4.0 pefromance rebuild

[86_cookiemonster]

Well know for sure, not exactly but you can do some basic numbers crunching.
the 4.0 puts out 160 horsepower, thats .65 horsepower per cubic inch so you multiply that by 262(that 4.3 liters in cubic inches) and you get 171 horse power. From the displacment alone.
Then a cam change will vary, depending on which cam you go with. I have read on the website that was refrenced before that 8secspash site, that the 422 cam (pretty sure it is refrenced on the 4.0 page in the tech library) can increase your hp by around 15hp. So you are looking at 186hp.
So I'd put it around 190-200 hp from the kit and a high preformance cam. Now is that accurate 100%. No, there are many factors i didn't calculate in, namely because those are long calculations, and i am lazy. But it is a decent estimate.
I have been looking at trying this kit too, but haven't found anyone who has used it yet. So if you find someone let me know.

 

[Ranger44]

That could be where the "knowlegable tuner" comes into play...

I'd say to even dream of running that setup you'd need a stand alone management system built to specs. Not sure if a tweak here or there will do it. BUT....I could be wrong.

 

[Twizzler09]

Well, Morana does offer a Carb conversion kit for the 4.0 too... so if you wanted to avoid tuning etc.....


Personally I wouldn't bother with the carb kit on the 4.0. But thats just my .02

 

[Bird]

I've actually built more than a couple of pre-95 4.0's with the 95+ heads - still going strong many thousands of miles later and have also sold several sets of Stage-3 95+ heads to others that put them on pre-95 engines for more power...........guess what........ they're still going strong with minimal 'tweaks'.

I once discussed the supposed 'burn down' problem with the premier 4.0 builder out there (anyone remember Sven ?) - his response was " the Ford engineers are full of ****.

As to boring the block .060 over - go ahead. When your cooling system overpressurizes and the rings wont stay seated - you'll know why. The MAXIMUM recommended overbore is .040 with .020 being the 'safe' overbore.

There's too many other alternatives to the expensive stroker kits out there - AllanD is right - spend less to put a V-8 in it that will equal the power of the maxed out stroker V-6 and still have potential for a lot more..............

Now, that's not to say that a good, reliable, strong 4.0 can't be built on a budget - just gotta know what / how to do it.


Bird

 

[94redranger]

Ya i'm real suspicious on putting this kit in and my computer won't work with it. Does anyone know with throwing in an aftermarket cam and '95-'97 heads have any computer issues?

 

[86_cookiemonster]

Again I am going to have to say that the stroker kit is costly. But the stroker part of it is not the majority of the cost, the majority of what you are paying for is the forged rods and the racing pistons. Those componets make up over 1500 dollars in the cost of the kit.

But you can buy forged rods and race pistons outside of the kit, which would probably be better.

 

[94redranger]

Ya it probably is better to buy all those performance parts elsewhere, do you know the brands and the places that sell these performance parts?

 

[Yellowsplash]

I was waiting for bird to chime in on this one...He knows the 4.0 better than anyone.

 

[86_cookiemonster]

Ya it probably is better to buy all those performance parts elsewhere, do you know the brands and the places that sell these performance parts?

Well that Morana guy sells forged rods stroker and non-stroker rods. He also sells the pistons.
I think Supersix.com might have similar parts.
And check out the tech library they have links to all sorts of different 4.0 performance parts.

 

[Evan]

I've actually built more than a couple of pre-95 4.0's with the 95+ heads - still going strong many thousands of miles later and have also sold several sets of Stage-3 95+ heads to others that put them on pre-95 engines for more power...........guess what........ they're still going strong with minimal 'tweaks'.

I once discussed the supposed 'burn down' problem with the premier 4.0 builder out there (anyone remember Sven ?) - his response was " the Ford engineers are full of ****.

As to boring the block .060 over - go ahead. When your cooling system overpressurizes and the rings wont stay seated - you'll know why. The MAXIMUM recommended overbore is .040 with .020 being the 'safe' overbore.

There's too many other alternatives to the expensive stroker kits out there - AllanD is right - spend less to put a V-8 in it that will equal the power of the maxed out stroker V-6 and still have potential for a lot more..............

Now, that's not to say that a good, reliable, strong 4.0 can't be built on a budget - just gotta know what / how to do it.


Bird

I'll revise my bore down to .020 then.

 

[Ranger44]

I've actually built more than a couple of pre-95 4.0's with the 95+ heads - still going strong many thousands of miles later and have also sold several sets of Stage-3 95+ heads to others that put them on pre-95 engines for more power...........guess what........ they're still going strong with minimal 'tweaks'.

I once discussed the supposed 'burn down' problem with the premier 4.0 builder out there (anyone remember Sven ?) - his response was " the Ford engineers are full of ****.

As to boring the block .060 over - go ahead. When your cooling system overpressurizes and the rings wont stay seated - you'll know why. The MAXIMUM recommended overbore is .040 with .020 being the 'safe' overbore.

There's too many other alternatives to the expensive stroker kits out there - AllanD is right - spend less to put a V-8 in it that will equal the power of the maxed out stroker V-6 and still have potential for a lot more..............

Now, that's not to say that a good, reliable, strong 4.0 can't be built on a budget - just gotta know what / how to do it.


Bird

Well thankyou. I stand corrected. Seeing as my only sources were quoted from "FORD", I was fed the Bull$#%@.

Will the 95' up heads do anything with stock management/block(90-94) though? or do you need a new cam, etc?

 

[Bird]

Well thankyou. I stand corrected. Seeing as my only sources were quoted from "FORD", I was fed the Bull$#%@.

Will the 95' up heads do anything with stock management/block(90-94) though? or do you need a new cam, etc?

Just the heads will give about 10 rwhp, but you'll be needing higher octane fuel. Get them properly ported and polished and you'll pick up another 10 rwhp - at this point, you might as well throw in a cam (Delta Camshafts has a decent regrind at a good price or you can go with Comp Cams for a lot more $$$), longer pushrods from Smith Brothers and a good tune and you'll be around 185 rwhp with a pretty nice low end torque curve.

And before anyone asks - yes, I've built a couple of these motors just like this - very fun to drive.

Bird

 

[AllanD]

I've actually built more than a couple of pre-95 4.0's with the 95+ heads - still going strong many thousands of miles later and have also sold several sets of Stage-3 95+ heads to others that put them on pre-95 engines for more power...........guess what........ they're still going strong with minimal 'tweaks'.

I once discussed the supposed 'burn down' problem with the premier 4.0 builder out there (anyone remember Sven ?) - his response was " the Ford engineers are full of ****.

As to boring the block .060 over - go ahead. When your cooling system overpressurizes and the rings wont stay seated - you'll know why. The MAXIMUM recommended overbore is .040 with .020 being the 'safe' overbore.

There's too many other alternatives to the expensive stroker kits out there - AllanD is right - spend less to put a V-8 in it that will equal the power of the maxed out stroker V-6 and still have potential for a lot more..............

Now, that's not to say that a good, reliable, strong 4.0 can't be built on a budget - just gotta know what / how to do it.


Bird

It has been my long considered opinion (held for nearly 30 years and I'm still under 50) that the best "overbore" is NONE AT ALL.

Thinner cylinder walls equal less reliability.

The 95 heads? I have a set of assembled NEW heads still in the ford boxes
sitting under my workbench.

If Ever I move to wyoming those heads will go onto my '93 4.0
engine before I make the trip.

No such thing as too much compression at altitude.

Theoretically if a 4.0OHV engine were running at the same "state of tune"
as a 2.9 it would be making 197hp.

The problem is that ford specifically designed the 4.0 to make more torque "below the peak", to get that 197hp you'll end up with an engine that runs like a big 2.9 and it'll have less torque below 2200 than it does now.

For the price of that stroker kit I could build a 5.8 with ALL
the "Bells and whistles". I'd love to build an all aluminum 5.8
but... that'll have to wait until AFTER I win the powerball.



AD

 

[turbo cat]

the 4.0 ohv already has a stout bottom end. Flow the top end and stick a blower on it and get it tuned well w/ a good fuel system

 

[Bird]

The 95 heads? I have a set of assembled NEW heads still in the ford boxes
sitting under my workbench.

If Ever I move to wyoming those heads will go onto my '93 4.0
engine before I make the trip.

No such thing as too much compression at altitude.

AD

Another nice thing about running those heads at altitude is that you can usually get away with still running the lower octanes of gas at the higher altitudes. Just can't do it at these flatland altitudes that I usually live in.

If you ever get ready to do that, let me know - got a spare gasket / headbolt set I'll send ya.


Bird