331 build......

ras50gt

Member
Oct 25, 2005
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Wanted to get some things cleared up because I'm probably going to be selling my other car soon to start working on the 5.0. First off, my plans are a 331 stroker. I was thinking about going with a trick flow top end kit. With the 331, would you recommend the street heat or track heat kit? Is the track heat smog legal? I think both kits come with a stage one, will that be any good for the 331?(also is it lopey at all?)70mm or 75mm trottle body? What compression should I be looking at n/a? How about compression if I plan on adding a paxton novi 1000?(probably w/powerpipe and crank pulley at some point.)

What octane is suppose to be ran with a 331? Are the trick flow kits even any good for a 331? Without the s/c, 24lb injectors should be ok? With the s/c, what size injectors? I currently have a 155 fuel pump, should I upgrade that?(if so, what should i get?) Is it absolutely necessary to have a forged crank if I use the novi 1000? What kinda numbers do you think I would see n/a with the trick flow kit, 70mm tb, 76 c&l, headers and exhaust? If block is balanced 28oz, what else needs to be changed? Will 3.73 gears be good?

I live in CA so I have to smog every two years. However, I found out that in certain counties regulations are different. So after looking it up online I found that my parents' other house is in one of those counties and that you only have to smog your car when you plan on selling it. If this is so, I think I'm definetely going with long tubes and an o/r x pipe although I just got a magnaflow x with cats. For now tho, I need to keep smog in mind and also a budget. Plus im not looking for anything crazy as it is going to be a stock block stroker. The car is also a daily driver, maybe 20-25 miles a day to school and back/work. I'm thinking it will be n/a while its a daily driver but I've always wanted a s/c.

Anyways, I'm just starting to make a list of everything I'm going to need and wanted to get all those questions answered and cleared up. Other plans would include a tko500 or 600. So I also need to know what is needed for that swap? Thanks for all the help....
 
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I would pick one route now: supercharged or n/a. An ideal n/a combo will differ from a supercharged combo. If you build n/a now, but supercharge later, you will have to modify your fuel delivery at the very least and retune. You are going to want to select an aftermarket block and forged crank if you plan on a supercharger. If you plan on keeping the car n/a, you can go with a higher compression piston to make more power.
 
Yea...I'm trying to plan everything out. I would hope to be getting the short block and everything together by summer. Also depends on if I actually sell the 67 coupe. I was thinking of running n/a until I'm done with college, after this semester I'm taking summer school and then graduating in the Fall. So, maybe I will just plan for the s/c now considering I will be out of school and may not even be driving the car to school. However, not sure how money will be, especially when I want to buy some other mods..... So n/a is the better possibilty, about what compression? And just so I can think about it, compression with an entry level s/c like the novi 1000(5-8 psi)(grad. gift?? lol)

Any input on the street heat kit for the 331, etc? Thanks
 
The problem with the plan to go s/c later is that you will have to build for it now. A four bolt block and quality crank alone will cost more than an assembled 331 shortblock based off a stock block. Plus, the s/c combo will be tough to rely on, guzzle gas like no other, and be more power than you need for a daily driver.

If there is a chance you would get another daily driver, I would hold off on the project. If you know you are going to be daily driving the car even after graduation, I would build a n/a combo. You will still be able to make over 400hp at the flywheel n/a and have a fun, reliable combo.
 
My aunt was given a new car and she already has three and running out of space...So, she wants to give me her little 89 honda hatch. It runs perfectly and will get me around and save on gas, so I will have a car to drive while I'm working on the stang. Basically what your saying is if I want to ever do any type of blower, I should save up more money for a 4 bolt main? My car right now has about 110k miles on it and definetely could use a rebuild. I figured I would just build the stroker and start having some fun, I have had the car since my junoir year in high school(been my daily driver since then) and just can't wait to start working on it more. As of right now, a 4 bolt block like a dart or something is out of the price range especially when factoring other supporting mods and aslo other things I would like to do like a tko, etc. I was told I could always build a nice 306 and s/c it, but building a 331 is really not that much more. I know its hard to build something nice on a budget but I also know that a lot of people have ran s/c on stock blocks with stock internals/high mileage. Building a 331 short block is already going beyond what many people do. What kinda of hp do you think I would see n/a with the trick flow kit, 70mm tb, bolts on I memtioned before? I guess overall, If I want to do something sooner I would stick with a 331 shorty, cast crank which I have seen from 1499-2100. I'am definetely a fan of doing things right the first time though so I don't know. That is one reason why I wanted to get things cleared up and some more answers/help on all this before I get into anything. Thanks for all the help by the way.

For now, I would really like to know what kind of numbers to expect doing the 331n/a and trick flow kit, etc. If that set up only gets me somewhere near(hopefully) 315-330 hp, then a novi 1000 would put it closer to 400hp. If a stock 302 can handle it, then I would think a decently built 331 should be able to take it with a good tune. Any more opinions/help would be greatly appreciated.
 
I built a low comp 8.5:1 331 for a customer, used the Trickflow Track heat kit with a Stage II cam upgrade and in NA form it made 340RWHP tuned with a PMS. I think with 10lbs on boost it will be well into the 500's.

Rick
 
go with a 331 stroker with 9:1CR. go NA for now and put a S-trim on later. keep the rwhp at 450. don't build a car to comply with cali smog laws. been there done that. I live in LA and run what's in my sig., all illegal, driven every day. when it comes time for smog, I just buy a sticker for $200.

if u got $10K laying round wait till ford racing releases the new Boss 331 stroker crate motor. 500fwhp. I wish I would have waited.

If u can't wait I can give u some great shops in cali to build a short or longblock, have it installed and dyno tuned.
 
Yea, the smog shouldn't be a problem anymore. Thanks for the advice. Definetely wouldn't be able to afford the boss crate motor.... I have been thinking about waiting to see if the new boss blocks go down in price at all(the dart is just out of the price range right now). Summit has them for 1733, but I have seen 331 short blocks online for 1500 bucks. I would like to know some of those shops or if you know about how much they charge for work, shortblocks, etc. I will probably go with the 331 shortblock. I have gotten a few quotes from rick 91gt and his prices seem very reasonable and I've only heard positive things about his work. Not sure whether to spend the extra cash for the forged crank, seems a little over kill when the stock block is the weak point in the build. 9:1 compression, n/a, trick flow kit, bolt ons, what kind of numbers? Any thoughts on the street heat kit for the build, too small?
 
check out coasthigh.com, keithcraftracing.com for 331 cast and forged s/b and l/b's. If I am building a s/b the difference between cast and forged is not that much and if u ever go to a race block, those forged pieces r good to 1000hp. build for the future, do it only once and do it right the 1st time.

for H/C/I for a 331 stroker go TFS Track heat 205's or AFR 205's, Holley systemax ll or TFS-R intake port matched and a comp cam XE282HR or custom cam. street heat kits r for 302's not 331's.

Most good shops in cali will meet CHP or Keith craft prices and will also give u a warranty. It is always better to have a well known shop who has a great rep build, install and tune ur engine.

on 9:1 CR with the parts in my sig my 331 put down 350/340 @ the RW, NA on pump gas. I build it for 8-10lbs of boost and will keep the rwhp @ 450. A friend who has a 347 stroker with 10.7:1 CR, ported AFR 205's, Bennet Racing full race ported Holley systemax ll intake and Bennett racing custom HR cam .565/.560, 232/236 dur, 108LC put down 390/390 @ the RW, NA on pump gas. 2 point in CR is worth about 30-40rwhp.

It is expensive. I just spent $16K on 331 and periphals that does not include the blower or rear end upgrades. I do not turn a wrench on my rides.