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Interviews with former Powertrain Engineer

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Spin Doctor View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Spin Doctor Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Interviews with former Powertrain Engineer
    Posted: Oct/03/2022 at 12:25pm
On the AMXJ YouTube channel there are a series of interviews with a former powertrain engineer concerning head castings, pistons etc. The engineer was involved in building and running a dragster powered by a 4.0 that set class records. There are 4 interview videos plus at least one more coming up that will focus on performance modifications. The thumbnail for the videos appears to show a 4.0 featuring an LS head with a turbo. Real or photoshopped I'm not sure.
The channel owner also has teaser stuff about the TwinCam 24V 4.0 based race engines. He is trying to get more info from the actual engine builder.

74 Hornet, 75 Pacer, 68 AMX, 77 Hornet, 82 Concord, 84 Wagoneer
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote merr6267 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Oct/05/2022 at 10:29am
I also saw that.  I've been accumulating parts for a LS headed 4.0/5.0 arrangement myself.

I'm interested in what he did to keep the bottom end together, though he mentions that the early 258 cranks can spin to 10k all day, being balanced and all.  

As far as I know the only off the shelf rods that fit are the SCAT rods which seem entry-level, at-best for 10k rpm use, though so would a stock cast crank.  

I have looked into finding some Chevy LS pistons for 5.3 or 5.7 combinations and finding a ls rod that would seem to get very close to correct, however the width of the 258 journal is much wider than the shelf rods.  I'm unsure what a viable solution would be for that, as I'm not really an engine builder and can only glean info from what's readily posted on forums, magazines, and youtoobs.  

I read a few things about "piston guided rods" but the info seems a bit thin for average joe to digest.  I believe I'm aware that cup cars run them, and have for a long time, but I also don't know typical specs, if the piston needs specific provisions to prevent rocking laterally, if they are any good for street use, or boosted used, etc.

Either way, I'm awaiting the next upload.  

Take care, 
Phill
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Mr_Roboto Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Oct/05/2022 at 11:54am
This is a great series, I think that the most valuable part for me with my plans (turbo setup) is going to be the cooling stuff. To do something like he talks about will definitely require me getting the lathe set back up.

I'd love to hear some head porting advice. The head I have for my 258 is a 1994 one and honestly it seems like you'd have to work pretty hard to improve it much to me. I've been reading the stuff in the thread by nosigma but the problem is there's not much in the way of dimensions. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote farna Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Oct/28/2022 at 11:25am
The 4.0l head just needs a little cleaning up and smoothing out, no seriouporting other tha gasket matching the manifolds. The shape ofcthevports is the main advantage, trying to hog them out makes them worse.

Frank Swygert
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