xh falcon

[xh98lover]

atm i own a 98 xh ute with a busted engine will be getting the local ford to put in recon el engine for just under $4000 includes block and new hoses etc

But wat i am more interested in is having more horspower, so if any one could suggest ways to gain more police troubling power it would be much appreciated, i am considering staying natural aspirated, would love to have around 250 - 300 backwheel ponies or low 13s high 12s would be mad

thanks for your time

[stevo]

6cyl or 8cyl ?

[xh98lover]

straight 6 thinking of just putting in an 8 cuase then id have a 14s car but then wats the point lol, no one is suprised if you have a fast a 8, but a kick ass 6 thats a different story

[Sunboost]

$4000 WTFBBQ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[xh98lover]

also aiming at a new paint job , its wite atm but i have always loved the xr6 candyapple, there is a another xh near my place with the same colour when i saw it, i nearly creamed my pants, i also own a 92 eb, yew go the carby engine, as i write this im in the local library also searching there books for automotive, atm i got 21st performance, EFI and Powertrain Management systems vol 1 and 2, doit yourself guide to engive and chasses detailing, the good ol' falcon/fairland 88-94 repair manual, how to tune and modify EMS system, HAYNES modifing, and Austomotive Mechanics vol 1-2 , so as you can see im trying to find out as much as possible, but still instereseted to hear wat you guys have to say

cheers

[xh98lover]

$4000 WTFBBQ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

is that a good thing or a bad thing, Ptertty much my aim is to be able to stay with my mates gemini, hes running 11s with a 12a extend port rotor t03 garret and 250backhp, so yer would love 12s

[krisisdog]

You could replace your engine and bolt on a budget turbo setup for that price.....
A low km motor from the wreckers will be under $500 easy, even for an AU motor.
Add a second hand turbo setup - around 1500-3k, and you're laughin.


Edit - I see you want 12s.... well then.... you'll have to spend a bit more ie around 5-7k on turbo gear (min) + rebuilding the motor (bottom end) if you want it to last. Then you've got gearbox, diff + tuning...

[XRated]

lollerama! $4k!

You will have no chance of keeping up with your mates Gemini unless you can quadruple your budget.

[xh98lover]

yer but i wanna spend the money on a recon engine cuase i want to car to last me for a hell of years for work and such, love turbos but once agian there are way to many turbo falcons getting around (thats not a bad thing) so wanna stay n/a, dont want any lag, want to power there as soon as i stomp me foot down,

fair enough, aim is low 13s high 12s

oh and paying 4000 for a recon el engine plus all the other bits and pices (also includes labour) is that a good thing, or bad thing

[nothin suss]

When you bail on the ute project gimmee a yell, im looking for a cheap xg-xh... Thanks!

[xh98lover]

arrrgggghhh shit this thread aint going the way i planned it, ok wats some basic mods i can put on my falcon to make it go faster

1. new engine
2. lotsa burnout power
3. ???????????????
4. Profit

[Commando]

12s in an n/a 6 cylinder XH? Sorry mate, that won't be happening. High 13s are doable, check out Grechie's EA (13.7), OED666's ED (13.82), and STOKEB's EB (13.9) although I don't think Hus (STOKEB) is around anymore?

$4k for an engine swap is way over the top, unless by "reco" you mean it's been rebuilt with a kickass bottom end (not a fresh factory-spec one).

Your easiest bet at having a 12 second XH would be running nitrous, although that's hardly n/a

[Commando]

1. low-km motor as mentioned previously, or rebuild your current motor
2. newfound power
3. still lose to mate's gemini
4. debt

[xh98lover]

thanks mate, mmmmm that nos sounds like a good idea, my old mans got a 302 windsor out of the old ltd family car, but he aslo has a 250 hp nos kit, so i just my put that in to xh

unless by "reco" you mean it's been rebuilt with a kickass bottom end (not a fresh factory-spec one).

with bottom end word, wat does that mean ???????? and wats so bad with a fresh factory spec one

[BROCKYB8]

Mate 4 g is bs . I would think a full standard rebuld here in melb would be like 1200 bucks. Mate id seriously think about going to a performance place rather than ford dealership .

I would listen to most people in here as they know what they are talking about . because we all be through it .

[xh98lover]

i just might do that, ill call the local hot shop and see wat they can do

[nommic]

with bottom end word, wat does that mean ????????

Oh dear...

[Gozza]

Define the mechanics definition of re conditioned.

If you were happy to pay 4g's for a standard motor and you want to keep it NA and possible do 12's

you have a few options

Get a $400 wrecker motor and bomb it with a 150 shot of nos lol( i know thats not NA but you can use it when you want to)

or rebuild a bottom end with an ACL rebuild kit - Valve Springs - A nice little porting of the head - A big cam - Maybe a smallish stall converter if auto and 100 shot of NOS

have 12's ever been achieved by an NA 4L? im sure if you had plenty of money and the right setup it might be possible?

[Commando]

Factory bottom ends are fine, but if you're opting for a factory-spec motor you may as well get a cheap low-km motor for a few hundred bucks, dunno about labour but there's no way you should get anywhere near the $4k quote from the Ford mechanic.

Bottom end = the rotating assembly (the guts inside the block). Pistons, rings, rods, crank, bearings...

250hp shot of nitrous? You'd *probably* want a motor that isn't a stocker if you were to hook up this nitrous kit.

EDIT - my post isn't a response to Gozza's.

[XRated]

Just to make it extremely clear: Do not pay $4k to rebuild a standard 4l motor!

If you want to make your XH "fast", you need to start reading up... Lots. And lots. If not, at least find out what workshops know about Fords that are near you and speak to them.

[Gozza]

arrrgggghhh shit this thread aint going the way i planned it, ok wats some basic mods i can put on my falcon to make it go faster

4. Profit

I just re - read this . LOL profit - what are you talking about?

[holmsy]

shouldnt pay over 1000 for full engine swap etc. (labour that is)
probably even less.

as said. low k au motor will go good. but getting into the 13's takes a bit of engine work.

[Allen]

I suppose it could be worse... Could spend $7k and get a stocker

Seriously, before spending anything do as much research as possible. Read through build threads here, talk to performance workshops and learn the basics... Don't be afraid to ask questions.

I reckon many people are on the money here... Au engine from wreckers, ACL rebuild kit, ported head, big cam and good exhaust... And the NOS if you want to get really serious (along with better fuel system)

Dont forget that the transmission and diff are just as important as the engine is for good 1/4 mile times and driveability.

[AaronEF8]

Remember Ford 'mechanics' (technician is generally a better word, no offence) don't do rebuilds, you'll probably find they contract the rebuilding out and just pull the motor/put it back in. Most of them don't have a clue about modifications, because that isn't their job. Their job is to service cars.
Ford charge $1300 MINIMUM to do a head gasket, which is $180-ish in parts and can be done in 2 hours if you're good. They don't do cheap.

Your mate with the Gemini is running a non standard engine with a turbo in a light as **** car.
Hide the nitrous system and tell him it's NA still?

[Gozza]

shouldnt pay over 1000 for full engine swap etc. (labour that is)
probably even less.

as said. low k au motor will go good. but getting into the 13's takes a bit of engine work.

if you consider a cam engine work

[burnt turtle]

Remember Ford 'mechanics' (technician is generally a better word, no offence) don't do rebuilds, you'll probably find they contract the rebuilding out and just pull the motor/put it back in. Most of them don't have a clue about modifications, because that isn't their job. Their job is to service cars.
Ford charge $1300 MINIMUM to do a head gasket, which is $180-ish in parts and can be done in 2 hours if you're good. They don't do cheap.

coming from the mouth (more like fingers) of a ford mechanic and somebody that knows alot of ford mechanics i couldnt agree more with that (but alot do know how to modify due to owning and modifying their own car), though you do get your exceptions to this
ford charge as much as they can because they get away with it, and always will

[xh98lover]

I suppose it could be worse... Could spend $7k and get a stocker
I reckon many people are on the money here... Au engine from wreckers, ACL rebuild kit, ported head, big cam and good exhaust... And the NOS if you want to get really serious (along with better fuel system)
Dont forget that the transmission and diff are just as important as the engine is for good 1/4 mile times and driveability.

Question, i always thought that the egine spec for my xh was a el engine, but everyone is suggesting to put in a AU, airnt they a new generation of engine, so wouldnt that mean new wiring, computer, fuel pump lines etc, so wouldnt that cost me more,

cheers for all the replies though, i will certainly use the next couple of weeks to go through the threads and and talk to the local mechanics

[Commando]

Without trainspotting (there are small differences/improvements), AU motors are the same as EA-EL. Everyone's suggesting these because they're the last/newest of the lot so they're in better condition and simply a better base to start with.

[xh98lover]

thanks for letting me know, ill keep my eyes open for an au motor, question, when they say a recon engine, does that mean brand new block, or is it a used motor that they have rebuuilt

also if i put in the au engine, wat type of backwheel ponies am i looking at without any mods

Found out that in kws the engine is 157 kw @4900 = 210 hp, but when they give kw specs is it at the fly wheel or back wheels ????

[Allen]

Reconditioned & rebuilt are two very different things.

Reconditioned is when an engine would be pulled down, and only the basics are done and faults are fixed. Things such as piston rings, bearings, valve stem seals ect would be done. Generally a 'reco' engine will be 100% stock standard.

A full rebuild is when the engine would be re built from mostly new parts.
Generally the Block, crankshaft & head would be retained unless they were found to be unsuitable for high performance applications. and then replaced with another factory item.

Conrods, pistons, piston rings, bearings, cam, valvetrain ect would generally be replaced with aftermarket high performance items. The specifics of which would depend on how much you want to spend, and what you want the engine to do.

Power specs from car companies will be quoted at the flywheel.

[BROCKYB8]

As has been said by people in here . Ask as many questions as you can and we will try to send you in the correct direction.

But i honestly think a turbo build be asmart idea if you wanna get close to the gemini .