Engine???

[Anonymous]

I have a completely stock 200 in my mustang now. It's been rebuilt but that's it. I would like to have an EFI though some how. I was wondering what you'd all recomend, new engine, new head, or some type of conversion. I need something reliable cause i have to drive it from NE to WA so i can work on it while i'm in college. I'm up for any suggestion no matter how far fetched, but simpler is always nicer

 

[Anonymous]

what year is you`r mustang is it a stick or atto the more you tell us the more we can tell you

 

[Anonymous]

Sorry, good point though. It was late when i posted and i just wanted to get it out there. It's a 65' automatic.

 

[Anonymous]

What exactly are you trying to accomplish? Better HP, better torque, better MPG, more reliable, or do you just plain want EFI?

 

[Anonymous]

Well all those will be accomplished from just upgrading in anyway, but carburaters aren't as reliable as EFI. Something always manages to go wrong, like tunning and things like starting easy. Plus EFI you can have alot more options, anything from tuning it by computer or adding aftermarket parts and not having to change everything cause your sensors adjust it for you.

 

[xctasy]

There is a really good option I'd love to share, its cheap, easy, foreign, and downright weird all in one sitting...


In NZ and Australia, we have EA Falcons built from 1988 to 1991 which had 3.2 liter throttle body (or Central Point) Injection. They came with a Holley/Weber 32/36 base, and was run by a small EECIV computer. 5-speeds or non-electronic 3-speed autos were common, and they were able to suit either the 100 KW (135 hp) base model or 120 kW (162 hp) 3.9 long stroke version. The up-option on these egines was the tunned port ECI-Multi injection, good for 139 kw ( 186 hp)

One, two or even three of these can be got for virtually nothing at all. All it needs to run is the electronics, everything else is based on the same triggers and set out you have under the hood of your ride. The only thing is getting a fuel tank return line, and a Clifford adaptor to fit your 200. Get one in good condition, plus a couple of spares, and dabble. There are shop manuals and lots of advice on how to do it. If the delivery map for the ignition and fuel has just a 135 hp ceiling level for these 3.2's, then it would be just fine on your 3.3 liter in-liner. The equipment is sound, and dirt cheap.Emissions legal, and designed to run with a cat and O2 sensor, it has a closed loop control system with open loop at wide open throttle, and is based on the US EEC control logic. Break-out codes and fault codes are all the same as the US ones.

 

[Anonymous]

Is it a model where fuel enters threw throttle body?? And how well built are these engines, can they handle alot of horse power like the 200 inlinesix? Cause i might want to add more horsepower later on, i'm silly like that.

 

[MustangSix]

If economy and daily driving is the goal, I'd look for a used Holley 1bbl Projection system.

With a homemade adapter, it would be a good replacement for the carb and the added fuel control will make the engine more economical.

 

[Anonymous]

but isn't that also one of the worst heads ever made, i looked your project over and i'm very interested in that. If i could rig up that aluminum head like you are that'd suit me well. Is that a multiport injuection system? I like your talk also of the symilations showing such high horse power readings, cause i'm young and planning of giving my car alot of love and keeping her as long as she'll have me. Right now i'm in washington and gonna being going to college in california. My car is in Nebraska but i don't fully trust it to drive here yet, so i was gonna try and figure out a better engine setup and then fly back on a break and start on it.

 

[xctasy]

Youre looking at some wild mods, and they sound great to me! But having the thing turnkey is the first goal.

If thats the case, then keep your machine All-American for the time being. Nothing worse than a cool old car standing you up. To convert a Mustang to suit modern conditions you decribe, you'll need to go for a T5 5-speed gearbox and a decent carb, then get a years information on costs behind you.

At the very least I'd get a static leakdown test, a full inspection, and then keep it stock for a year while you get a plan sorted for the engine you really like.

Any system is only as good as its components. When you push the envelope from mild to wild, thats when the problems happen. And problems at the "wild" level are sorted with nauce and green-backs.


The great thing is that this forum has the answers for spending your money in areas that will give you the best advantage.

My personal experience, while travelling 15 000 miles a year at my first job as a land survey assistant, had me doing a 44 mile commute each day for 240 days a year, and the balance was cruising. I used an old 2.3liter 58 compact GM Vauxhall for the first 9 months, and then a rear wheel drive British Escort Van for the rest.

Two things I found.:-

1. Low Fuel consumption rulze
2. Low maintenace cost must be guarenteed.

With my Vauxhall doing only 18 imperial mpg at 65 mph, and screaming along at 3400 rpm, this was a turkey. A cool looking turkey, though. Even if I got an over drive gearbox and a stronger engine that I could gear up to suit, I was always loosing out. I ended up pedaling a 4.5:1 diffed Escort van that only did 28 imperial mpg, which cruised at around 4200 rpm but even that buzz box saved me a motsa.

 

[x21]

I got my start with motor-know-how with a carb. I am more preferential to my 1-bbl Autolite 1100 (rebuilt by Holley) over the EFI on the 5.0. Screws are easier to keep track of, rather than some silicone wafer. As long as u keep your carb clean, it will serve you well. I have made many 330 mile trips back & forth from S FL to N FL, using just the 1-bbl & log head. If I ever had a problem with that car, it was not due to having carburation.
Important thing- any engine requires some type of down/maintainence time (unless its a honda, i suppose). Think of it as like an aircraft, the more time u invest to make sure everything is adjusted properly & working right, the more reliable it will be. I constantly had my hood up on the weekends when I was going to school, even if just to visually inspect the engine. It would be kinda sad & weird to sometimes see much newer cars broken down on the sides of highways as I made those 300+ mile trips and have so much confidence that my 200 would make it.
And its definitely a good idea to look the car over before a long trip (as well as during stops along the way).
Also, if this is your "main" car, You should not try anything too drastic unless you have a plan B car. When I decided to have my 68's rear modified by a Chevy Trakker at 45 mph, luckily I had an eyeball following the 88LX. :roll: hehe

 

[CobraSix]

I was like you when I started and afraid of the carb.

I learned a lot about it over the first couple of months and have since have had no problems with the carbs. Sure, they may need minor adjustments every couple of weeks, but it is adjustments that take about 3 minutes to do once you figure it out.

If you want a good reliable carb, go with an Autolite 1100. It is pretty much a tune it and forget it carb. Holleys and the like are more tempermental, though may have slightly better power.

With EFI, there are too many things that can go wrong. The old 200 is one of the most simple engine set ups out there, which makes it extremely easy to work on.

Give the carb a chance, you may be happy with it.

If you want more power, there are a variety of options.

Slade

 

[Anonymous]

For EFI, check out www.cliffordperformanceshop.com
and http://www.cliffordperformanceshop.com/Newfuel.htm

 

[MustangSix]

$3000 for EFI?? I can put together an SDS with EFI and DIS for half that.

I need something reliable cause i have to drive it from NE to WA so i can work on it while i'm in college.

Building an alloy head hybrid is not something you do to a car that you has to be driven every Monday because it's your only ride. That's one of those projects that has to wait until you have time, money, and another daily driver to use while you work on a project.

Yep, the log head is not the greatest performance piece out there, but it works and it's what you have. You can make it better without having to pull the engine out of your car and start over.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for all the ideas. I did start out by driving it some, then fixing something, driving it somemore then fixing more. I had every gasket fixed, carb rebuilt, filters changed regularly, new spark pulgs, all of the tune up you can think of pretty much. And it still has trouble at 65 and on a longer trip my manifold will start to glow which i know is not good. Yeah, when i had my carb rebuilt it was running good, but it went straight to hell in a bout a week, just started to cough again like it did before, granted not as bad, but still not what'd i'd like to have. This is not my main car, and i do have alot of money saved, i could buy a finished mustang if i wanted, but i like this one, it was my first car at $1000 dollars and i like the idea of keeping the six but building it up more. And i have the time to work on a project and engine, and if worst goes to worst and i had to have an engine in quicker, i have a 64' 223 from a falcon a friend of my dad gave me. And it's not that i'm afraid of a carb, it's just so much easier to get in a car, turn the key and it starts in any weather type wether it's been running or not. And if somethign is off, you can hook it to a computer and it will show you where the problem is. Thanks for so many responses, you guys are really helping me out.

 

[x21]

Well, with that information in mind... Have you thought about rebuilding the engine it has not been done already? I still have my old block out of my 68, but decided to just buy an already rebuilt engine instead (being that at the time it was my main car). I am guessing that in nearly 40 years, no matter what carb, induction, ignition you put on it, if the interior of the motor hasnt been touched, thats where u should start. New pistons, rods, cam, etc. Have the block & head checked for wear & tear and cracks. Or as you mentioned, the motor out of the falcon would be nice to work on as well. Definitely sounds like a fun project though... whatever you decide... GOOD LUCK!

 

[Anonymous]

x21, it had a full rebuild two years before i bought it, which woulda been awhile ago, but it hasn't ever really changed in performance ever. I figured that if i was gonna do all the work of tearing it apart again, like i plan on, i'd like to upgrade too.

Jack,
So have you got your new alloy head running yet, i haven't seen it anywhere posted that you have. I'd say i'm very interested in something like that, i also just reread your EFI 250 swap that you had previously done, i was wondering how that engine was working out. Not sure if i'd want to do anythign like that anytime soon cause it sounded like you had alot of "fun" doing it, but it's always nice to find out new things.

 

[CobraSix]

If your manifold is glowing, there are a number of possible, quick solutions. You'll need a timing light, tach/dwell meter, and a vacuum gauge.

The glowing manifold means you are running too lean or too retarded on timing. Easiest to check and fix is timing. Make sure you are around 10-12* BTDC. 6* is for stick shift, but should be fine for Auto, you just want to make sure you are not much lower then that (or After TDC) because that can cause glowing headers.

Also look for a vacuum leak somewhere. From all the conditions you describe, a vacuum leak may be your culprit. At idle, your engine should be drawing about 15-20 inHG vacuum (preferably closer to 20). If you are around 10, you have a vacuum leak. Go buy some carb spray and spray around the carb, the carb base, and the intake to see if you have a leak. If there is a leak, when you spray it, your RPMs will increase.

Good luck.

Slade

 

[Anonymous]

When i had my carb rebuilt awhile ago, i told him to time and tone it and all that good stuff. He put on new points wires and plugs too. So do you think he did it wrong? I didn't drive it a terible amount since all that work was done, but when i was driving it more then i noticed it. Would that be a valve problem otherwise? I'm just worried that it might have already done damage to the head, cause i didn't catch it untill one night when i popped the hood, cause i couldn't see it in daylight that warm. But i had driven quite a bit just back and forth to work. Thanks for your help.