Blue Flame, All Out

Imagine what it would be like to also incorporate the timing of the cams on top of the ignition timing and fuel tables. Trac Key can't do it on the fly, maybe some one will come up with a way.

I'm fairly certain SCT can reprogram the VCT from what I've been reading.

I will simply have to lug through town on the way to the highway with my fixed valve timing. :D
 
I'm fairly certain SCT can reprogram the VCT from what I've been reading.

I will simply have to lug through town on the way to the highway with my fixed valve timing. :D

Chit I thought we could get you hooked on a real science project here!! LOL
 
Also, you can switch the SCT 4 to positions 5-9 and the car won't start because there is nothing flashed on those ports. :)
 
I was supposed to trailer the Blue Flame to the body shop today, but my guy there has the weekend off. :(

The shortblock arrived this past week, all wrapped and boxed up with the new custom Bullet cams and Romac damper. :D

I still need to source a SFI flexplate, some ARP hardware and gaskets. I have 42# injectors and a Lightning 90mm MAF ready.

I was going to use the IMRCs but a little birdie convinced me I needed IMRC deletes, so I started working on a spare set I had. I had to drill out 2 screws so far. Once I get the other one stripped, I'll take a trip to the parts washer at work. Meanwhile, I'm taking advantage of the cooler weather and putting up insulation in the garage.
 

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Here it is, July 4th weekend and about all I need is a body shop that isn't booked until August. :(

The IMRC deletes need the shaft holes welded, then smoothed/polished. The SFI flexplate is on the way. I think all the gaskets, front seal and the remaining ARP hardware are here. Pretty much everything for the engine swap is ready to rock and roll.

The shortblock:
  • Boss 5.0L Modular Cast Iron Block
  • Kellog 4340 Stroker crankshaft
  • Manley 4340 H-beam rods w/ HS wrist pins
  • Diamond 2618 FlatTop pistons w/ valve reliefs
  • File-fit Moly Rings
  • ARP hardware
  • Melling High volume oil pump with Billet Gears
  • Machined, balanced and assembled by Fox Lake Racing
  • 323 cu.in. displacement
  • Approximately 12:1 Compression
  • Estimated at 1.6 HP/cu.in (over 500 HP at crank)

The heads will be the current Fox Lake Stage 3 heads, upgraded valvetrain and ARP studs. The selected cams are custom Bullet cams - 235* @ 0.050" with 0.480" lift and 113* LSA. The bottom end will have a Canton windage tray. The front end will get a Romac SFI damper and the rear will have a PRW SFI flexplate.

I have a NIB Cobra radiator and will get all new coolant hoses and T-stat. The Cobra tensioner, Meziere electric water pump and stock accessories will come off the old motor. The throttle body is being sent away to be ported/polished and should work well with the IMRC deletes and current intake. 42# injectors and a Lightning 90mm MAF should supply enough fuel and air to the engine. The exhaust will remain as is with the Kooks headers, dual electric cut-outs and Hooker mufflers.

The only remaining questions are whether to get a new timing set (chains, gears, tensioners) and what to do with the knock sensors. We'll see what the current valve timing components look like when the time comes. As for the knock sensors, I'm undecided at this point whether to delete them or what to do.

The base tune will likely be from LaSota Racing and then dynotuned at Rodeheaver's Speed Shop.

The car is scheduled to go on the frame alignment machine the 18th of July and in the body shop the first week of August. I plan to be talking to Rodeheaver's soon to work out the install schedule for the new motor.
 
Looks great, JP! :) What do you plan to do with fuel delivery, and are you going with pump gas?

With all that compression and possibly no knock sensors, I would think a Ford GT pump with a KB BAP running race fuel only to be safe. :)
 
Forgot to mention what a neat shop to have so close to you. We all will be watching this thread with enthusiasm. My guess would be that because of Blue Flame's mission that your tuner will opt out of the Knock Sensors.
 
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Wow JP, excellent progress! You must be excited!
 
I would put a new timing set in, as it is not that much more and you can have confidence in the chains etc. As a matter of interest you may want to look at these new sets thst Cloyes developed.

http://www.cloyes.com/Portals/10/Images/Products/Cloyes Ford Mod V8.pdf

Yeah, I am leaning to just put in a new timing set, just because. At this point it would be cheap not to. I'm not sure about "confidence" since I just had the experience with the top end of the '96 that had a new timing set installed. :rolleyes:

If Rodeheaver and Fox Lake think the cams could be advanced safely, then I am all for it. Otherwise we will just time them straight up and triple check the degree settings.

I know about the Cloyes hex-a-just system and their price is competitive. However, my inner self questions all the 'extra parts' staying together compared to the old fashioned way. I know from talking to a couple other engine builders that they were not all that fond of the idea.

Looks great, JP! :) What do you plan to do with fuel delivery, and are you going with pump gas?

With all that compression and possibly no knock sensors, I would think a Ford GT pump with a KB BAP running race fuel only to be safe. :)

I do plan on running 93 pump gas on the street. The car currently has the venerable Walbro 255 lph fuel pump. The static compression is dampened somewhat with the cam selection yielding a lower dynamic compression. Ron and I talked about this early on and he gave me confidence it could be done.

I plan to have two tunes done, one for street and one for race gas at the track. Like you once said, it is easier to tune it down. ;)

The knock sensors are still a wild card. I know several people that run without them with no problems, after all it is "all in the tune". There are still timing retarders available with IAT and ECT parameters for safety. I also have a wide band O2 sensor on the car. I probably won't be pushing any limits right out of the box, but I am looking to methanol injection later. The Zietronix system can be rigged with a alarm output for any lean condition for safety.

I believe the car will have enough fuel for now. I very well may need to upgrade the fuel system later when the urge to run nitrous comes along. :)

Forgot to mention what a neat shop to have so close to you. We all will be watching this thread with enthusiasm. My guess would be that because of Blue Flame's mission that your tuner will opt out of the Knock Sensors.

I am lucky to have Rodeheaver's so close. His shop turns out some pretty awesome rides and he is just an all around great guy. I will tell him to take lots of pics to tease everyone with once he starts the swap.

I haven't had a chance to talk to Don at LaSota Racing just yet. He is on vacation right now but I plan to have him deeply involved in the tuning. He comes down to Rodeheaver's on occasion for group dyno tuning sessions. Who knows, he may just make a special trip for the Blue Flame. ;)

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Wow JP, excellent progress! You must be excited!

I am both excited and depressed. The original plan was to have all the body work completed by now. I thought it was a done deal when I returned from vacation after Carlisle. The guy I had lined up pulled out on me and no less than three other places turned the work down. :frown:

I had said at Carlisle that I wanted it done by the end of July, but I have all but given up on any "deadline". :eek:
 
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Too bad you are so far away from "Motown".

It's only a trailer and a weekend away. :fart

I need to make a phone call this week. Hindsight being 20/20 (I wish I would have had the cash earlier) - the car would be done by now. :eek:
 
I gotta believe that "The Motown Skunk Works" is always up for a worthy project like Blue Flame.
 
Verified the body/frame machine appointment today. I plan on taking the car down on Saturday. He said it may be ready Monday but worst case Tuesday. He also said we are still on the books for first week of August for the quarter panel and paint work. :)

Called Rodeheavers today and confirmed the schedule there. He has a bit more work in the shop now than he thought he would have but expected to be able to get started on the swap Tuesday/Wednesday after the body alignment. He is hoping to have it done by week after next, just in time for the body shop. Worse case is start-up, tweaking and dyno tuning would be after the body work is complete. :):)

I need to double check my list and gather up all the parts!

Can't wait! :D

Meanwhile after discussing the tune with LaSota, he confirmed the thoughts on leaving the knock sensors out and turning them off in the tune. He urged to be conservative in the timing without race gas or consider converting to E85. There was also some discussion on the rev limit due to the capability of the early model PCM and the 4R70W (built or not). But all things considered, no insurmountable issues are expected. :cool:
 
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