'99 ohv 4.0 cam build

Im new to the forum, wondering if anyone has any suggestions or advice. Goal is to cam it, head milling,porting and polishing, and a single 2.5inch exhaust with a good 87 octane tune. Motor has 153k on it. All stock car. Parts list so far:

Sealed Power ZH2244 roller lifters, $40 a piece
Comp 49-422-8 camshaft, $300

As you can tell I need some advice on rods, valve springs, rocker arms, and gaskets, or anything else

thanks

 

[Dono]

I only hope I dont blow up my motor and be forced to bug the crap out of you for tips.

You thinking you will have it together by mid summer?

 

[Jstcruz]

Subscribing

I plan on doing much of the same on my 4.0 for my 84 Ranger

 

[jd4242]

I only hope I dont blow up my motor and be forced to bug the crap out of you for tips.

You thinking you will have it together by mid summer?

I said to the public;-) I dont know right now.gota sell the accord.

 

[Dono]

Nothing slowing you down except for finding the time and money.
I hear ya. If your pulling your motor again to re-do the bottom end, its going to be a big deal, thats for sure.

Queencitysleeper, whats your next mod? Sounds like your trucks running pretty good. Time to push the envelope some more. I say you be the first to go M112 on our motors.

 

[jd4242]

Nothing slowing you down except for finding the time and money.
I hear ya. If your pulling your motor again to re-do the bottom end, its going to be a big deal, thats for sure.

Queencitysleeper, whats your next mod? Sounds like your trucks running pretty good. Time to push the envelope some more. I say you be the first to go M112 on our motors.

Yep.in no rush at all.I have 4 vehicles now and my truck is totally a toy at this point.whats this m112 talk? Just for the record I do have access to one but not planning on it.also it has been done but to a sohc.the m90 could go to 15 psi before your pushing it to far.even little farther with ic & w/m.I plan to come very close to 300hp to the ground with my big tires without sprayim gathering parts and money. .I will be back and again WILL press it to the ABSOLUTE LIMIT.

Sleeper..do you plan on any more mods or you happy where your at?

 

[QueenCitySleeper]

Until I move out the SCT tuner will be it. I have to pull the trans and get a new rear main seal in there when the weather gets better. Hopefully will have my own place in a year. No I won't be supercharging. I thought about going 5.0 but i really like the OHV. I've to decided to do a heavy duty bottom end build with a progressive nitrous setup. The controller I'm looking at supports a 250 shot in two stages. I decided on nitrous since I don't really see many guys doing an OHV with a huge shot. Also I want to have maximum driveability and a turbo or supercharger is just not practical for me. I really want to have something different and to experiment. It will be most satisfying to blow past all the SOHC and 5.0 modded explorers. This motor is great for learning how to mod and gives you a good understanding of how this stuff works. And I'm sure JD will help us out upon special request if we promise not to reveal his secrets.

 

[Dono]

Ah, the mod disease! I knew you wouldn't be able to leave well enough alone.
Its the forged piston thing that is an issue for us.

If I understand correctly, JS's block can handle a overbore to take a standard off the shelf forged piston, but our newer blocks cant. Thats a huge issue as to go crazy, those forged pistons get pretty important.

This is going to be fun seeing how this goes.

 

[QueenCitySleeper]

I'm gonna go with an older block and SOHC pan to strengthen it up. Your right the pistons are gonna be the problem. I don't want to have my blocked machined. That is not cheap. I haven't done much research on pistons but forged will be the way to go. I'm excited though.

 

[Dono]

Me 2.
As were all getting more and more intimate with these motors, were really starting to push the limits and learn from each other.

I read on another forum that the older blocks are missing bolt holes required in the newer (99-2000) configuration. I have no idea what that means. Is it engine mount bolt holes? Is it Air conditioning? No clue. Just be careful. Im really interested in what you find.

Id be disappointed in myself if I could have gone with an older block and 4.0 forged off the shelf pistons. I really think you are going to have to get any older block bored out though. There's just going to be too much wear in the cylinder bores on any of our old ohv blocks(That and making the off the shelf piston work).

Another fun build!

 

[QueenCitySleeper]

My motor doesn't burn a drop of oil between changes. It might be hard to find an older one in the same shape. I also read about the bolt holes and I also have no idea what that means. I'll be doing some serious research though. Tom Morana Racing sells forged pistons and rods. The price is crazy though.

 

[Dono]

You need to call Tom and speak with him.
He knows an awful lot about the ohv and the sohc. He is really fun to talk to. He's the first to say there is no cheap way to real power with our motors. It might be worth asking "What would you do with this many dollars?"

 

[QueenCitySleeper]

I talked to someone at Morana when I first started looking at parts for the top end build. I really want to run SOHC pistons. I'll cut up my old heads to give me an idea of how much I can enlarge the combustion chambers. I'll have to cut out enough cc's to run premium fuel. After the motor is built with high compression I'd like to run some killer tunes for premium and race fuel. Then move up to however much nitrous the pistons will hold. The only thing im worried about is like JD mentioned, the valves and rocker ratios. But we will deal with that when the time comes. As stated before i do not want to put a fortune into it. The idea is to learn as much as possible at a reasonable cost. And of course to keep everything very driveable. I don't plan on selling this explorer, ever.

 

[Dono]

Oh man, I can hardly wait. This is going to be great!

This will be extreme. Budget for head studs though. With high compression like that, your really going to have to stop that head bolt stretch.

 

[jd4242]

I talked to someone at Morana when I first started looking at parts for the top end build. I really want to run SOHC pistons. I'll cut up my old heads to give me an idea of how much I can enlarge the combustion chambers. I'll have to cut out enough cc's to run premium fuel. After the motor is built with high compression I'd like to run some killer tunes for premium and race fuel. Then move up to however much nitrous the pistons will hold. The only thing im worried about is like JD mentioned, the valves and rocker ratios. But we will deal with that when the time comes. As stated before i do not want to put a fortune into it. The idea is to learn as much as possible at a reasonable cost. And of course to keep everything very driveable. I don't plan on selling this explorer, ever.

I would just run first gen pistons with your heads.that will give you the ideal 10:1 and if you want higher shave your heads.if your go sohc pistons your be well over 12:1 and to increase a cc would cost three times the amount.also running the 422 & sohc piston you run the risk of being an interface motor.with a 10:1 motor, 422 & head studs I wouldnt think twice about throwing a 150 shot on it

 

[QueenCitySleeper]

I'm pretty determined on SOHC pistons just for their strength and price. I can cc the chambers myself. And interference doesn't phase me. Ill be installing a new cam position sensor during the build as well as checking piston to valve clearence with clay. The rockers and valves are cheap. Yea Don, arp all around so I can really wind it up. This is just how I feel right now on the pistons. I'll keep doing my homework on it.

 

[jd4242]

I'm pretty determined on SOHC pistons just for their strength and price. I can cc the chambers myself. And interference doesn't phase me. Ill be installing a new cam position sensor during the build as well as checking piston to valve clearence with clay. The rockers and valves are cheap. Yea Don, arp all around so I can really wind it up. This is just how I feel right now on the pistons. I'll keep doing my homework on it.

What makes you think they are stronger or cheaper? Interface should phase you.if a valve sticks at all or a roccker breaks or a spring your be replacing a piston and many other parts if not the whole engine.I've had a rocker break and the valve stuck openbut with dished pistons I cleared it.not trying to talk you outa of it, just talking

 

[jd4242]

And what compression are you trying to run?

 

[QueenCitySleeper]

The SOHC is a stout motor and makes roughly 40 more horse than the OHV so I assume they are stronger. They are cheaper than a forged piston is what I'm saying. I can cc the chambers myself if they are thick enough to get my compression down. I'd like to run between 10.5 to 11:1 comp. just on the safe side of premium. I'm not positive on this stuff, I'm just afraid that first gen pistons with a deep dish will blow apart from the power I'm looking for.

 

[jd4242]

The SOHC is a stout motor and makes roughly 40 more horse than the OHV so I assume they are stronger. They are cheaper than a forged piston is what I'm saying. I can cc the chambers myself if they are thick enough to get my compression down. I'd like to run between 10.5 to 11:1 comp. just on the safe side of premium. I'm not positive on this stuff, I'm just afraid that first gen pistons with a deep dish will blow apart from the power I'm looking for.

They make that from the heads.the pistons are same size and just because they are flat top does not mean they are stronger or thicker.if anything they are thinner and lighter than ohv witch in stock form means weaker.I dont have the exact number but think its like 12.8:1ish .to give you an idea of how much material you would have to remove to lower it 2 whole points would be crazy. Every. .030 removed increase the compression a half point your looking at. .060 to equal 1 point and. .120 to get you down to where you would need.those like I said arnt exact numbers but pretty close I think.ill have to check but gives you how much you would need to remove and try and get each cc the same and smooth.your talking HOURS HOURS of work per cc.ill see if I can find my notes.

 

[QueenCitySleeper]

I didn't run any numbers but that is substantial. Your right, i just looked up some SOHC piston specs and they are thinner than i thought. And that would take me forever in die grinding and measuring. So those are not looking like an option lol. Funny how quickly things can change. Wonder if anyone makes aftermarket first gens that are stronger than orginals. I'll do some looking around and get back.