Jae 'Bird
2nd Gear Poster
- Joined
- Dec 11, 2023
- Messages
- 95
- Age
- 19
- Location
- Edmonton, Canada
- Vehicle Details
- 1990 Ford Thunderbird Base with PEP 151A, 3.8L NA V-6
I want to preface this with the fact that this is just an idea and it won't happen for a while... probably at least a several years.
But, I have been thinking about the potential for am engine build, I'm super interested in learning how to build/rebuild my own engine. The way I was thinking about learning this safely is buying a junkyard engine to rebuild and then swap it in once its done so my car is engineless for the least amount of time. So here's the basic idea, keep in mind this is just a very briefly thought out idea so its not too in-depth.
Buy a F-150 4.2L v-6 engine from the junkyard with everything attached. disassemble it and inspect the parts, if the block, pistons, connecting rods, and heads look to be in fine condition, then keep going.
Put in new gaskets all around, new main bearings, perhaps a new cam that would improve the performance ( I saw comp cam does makes some for this engine), maybe upgrade the valve train if possible, learn to do some basic porting on the heads, maybe upgraded oil pump if such a thing exists. Maybe upgraded injectors
This engine would also be the split port because if I have read correctly, all the truck engines were split port?
Really just make a durable and slightly upgraded 4.2 that would work good to learn how to build an engine and have some fun with it.
Now for a few questions.
1. would this be a decent idea like, at all?
2. would the 4.2 bolt up to the AOD or would I be SOL?'
3. would the T-bird's computer/ speed density system work to control this engine?
I think that's it for now, its just a fun dream to me right now, cause I'm stupid busy with school but at least I've got the idea right?
I personally think it would be fun to have a custom v-6 bird with near v-8 levels of torque, would definitely make it fun
But, I have been thinking about the potential for am engine build, I'm super interested in learning how to build/rebuild my own engine. The way I was thinking about learning this safely is buying a junkyard engine to rebuild and then swap it in once its done so my car is engineless for the least amount of time. So here's the basic idea, keep in mind this is just a very briefly thought out idea so its not too in-depth.
Buy a F-150 4.2L v-6 engine from the junkyard with everything attached. disassemble it and inspect the parts, if the block, pistons, connecting rods, and heads look to be in fine condition, then keep going.
Put in new gaskets all around, new main bearings, perhaps a new cam that would improve the performance ( I saw comp cam does makes some for this engine), maybe upgrade the valve train if possible, learn to do some basic porting on the heads, maybe upgraded oil pump if such a thing exists. Maybe upgraded injectors
This engine would also be the split port because if I have read correctly, all the truck engines were split port?
Really just make a durable and slightly upgraded 4.2 that would work good to learn how to build an engine and have some fun with it.
Now for a few questions.
1. would this be a decent idea like, at all?
2. would the 4.2 bolt up to the AOD or would I be SOL?'
3. would the T-bird's computer/ speed density system work to control this engine?
I think that's it for now, its just a fun dream to me right now, cause I'm stupid busy with school but at least I've got the idea right?
I personally think it would be fun to have a custom v-6 bird with near v-8 levels of torque, would definitely make it fun
