Speed Density and Novi 1000
A while back I picked up a Novi 1000 kit that I'd like to run on my
daily driver 1987 Mustang GT. The 5.0L has 150K+ miles on it but
I plan to rebuild the engine before adding the blower. Also, the
engine still retains the speed density EEC-IV set-up and 19 lb/hr
injectors. Before I chose the Novi, I got input from Alex Denysenko
(www.MustangsandMore.com) and he said he had done several speed
density blower installs, primarily on Lincoln LSC's with 5.0L HO's,
and they worked out great with no driveablity or reliability issues.
His set-up was:
- stock speed density
- 19 lb injectors
- 190 LPH in-tank pump (maybe go for 255 LPH)
- 1.7:1 bolt-down pedestal roller rockers with BBC single springs
- stock exhaust and catalytic converters
- FMU
- adjustable pressure regulator
- TPS with slotted holes
- Paxton (pre-Novi) supercharger with pulleys to provide 10 psi
With 3.55:1 gears, the Lincoln ran 13.50's on the stock Goodyear
Eagles. Alex believes it would have ran 13.20's on the stock tires
with an off-road pipe (no catalytic converters) and a better exhaust.
BTW, the LSC's have a worse exhaust than the Mustangs and the pipes
are smaller than 2" in diameter in places to get around the gas tank.
The only tuning was by adjusting the fuel pressure, the initial timing,
and slotting the TPS (and maybe spark plugs... I forget what he used
there). He claims it idled fine and ran great with no driveability
or long-term reliability problems. He tried 24 lb injectors but they
made no difference at the strip.
I'd like to try to make the speed density set-up work with my Novi
1000 in a similar manner but with a few upgrades. My plan is:
- stock 5.0L short block (stock cam, lifters, rods, pistons)
- D8 or possibly DOOE 351W heads
- hardened pushrods
- Ford Motorsport stainless steel 1 5'8" shorty headers, Ford Motorsport
stainless steel 2 1/4" diameter off-road H-pipe, 2 1/2" stainless steel
Magnaflow mufflers and tailpipes (already on the car)
- aftermarket intake and throttle body (undecided on particular make/model)
- stock speed density fuel injection, new O2 sensors
- original 19 lb injectors (cleaned and fitted with new O-rings)
- Walbro 190 LPH or 255 LPH in-tank pump
- 1.7:1 ratio Scorpion roller rockers (adjustable stud mount)
- Big block Chevy springs (single spring with damper, 100 lbs on the seat,
works well with stock hydraulic roller cam and 1.7:1 ratio roller rockers)
- Paxton-supplied FMU (tuned by wide-band O2)
- Kirban adjustable pressure regulator
- TPS (slotted as necessary)
- Paxton Novi 1000 supercharger kit with F-150 pulley
- Edelbrock aluminum waterpump and GDI 3 core radiator (already on car)
The D8 Windsor heads are small port, large chamber, heads that I usually
wouldn't consider using but I have these already. They have 1.94"/1.6"
stainless valves, bronze guides, screw-in studs, guideplates, and have
been bushed to work with 302 head bolts. However, they have not had any
porting, not even to blend-in the larger valves. They'll need to be
bowl ported, have the thermactor bumps ground out and be port matched to
the intake and headers but I can do all that for no dollars out of pocket.
I had been keeping a pair of DOOE 351W heads which have much better ports
and a smaller chamber (similar CC's to the 5.0L's E7TE's) but it turns
out one of the heads is damaged (tops of the guides cracked off when I
disassembled it). They could be repaired but would require new valves
and guides, plus a magnafluxing so I'm leaning towards just using the D8's,
after a good home porting. The large chamber would drop the compression
a bit, which means I can run more boost and the smaller 302 ports would
probably match the street-type EFI intakes (GT-40, Cobra, Performer, etc.)
better than the DOOE's.
I'll do whatever is necessary to rebuild the shortblock but I'm hoping
it will just need rings and bearings to which I'll add:
- SVO Double roller timing chain
- 3428SG Victor Rientz head gaskets
- Melling M-68 oil pump and shaft
- Ford steel core oil pan gasket
- Steel core valve cover gaskets
- Miscellaneous gaskets and core plugs
- ARP rod bolts (if the rods need to be resized)
I'm still considering adding a road race oil pan, as I've done quite
a bit of suspension work to the car. However, this is strictly a
street car (except for test and tune sessions) and I do a lot of highway
driving, so I plan on keeping the 3.08:1 gears but I figure that's just
fine with the stock cam and supercharger on street tires.
Anyone see any fatal flaws in my plan or have experience with speed
density Novi installs? Comments and suggestions welcomed.
Dan Jones
