What limits rpm on the Lightning?
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 2,660
Likes: 0
From: Miami / NYC
Jesel has some nice stuff in their new catalog, I got one at PRI. Hint hint. has to do with the hydraulic adjsuters issue.
Most of the smarter guys here like rscoleman and Dale already know whats up. I hate to spoon feed it to you guys, it's much more satisfying to find out these things on your own
Most of the smarter guys here like rscoleman and Dale already know whats up. I hate to spoon feed it to you guys, it's much more satisfying to find out these things on your own
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 1,514
Likes: 0
From: Auburn Wa
kerno
You have very good grasp of what is happening in the lower end except for one thing. It seems that with powdered metal connecting rods there are no rules. the stuff breaks like glass.
The rods in a stock motor are very brittle and they don't want to yield at all and shock loading (read that detonation) just flat raises hell with them.
You have very good grasp of what is happening in the lower end except for one thing. It seems that with powdered metal connecting rods there are no rules. the stuff breaks like glass.
The rods in a stock motor are very brittle and they don't want to yield at all and shock loading (read that detonation) just flat raises hell with them.
Thread Starter
|
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 413
Likes: 0
From: Kihei, HI (most of the time)
Two comments; First, to MISTERgadget: I'm looking for the information I need to do this right the first time. I don't need a pile of oily parts to convince me that others have knowledge I do not. I'm pretty well up on engine technology, but the nuances of a 5.4 are new to me. This is my first Ford in many years. I like it well enough that I bought a totalled one so I could take it apart. Doing so greatlyexpanded my knowledge of the way the Lghtning is built. It did not, however, do much for telling me why the posting of "I blew my engine" is a daily thing. Oh, I'm 4500 miles from PRI and would love to go. Next year it moves to Fort Lauderdale and I'm going to try to make it.
Bad as L: Do all the Gen II L's use powdered metal rods? Powdered metal makes aluminum seem tough by comparison. You are very correct about them being brittle. Any metal certification which shows mechanical proerties lists two tensile points: Yield; the force at which the material begins to stretch and Ultimate; the point at which it pulls apart. The more the gap between those numbers, the greater the ductility of the material. But powdered metal has yield points that are almost as close together as glass.
As such, they have no stretch. They go from working to catasrophic failure in an instant.
Bad as L: Do all the Gen II L's use powdered metal rods? Powdered metal makes aluminum seem tough by comparison. You are very correct about them being brittle. Any metal certification which shows mechanical proerties lists two tensile points: Yield; the force at which the material begins to stretch and Ultimate; the point at which it pulls apart. The more the gap between those numbers, the greater the ductility of the material. But powdered metal has yield points that are almost as close together as glass.
As such, they have no stretch. They go from working to catasrophic failure in an instant.
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 2,660
Likes: 0
From: Miami / NYC
the daily posting of "i blew my engine" can be attributed to owners who shouldnt be messing with modding the trucks, owners who want too much out of them, and bad tuning, as well as the powdered metal rods being inconsistent. some will snap at 400 rwhp while others can go to 500 rwhp with no problem.
the key to a long lasting motor is proper machine work and assembly. It has to be very carefully built and measured to come out right. It helps to use high quality american made components for this, as they are usually all much more consistent in tolerances, fit and finish.
Jesel has solid adjusters and new followers in their catalog for modulars. Price for a set is $2700 though or thereabouts. Can't remember exactly. A street driven truck kept under 7k shouldnt have a problem with that.
the endura tech springs that dale pointed out are badass. i plan on using them.
If you go on modularfords.com, modulardepot.com and corral.net, look up some posts by boss330 (al pappitto), he knows alot about mod motors.
the key to a long lasting motor is proper machine work and assembly. It has to be very carefully built and measured to come out right. It helps to use high quality american made components for this, as they are usually all much more consistent in tolerances, fit and finish.
Jesel has solid adjusters and new followers in their catalog for modulars. Price for a set is $2700 though or thereabouts. Can't remember exactly. A street driven truck kept under 7k shouldnt have a problem with that.
the endura tech springs that dale pointed out are badass. i plan on using them.
If you go on modularfords.com, modulardepot.com and corral.net, look up some posts by boss330 (al pappitto), he knows alot about mod motors.