New guy saying hello and thank you!

[remayzer]

Good morning! I just joined the forum and wanted to introduce myself. I was directed here by Ed at TFS to discuss the 5.0 top end kit you guys/gals are using. After doing some quick searches i wanted to say thank you for providing so much detail about your cars!

I am currently building an 95 BMW M3 for no specifric class, but as a HPDE toy. I will be doing a 5.0 swap and had been having a very difficult time locating non-drag racing information. Ed let me know about your forum and I've been looking through for a couple days.

For now i am just going to keep doing some searches for more info, but wanted to ask if it would be okay if i asked directly about certain set-ups and your thoughts as racers? No specific questions currently just looking for permission as a newbie to the forum. I'm a Mid-Ohio local and have a few friends in NASA so maybe ill see you all at some races!

Regards-

Rob

[68GT500MAN]

Welcome to the forum.
Doug

[David Hodgkins]

Rob, no reason why you can't ask about setups and driving impressions!

Doug beat me to it: Welcome.

[johngeorge]

Welcome to the forum Rob, dont be shy, ask away!!

[remayzer]

Thank you again guys. I really appreciate it.

Well... since you said ask away.

I have a 95 BMW M3 that is a 100% dedicated track car (skip to the next paragraph if you hate stories. I'm long winded). Its a very long story of how i got to where i am with it, but i have always wanted to learn how to fabricate. I have a great friend named Matt Johnston (AKA Tinnman) that builds a lot of roll cages for the different NASA classes and he is helping me learn the skills to build a track car. In the past i had an BMW M5 (e39) that i tracked and an 01 C5Z, but quickly learned i need to work on the driver mod. Fast forward a few years an i money shifted the M3 at Mid-Ohio. So now i have the perfect opportunity to learn some fabrication skills. A 302 swap came into mind for Matt, but because of the platform i have a few needs. With the tire size (275/35-18) that i plan on running and the factory gear ratio of the M3 (3.15) I i have been searching for info on what the stock bottom end of the 5.0 can relaibly hold. As i stated before most info i found was from the drag racing community and doesnt really apply in my mind. So i get connected with Ed through my tuner (Moible Dyno in Galloway Ohio) and Ed told me about you guys!

So i see that 320 whp with a 6k redline appears pretty reliable. Does anyone have experience with any more rpm or different cam profiles? It appears the rules dont allow, but i was just curious. I'd love to be able to run it to ~6,500 and would obviously love a little more HP if its possible. To clarify to this point i thought the only option was 5,500 RPM and around 300 WHP. This simply complicates transmission choices. Id love to run a Jerico, but fear that if i travel to some of the higher speed tracks the 6k limit will cause issue. I could also go with the G-Force transmission which offers several overdrive choices so i can keep the RPM down. According to my calculations at 6k i would be doing 144 mph on the back straight at Mid-Ohio in 4th (1:1).

Any thoughts? Should i just stick with the G-Force? is more RPM and/or power an option reliably?

Rob

[mhoward1]

For the 5.0 is seems to be best keeping it under 6200 for sustained times for block reliability reasons.

[remayzer]

Thank you so much! That's really what I wanted to know. Would you also suggest the cam that is offered with the NASA kit? Or are there other options you would suggest? The kit certainly seems to work!

[mhoward1]

The kit works well with the large injectors. This kit was designed with Jim from FF5 and actually use to carry FFR in the name. The heads were designed for road race use and take into account sustained high g loads on oil distribution. TF did their homework.

The limiting factor is the block itself.

[johngeorge]

Rob, If you want more then 320rwhp you need to get a better engine block. The stock pushrod 5.0 blocks are good for max 400hp at crank, we probably are around 380hp to the crank so there is not much wiggle room for maximizing power and still being reliable.

If you want a ton of reliable power look here (Boss 302 block): http://www.fordracingpartsdirect.com...007-z363ft.htm

[remayzer]

It’s amazing to me that you gentlemen were able to definitively answer my HP/RPM question in a day! I love it. Thank you very much. I have seriously been looking on other forums for months and could not get anyone to agree. For my purposes I don’t need the extra HP at all i just wasn’t sure if you guys were limited by the block or by class rules. Sounds to me like you made the rules meet the limits of the block!

I do have another question regarding oiling. What system do you guys run? Is a good oil pan sufficient or do you all use accusumps as well?

Is anyone going to Pitt this weekend? I may be able to drive over Saturday and shake some hands if you guys are.
One last thing… I went to the Good Guys car show in Columbus this past weekend and Ed was running the trick flow booth. You guys have a great supporter there! He seems very passionate about the whole sport.

[johngeorge]

For road racing use a front sump road race pan. Most I believe are using the Canton RR pan believe its like 7 or 8 quarts of oil, and is not an issue for your typical Spec car on Toyo tires.

Once you throw on some slick tires and aero (as some have done) you start getting into oil starvation in high G turns, accusump is adequate for most but if you really want to push the limits of car/engine/aero/etc.. have to look into drysump system, but that is extreme stuff!

Not sure if anyone will show up to Pitt race this weekend. I know Eddi from TFS he is a great guy!

[remayzer]

Thank you Sir. I actually have a rear sump Champ Pan currently as the steering rack/cross member on the M3 is in the way. I plan on running NT01s for a couple years as i need to work on the driver mod and I like the idea of a tire that can handle a lot of heat cycles. I think i may plan my build to include space for an added accusump if i ever switch to a tire with more stick. As for a drysump... Im just not that good of a driver haha. Thank you again.