Blue07V6

Well looks like there is a strong possibility im stuck with my little 98 3.8. By Jan next yere the little I borrowed on it will be paid and I will own it outright. WItht the economy in the horrible shape its in and gas prices through the roof I am seriously thinking about holding out on buying ANY new vehicle and just playing with what I have, Here is the idea that I have:

Scout for a buildable 3.8 and 4.2 cores. rebuild the 4.2 shortblock, pick the best set of heads and polish and port them (possible stay stock valve size) polish and port the 3.8 manifolds, and use a mild cam, and put it all together and tune the 4.2 with an SCT, prob add a new upgraded clutch while im at it. I understand bone stock the 4.2 develops 202-210 hp (depending on year, and if the specs I looked up were correct) That alone is a 52-60hp gain over my stock single port 3.8. Im sure the poritng, polishing, headwork, and mild cams would up the ante a good bit. SuperSix heads are $1250-1550 a set, surely I can get similar work done at a machine shop for less. The whole top end kit from SSM is a breathtaking $2050-2600. I would hope I dont rack up $2k just in machine work, Id like to stay in the $2500 range for just about the entire rebuild (machine work) Im not sure how price stacks up again a Chevy 4.3 but a friend of mine completely rebuilt one at a local shop (new valves, bored, new pistons, mnor headwork, etc.) for $1060. Im sure all the porting and polishing would run mine up at least another $K.

That said I would think I could take a nasty jump up from the 202-210 hp into at least 260hp, I was talking to Thorn the other day about several builds that had reached 230RWHP with similar builds. However the more work that is done the less the 4.2 helps, So I may be by the point that I would be just as well off staying with the 3.8 after that much headwork.

Another conscern if fuel mileage, driving 40 miles one way to work the car cant be a total dog, BUT I was told by SSM that even going to their stage 2+ (which would prob have a more radical cam than I would go with) would only dip me 1 mile per gallon on hiway (but would use more rodding in town, considerable more) I did notice that my GFs split port still averages 26mpg even though at 70mpg its turning 2400 rpms with her auto. My manual single port turns 1800 RPMs at 70mph, and yet gets 25 mpg. SO in that case a good mild build will not affect me much over what I get now, but with much more power.

Comments? I would really like to dicuss this and see whats out there and what results I can obtain.

jthorn9

Here is that link I was telling you about with all the dynos of built V6s. As you can see, the 4.2L helps stock for stock, but the more you build the less it helps.

http://www.v6power.net/dyno/na.php

Blue07V6

Well I envision a "mild" build. not too crazy. It depends on how much the machine work ends up costing. I may end up keeping stock valves and a very mild cam.

mustangman02232

how old is that, they have matt nethart (SP) still making 210 hp haha

take a 4.2 out of an f150 and throw a cam/heads on it

jthorn9

It's as old as the last time people updated their dynos.

Blue07V6

Thats in essence what I would do. Take a stock 4.2 bottom end, polish and port the heads/intake, and go with a mild cam.

ESG-642T

4.2 over 3.8 is going to have a wider power band....

An N/A HCI 4.2 is fun... Making 260rwhp however is going to cost you a bunch of $

Blue07V6

260 is more than would make you happy. 200 is satisfactory 230 would make me grin. 260 i deem a little out of reach for a DD, at least N/A. The 200-230 range is what im looking at.

ESG-642T

260 would bore ME, lol.....