How much the block can stand.

[Xploder825]

I have a 4.0l ohv and I'm making my explorer into a drag race truck. how much horsepower would the block be able to hold up to? I'm doing sothing different many ppl want to put a v8 in but I wanna do it with the same motor but different internals. and also another question. Would a c6 bolt up to my motor?

 

[A-10]

I wouldn't be too concerned with the block. The 4.0 is pretty bulletproof. It's the tranny I would be worried about, that is if you're going to stick with the 4 speed auto.

 

[NetBSD]

i dont got any info for ya but i would be interested in the HP readings you get outof the 4.0

 

[Masterd]

I guess it depends on how many horses you'd be able to get out of the 4.0 and what methods you were using to get there.

I don't think you could get enough power out of it to hurt the block, if you left it naturally aspirated. If you start throwing boost at it, you might get to that point.

As for the C-6.....not sure. I didn't find anything when I went searching...the popular way to go is to drop a GM 700R4 in it. They can be built to handle big power.

 

[A-10]

i dont got any info for ya but i would be interested in the HP readings you get outof the 4.0

If memory serves. The stock 4.0 produces About 160 hp and 255 ft lbs of torque.

 

[Xploder825]

I plan to get as much horsepower naturally and then turbo it and prolly 100 shot of nitrous. yea its going to be a drag truck so I want it to get up there in numbers of horses. I'm shooting for around 800 horsepower.

 

[Masterd]

800 horses from a pushrod 4.0? LOL.

Dunno what the record for horsepower is on one of these, but I'm sure you've heard stories about 5.0 blocks cracking in half, so I'm not sure if the stock 4.0 block has the ability to reliably put down 800 HP.

 

[Mbrooks420]

I think 800 hp is waaayyyy to much for a factory block. I also don't 800hp wouldn't be possible (with any degree of affordability and reliablility) anyways. The 4.0 is a stroked and bored motor as is. If you want huge HP your going to need a different motor.

 

[FROADER]

I got 763 out of mine and it's pushing the stock internals pretty hard...

 

[IZwack]

650 ponies from mine, sequential bi-turbo on stock internals! Raced an F-40 last week, burnt him. DGAF

 

[Masterd]

Mrbrooks said it right....the 4.0 is useless if you want to bore it out...

I think the highest horsepower pushrod 4.0 I've seen only made low to mid 200's to the ground, and it was supercharged.

 

[Mbrooks420]

I got 763 out of mine and it's pushing the stock internals pretty hard...

Must have taken a lot of decals.............

 

[Masterd]

Yep, those should be good for starters....

 

[Xploder825]

yeah its not hard to get horsepower. I'm changing all the internals to high performance stuff. I was on ebay last night and found alot of parts for the 4.0l.

 

[Masterd]

You wont get 800 horsepower from it. You'll split the block well before that.



Hopefully you'll be able to find a set of heads that flow REALLY good, or you'll just be wasting time. I'd say absolute TOPS, you'll get 350 or 400 at the crank, if that, and you'll be spending LOTS of money doing it.

 

[IZwack]

Which brings up a good question, how much cash do you have to throw at this goal Xploder825 ? Cauz the cost/power ratio grows very rapidly (almost exponentially).

 

[Maniak]

And since this was first posed in the stock 91-94 we are assuming your talking the 4.0 OHV, not the 4.0 SOHC that is now in the mustangs.. they are completly different motors.

~Mark

 

[Mbrooks420]

There are likely no internals for the 4.0 that will withstand 800hp. A 25-40% increase in HP is usually fairly easy. Any more that, and the work involved goes up exponentially. 800hp from a 4.0 isn't going to happen.

 

[techieman33]

There are likely no internals for the 4.0 that will withstand 800hp. A 25-40% increase in HP is usually fairly easy. Any more that, and the work involved goes up exponentially. 800hp from a 4.0 isn't going to happen.

I'm sure if he had a couple of million dollars laying around he might be able to get it there for a few seconds.

 

[IZwack]

Okay lets be constructive (its fun) by starting a list of what needs to be done to achieve AND sustain 800 hp from 6 poor pistons. I'm going to start at the housing and say that the housing needs a recast -- with thicker casings to prevent splitting. Next? internals?

EDIT -- and since we cant achieve this power at the low end due to volume / pressure restrictions, were going to have to do it at the high end. Lets aim go with the Formula-1 approach