408 EFI intake sanity check

[67 Halfcab]

Recently I put down my deposit on a Fordstrokers 408. I did a lot of searching of the forum, but want to make sure I have the right answer before I go down the rabbit hole of component selection.

My Bronco has a 2" body lift with new poly bushings, and I don't want to go up to a 3". Is the only intake manifold combo that will fit under my stock hood without a scoop the Lightning lower/Explorer GT40 upper setup? I already have this manifold combo, but want to see if a better flowing aftermarket manifold will fit under my hood before I purchase a throttle body and send off my info to Woody for a custom cam.

Thanks!

Jamie

 

[DirtDonk]

I'm not sure you're really giving up much even in the high end power range with the Ford intake stuff. It's got pretty good specs.
I suppose you can get more out of the ones like TFS and such, but most of them are pretty tall.

I think there are a few here running the TFS though, so hopefully they'll chime in with their body lift/hood combinations to let you know for sure.
Even if there is a better combo though, if that does not fit under your hood as you would like, at least you know that what you do have is pretty darn decent.

Interesting to hear what others say about it.

Good luck

Paul

 

[markw]

Your 408 will be fine with the setup you have. Make sure your injectors are big enough. Mine ran 60# just fine and that same injector is working well with my current 427. I suggest you see if you can sign up with EFI Guy for a proper tune for your setup if you haven't already done so. Mark

 

[67 Halfcab]

EFI Guy is doing my tune.

I was just trying to find out if there was a better flowing intake with a bigger throttle body opening for my limitations before I spend money on a throttle body.

Speaking of throttle bodies, does anyone have a brand they recommend?

 

[nvrstuk]

What kind of rpm's are you aiming for?

What HP curve are you having the cam designed for?

I don't have much experience with the GT40 intake...but a 408 with very healthy heads, cam, intake, and exhaust can flow a lot of air...

I ran a Victor 5.8 EFI upper/lower on my 418... it was designed for a 351W for a cam/intake system from 4-8,000 rpm...and it was close to being maxed out.

I couldn't use it on my 460SBF as it would limit air flow... I'm concerned the GT40 might possibly do the same for your build

 

[rwfid]

Accufab on the throttle body and just have your intake ported to match the heads on your engine. The smallest heads Fordstrokers show installed on their 408 flow over 300 cfm. There aren't very many EFI intakes for the 351w that will flow what you need and the Lightning intake can be ported to enough for a lot less money.

 

[67 Halfcab]

I'm telling Woody to build the engine to run best between idle and 4500. Garry says my intake combo flattens out at about 4400, so really, I should be fine. (Maybe send it off to TMoss and get it ported?)

On the throttle body, I was leaning towards Accufab. Seems BBK is hit or miss. Since the TB opening on my upper is 70mm I figure I'll go with a 75mm TB and port the manifold to match.

 

[markw]

You’re on the right track. Get your intakes ported and use the Accufab TB. Whatever Garry recommends for injectors.


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[68ford]

4in stroke engines make so much torque if you aim a little higher, you won't even notice a really low RPM sacrifice if there even is a measurable one. I'd aim to 5500rpm. That extra 1000rpm will be a lot of fun all the time getting on the freeway and if your ever in sand or snow especially.
Example, my old 427 Windsor, 4in stroke, big heads, big cam and Victor intake made 500 ft pounds before 3000rpm. 400 by 2000rpm.

 

[nvrstuk]

Like already mentioned, you are going to be extremely limited... can I offer some advice on cam and intake choice? Do not limit the engines capability...

I'll tell you what I did with my last stroker build.
PM me if you'd like and I'll give ya my phone number...because having extra available power when needed can really be beneficial...unlike never having enough... a 4500+ # Bronco is NOT a car! Anybody that says you can't ever use that much HP shouldn't be in this conversation..

My last 418W had torque up the ... nice pull but at 3500-5K it was still pulling hard but no extra HP- I wanted torque and spec'd that out to my Ed Curtis my cam guy who built exactly what I asked for.

I stepped up to a 460sbf this summer with a HUGE cam, gained 150 HP and about 200 ft lbs of torque and I lost zero torque down low off idle (actually gained due to the few extra cubes) , yet I have an unearthly amount of HP for turning the 40"s in soft sand up very steep dunes or headlight deep snow for minutes at a time at 5800 rpm.

I'd never go back...

IF you think it will be too much power or you'd never use it, PM me, I can't type that much on my phone!

 

[67 Halfcab]

can I offer some advice on cam and intake choice?

That's what this thread is about. Is there an intake assembly that will flow better than my Lightning/Explorer combo, but will still fit under my stock hood and 2" body lift.

……..and I can't go too crazy. My wife already scares me in her Fusion Ecoboost! ;D

 

[BanditBronco]

Do NOT cheap out on the throttle body. Just buy the accufab right away. It doesn't matter what cheap brand you buy, BBK, Summit, Jegs, whatever other ones there are, they will all whistle. I am sure someone will chime in that has a cheap one that doesn't whistle, go play some black jack or something you're lucky.

I gambled, and have a whistling Summit, I will buy an accufab sooner or later.

 

[markw]

You don't need anything that will flow better than what you have.

 

[68ford]

My buddy says the lightning lower will limit your output both torque and HP. He recommends trick flow R manifold.

 

[nvrstuk]

Guess I've tossed in my .02 and will add a couple more...

My question is: Why limit your power by inefficiency when you don't need to? You're having a 408 built...why? I assume for power & torque. Why stick an intake on a 408 stroker that is designed for a relatively mild 351? No comparison here...NONE. Thats the same as sticking a 351W cam into a 408...WHY? Why turn your 408 back into a 351W? Throwing money away doing that...

Yes, TrickFlow "R", (not the Box model) is the torque monster you want. I can't help you with whether it will fit in your application because nothing I have is stock, not the motor mounts, hood, body lift and I can't help you with measurement from a cross member because mine is gone now since I'm running an Edelbrock SuperVic with a 90 deg elbow and an 80mm Holley TB that does not whistle- at all...

It's not like you're going to touch the skinny pedal and go sideways like you would in a Mustang or old 2600# Falcon... don't even think that's going to happen or let somebody else tell you it will...it's not.

Call or go to the TrickFlow site and get some measurements... cant remember what body lift you had...

Here's their ph #1-330-630-1555 or 1-888-841-6556

Ask them the height, compare it to the Exploder upper manifold height.

 

[markw]

So apparently if you have huge heads and cam you need a huge intake. What cam and heads do you have? Will you flow enough extra to make the expense worthwhile? What does Garry say? My 408 with AFR 205 heads and 70 mm TB dyno’d 400 hp and 450 tq with the lightning explorer intake. When I built the 427 we had to move up to 90mm and the TrickFlow box intake. With the old setup the 427 made the same power as the 408 so it was obviously limited. I guess no down side to going big if you have the room.


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[68ford]

Mark W, are you Dyno number rear wheel or crankshaft?

 

[markw]

Mine was dyno'd at the crankshaft 8 years ago with an old tune.

 

[markw]

Hoping to get the new engine on a chassis dyno in a couple of months.

 

[nvrstuk]

Cool Mark... what's the new engine's details?