Redline for stock 289

[streetstang67]

My 289 has been rebuilt stock with a few mods (listed in my sig). How high can I rev this engine without risking damage? I hear that 289s can rev high because of the short stroke, but with a stock rotating assembly, whats the limit? I'm wanting to know because I'm choosing a cam and I want to choose one with the right powerband. I dont want to get one that pulls hard to 6500 rpms, when I can only safely rev to 6000rpms..or whatever?

 

[jesserose17]

The limiting factor would be the valve train - the stock rockers aren't good over 6,000 rpm... I wouldn't worry about the bottom end.

 

[brianj5600]

The intake will limit rpm as well. With that intake I would not get a cam that revs over 6000.

 

[Great68]

My 289 does not mind trips up to 5500-6000 rpm. It was fully balanced when the motor was rebuilt, but the crank and rods are stock.

 

[6Stang7]

I would say to stay below 6000/6500. Once you get up that high the 289 block starts to twist, which as you can imagen isn't good. You can prevent this if you got a main ladder, but for the most part, it really isn't worth the it to go much higher then that if all you are building is a daily driver that will see the strip every now and then. But your valve train would be the first thing to crap out and start floating. When you get that high you're pretty much putting the whole motor on the line with stock parts. You can either rip your rocker arms right out of the studs, or have them pop off the valve stem and onto the keeper, which could pop the keeper off causing you to drop some valves, and a valve dropping in a cylinder with a piston spinnig a crank at 6500 won't turn out too well. I have spun my 302 to 6500/6700 a couple of times and all I can say is that if I had fillings in my teeth, they would have popped out ( last time I had the rocker arm for cylinder 3's exhuast valve pop off and then rid on the keeper. I am VERY lucky that I didn't drop that valve....again ).

-Shaun

 

[Edbert]

You re going to be limited by your cam your intake your valvetrain and your wind resistance (in final gear assuming ~2.75 r&p) so I would not worry too much about spinning a bearing or throwing a rod (assuming that rebuild was of a similar or better quality to stock).

You'll probaly feel the power start to sag once you are over 5250 or so, and by the time you get to 6K you're not gonna have any ooomph at all.

 

[Fostang]

As said before in other post just rev it till it blows and it was about 500 rpm before that.

 

[Jonstantine]

with that intake, you'r power will drop like a rock after 5500 rpms
with that said, i wouldnt get a cam designed for more than 6k rpms
and watch out because diffent cam makers give different grinds diffent rev limits

 

[Edbert]

As said before in other post just rev it till it blows and it was about 500 rpm before that.

LOL...the dreaded oil-pan-failure rears its head once more

 

[rbohm]

i would keep your rpm below 6000 not because the motor wonts rev higher, but because your intake will choke the motor off above that. even when mine is built it wont go higher than 6500.

 

[HistoricMustang]

She is going to quit pulling about 6000 RPM's so why go higher. My shift lite is set at 6200 and I venture above only in 5th gear.

HistoricMustang
www.historicmustang.com