Stroking an FE -- Questions!!

[BDHE]

Greetings;

I have several questions about aluminum FEs that I know this group can answer:

-How many cubic inches can be reliably obtained when stroking a modern aluminum-blocked FE?
-What kind of horsepower/torque numbers are we able to obtain from a stroked FE?
-Are the Edelbrock FE heads the best available right now?
-Who's making the best weber-style induction setup for the FEs these days?


Bryon

[blykins]

1. Depending on the money. Common combos are 484 or 496, but with the appearance of much longer strokes here lately, you can get over 500ci.

2. Money's the limit. How much do you want? I have a buddy with a 496 that made 760hp/680lb-ft.

3. No.

4. Carbs or FI?

[BDHE]

Originally Posted by blykins

1. Depending on the money. Common combos are 484 or 496, but with the appearance of much longer strokes here lately, you can get over 500ci.

2. Money's the limit. How much do you want?

3. No.

4. Carbs or FI?

As for # 3 -- what are the best heads out right now?
As for # 4 -- I was thinking carbs.

[blykins]

If you can get them to seal up, Dove makes some heads that supposedly flow 400cfm.

Also, Blue Thunder is making some heads right now that show about 360cfm on the intake side (someone posted a flow sheet on the FE Forum a couple days back).

Of course if money is no object, cammer heads would probably be your best bet.

As for the Weber setup, I've never seen or used a set, but I've heard the name Inglese thrown around a couple times.

[xlr8or]

I doubt weber carbs could feed an engine that size. With injection you can get 58mm throttle bodies that will feed a 500+CI engine.

[BDHE]

Originally Posted by xlr8or

I doubt weber carbs could feed an engine that size. With injection you can get 58mm throttle bodies that will feed a 500+CI engine.

I just got a piece of information that leads me to believe that Webers could be a major PITA -- scratch that issue from the questions list!

[blykins]

What's wrong with that 514?

[BDHE]

Originally Posted by blykins

What's wrong with that 514?

Not a thing. I'm just looking at what the hp/torque gains might be, and what it would take to make a change.

[blykins]

I think it would be easier to jazz up your engine a little bit. Shouldn't take much.

[Stentor]

511 ci and 527 ci are also FE stroker displacements if you're talking over 500 ci.

I have a 511 ci Shelby aluminum FE (4.375 bore and 4.25 stroke), and I know some have gone to 527 ci with an FE stroker (I believe Keith Craft had one in his personal Kirkham).

Regarding your 514 and gaining HP and TQ, not sure it's very cost effective to try and switch to an aluminum FE stroker. In my opinion, it's hard to beat the per-dollar performance you can get out of a 385 series motor.

[RodKnock]

If you ask Barry R from Survival, the Blue Thunder heads make the most HP right now. The only problem with the BT heads i sthat they have raised exhaust ports, which may lead to header and exhaust issues, especially for those Cobras with their sidepipe holes cut already.

The largest FE I've read about is a 527ci based upon the Shelby FE block. I believe these blocks have more material than the Pond or Genesis blocks which are reproductions of the original side oiler, where the Shelby FE block is not.

[fkemmerer]

Originally Posted by BDHE

Greetings;

I have several questions about aluminum FEs that I know this group can answer:

-How many cubic inches can be reliably obtained when stroking a modern aluminum-blocked FE?
-What kind of horsepower/torque numbers are we able to obtain from a stroked FE?
-Are the Edelbrock FE heads the best available right now?
-Who's making the best weber-style induction setup for the FEs these days?


Bryon

Bryon,

It seems like 482 ci or so is a pretty straightforward FE stroker combo. This sort of setup should reach 600 - 650 hp with comperable peek torque on pump gas. Webers can be very difficult to get and keep in tune. You migh consider EFI though. This can provide a similar look and should run better than any sort of carb setup if its tuned properly. Keith Kraft (on this BBS) is a good source for a setup like this. He did my 482 ci FE with and EFI setup. Keith does nice work. On heads, the Edelbrock alum heads seem to be the best starting point for performance and affordability. Many outfits including Keith will port them to improve them someone over the out of the box versions. Are you looking to build a street motor or race? What are you looking to put the FE into?

- Fred

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by BDHE

As for # 3 -- what are the best heads out right now?
As for # 4 -- I was thinking carbs.

#3 - for a wedge application, likely Blue thunder or Dove high risers, or Dove tunnel ports, but nobody makes weber style intake for these heads, so you need a custom ($) intake, compared to the MR heads.

#4 - Gene Berg makes 58mm, and now I think 62mm IDA style carbs that bolt onto a weber 48mm IDA intake. For a stroker engine, get the 58 or 62 mm carbs.

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by fkemmerer

. You migh consider EFI though. This can provide a similar look and should run better than any sort of carb setup if its tuned properly. Keith Kraft (on this BBS) is a good source for a setup like this. He did my 482 ci FE with and EFI setup.

What was the price for your engine, including the EFI computer ?

[fkemmerer]

Anthony,

Its probably best to go to Keith Kraft for a quote. Folks seem to prefer that pricing on Keith's work not be posted in these forums.

[1985 CCX]

Does anyone build a standard bore and stroke 427 anymore. Isn't that the point replication of the original? Yes I am running a Boss but will change back to FE in the future, std of course.

If cubes are what you want the new larger crate engines will give you the thump with more reliable advances in technology.

[undy]

Originally Posted by 1985 CCX

Does anyone build a standard bore and stroke 427 anymore. Isn't that the point replication of the original? Yes I am running a Boss but will change back to FE in the future, std of course.

If cubes are what you want the new larger crate engines will give you the thump with more reliable advances in technology.

More torque, more horse power at a useable rpm and everything outwardly appearing the same as the original? I think that sort of epitomizes what I'm looking for (one of the things anyway..) in my replica.

Dave

[RICK LAKE]

1985 CCX Jeff can you tell by looking at any FE motor in a car what size it is? The only way I have seen a possible size differents is how long the burnout is and how many gears are pulled. Except for the race gas in some of the cobras at shows and smelling it, they all look big in the engine compartment. For the price it takes to build a 427 cubic motor, you can add another 55 cubes and get more power at a lower RPM and have less maintainance overall. I think that we, sorry ( some of us ) That you can do more or the same with a different gearing in the rear of the car and less compression. The trade off is a lower RPM limit. IMO I don't like turning my strokers over 6,200 rpm with a 6,500 max. It's easier to change the gears in the rearend or get a double overdrive trans, then rebuild a motor. The new street Richmond 5 spd is a great gear ratio for a cobra with the 2.87 and .77 overdrive. With a set of 3.08 or 3.31 you have the best of both worlds. Add a KCR roller cam and the cars idle nasty and sound like a solid roller camshaft. In the end does it matter, when the cars look as nice as yours with the big GY tires and knockoffs. Rick L.