2.8 liter performance build.....

Yelo · Post by **Yelo** » Sat Apr 08, 2006 10:37 pm

First off....Great forum, I've already learned a great deal from just reading !!

I've got an '84 B2 2.8 with a cracked piston and all kinds of other motor issues....I'd REALLY like to do a "performance build" on this motor as opposed to swapping in a 4.0 or 302. I've done alot of research on the Cologne V6's and it seems the only "performance" version of the 2.8 is the 2.8i that came in the Ford Capri in Europe but with a few exceptions most of that motor is different than the US version...

I've already decided to bore the stock block .030", port, polish, and deck the stock heads .020", swap in a Comp 262 cam, and try to make a Capri 2.8i/Megasquirt fuel injection combo work (if that doesn't work I'll go with an Offy 4V intake and Holley 350cfm 4bbl carb). This B2 is only going to see mild off-roading for now but will eventually get a front/rear D44 swap as wel as a tranny/t-case swap

I know this is overkill (and seemingly pointless) to do to a 2.8 when there are alot of other (and some would say better) choices out there....but since I'm kind of a nut when it comes to making trucks go fast without swapping motors (I own a 13 second extended cab short bed '99 Silverado 2500 with a heads/cam stock 6.0) I'm gonna give this a try

any help is appreciated !!!

mccutcheon4 · Post by **mccutcheon4** » Sun Apr 09, 2006 9:37 pm

Yelo, Glad to hear I'm not the only"nut" out there. I didn't even know
Offenhouser made a 4V intake for the 2.8 . I have seen 4V intakes for the old Capri 2.6 though.

The Megasquirt F.I. is really a slick set up, I have a buddy that did the home built Megasquirt conversion on a 4.0 powered early Jeep (Rambler) motor. Megasquirt seems to only need a MAP, no Vane air meters or hot wires to measure air flow. It seemed very basic to me, with no need for the extra crap most of the OEM systems include. It is a batch fire set up at this point, the guy I know with the system said the people at Megasquirt are working on a offering a sequential system.

Weird is, a 50s BMW Isetta powered by a hot VW motor that did wheelies the length of the quarter at Puyallup Race Way Park in the middle 70s

Yelo · Post by **Yelo** » Sun Apr 09, 2006 10:35 pm

Offy actually hasn't made the 2.8 4V intake in about 15 years...but I managed to get ahold of one that was on a 2.8 Mustang a couple of months back (If you ever see one....GET IT !!)

I've got a friend with a 10 second turbocharged 408cid 2003 Silverado that is running the Megasquirt system and absolutly loves the hell out of it (check out www.turbotruck.net ), it easier to setup than Holley's or the Bigshot system and with the only limitation being that is bank-fire there's really no downside to it....$250 gets you EVERYTHING you need to get up and running

Any other ideas or opinions are welcome.....

Michael99 · Post by **Michael99** » Mon Apr 10, 2006 10:51 am

Yea I have a 2.8 in a Bronco II someone gave me and it leaked and burned oil like a Mutha! I went through 2 quarts of oil within 30 miles or less. You actually can bore the cylinders out on these blocks more than .30 over. I had my bored .60 over and I have never had it overheat before. I have a brand new radiator and I have the proper coolant mixture and have taken it offroad quite a bit and no problems. The 2.8 can be a little tricky as far as finding some parts and especially high performance. I couldnt find any headers for mine but I dont care for them now. But .60 over will give you a bit more power but

to the gas mileage! I get under 10 mpg now but I have the power for the mud and hills

Yelo · Post by **Yelo** » Mon Apr 10, 2006 11:29 am

2.8 parts are harder to come by but here are a few ideas:

* Headers are available from Edelbrock only as far as I know....it's one of their TES kits with headers and Y-pipe

* Heads are available from World Castings...S/R castings only but it's better than nothing

* Cams are available from Comp and Cosworth

* Intakes are available from Offy (discontinued but still available), Cosworth, and Ford Racing (again discontinued but available)

* Holley makes the only direct-fit 2V carb for the 2.8 worth talking about, if you want to adapt a little yo cant beat a Weber for off-road-ability

I'll look into boring the block .060" instead of .030"....I'm used to the newer GM motors where .030" is the absolut outside limit and there are times .010" is all you can get

I'm looking to have a little fun with this project....as I work on it I'll keep you guys informed

Michael99 · Post by **Michael99** » Mon Apr 10, 2006 12:50 pm

Yeah I thought .60 was a bit to much but he told me two of my cylinders were in bad shape. He said older motors like this are ok to bore out that much but he said if it was a newer motor he would not of done this. This machine shop that did it for me the guy who does the work really knows what he is talking about. He builds a lot of high performance racing engines and he did all of my head work, block work and assembled the bottom half of my engine and I have never had a problem out of it so far. It was my first rebuild and the excitement got to me but I spent almost 900 just for the block but he did the following.

Bored over .60
New pistons, rings
Stressed tested the rods
Assembled the bottomw half
machined the crankshaft
cleaned the block

He said my block was in rough shape but it was repairable.

ranger5.0 · Post by **ranger5.0** » Mon Apr 10, 2006 9:22 pm

I talked to some EB bronco at naches and they all felt the motorcraft carb was best suited to offroading. I ran those on my 2.8's and they made enogh power up to 7100 that i would run it. It is a small disp. high reving motor and needs the gears to keep it drivable on the street. The clutch are to small for bigger tires, run a centerforce. I haven't found much difference between the crapi 2.8 and the bII one. Except on where they are made.

Yelo · Post by **Yelo** » Mon Apr 10, 2006 11:00 pm

ranger5.0:

I'll keep the info about the Motorcraft carbs in the back of my head....I've always had good luck with factory carbs so I'm not completely opposed to using it.

You mentioned that there's not much difference between the Capri and the B2 2.8.....That's usefull info in it's own right but I was actually talking about the fuel injection system from the European Ford 2.8i, it's a completely different creature than the American made 2.8 and with the exception of the fuel injection manifold not much will swap between the 2.8i and the 2.8

tekatlarge · Post by **tekatlarge** » Tue Apr 11, 2006 11:47 am

mccutcheon4 wrote:Yelo, Glad to hear I'm not the only"nut" out there. I didn't even know.

Weird is, a 50s BMW Isetta powered by a hot VW motor that did wheelies the length of the quarter at Puyallup Race Way Park in the middle 70s

Hey Mccutcheon4,
I have only been to the imfamous Puyallup raceway about 4 or 5 times and I for the life of me can't remember where the heck in puyallup it was. I also can't find my keys most of the time. ha ha Old age and trechery that will work. Ha ha ha ha

mccutcheon4 · Post by **mccutcheon4** » Tue Apr 11, 2006 2:09 pm

Hey Tek, The old raceway is actually still there, It is all grown over and has trenches dug across it.
It is located just north of Thun field. I think they call Thun field, Spanaflight now.

Here is some more weird stuff, A guy I used to work out with, told me back when he was a kid, they used to start cars three wide at Puyallup Raceway Park ! His name is Art Morrison. Art used to drive the original Chuck wagon wheelstander before it was a Dodge, and was still based on a Volkswagen. I went to a Christmas party at his shop one year and they were showing old home movies, one of them had Art rolling the Volkswagen up and over the guardrail going real fast on two wheels !

tekatlarge · Post by **tekatlarge** » Tue Apr 11, 2006 8:07 pm

Kewl, Art Morrison! Is that the well known Art morrison the chassis builder? I would love to meet and make friends with him. That man has forgotten more about chassis than I will ever absorb in a lifetime!

Speaking of Chuck from the ChuckWagon I last saw him a couple a years ago in his famous wheelstander. Up Chuck and his chuck wagon.. He He He

Geeze, I almost feel ashamed that I live 1000 Ft from the starting line here at Pacific Raceways (for us old timers SIR) and I haven't been to a race in a couple a years. shame shame shame!!!

It is amazing how small our big world can be at times..

mccutcheon4 · Post by **mccutcheon4** » Tue Apr 11, 2006 9:51 pm

Yo Tek, Check out my response over at the Chit- Chat section.
I don't want to get in hot water here.

Mccutcheon4