax unit. a few years back, Saleen also used this unit on its "E" cars (actually, the lysholm 2300ax version of the same head unit). Saleen, no longer makes that blower (series V) but there are a few companies that carry the series V inlet as part of an upgrade kit for series II or IV owners. This upgrade kit, uses all 2v hardware that is easily adapted to sn95 cars. This inlet, also happends to fit any whipple 2.3l w140ax or 2300ax based S/C. That means, it can be fitted to even the FRPP/Whipple 3v supercharger. ahh, now i'm making since and no longer rambling on.

w140ax blown 3v in a SN95 using 2v hardware.




that is just one scenario i though of. there could be many more. just needs some imagination. there are many possibilities.

 

[DropTopPony]

ok get too it....take pictures

 

[tooslow]

ok get too it....take pictures

can i get a loan? hahaha.

i am very surprised though that not very many people are interested in the swap.

 

[DropTopPony]

There just isn't alot of the parts in the scrap yards i guess...sooner or later it will catch on. Especially when the parts become more available and get cheaper. I'd still rather do the entire 3V engine and lose the weight with the aluminum block.

 

[DropTopPony]

Your link isn't good either....it takes me to air polution info.

 

[tooslow]

don't they have different mounting positions though? nothing a teskid can't fix...

 

[tooslow]

Your link isn't good either....it takes me to air polution info.

that is weird, i'll fix that asap

 

[tooslow]

fixed. don't know how that other link got there

 

[voidfinger]

I looked at it, and i'm going 4v... why not go with an extra valve.

 

[MustangMatt96GT]

2V high horsepower are rare, and thats why im building a killer 2V.

 

[voidfinger]

:lame: there is a reason they're rare for high horse power lol. J/K

 

[Black97GT]

:lame: there is a reason they're rare for high horse power lol. J/K

so true :'(

 

[DropTopPony]

2V high horsepower are rare, and thats why im building a killer 2V.

It depends on what you consider high horsepower...
There is atleast 10 guys in my imediate area with 500rwhp 2V's...thats more then enough for street cars.

 

[voidfinger]

yea they say that any more than 600 is a waist b/c you will never be able to hook it.

 

[Jrgunn5150]

I had 500 with a 2v, but at 300 N/A you pretty much hit a wall with a 2v... However, making 350 N/A with a 3v is as easy as falling off a barstool while drunk. And 3v are cheap, dirt cheap. I've seen them as low as 800 buck's, low mileage and complete. A 3v 5.4 can be had with under 15k for under 2k, the swap compenent's set you back an additional 300 or so. It's a good deal, 4v stuff goes for a premium, and 3v stuff is so close you can't tell on the street. But everyone has a hard on for 4v's, so 3v's go cheap.

I think the swap will continue to pick up momentum, as more people who don't read the boards go ahead and do it, before you know it, I would say withing a year-18 month's, it will be the hot thing to do. The 2v aftermarket never took off, and I fear that now it never will.

 

[FUK_N_JUNK]

OK, so how about swapping a 4V 98 Head into my 96 GT.. I can get the heads dirt cheap, how much of a PITA is it to do over a PI swap?

 

[voidfinger]

OK, so how about swapping a 4V 98 Head into my 96 GT.. I can get the heads dirt cheap, how much of a PITA is it to do over a PI swap?

Leaps and bounds harder. First off, you got the get the heads... yea you can get them cheap. Then you need to buy a cobra intake.... look at 450/550 easy. then IMRC's deleted or not... 100. Head swap material.... $$$ , coolant pipes...$$$ , mis. brackets and such ... $$$ , t/b + intake + throttle cable that is discontinued .... $$$ , Front cover and stuff ... $$$

I'll put it this way... get a complete cobra or mark 8 motor and go from there.

Negatives to the 2v with 4v heads... youll have 9:1 cr which the stock cobra's had 10 or 10.4:1 CR... the b heads have really bad velocity and lack of CR almost quadruples it. Also, the cobra's and mark 8's had aluminum blocks and the gt has a cast iron block. The 4v motor already weighs roughly 100 pounds more than the gt so you can figure that on out lol. Just a lot easier to buy the actuall motor... I wish i would have known... lol