Strengthening Bottom End. - Ford Forums - Mustang Forum, Ford Trucks, Ford Focus and Ford Cars

DansEdgli · 01-24-2003, 21:44

What can i do to my bottom end to make it handle more power. Its stock at the moment. I am waiting for my head and cam to come back from the workshop and am pondering the idea of running a turbo and or Nos later on.
But first my engine needs to be able to handle the power.

Is it as simple as changing to forged pistons or is there more involved? If there is more what exactly? and how much am i looking at paying?
Hypothetically lets say i want to be able to handle around 200rwkw.

BTW its a 250 crossflow in an XF carby.

Thanks guys.
Dan

Rollin · 01-24-2003, 22:40

it will be right for the moment, and should handle a small shot of NOS (50hp or so) but when you turbo it you will need to rebuild the engine, using forged low compression pistons, and getting the stock rods checked for straightness or getting stronger ones, same with the crank, must be crack tested and new bearings etc all round.

it depends on how hard you want to go - stock rods and crank should be good for a fair amount of boost (15psi?) IMHO, i have heard many flattering things about the durability of the 250 bottom end, but im not sure exactly what its safe limits are.

i also strongly reccomend you think about running it on straight LPG, it will be much more efficient then a carby turbo setup, and cost a lot less than getting an aftermarket fuel injection setup fitted and tuned, you wont need as big an intercooler as the gas cools the air as it mixes, it has a much higher octane rating than petrol and its way cheaper - you use a little more gas than you would petrol, but its still cheaper.

straight LPG is the way to go with forced induction setups i reckon!

SiX_iN_a_RoW · 01-25-2003, 00:21

Another thing you may want to invest in is a hardened dizzy drive as they are known to break in hipo applications

ebxr8240 · 01-25-2003, 01:53

A.R.P rod bolts, hypo pistons[dished] possibly o/k for they are lighter usually than forged and hypo can run tighter clarences which is better in late model motors due to epa and forced induction."Balancing" is important on a motor that has such a long stroke. Play plenty of attention to keeping fuel up to it and not much spark advance to prevent detonation you'll be fine.. Detonation is the killer to forced induction motors...