07-09-2014, 06:38 AM
(07-08-2014, 08:52 AM)JTS71 Mach1 Wrote: Lets face it the only thing we can change on an engine is the Top End, all the pistons do is go up and down, so were kinda stuck with that. (unless you want to go all the way?) JTS 71 Mach1
Oh, but there IS a lot that you can do with the pistons - they become part of the combustion chamber too... For example should you run big, open chamber heads with pop-up pistons or small, closed chamber heads with flat-tops (and still end up with the same compression ratio)? That depends. :) Hint: there's not much quench area in a big open chamber head. If you don't want to run high-octane gas then you're kinda stuck. LEARN AS MUCH AS YOU CAN. It usually doesn't cost much to learn.
I would caution against putting a fresh set of heads on a tired bottom end. Unless the rings and bearings are (known to be) good, you're asking for trouble. Swapping different sets of heads on a fresh motor is OK, but not the other way around. The top end is where most of the power comes from but there is some power to be gained from things in the bottom. Some of it is almost "free". Like adding a windage tray. A REAL good balance job is another good thing to do. It can give you a little bit of a power increase AND it helps make things last longer. The factory balance is a "production-level compromise" at best. A carefully balanced motor is a different animal.
Pull the 289, take it apart carefully and start fixing it. 289's run strong if they're set up correctly. Try to find someone in your local area who knows and loves Fords. They're NOT the same as a Chevy or a Mopar. Learn from someone else's experience - it will save you some money. If you can do most of the work yourself you'll have a greater appreciation of the car when it's done AND you'll know exactly what went into it. Pay the machine shop to do the things that they do best: bore and hone cylinders, deck the block, install and size cam bearings, etc. Do as much of the time-consuming detail work like chasing the threads in the block, painting, etc. as you can at home.