1988 Lincoln Mark VII
This was one hell of a project. Probably sixty hours for the heads and thirty for the supercharger. But it was the first time for my buddy and me so we had quite a learning curve. We did the heads first and the increased power was quite noticeable but I am accustomed to 7psi boost on stock heads. [I had a 1991 Mark VII with stock heads and 7 psi Kenne Bell and these new Big Valve heads simply could not hold a candle to THAT car!]
However, I managed to acquire a brand new Kenne Bell TS-1000 [now out of production] just like the one that was on a couple of my other engines The first was a simple direct bolt done in 1998 on a dead stock Speed Density 1991 Lincoln MK VII. That was a wonderful combination! Ran like a factory car and would do 130 mph with 2.73 gears at 3,000 rpms. AND smoke the tires at the drags if I used too much torque braking. It was not a world beater but reduced elapse times from 16.0 to 14.4.
The second installation was on a 347 stroker transplanted to that same 1991 MK VII and using the stock heads and very same supercharger. It had a bit more cam and better top end and was quite a runner. But by that time the 1991 had 190,000 miles and little things were forever going wrong with it. For instance, the "door-open chime" only sounded when the doors were closed! And the stock lifters were making a bit of noise and the compass stopped working and other small irritating things. And then I did TRULY smoke the Transco AOD practicing my torque braking. Billows of smoke! So I said what the hell and swapped it out for a Corvair rebuild.
Two years later I ran across a 1988 Mark VII that was near show room condition. WAY better then what my 1991 was in 1998 when I bought it. I could not resist the temptation! But this time the direct bolt on supercharger did not work. Lots of quick throttle stumbles that neither my mechanic nor I could fathom.
Also, neither of us seem to have noticed he installed the serpentine belt in such a way as to run the water pump backwards! That did not cause of the quick throttle stumble but it WAS the cause of a blown head gasket. That's when my buddy and me went to work on it as discussed above.
The quick throttle stumble has mostly cured itself and I suspect a less then responsive stock fuel pressure regulator. It is thirty years old and perhaps was out of exercise! It needs to open instantaneously on quick throttle [very low vacuum jumps fuel psi from 32 - 40 in order to provide the equivalent of a carburetor accelerator pump; and at start-up sort of like a choke. And then it needs to stay open under boost thus feeding 40 psi fuel to the Kenne Bell regulator that adjusts fuel psi accordingly to observed boost.
The end result is an engine that includes a stock block, Trick Flow high compression heads, roller rockers, and an old model Kenne Bell @ 7 psi. Timing is stock at 10 degrees advance with 93 octane and no knock and fuel injectors are 21 lb. The engine pulls strongly right up to 5,000 rpm stock shift point and which can hold its own to at least 5,500 rpms. This combination is noticeably better then the 347 stroker with stock heads. In fact the power shift at 5,000 rpms from first to second is a bit hard on the tranny. It takes at least 1/2 second to clamp down into second gear from first. So I prudently lift throttle at just that point. I have already smoked ONE tranny.
CHALLENGES FOR THIS INSTALLATION
Clearances of many kinds were a major challenge. We had 1/8 inch clearances for so many things it was a caution. First of all, the stock valve covers needed hours of grinding with a hand drill conical burr-cutter to get the internal support castings out of the Trick Flow roller rocker valve train. Almost every one of them needed cutting. I strongly recommend investigating the Trick Flow valve covers! I had two sets of after market covers but they were too tall. The Trick Flow heads seem to be about 1/8 inch taller and there was only 1/4 inch to begin with. The throttle mount could be ground down perhaps 1/4 for additional clearance. Anyway, we liked the stock covers and were happy to do all that work and keep it looking stock.
Count, tape, and label every last hose, wire and connector - in complete detail. Every one of them - and on both ends! There are three separate ones on the bottom of the sock intake manifold alone. If you decide to eliminate the air pump take special care to label all of these. I kept the fuel evaporator canister and and that is a caution in and of itself. My car has a detailed diagram of the pollution system on the fan shrouding which was indispensable. And do not forget which way the water pumps turns!
In my experience the Speed Density system is entirely compatible with these high flow heads. It is not clear to me SD will not support a mild cam since that is what was in my 347 stroker. And certainly Speed Density entirely supported bone stock supercharging and the 347 stroker! However, those SD superchargers are no longer available.
This was one hell of a project. Probably sixty hours for the heads and thirty for the supercharger. But it was the first time for my buddy and me so we had quite a learning curve. We did the heads first and the increased power was quite noticeable but I am accustomed to 7psi boost on stock heads. [I had a 1991 Mark VII with stock heads and 7 psi Kenne Bell and these new Big Valve heads simply could not hold a candle to THAT car!]
However, I managed to acquire a brand new Kenne Bell TS-1000 [now out of production] just like the one that was on a couple of my other engines The first was a simple direct bolt done in 1998 on a dead stock Speed Density 1991 Lincoln MK VII. That was a wonderful combination! Ran like a factory car and would do 130 mph with 2.73 gears at 3,000 rpms. AND smoke the tires at the drags if I used too much torque braking. It was not a world beater but reduced elapse times from 16.0 to 14.4.
The second installation was on a 347 stroker transplanted to that same 1991 MK VII and using the stock heads and very same supercharger. It had a bit more cam and better top end and was quite a runner. But by that time the 1991 had 190,000 miles and little things were forever going wrong with it. For instance, the "door-open chime" only sounded when the doors were closed! And the stock lifters were making a bit of noise and the compass stopped working and other small irritating things. And then I did TRULY smoke the Transco AOD practicing my torque braking. Billows of smoke! So I said what the hell and swapped it out for a Corvair rebuild.
Two years later I ran across a 1988 Mark VII that was near show room condition. WAY better then what my 1991 was in 1998 when I bought it. I could not resist the temptation! But this time the direct bolt on supercharger did not work. Lots of quick throttle stumbles that neither my mechanic nor I could fathom.
Also, neither of us seem to have noticed he installed the serpentine belt in such a way as to run the water pump backwards! That did not cause of the quick throttle stumble but it WAS the cause of a blown head gasket. That's when my buddy and me went to work on it as discussed above.
The quick throttle stumble has mostly cured itself and I suspect a less then responsive stock fuel pressure regulator. It is thirty years old and perhaps was out of exercise! It needs to open instantaneously on quick throttle [very low vacuum jumps fuel psi from 32 - 40 in order to provide the equivalent of a carburetor accelerator pump; and at start-up sort of like a choke. And then it needs to stay open under boost thus feeding 40 psi fuel to the Kenne Bell regulator that adjusts fuel psi accordingly to observed boost.
The end result is an engine that includes a stock block, Trick Flow high compression heads, roller rockers, and an old model Kenne Bell @ 7 psi. Timing is stock at 10 degrees advance with 93 octane and no knock and fuel injectors are 21 lb. The engine pulls strongly right up to 5,000 rpm stock shift point and which can hold its own to at least 5,500 rpms. This combination is noticeably better then the 347 stroker with stock heads. In fact the power shift at 5,000 rpms from first to second is a bit hard on the tranny. It takes at least 1/2 second to clamp down into second gear from first. So I prudently lift throttle at just that point. I have already smoked ONE tranny.
CHALLENGES FOR THIS INSTALLATION
Clearances of many kinds were a major challenge. We had 1/8 inch clearances for so many things it was a caution. First of all, the stock valve covers needed hours of grinding with a hand drill conical burr-cutter to get the internal support castings out of the Trick Flow roller rocker valve train. Almost every one of them needed cutting. I strongly recommend investigating the Trick Flow valve covers! I had two sets of after market covers but they were too tall. The Trick Flow heads seem to be about 1/8 inch taller and there was only 1/4 inch to begin with. The throttle mount could be ground down perhaps 1/4 for additional clearance. Anyway, we liked the stock covers and were happy to do all that work and keep it looking stock.
Count, tape, and label every last hose, wire and connector - in complete detail. Every one of them - and on both ends! There are three separate ones on the bottom of the sock intake manifold alone. If you decide to eliminate the air pump take special care to label all of these. I kept the fuel evaporator canister and and that is a caution in and of itself. My car has a detailed diagram of the pollution system on the fan shrouding which was indispensable. And do not forget which way the water pumps turns!
In my experience the Speed Density system is entirely compatible with these high flow heads. It is not clear to me SD will not support a mild cam since that is what was in my 347 stroker. And certainly Speed Density entirely supported bone stock supercharging and the 347 stroker! However, those SD superchargers are no longer available.
