Turbo 240 or 300

Ramian17

Well-known member
Hey guys I'm super new to this forum. I own a 1966 Econoline. I've already ripped the motor out of it and have taken it to a machine shop to have it rebuilt. I am going to turbo charge and direct port fuel inject it. I've been reading a ton of stuff on this forum and other ford forums for a long time. I am basically looking for any advice on things that I may have missed. The machine shop couldn't find 240 forged rods. So the rods on order currently make it a 300. Does anyone know of any high performance rods that they make for the 240? Also what software should I use for the fuel injection and the ignition control?(F.A.S.T, mega squirt, Bosch, they list is endless? Which head is another huge question I have both a newer fuel injected 300 head and an older 240 head. What turbo should I use? I'm not looking for more speed I want the same RPMs just more torque. I want to tow more at highway speeds. Im looking to be making strong boost at 1500 and maxing out around 3000. Thanks a bunch guys!!
 
The 1966 240 rods are forged and since they do not have the oil spit hole like the later rods they are very strong. The rod forging # on the beam is C5AE.
The rods just need to have the beam ground smooth, shot peened and resized with ARP bolts.
See the following link.
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/393 ... G_0010.jpg

The crankshaft stroke determines the engine size, not the rods.
The 240 crank has a 3.18" stroke while the 300 crank has a 3.98" stroke.
The crank would have to be changed to convert the 240 to a 300.

If the engine is a 240 then use the 240 head.
If you are changing crankshafts to convert to a 300 then use the 1965-1986 300 carburetor head.

It seems like a lot of money and effort to use an aftermarket EFI system just to supply 6 to 8 lbs of boost at low rpm.
A blow thru carb set-up would work just fine.
The ignition timing could be controlled using the MSD Programmable 6AL-2 ignition (Part# 6530) triggered by the Ford 300 Duraspark distributor.

Turbo compressor inducer size no larger than 47mm.
Holset HX30, GT2860RS are two examples.
 
Awesome thanks for the info pmuller. That is just the boost that I want to Cruz at everyday. Don't you worry I still plan on cranking the boost up to see what this thing can do!!!! Yeah you are right it is a lot of money. But two of my main goals is to not modified the dog house ( so a giant 4 barrel won't fit heck a 2 barrel throttle body won't even fit), and to get the same or better gas mileage which should be helped greatly by direct port injection and a little boost to help her along. Please correct me if I'm wrong lol? I also want to get rid of the distributor and have full control of the ignition. I have not had good luck with any aftermarket electronic ignition distributors. Thanks again for the help I imagine I'm going to need a lot of it.
 
I recommend the Holley HP EFI.
https://www.holley.com/products/fuel_sy ... s/550-605N

You can use six GM LSx individual coils for a distributorless ignition system.

A modified Ford 300 Duraspark distributor can be used to supply the cam sync signal for sequential mode.
Replace the distributor cap with a round cover

You will have to mount a 58 tooth wheel and sensor to the harmonic balancer for the system trigger signal.

Coils and trigger wheel can be salvaged off an LSx engine from a wrecking yard
 
Nice that Holley kit looks nice. Will it be able to use all OEM seniors as they are the parts that will most likely brake. What do you think about just using stock 300 fuel injection parts like the coil pack, and all the sensors? Which leads me to another question where is the MAS air flow sensor? On the the rare 300 that had one. The crank trigger sensor and coil pack off of a Chevy LS motor will work ah? How much modification will a duraspark 300 distributor need, machine work? Also what lbs injectors would you recommend I go with to start off? Thanks again so much for all the help.
 
The Holley HP system (Part# 550-605N) comes with all sensors needed to operate the system including the heavier duty NTK O2 wide band sensor.
It uses a Manifold Absolute Pressure sensor (MAP) instead of the MAF. It is also supplied with the kit.
It will need to be a 2 BAR MAP sensor to allow you to run up to 15 lbs of boost

You need additional spark energy for an engine under boost so I am not so sure about stock ignition components.
If you want to use a waste spark coil pack like the stock Ford then the Holley coils would be the better way to go.
This kit also comes with the pickup for the crank trigger wheel. You will see the universal wheel at the bottom of the page.
https://www.holley.com/products/ignitio ... ts/556-105

Here is the Holley version of the individual LSx coils
https://www.holley.com/products/ignitio ... ts/556-112

The ford 300 Duraspark Distributor has six reluctors. The following pic shows 8 reluctors.
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/393 ... rkDist.jpg
Five reluctors are ground off leaving only one as cam sync signal.
Remove vacuum advance and pin the plate solid to the distributor base.
Also remove the mechanical advance and lock it out solid to the main shaft.
You can also remove part of the shaft above the reluctors so you can use a flat cover to replace the distributor cap.

If you want to figure on 250 hp max then it requires 32 lb injectors.

What intake manifold will you use?
 
I am using the lower half of the lower half of a stock 300 fuel injected intake. I'm going to cut all six tubes and then weld on a larger pipe to make a plenum all with hopes that it will fit in a 66 econoline dog house. I wanted to use all stock sensors where possible but that MAP sensor sounds like a must. What do you think, should I try to keep stock sensors on it where I can, or do I travel with extra sensors? There really aren't that many. I was told by some techs that with some set ups I could do away with the top of the distributor and just have the crank sensor for timing? Obviously pending something else to power the oil pump.
 

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A large tube (or plenum) welded to the front of the six stock tubes will work if a single throttle body is mounted to the front of the plenum.
The air temperature sensor must mount directly into the plenum.
There must also be at least two threaded holes for 1/8" fittings for the lines for the MAP sensor and the turbo wastegate.
Just add a 1/4" thick plate somewhere on the plenum for threaded holes. It could be a thick end plate also.
The stock 300 EFI dual throttle body is equivalent to a 60mm single TB. Get the TB first to help you decide on tube (Plenum) diameter.

The EFI system sensors are:
Throttle Position Sensor (TPS)
Manifold Air Pressure Sensor (MAP)
Coolant Temperature Sensor (CTS)
Manifold Air Temperature Sensor (MAT)
Wide Band Oxygen Sensor (WB02)
Optional:
Fuel Pressure
Oil Pressure
Knock Sensor

The TPS sensor comes with the throttle body wherever you end up getting it from.
The Holley EFI system is calibrated for the sensors that are specified for the system.
Sensor failure is not common and most sensor failures won't keep you from driving home.
Sensors and other parts can be found here: https://www.holley.com/products/fuel_sy ... omponents/
Here is the wiring manual: http://documents.holley.com/techlibrary ... 5rev17.pdf

You do not need a cam sync signal and just have the crank sensor for timing if you use a waste spark ignition setup and do not do sequential injection. However sequential injection works best on a low rpm application like yours so the fuel injection timing is the same for all cylinders in relation to the intake valve opening and closing.
Also in sequential mode you can individually tune each cylinder's ignition timing and fuel.
 
Dang pmuller thanks for all the info that helps so much. You are slowly crushing my fears and my unknowns of this project.
 
So what did you find out from your machine shop about the connecting rods they ordered?
 
Hey guys sorry for the long time between updates. I haven't given up yet. The pistons just came in so the shop has everything it needs to make the old girl run. The turbo is also in the process of being put together. So hopefully more updates soon.
 
Ya know we are gonna want to see pictures of the rods and new pistons if possible.
Thanks
 
Howdy. I have an 88 300 efi and I just picked up a hx35 3 inch down pipe and a bunch of oil lines and fittings getting ready to turbo my girl.still have yet to learn about wide bands and finding an exhaust manifold. Herd talk about old hd exhaust manifolds off f600-f700s and supposubly is one with a 4 bolt flange that would fit my holset hx35. Called around to some local junk yards and their is one about an hr from my house he doesnt seem to think this 4 bolt flange exists on the old manifolds just a 3 bolt and 2 bolt design but I'm looking for possibly a casting number or if anybody happens to know more on these please fill me in. Thanks
 
PMuller is correct. Ak chopped the outlet off an HD manifold and welded on the flange. I welded on the plate over the heat riser and milled off the bottom of the intake so it would clear. I think the smarter way would have been to install the plate so it was below the heat riser mating surface. Then you could still bolt the intake and exhaust together. Maybe the air gap is a good thing?
 
curts56":lu85zf0l said:
Maybe the air gap is a good thing?
As you already know the exhaust manifold is going to run much hotter when the turbocharger is producing boost.
I too think the air gap would be a good thing.
 
X3,..I use a port divider to create a dead air gap on SB I6s. ..Not for exhaust flow,but for heat isolation to the intake manifold.
 
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