95 GT vortech/331 build

331gt · Nov 16, 2020

Been working on a build this year and pulled a few stops out. 95 DFG GT, had a stock block 331 stroker. few years ago (yes, im an idiot and let it sit way too long!!) i blew a head gasket and pulled the heads off. there was white smoke/oil in coolant but actually no discernable damage to gaskets. decided why not just check the bearings for the hell of it-only had about 15k on bottom end but wasnt much more work. wound up finding a bent h-beam that also took out a chunk of my cylinder. block is obviously useless. before finding all this, i had already purchased a vortech V2-Si. did not want to just throw it in a stock block at this point-went with a DART SHP 302 from Jim Wood at Fordstrokers.com- great guy to deal with so far, he's been very helpful and only about an hour drive from me.

items so far:

-DART SHP 4bolt 8.2, all machining done by Jim W
-Coast High 331-4340 crank, H-beam rods, Probe dished forged pistons (2618 IIRC) ~9.2CR
-E303 -degreeing the cam-didnt do that first time i built the 331 with my stock block.
-ATI Superdamper
-off shelf/non-ported TF twisted wedge heads
-FRPP 1.6 RR
-Holley Systemax
-Vortech V2-Si, have a 3.3 and 3.12 pulley
-Pro-M 80 MAF-was for 30lbs, will have to have it recalibrated for 60lbs
-will get AFM powerpipe.
-BBK 70mm TB
-MSD Distributor-got ruined by sitting underwater in a container that I did not know wasnt sealed for a few years-already cleaned up the case and was told I can put new guts inside of it.
-BBK ceramic equal length shorties, bassani o/r X, custom side exhaust 2 chamber flows
-FRPP 3.73 rear- still stock axles for now
-stock T5 with SPEC stage 1/MGW short shift (i hope I dont blow all this up right away!!) - i know im pushing it but ive already spent WAY more than I initially expected when i set out to do head gaskets and a blower HA!
-mishimoto aluminum radiator
-SCT 4 bank-previously tuned by Mike Post of DynoTuneMP-was very happy with it and also seems like a really good guy, so will return again to have this tuned whenever the hell i get it done.
-18x10/18x9 chrome saleen replicas
-CDC vert light bar
-need a new hood-using tall FRPP valve covers which means intake spacer and thus different hood-between 95 cobra R and 00 R- leaning towards 00 R but havent made up my mind yet. still have plenty of time for that.

trying to think of what else. ill post pics sometime later while not at work.
so far, the the crank, rods, pistons are in. next step is to degree the cam and get the rest of the long block together. I have never degreed a cam, so i am really trying to take my time and do it right and figure out wtf im doing. luckily there's a plethora of info out there between articles and youtube. went with the COMP Cams Pro Kit-definitely not the cheapest one out there.

not really sure what kind of power id be looking at with this setup. 500 to the wheels would make me happy, that seems possible but again, never looked into it much. before without the blower it made 305rwhp/335 rwtq with everything the same besides the new block, blower, and extra supporting mods for the blower.

ttocs · Nov 16, 2020

welcome. Another DFG is a good thing.

white95 · Nov 16, 2020

Cool project!

331gt · Nov 16, 2020

ttocs said:
welcome. Another DFG is a good thing.

Thanks. And yea I think it's an underrated color. I bought it when I was 16 in 04 and it wasn't my first color choice at all but its grown on me very much

ttocs · Nov 16, 2020

I am dreaming of boring/stroking my bottom end. Any reason you stopped with the 331 and didn't go 347?

331gt · Nov 17, 2020

I fell into what I now believe to be a myth about 347s using oil and being less reliable. I started the stroker 331 build my first semester of college and had never done or planned anything of that magnitude at that point. I did all my own research and kept coming up with talk of rod angles and piston movement causing oil usage and general unreliability. I know more now and don't believe that to be the case. If I were to start over I would definitely do a 347. For this current build with the dart block I already had a good 331 crank, 8 good pistons, and 7 good rods. I bought a new rod to replace the one I destroyed obviously. I didn't want to spend another 1k plus on a new rotating assembly just for 16 extra cubes.

Like I said, if I were to start over, I would do a 347. And actually with the dart shp you can go even bigger without going to a 351 deck height I believe.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

95opal · Nov 17, 2020

Nice build. I would suggest getting the Holley ported. Ditch the e 303 for a more aggresive cam. The 60#s will be your limiting hp factor. Id move up to 80s if possible. Not sure what size crank pulley your running but a 3.12 with 8" renagade crack will max out the si around 6600. With the above suggestions you should easily see 650 plus to the tire.

ttocs · Nov 17, 2020

331gt said:
I fell into what I now believe to be a myth about 347s using oil and being less reliable. I started the stroker 331 build my first semester of college and had never done or planned anything of that magnitude at that point. I did all my own research and kept coming up with talk of rod angles and piston movement causing oil usage and general unreliability. I know more now and don't believe that to be the case. If I were to start over I would definitely do a 347. For this current build with the dart block I already had a good 331 crank, 8 good pistons, and 7 good rods. I bought a new rod to replace the one I destroyed obviously. I didn't want to spend another 1k plus on a new rotating assembly just for 16 extra cubes.

Like I said, if I were to start over, I would do a 347. And actually with the dart shp you can go even bigger without going to a 351 deck height I believe.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

thanks for sharing. I have heard some of the same rumored problems as well as that it isn't an issue so I was curious what your take on it was.

331gt · Nov 17, 2020

ttocs said:
thanks for sharing. I have heard some of the same rumored problems as well as that it isn't an issue so I was curious what your take on it was.

i would be inclined to consider an aftermarket block. IIRC you have a blower on yours-a solid HCI and a blower can easily start to get you to the limit of the stock block and it obviously can be bad to blow it all up and ruin everything inside. when i first did my 331 in college i wanted a DART Iron Eagle because i thought it was just about the best, and why not over build. but my funds as a 1st year college kid working maybe 12 hours a week would not suffice, ha. when I saw the DART SHP compared to the stock block, i was blown away at how much beefier everything is. the caps alone- 2,3,4 are 4bolt, 1 and 5 2bolt, but even just the size of them! and the priority main oiling-Woody explained that to me and showed me, it really seems to be a well designed piece. i am glad i sucked it up and went with it instead of using a cleaned up stock 302.

you seem to have pretty good attention to detail and planning based on what i saw in your build thread, so im guessing i havent told you anything you dont already know, but that's my .02 just the same.

95opal said:
Nice build. I would suggest getting the Holley ported. Ditch the e 303 for a more aggresive cam. The 60#s will be your limiting hp factor. Id move up to 80s if possible. Not sure what size crank pulley your running but a 3.12 with 8" renagade crack will max out the si around 6600. With the above suggestions you should easily see 650 plus to the tire.

I will probably keep what I have for now. I've already spent way more than I initially planned, and all the extra little things that i didnt bother adding and supporting stuff ie boost guage, wideband, head studs, new motor mounts etc. a few hundred here and there on all that little crap adds up a lot before you know it!! there is simply no end-theres always a new power level to achieve, and next thing you wind up with a sub 10 sec car, HA! i would consider a cam down the road. my focus now is getting this running well and then focusing attention on suspension, brakes, drivetrain. all of that is completely stock, besides my SPEC stage 1 that's rated for 410 TQ i believe, so even it will have a diminished life expectancy once this is running. I do appreciate the input though!

Werecow · Nov 17, 2020

You've got a really great build going on!! We're I to do an 8.2 deck small block, I'd rather go for a 331 myself than a 347. I simply like the shorter stroke version but the .25 difference over a 302 does give it a better torque curve... IMHO!! Annnnnd now I'll get flamed or start a war... Anyhoooooo.... I love the build you've got going on, but if you don't post up some pics soon we're gnna have to put you in the corner and make you wear a Chevy lover cap till you do!!!

331gt · Nov 17, 2020

Haha, here's a few to get started, ill add more when I can

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

331gt · Nov 17, 2020

Didn't know i need VIP tapatalk to do many at once. I'll add more as I get time

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

331gt · Nov 17, 2020

Nice mains ! Ha

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

Werecow · Nov 17, 2020

/me drools.....

331gt · Nov 17, 2020

Vortech

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

evilcw311 · Nov 17, 2020

Whenever I do put my beast back together I’m gonna run the Ford tall deck I have now but will probably go ahead and start looking towards a Dart tall deck block. Fortunately the factory tall decks can take a lot more avoided than the factory short decks but I’ll only push the limits for so long and I’ll know I’ll wanna start turning the boost up more.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

331gt · Nov 17, 2020

evilcw311 said:
Whenever I do put my beast back together I’m gonna run the Ford tall deck I have now but will probably go ahead and start looking towards a Dart tall deck block. Fortunately the factory tall decks can take a lot more avoided than the factory short decks but I’ll only push the limits for so long and I’ll know I’ll wanna start turning the boost up more.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Yea, I'm not very familiar on Ford 351 blocks. But if you already have it, why not. I just knew I didn't want to use another Ford 302 block as a base.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

evilcw311 · Nov 17, 2020

331gt said:
Yea, I'm not very familiar on Ford 351 blocks. But if you already have it, why not. I just knew I didn't want to use another Ford 302 block as a base.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

The tall deck has a lot more meat to it so it can take a lot more abuse. That’s why a lot of people have done the tall deck swap. You can still use all of the accessories from your short deck and it’s bolts right in. You do have to compensate for the height difference either by a taller hood or drop mounts or a combination there within and there’s a few small changes needed. But overall it’s not bad and you can make a lot of power with the tall decks.

Then you step up to dart blocks and you can really go crazy!!!!! [emoji38]

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk