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EFI Stroker SBF with 4V heads, a build idea

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72 RS 351 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 72 RS 351 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: EFI Stroker SBF with 4V heads, a build idea
    Posted: 10-March-2021 at 12:10PM
This is my recipe for a 450-500rwhp 408 Clevor.

I hope others make plans to build really nice Cleveland engines. I've had parts to do one, but haven't had a real need for over 30 years. I may never get to build one with my old 4V heads, but I'd like to see someone put one together which is really unique and special. A mild 351C-4V is special by today's stock standards, but the later technology pushes almost everyone away from a Cleveland. The headers and intake are problems, the front dress, plus the minor issues people think of for high rpm combinations.

Here is one that I think would be simple in design, and take a certain level of hands on time and effort to put together. The cost would not be cheap, but it shouldn't really be anything far above what a strong high rpm Cleveland would cost. I can see this being under $5500 for the whole engine, and the support items for it being under $1000(computer, wiring, tuning, injectors, fuel system etc).

I want to see someone build a 408 Clevor, using 4V OEM heads, and an EFI Windsor long runner intake. 351C-4V heads are great, but to bring them up to a level you want them to be, it can run $1000 or more.

The big 4V heads need as large of a displacement as possible, so the 408 stroker kit helps that a lot. With the bigger size and EFI, it shouldn't need to run high rpm. I can see the shift point being 5500-6000rpm, which means the heads don't really need the expense of cutting down the pedestals, plus the roller rockers. Stud mounted roller rockers are unreliable long term versus OEM pedestal rockers. So I can see costs being around $800 depending on machine costs, plus the head cost itself. That means to me, new valves and valve seats, custom cam springs, plus the port stuffers that get epoxied into the intake ports. Keeping the stock rockers helps a lot with cost, but you still have to measure for pushrod lengths.

A 408 stroker kit can be had for $1400 or less, $1200 was the lowest I saw recently. So get a roller 351W block and the support items it needs, like oil pan, the roller lifter spiders etc.

The 1997 1/2 Ford 302 Explorers have a great PCM computer that can run any SBF etc, plus the 4R70W trans. It needs the matching 97.5 wiring harness, plus any 96-01 front 302 timing cover, the crank sensor on that, the two accessory brackets, the trigger wheel balancer, and a cam synchronizer. The 302 uses a smaller cam synch, so an aftermarket one can be bought, or alter one from a 3.8 V6 etc. I've seen/read of it done, if it's not hard it would be maybe $125, the new type I think are $400ish.

The EFI intake to use would be the TFS R model, the 351W version is rarely found used, new they are over $800. They are called a 2000-7000rpm intake, so on a 408 that would be closer to a 6k redline, it should work. To use that with 4V heads requires an intake adapter plate kit, which are a 3/8" thick piece, about $120.

I can see the cost adding up. What I figure is about $2500 or so for the short block, and also just over that for the HCI. I call the heads about $1k, the intake at least $1200 with porting and the adapter plates, plus a $400 custom cam. I'm likely leaving off some items that will push the totals higher, so I figure add $500 for those.

The rub would be two things, finding the engine/trans harness in good shape, and making needed spacers for the heads(end adapter to locate the belt with the crank, accessories, and WP pulley). I already had plans to make spacers like that for any OEM Cleveland, so it's not a complicated thing. The Explorer has a very short front dress, the WP is really short and everything is moved back to match it. For this 351W engine, I'd use the common Fox Mustang WP, with the crank and WP pulley. Then the rest from an Explorer goes on the two brackets, and those bolt to the heads. So a spacer is needed to move the two brackets forward to match the belt location of the other two below.

If you did all of that, you'd have an EFI SBF that anyone could treat like a 302 Explorer, for tuning and all service work. It would need the PCM program tuned to work best with the new combination, the SCT flasher devices work on all of those late Ford OBDII computers. Most tuning looks to cost a few hundred dollars, plus the device(which transfers the tunes to and from the PCM, it's a communications and storage device(size of a code scanner)).

The good of this, any Cleveland 4H headers should be a close fit, just add O2 sensors and an EGR bung(plus EGR pipe). I'd suggest a 4R trans if you can do it, no extra cost to control it with the same PCM. Rear gears of 3.25:1 and 26.5" tires makes for a 2000rpm 70mph cruise speed.

This is just a template I wanted to put down in print, to either help others or be an example to follow later. I just want to point the way in case someone has plans that might fit this idea or platform. Regards,
Don
73 Ranchero "Sport 72 front end", floor shift/console, planning EFI 7000+ rpm 351-4V &4R70W
73 Ranchero GT 351C-4V &4R70W for sale later.
92 Lincoln Mark VII SE GTC, OBDII 347/4R70W
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote dan0R30 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10-March-2021 at 1:09PM
Thanks for sharing your idea, Don. I haven't seen an actual clevor in person but the idea was always a fun one. It also seems like those who did it are just using aftermarket heads, so using the OEM 4Vs would be a sight. Anyone here ever done it?
Dan

1970 Ford Torino hardtop - 351C 4V - FMX - 9" 3.89 TrueTrac
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 72 RS 351 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10-March-2021 at 2:46PM
I have priced the aftermarket heads, and I do plan to use some for my keeper Ranchero. But they are all very expensive, the cheap end I think are above $1500, and the best are $2500 or more.

That's what thinking of a way to use my stock heads led me to, this lower rpm stroker. The stock heads need bigger parts around them, more displacement and airflow, or else a lot of rpm. For an all around reliable and powerful Cleveland headed engine, a daily driver, for regular fuel, this could work. If the compression is kept under a 9.7:1 range(I'd ask a custom cam expert for that detail), then the fuel isn't so bad, and the rpm works to allow the stock rockers to survive normally, a long time.
Don
73 Ranchero "Sport 72 front end", floor shift/console, planning EFI 7000+ rpm 351-4V &4R70W
73 Ranchero GT 351C-4V &4R70W for sale later.
92 Lincoln Mark VII SE GTC, OBDII 347/4R70W
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