Engine SVE Top End Kit Fit Question

1989LXFOX

Active Member
Jan 19, 2018
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Hello everyone,

I had previously posted a thread about SVE heads (which was answered, thank you). After learning that I also had to buy rocker arms, hardened push rods, lifters?, gaskets etc the original spend of $800-900 quickly escalated. I was looking at the SVE top end kit on LMR https://lmr.com/item/LRS-6049B-K/sve-top-end-engine-kit-carbureted-7985 . My questions is this... If i already have a gt40 intake (internal egr) why could I buy this kit and install my gt40 as opposed to the carb intake? I have to be missing something, because the top end kit for an EFI engine is like $1000 more expensive (it does include upper and lower plenum, which again, I dont need.

Could it be the bolt pattern on the heads are different? It mentions that it only works on roller blocks which I believe I have.

My car:
1989 LX 5.0 - 107k original miles. Engine is stock except for BBK cold air and headers. 3.73 gears, SLP exhaust, some suspension work. 5 spd.

Thanks!
 
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That kit you linked to will also need a switch in ignition systems, so another added expense, if you research a little further you will find a kit that has cam/heads compo or you could just sell whatever intake comes with the kit you choose.
keep in mind if you do not have a plan for the car throwing parts at it can result in something that will not perform as expected.
 
That kit you linked to will also need a switch in ignition systems, so another added expense, if you research a little further you will find a kit that has cam/heads compo or you could just sell whatever intake comes with the kit you choose.
keep in mind if you do not have a plan for the car throwing parts at it can result in something that will not perform as expected.

Thanks Karthief, I figured that there was something I was missing, that it couldnt be that simple and the ignition system seems to answer that. The plan for my car is to just get it to around 270+ horse, I really love the car its just a bit slow stock..
Thats a good idea about selling the intake from the other kit. Ideally,
I would just like aluminum heads and my GT40 intake and stop there, I am fine with the stock cam as I dont intend to race it, just to rip around the neighborhood.
 
I have a GT40 intake form an Explorer (internal EGR). My original plan was to just put this on and a set of gt40 heads. After some more research, I decided to put aluminum heads on. I am on a budget build becasue I promised my wife that I wouldnt have to put a dime into the car if she let me buy it (obvious lie). I have a pair of weld on BBK sub frames that will go on eventually as well as a BBK clutch quadrant.
Keep in mind, I have little to no mechanical experience or knowledge, just love cars.
My ultimate goal is to slap on the intake and a set of heads. Be done with that and start on other stuff like the interior, U joint, sub frames etc. This may sound weird, but I am actually not looking for too much horsepower and heavy mods, just more than the stock offering. This leads me back to the heads, from what I have they are the biggest bottleneck for performance.
 
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While $1700 for the total kit is nice, If all you want is a nice set of AL heads and your stock cam and explorer intake I think you could piece that together and have a better head to use as a foundation.

TFS170's ($1300)
A nice 1.72 rocker matched to the stock cam should work with the TFS springs as you'll have 0.473" lift ($270 PN SCC-SCP1019)
Hardened pushrods ($40 or so depending on length)
New timing chain set ($100 or so)
all necessary gaskets and fluids. ($100-200)

You might need valve covers to clear the rockers but usually removing the baffle clears most RR's

That's around $1800-1900 there, but you have a much better head to use as a foundation if down the road you decide to upgrade the combo. Decide you want a custom cam and matched valve springs? You can still use that head. Want a nice intake manifold or a little port work? Can still use that head. Want to build a badass 331 stroker? Can still use the head.


But I agree with what Steve posted. What are your goals and what parts do you currently have and what do you want to reuse?
 
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Thanks Karthief, I figured that there was something I was missing, that it couldnt be that simple and the ignition system seems to answer that. The plan for my car is to just get it to around 270+ horse, I really love the car its just a bit slow stock..
Thats a good idea about selling the intake from the other kit. Ideally,
I would just like aluminum heads and my GT40 intake and stop there, I am fine with the stock cam as I dont intend to race it, just to rip around the neighborhood.

Honestly, i'll say it since I don't think some of the other guys want to.
It's a bad plan.

First off, it's a mish mosh of parts, which rarely if ever turns out good.
No clue if sve makes their own heads or not, but off brand aluminum heads are usually are hated by machine shops because it's likely they saved money somewhere, which isn't good. So for sure they should goto a machine shop to be valve jobbed and cleaned up (and hope they don't find anything else wrong), there is another few hundred bucks.

When you mix and match basically random parts you could literally come out with an engine that runs worse not better.

Save up, buy used, shop around. Find a cam that meets your needs, a better intake and all parts that will work together.

If this is a car you plan to keep you really want to shoot for 300rwhp. 270rwhp is a waste of time and money and will leave you doing it twice.
 
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Let me be the one to tell you,first weld those subframe connected on.Adding more power before will get you in trouble.After subs get some good rear end control arms( will get rid of wheel hop).enjoy the ride while you plan your upgrades to engine.Good luck and Godspeed.
 
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While $1700 for the total kit is nice, If all you want is a nice set of AL heads and your stock cam and explorer intake I think you could piece that together and have a better head to use as a foundation.

TFS170's ($1300)
A nice 1.72 rocker matched to the stock cam should work with the TFS springs as you'll have 0.473" lift ($270 PN SCC-SCP1019)
Hardened pushrods ($40 or so depending on length)
New timing chain set ($100 or so)
all necessary gaskets and fluids. ($100-200)

You might need valve covers to clear the rockers but usually removing the baffle clears most RR's

That's around $1800-1900 there, but you have a much better head to use as a foundation if down the road you decide to upgrade the combo. Decide you want a custom cam and matched valve springs? You can still use that head. Want a nice intake manifold or a little port work? Can still use that head. Want to build a badass 331 stroker? Can still use the head.


But I agree with what Steve posted. What are your goals and what parts do you currently have and what do you want to reuse?

Thanks again! I was wondering why you recomended 1.7s as opposed to 1.6 rocker arms? The Top End Kit on the website comes with 1.6. This is way out of my knowledge base but I was thinking that you mentioned 1.72 because I am keeping stock cam?
 
Out of curiousity why go this far and leave the cam?
The reality is that the car could probably use a new timing cover gasket and timing chain anyway.
Most likely a water pump too.

You are in there, might as well hit it all.
 
Out of curiousity why go this far and leave the cam?
The reality is that the car could probably use a new timing cover gasket and timing chain anyway.
Most likely a water pump too.

You are in there, might as well hit it all.
I definitely agree, but funds are at a premium and I have to have a mechanic do the work.
 
Thanks again! I was wondering why you recomended 1.7s as opposed to 1.6 rocker arms? The Top End Kit on the website comes with 1.6. This is way out of my knowledge base but I was thinking that you mentioned 1.72 because I am keeping stock cam?

Because you are leaving the stock HO cam. If you plan to do that, I would use the 1.72's to try and get a little extra lift out of the valves with that cam. The stock cam has 0.444" of lift with a 1.6 RR. With the 1.72's it would be 0.477" of lift. As a comparison, the TFS stage 1 cam has .499/.510 lift with a 1.6RR. Basically you are using the 1.72 RR to give the stock HO cam a little bit more "help"


This is also where things can snowball because if you wanted to install a custom cam or an off-the-shelf cam, you most likely will need to upgrade the springs as well. With a larger lift cam i'd also prefer to use a 1.6RR so you'd likely have to sell the 1.72's off to get a 1.6.

But like I said...if you decide to do this down the road, you have a much better head to use as a foundation to build on.
 
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Save up, wait longer, shop for used deals, do what it takes to tackle it all at once.

Most of us here didn't just decide one day to run out and buy $3000 in parts. We collected them over time.
The only parts I've ever paid retail for are the MM suspension parts, they seem to hold too much used value and it doesn't make sense buying them used to save $50.
 
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Hey everyone,

UPDATE: I think I am going to purchase the TrickFlow top end kit
https://lmr.com/item/TFS-K514350370B/1987-93-Mustang-50L-Trick-Flow-Street-Burner-Top-End-Kit-Blk .

That way I know everything will play nice and all the guess work is done. Thanks for the advice on this! I will most likely be arranging for a professional install. Does anyone have an idea of what to expect from a labor perspective for this? I was thinking it would take at least 16 hours?

I saw that the upper plenum has a 75mm opening, will I be able to keep my stock (58mm?) TB for a while until I am able to upgrade that?
 
I will most likely be arranging for a professional install. Does anyone have an idea of what to expect from a labor perspective for this? I was thinking it would take at least 16 hours?

What's your final scope of work? WHat parts are you planning on installing?


Stock TB will work fine in the meantime. No rush to upgrade it. I'm only running a 65mm TB with mine and that should be plenty.
 
What's your final scope of work? WHat parts are you planning on installing?


Stock TB will work fine in the meantime. No rush to upgrade it. I'm only running a 65mm TB with mine and that should be plenty.
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The scope will be an HCI swap. The kit comes with all the gaskets, rods, etc. It seems turnkey which I love. My final scope is to stop there and enjoy my car, I will be putting weld on subframes in also.
 
I'd also consider buying a pro m mass air meter with 24lb injectors.
A walbro 155lph pump would also be advised.

I've seen people get buy with the stock parts, but that kit is really really close to exceeding the 19's.

And before you ask the next question or someone chimes in suggesting you tune it, you absolutely do not need to.
As long as the injectors are match the meter and they are within range of what the setup needs, the car will run fine.
 
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I'd also consider buying a pro m mass air meter with 24lb injectors.
A walbro 155lph pump would also be advised.

I've seen people get buy with the stock parts, but that kit is really really close to exceeding the 19's.

And before you ask the next question or someone chimes in suggesting you tune it, you absolutely do not need to.
As long as the injectors are match the meter and they are within range of what the setup needs, the car will run fine.

Agreed 100%