200 hp Conti

[DustyLBottoms]

So, after some thought, and discussion with the wife - I've decided to keep the Conti for now. (I'll get an LS in a coupla years;) )

But, I've decided to upgrade waht I have.

In a couple of months I'm going to be changing the head gaskets, but I'm not going to install the same old head and intake back on,
no....not me sir!

I'm going to go to Crazy Rays, and pick the heads & intake from a
'96 or higher Windstar. After I get them tanked, decked, polished, and a valve job I'm gonna bolt those suckers on......200HP!!!

Now, according to my research, these should bold up with little or
no trouble, but I'd love to hear thoughts - opinions - or anything else. Especially from FordAce, Pro-Five-Oh and the like.

Thanks all!

[pro-five-oh]

I am pretty sure the windstar intake will use different sensors and won't accept the OBD-I parts on your conti. Take a look at it, but I bet it won't work very well. You are better off porting or extrude honing the stock 3.8L intake to work with the windstar heads.

Good luck on the project, its definitely way more unique than getting an LS. ;)

[MichiganTeddyBear]

if everything in the engine works out ok, make sure the tranny is up to par... they are not the strongest part ford ever made.

[DustyLBottoms]

if everything in the engine works out ok, make sure the tranny is up to par... they are not the strongest part ford ever made.

I got a brand new Beefed up Jasper Tranny in there. Should be ok.

[DustyLBottoms]

I am pretty sure the windstar intake will use different sensors and won't accept the OBD-I parts on your conti. Take a look at it, but I bet it won't work very well. You are better off porting or extrude honing the stock 3.8L intake to work with the windstar heads.

Good luck on the project, its definitely way more unique than getting an LS. ;)

That's what a friend of mine was saying, I don't have a Windstar around to look at though.......you're prolly right about just doing the
heads.


But if I could make it work.....I'd pretty much be the man. ;)

[pro-five-oh]

But if I could make it work.....I'd pretty much be the man. ;)

Agreed. Honestly you can probably make that intake accept the older sensors and wiring, I just don't know for sure. The throttlebody and its TPS sensor are the biggest questions for me...you can probably splice the Windstar TPS wiring to work into the EEC-IV computer in the Conti...but its all hard to know for sure. :)

[Fordace]

Hum, I haven't done this before, so.....I don't know. Like PRO said, the upper Plenum is definately different, I believe they have Intake manifold runner valves too.......there are people out there that have done this before, so it's possible.....wish I could give you more input....:(

[Sysanalyst]

...
I'm going to go to Crazy Rays, and pick the heads & intake from a
'96 or higher Windstar. After I get them tanked, decked, polished, and a valve job I'm gonna bolt those suckers on......200HP!!!...


BE CAREFUL. I had a 1996 Windstar about 6 years ago. The engine blew a head gasket at 34,000 miles. The engine developed a bad knocking shortly after that. Ford replaced the engine under warranty (expired at 36,000 miles). It also blew another head gasket at 78,000 miles and was sold shortly after that. As far as a swap in, the intake on that thing was huge; it had a big "log" runner along the top. Make sure it will fit first.

[DustyLBottoms]

BE CAREFUL. I had a 1996 Windstar about 6 years ago. The engine blew a head gasket at 34,000 miles. The engine developed a bad knocking shortly after that. Ford replaced the engine under warranty (expired at 36,000 miles). It also blew another head gasket at 78,000 miles and was sold shortly after that. As far as a swap in, the intake on that thing was huge; it had a big "log" runner along the top. Make sure it will fit first.

True, but the head gasketss I'd put on are the "improved" version with new torque specs from Ford. So hopefully it'll be ok.

[DustyLBottoms]

Agreed. Honestly you can probably make that intake accept the older sensors and wiring, I just don't know for sure. The throttlebody and its TPS sensor are the biggest questions for me...you can probably splice the Windstar TPS wiring to work into the EEC-IV computer in the Conti...but its all hard to know for sure. :)

Just got off the phone with Ford......Throttlebody & TPS are the same Part# :-D

[pro-five-oh]

Oh sweetness! Those Windstar manifolds were twin port induction (12 runners instead of 6, IIRC) like an SHO so there might be some vacuum line to open the secondaries...not very difficult to add I'm sure.

I also expect that hood clearance won't be a problem, LoL regulars have seen the SHO motor in a Conti and a Super Coupe blower on a Conti and they both clear with room to spare.

When all the pieces of the puzzle are together, wanna make a tech article out of this?

[DustyLBottoms]

Oh sweetness! Those Windstar manifolds were twin port induction (12 runners instead of 6, IIRC) like an SHO so there might be some vacuum line to open the secondaries...not very difficult to add I'm sure.

I also expect that hood clearance won't be a problem, LoL regulars have seen the SHO motor in a Conti and a Super Coupe blower on a Conti and they both clear with room to spare.

When all the pieces of the puzzle are together, wanna make a tech article out of this?

Sure thing!!

Uber-coolness note. We were working on a 99 windstar in the shop here, and we borrowed the Ford Shop manuals from the local Ford dealer. I've called them three times to come pick them up - that was 3 months ago. They are now "lost" on my bookshelf ;)

They have proved invaluable.


Yes, the IMRC is vacuum/electrically controlled, figuring that out is going to be the hardest part. I got the wiring diagrams, but I'm no automotive engineer.

[pro-five-oh]

I can imagine! Having Windstar manuals sure takes a lot of guesswork out of the equation. Its all just guessing otherwise.

And sooner or later the Freestar 4.2L shortblocks will be plentiful in junkyards!!! You sure you REALLY want an LS? :D :rofl:

[DustyLBottoms]

I can imagine! Having Windstar manuals sure takes a lot of guesswork out of the equation. Its all just guessing otherwise.

And sooner or later the Freestar 4.2L shortblocks will be plentiful in junkyards!!! You sure you REALLY want an LS? :D :rofl:


Wellllllll.....

I wanna get away from the FWD eventually. But for now, there's somthing fun about sticking with what everyone considers a POS car.

[pro-five-oh]

Wellllllll.....

I wanna get away from the FWD eventually. But for now, there's somthing fun about sticking with what everyone considers a POS car.

Agreed. That's why I like these v6 Contis...they actually have potential even if they got Rodney Dangerfield syndrome. :)

[DustyLBottoms]

Oh sweetness! Those Windstar manifolds were twin port induction (12 runners instead of 6, IIRC) like an SHO so there might be some vacuum line to open the secondaries...not very difficult to add I'm sure.

I also expect that hood clearance won't be a problem, LoL regulars have seen the SHO motor in a Conti and a Super Coupe blower on a Conti and they both clear with room to spare.

When all the pieces of the puzzle are together, wanna make a tech article out of this?


I think I solved the IMRC Problem.
An RPM activated switch.

Clicky clicky....

http://www.msdignition.com/rpm_7.htm

[pro-five-oh]

Ooooh, very nice. I donno when the Mark VIII's IMRCs kick in, but I'd guess its about 2800rpm...setting it on a modified Conti and testing to see what gives the best throttle response sounds like a lot of fun...like test and tune at a dragstrip in a Conti? ;)

[Fordace]

I also expect that hood clearance won't be a problem, LoL regulars have seen the SHO motor in a Conti and a Super Coupe blower on a Conti and they both clear with room to spare.

Hum........I think the Windstar manifold sits quite a bit higher than the old SHO's....it may be tighter than you think..

Dusty, I can get you any shop manual pages you want electronically...let me know your needs.....Rich

[pro-five-oh]

I was googling up some images of the Windstar's intake (yes Ladies, I'm single) and I found this. And I thought having a Lincoln enthusiast website was silly at one point. Now I've seen it all.

http://windstar-club.de/index.php?Itemid=1

You might be right about that intake, sure looks a lot taller than the Contis or the SHOs...but it can't be much taller than the blower on a Super Coupe. Maybe the 99-up Mustang intake is a possible alternative (not to mention it can be ported since its aluminum) but I bet they are all pretty tall... :dunno:

http://www.theautodealer.com/images/items/6405e6bc-d092-4d65-b8c6-07e9885a35cb/4/m4873.jpg


http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/1/web/241000-241999/241949_30.jpg