N/A 4v build

[fs308]

if you were going to build a wild pump gas 281ci 4v how would you do it? im new to the 4v world and trying to see some of the engine combo's. try and keep it to the 281 base combo's. no big bore or stroker combo's. also post some of the gearing this combo would be optimal with and what you think it would run in the 1/4.

or if you have a nice running combo list your mods and race weight

 

[Un4GivN]

if you were going to build a wild pump gas 281ci 4v how would you do it? im new to the 4v world and trying to see some of the engine combo's. try and keep it to the 281 base combo's. no big bore or stroker combo's. also post some of the gearing this combo would be optimal with and what you think it would run in the 1/4.

or if you have a nice running combo list your mods and race weight

You may not like what I have to say, but.. I would not even think about building an N/A 281. Why? Because for half the money, I could boost it and be faster. If there's no option to go bb, stroker, or both, I don't see the sense in building an N/A setup unless it's for some drag racing bracket that wont allow it.

 

[notchstang92]

if you were going to build a wild pump gas 281ci 4v how would you do it? im new to the 4v world and trying to see some of the engine combo's. try and keep it to the 281 base combo's. no big bore or stroker combo's. also post some of the gearing this combo would be optimal with and what you think it would run in the 1/4.

or if you have a nice running combo list your mods and race weight

Its not worth the money you would have to spend. You could do ported heads/intake and cams. Longtubes and full exhaust. Run maybe 4,30's or 4.56's depending on where you powerband is. Tuning and even higher compression if pump gas could support it. In the end you would be lucky to hit 400 rwhp and you would still be behind all the stock cobras w/ prochargers, vortechs and eatons. The big bore would be the way to go if you want n/a power, but its certainly not cheap. Unless you are going to be running a certain class that has specific rules its really not worth the money.

There are a couple guys on here knowledgeable for n/a mod motors. One is Nazman, but he has been a ghost as of late. The other is n/a svt. I'm sure either one of them can give you more than you need to know.

 

[Chris _Scott]

I wouldn't let those guys discourage you.

I'm currently doing a N/A 4.6 build [not staying 4.6 for too much longer though] and I am enjoying it a lot more than if I were to have gone the typical route that everyone does.

Could I have spent all the money that I did and gotten a used centri blower and turn out 400-450rwhp? yes... would I love my car as much as I do now? probably not.

I like the idea of having a strong stout motor, and that everything is raw...no blower or anything else to 'hide' the imperfections. I love trying to find new ways to go faster, finding weight to reduce off the car..soon I'm going to go with a full coilover suspension and some other things.

N/A can be made to go fast with 281ci... you just have to get everything else done 100% gears, suspension, full bolt-ons, weight reduction, and tires

I'll be running 11s with just 370ish rwhp once I get 4.56s & 15" tires, with my suspension mostly untouched and I still have some bolt-ons that I can do to make more power N/A

Best of luck.

 

[na svt]

Why not go with a stroker? The one constraint these enigne have is cubic inches so why limit your hp when it cost only a few bucks more to go stroker?

Anyway, if you're looking for max power n/a, you will need a good amount of compression, short intake runners, custom cams, and the balls to spin it past 7k.

If low 1/4 mile times are your goal then you need nothing less than 4.56s.

A t45 trans won't shift past 7k, a 3650 will.

 

[wma8706]

if you were going to build a wild pump gas 281ci 4v how would you do it? im new to the 4v world and trying to see some of the engine combo's. try and keep it to the 281 base combo's. no big bore or stroker combo's. also post some of the gearing this combo would be optimal with and what you think it would run in the 1/4.

or if you have a nice running combo list your mods and race weight

What are your goals? running boost on a small modular engine will be more cost effective compared to a NA 4v build with ported intake, heads and cams. That being said... a built NA 4v is more impressive in my opinion. Bolt on geared and weight reduced 4v can get into the mid 11's. With heads and cams ... prob. into the high 10's. Give Nazman a pm. I believe he's gone this route before.

 

[gmsux]

I'm much more into open track running than 1/4 mile so N/A was a better choice for me, no detonation/overheating issues which tend to be big problems for the blower cars on the track, not an issue for drag where the objective is to drive your car as little as possible. If you're primary interest is drag racing, how fast do you want to go? How "wild" do you intend to go? Trailer car? There are a lot of shades of fast depending on what your're thinking.

 

[fs308]

What are your goals? running boost on a small modular engine will be more cost effective compared to a NA 4v build with ported intake, heads and cams. That being said... a built NA 4v is more impressive in my opinion. Bolt on geared and weight reduced 4v can get into the mid 11's. With heads and cams ... prob. into the high 10's. Give Nazman a pm. I believe he's gone this route before.

it will be more of a stright line car and might lightweight coupe 11's maybe 10's shouldnt be that hard NA.

 

[MP-John]

NA My favorite subject.
When going NA you need to think bumper to bumper. Everything counts; brakes, wheels, suspension, transmision, rear axles, etc. The engine is just one part of the plan.

 

[na svt]

Its not worth the money you would have to spend. You could do ported heads/intake and cams. Longtubes and full exhaust. Run maybe 4,30's or 4.56's depending on where you powerband is. Tuning and even higher compression if pump gas could support it. In the end you would be lucky to hit 400 rwhp and you would still be behind all the stock cobras w/ prochargers, vortechs and eatons. The big bore would be the way to go if you want n/a power, but its certainly not cheap. Unless you are going to be running a certain class that has specific rules its really not worth the money.

There are a couple guys on here knowledgeable for n/a mod motors. One is Nazman, but he has been a ghost as of late. The other is n/a svt. I'm sure either one of them can give you more than you need to know.

You may not like what I have to say, but.. I would not even think about building an N/A 281. Why? Because for half the money, I could boost it and be faster. If there's no option to go bb, stroker, or both, I don't see the sense in building an N/A setup unless it's for some drag racing bracket that wont allow it.

What are your goals? running boost on a small modular engine will be more cost effective compared to a NA 4v build with ported intake, heads and cams.

What is wrong with you guys? Whenever someone here wants to stay n/a they get these type of responses. He obviously wants an n/a engine, not FI.

 

[na svt]

it will be more of a straight line car and might lightweight coupe 11's maybe 10's shouldnt be that hard NA.

11s are very easy to reach with a lightweight n/a coupe and quite a few people have done it with stock shortblocks and even stock longblocks. The 10s are much harder but definitely not out of the question, especially when not limited by the class rules.

MP John of Modular Performance has built many engines that have gone 10s and even 9s n/a.

It's easy to bolt on a supercharger or turbo and go fast, but going quick thru the 1/4 mile is all together different.

 

[fs308]

NA My favorite subject.
When going NA you need to think bumper to bumper. Everything counts; brakes, wheels, suspension, transmision, rear axles, etc. The engine is just one part of the plan.

brakes strange front and rear disc
wheels will be billet specialties with mickeys in the rear and moroso front runners
suspension Team z front and rear suspension with ARB and coilovers strange front struts and rear shocks
tranny im still undecided about
axles moser 33 spline axles that have been gundrilled and star flanged

 

[Un4GivN]

I wouldn't let those guys discourage you.

I'm currently doing a N/A 4.6 build [not staying 4.6 for too much longer though] and I am enjoying it a lot more than if I were to have gone the typical route that everyone does.

Could I have spent all the money that I did and gotten a used centri blower and turn out 400-450rwhp? yes... would I love my car as much as I do now? probably not.

I like the idea of having a strong stout motor, and that everything is raw...no blower or anything else to 'hide' the imperfections. I love trying to find new ways to go faster, finding weight to reduce off the car..soon I'm going to go with a full coilover suspension and some other things.

N/A can be made to go fast with 281ci... you just have to get everything else done 100% gears, suspension, full bolt-ons, weight reduction, and tires

I'll be running 11s with just 370ish rwhp once I get 4.56s & 15" tires, with my suspension mostly untouched and I still have some bolt-ons that I can do to make more power N/A

Best of luck.

No offense to you Chris, but your car helps me prove my point. Look at all the money and work you put into your car doing heads and cams etc, and your car makes 326/321. Not even close to being worth it imo.

 

[Un4GivN]

What is wrong with you guys? Whenever someone here wants to stay n/a they get these type of responses. He obviously wants an n/a engine, not FI.

What is wrong with me? Absolutely nothing. If you actually READ what my post consisted of. I said the same damn thing you did about an NA 281. WHY NOT GO STROKER/BB etc. Get off my nuts.

 

[fs308]

how fast does it accelerate though? hp is just number and dyno's are just a tuning tool. you dont always need 500hp to run good numbers

 

[fs308]

What is wrong with me? Absolutely nothing. If you actually READ what my post consisted of. I said the same damn thing you did about an NA 281. WHY NOT GO STROKER/BB etc. Get off my nuts.

does anyone make a supercharger or turbo kit for a carbed 4v in a fox car?

 

[Mr Patience]

NA My favorite subject.
When going NA you need to think bumper to bumper. Everything counts; brakes, wheels, suspension, transmision, rear axles, etc. The engine is just one part of the plan.

+1, HP is only part of the puzzle.

 

[na svt]

No offense to you Chris, but your car helps me prove my point. Look at all the money and work you put into your car doing heads and cams etc, and your car makes 326/321. Not even close to being worth it imo.

He has a 230K mile shortblock, stock intake, stock heads, long duration cams that weren't degreed, defintely not the route I would take. Ask John how much his stock cammed motor made with an FR500 intake...over 400rwhp. It also powered a 3400lb car to low 11 quarters.

 

[Un4GivN]

He has a 230K mile shortblock, stock intake, stock heads, long duration cams that weren't degreed, defintely not the route I would take. Ask John how much his stock cammed motor made with an FR500 intake...over 400rwhp. It also powered a 3400lb car to low 11 quarters.

Listen. I did not say you couldn't make power or a fast car N/A. All I stated was what you could do for the same amount of money, if not less, going another route.

 

[birdman941]

Nothing wrong with NA.
MP John is correct, a high performance car is more than just a motor.
It's a balance of power, braking and handling,
and depending on your wishes, ride quality.
Some people build the car so radical,
you cannot rely on it for a long trip, or sit in traffic with it.
Have John or Al P build you a motor, while you concentrate on the remainder.
Remember, premium parts cost more initially,
but are better in the long run.
Do your homework, have a plan and go for it.