Saleen blower, cam, header combo

NicD · Jan 16, 2017

Hello all,

I'm finding bits and pieces of info but I'm having a hard time putting it all together.

I'm finally forging the pistons and rods in my 3V (keeping the stock crank). I want to cam it at the same time and throw in some headers as well.

I'm considering:

Hot Rod cams
BBK tuned length shorty headers (I'm in Cali)
Saleen blower with a 2.75 (15lb) pulley

I know it's not ideal, that long tubes would be better than shorties, that a custom grind cam would be better than the hot rods, but I'm hoping the combo fits reasonably well. I'm trying to keep costs down. Also, this is my daily driver (6k miles a year).

Any input or advice would be helpful!

Brn N Rubr · Jan 16, 2017

I know the JDM Sterling cams work wonders in a 3V with the Saleen. Also, 15 psi is starting to get out of its efficiency range. More heat than power. Also, unless you're motor is built you'll want a lower boost setting.

mustang1200 · Jan 16, 2017

I'd call Mark at Bullet Racing Cams and let you know your build and he will set you up with a good set up of custom cams. As Brn N Rubr stated the JDM Sterling cams are great, but they don't share the cam specs so I'm not a fan of that. I picked up gobs up TQ with the Sterling cams on my Saleen blower setup when I had it/them.

Regarding the motor. If you're going through the trouble to swap the rods and pistons you may as well swap the crank. The savings in machine work and labor later will outweigh the current savings to not replace it.

Also has Brn N Rubr stated you won't want to run that boost setting without a built motor, but at that boost setting you'll need to consider an 8 rib setup and an over driven crank pulley.

Department Of Boost · Jan 16, 2017

You're wasting your money on the shorties. Spend that money on a big heat exchanger and water pump. You will get FAR more performance/power.

You don't need cams. If you want the sound and you don't mind spending the money, by all means, get them. But their performance ROI is not good at all at that power/boost level.

Have you read this?:

http://departmentofboost.com/tech/boosting_3v.htm

Wes06 · Jan 16, 2017

This ^^^
Do I love my cams, yes but I also got them n/a and didn't wanna pull em out. I'm sure another setup is better but I do enjoy the lope.

Love my headers, but again was n/a when I bought em and wanted to keep em.

Get the biggest heat exchanger and pump you can stuff in there. (Looking for your HE Jason)

redfirepearlgt · Jan 16, 2017

I'd give you 411 on my old 2005 setup but it would do you no good in California attempting to keep the car C.A.R.B. compliant to some level based on what you are using. For the record the shorties will gain you nothing but the headache of putting them on. In the days of Fox bodies they were some improvement, on the newer cars with better flowing factory manifolds you find it to be purely cosmetic and not worth the effort.

The 15psi pulley with proper heat removal setup on the intercooler side will be your best investment as suggested. Focus on the bottom end and intercooling and let the 2.75" pulley and a great tuner do the rest.

NicD · Jan 16, 2017

You're wasting your money on the shorties. Spend that money on a big heat exchanger and water pump. You will get FAR more performance/power.

You don't need cams. If you want the sound and you don't mind spending the money, by all means, get them. But their performance ROI is not good at all at that power/boost level.

Have you read this?:

http://departmentofboost.com/tech/boosting_3v.htm

I had not so thank you for posting. It was very informative and mentioned some things I hadn't considered.

o2sys · Jan 16, 2017

How serious is this C.A.R.B thing in CA?

Marble · Jan 16, 2017

NicD said:
Hello all,

I'm finding bits and pieces of info but I'm having a hard time putting it all together.

I'm finally forging the pistons and rods in my 3V (keeping the stock crank). I want to cam it at the same time and throw in some headers as well.

I'm considering:

Hot Rod cams
BBK tuned length shorty headers (I'm in Cali)
Saleen blower with a 2.75 (15lb) pulley

I know it's not ideal, that long tubes would be better than shorties, that a custom grind cam would be better than the hot rods, but I'm hoping the combo fits reasonably well. I'm trying to keep costs down. Also, this is my daily driver (6k miles a year).

Any input or advice would be helpful!

If you want those short headers I have some on the shelf in my garage. They are JBAs.

Can't say how much power you'll make with them, but they do make the car sounds pretty bitchin.

rebus · Jan 16, 2017

o2sys said:
How serious is this C.A.R.B thing in CA?

Almost all aftermarket performance parts you install must have an "exemption #" displayed on the part or in the engine bay on vehicles 1975 or newer, with some exceptions. Inspection every 2 years, or upon transfer. There are ways to get around it however if you know people.

BruceH · Jan 16, 2017

redfirepearlgt said:
I'd give you 411 on my old 2005 setup but it would do you no good in California attempting to keep the car C.A.R.B. compliant to some level based on what you are using. For the record the shorties will gain you nothing but the headache of putting them on. In the days of Fox bodies they were some improvement, on the newer cars with better flowing factory manifolds you find it to be purely cosmetic and not worth the effort.

The 15psi pulley with proper heat removal setup on the intercooler side will be your best investment as suggested. Focus on the bottom end and intercooling and let the 2.75" pulley and a great tuner do the rest.

FYI the JBA equal length shorties have picked up power in a 3v, especially torque under the curve.

A coyote is probably different because it comes from the factory with what amounts to JBA shorties.

CARB is a pia. When it comes to exhaust components you can swap for carb approved parts but they can't move the location of the cats, this means that no LT header will ever be carb approved on a Mustang.

One way to still have a badass car in a carb state is to have carb approved mods with a carb approved tune but also have an offroad tune for times at the track.

Then again it's possible to have a carb approved supercharger with a carb approved tune that makes around 480rwhp in a 3v and drives like stock until you put your foot into it. Not bad at all.

Why? Because the supercharger manufacturer paid the money to have the setup emissions tested with all testing documented. That's it. IMO many of the superchargers out there would easily pass federal emissions and carb standards but they haven't been tested so they don't get the carb E.O. number.

Marble · Jan 17, 2017

Those JBAs are just sitting on my shelf....

NicD · Jan 17, 2017

Marble said:
Those JBAs are just sitting on my shelf....

LOL message me with a price.

Right now with all of your input I'm leaning towards skipping the cams and headers and investing in the 2013 gt500 heat exchanger and pump and an 8 rib setup and keeping the 2.75" pulley.

What all is necessary to run the gt500 cooling setup?

06 T-RED S/C GT · Jan 17, 2017

BruceH said:
FYI the JBA equal length shorties have picked up power in a 3v, especially torque under the curve.

A coyote is probably different because it comes from the factory with what amounts to JBA shorties.

CARB is a pia. When it comes to exhaust components you can swap for carb approved parts but they can't move the location of the cats, this means that no LT header will ever be carb approved on a Mustang.

One way to still have a badass car in a carb state is to have carb approved mods with a carb approved tune but also have an offroad tune for times at the track.

Then again it's possible to have a carb approved supercharger with a carb approved tune that makes around 480rwhp in a 3v and drives like stock until you put your foot into it. Not bad at all.

Why? Because the supercharger manufacturer paid the money to have the setup emissions tested with all testing documented. That's it. IMO many of the superchargers out there would easily pass federal emissions and carb standards but they haven't been tested so they don't get the carb E.O. number.

You happen to have an actual power number for what the JBA equal length shorties picked up on the 3v ? If it's by a significant amount, I just might consider them as a possible upgrade over the stock manifolds..

BruceH · Jan 17, 2017

06 T-RED S/C GT said:
You happen to have an actual power number for what the JBA equal length shorties picked up on the 3v ? If it's by a significant amount, I just might consider them as a possible upgrade over the stock manifolds..

It's been a long time from another forum. I can't make any guarantees. IIRC it was Marble that reported the increased torque but it wasn't peak torque, it was just higher in the middle rpms.

Like I said it's been more than a few years but whoever it was had dyno sheets and I think I saw around 25rwhp torque increase in the midrange rpms with a turbo setup. I wish I had something other than my memory to go by on this one.

06 T-RED S/C GT · Jan 17, 2017

BruceH said:
It's been a long time from another forum. I can't make any guarantees. IIRC it was Marble that reported the increased torque but it wasn't peak torque, it was just higher in the middle rpms.

Like I said it's been more than a few years but whoever it was had dyno sheets and I think I saw around 25rwhp torque increase in the midrange rpms with a turbo setup. I wish I had something other than my memory to go by on this one.

I'll do some digging on the forums and see what turns up.. If it turns out the JBA's do provide 25rwhp torque increase over the stock manifolds, then it might be worth doing the swap, especially with running a Saleen VI blower..

Marble · Jan 17, 2017

BruceH said:
It's been a long time from another forum. I can't make any guarantees. IIRC it was Marble that reported the increased torque but it wasn't peak torque, it was just higher in the middle rpms.

Like I said it's been more than a few years but whoever it was had dyno sheets and I think I saw around 25rwhp torque increase in the midrange rpms with a turbo setup. I wish I had something other than my memory to go by on this one.

It wasn't a peak increase by very much iirc. But up overall throughout the range.

It sure turned the exhaust into a head turner.

06 T-RED S/C GT · Jan 18, 2017

Marble said:
It wasn't a peak increase by very much iirc. But up overall throughout the range.

It sure turned the exhaust into a head turner.

Do you recall what the overall increase was throughout the entire range ?

And would you also know if the stock manifolds would be considered as restrictive when compared with the JBA equal length shorties :shrug:

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