Older school ford engine tuning
Discussion
Cut'n'Paste:
1300-1500 non crossflow: These units are five bearing crankshaft developments of the three earlier engines and can follow exactly the same tuning sequence as above, with the addition that the 1300 and 1500 can easily be converted to 15OOGT specification by bolting on the carb, exhaust manifold and camshaft from this engine. Then it's a modified head and twin Webers along with a suitable higher tune cam. If the GT carb is used in the non GT engines then the GT distributor must also be used. The 1300 and the two 1500 non cross flow engines all use inlet valves of 1.43 in diameter compared with the 1.27 in valves of the 997 to 1 340 cc units and these larger valves can be fitted to the smaller capacity heads with good effect as long as the rest of the head is gas flowed and the carburation and cam is also changed.
The 15OOGT uses the larger valves but in fact has a slightly smaller diameter valve throat than the other engines to speed gas flow.
The tubular exhaust manifold fitted to the 15OOGT is an improvement over the cast iron type but if you are making the swap anyway you can gain more power by going to a specialist product rather than the Ford one.
Beyond the GT stage of tune the 1500 (and 1300) needs twin Webers, a hotter cam such as the old Cosworth A2 profile which is offered by some tuners and a modified version of the Ford Twin Cam distributor which has no vacuum advance mechanism. A capacity increase (just as long as you're not trying to remain within a capacity class for some branch of motor sport) will take the unit to 1650cc with the aid of 85 mm pistons. This bore is about the limit for the 1500 block and, ideally, liners should be fitted to prevent the cylinder walls going porous and the coolant leaking through. With A2 cam, dual Webers, well modified head, good exhaust and 1650 cc the 1500 base unit is capable of around 125 bhp. But, again, you've got to consider that a swap to an even larger four cylinder Ford unit would be simpler, more reliable and (possibly) cheaper in the long run.
1300-1500 non crossflow: These units are five bearing crankshaft developments of the three earlier engines and can follow exactly the same tuning sequence as above, with the addition that the 1300 and 1500 can easily be converted to 15OOGT specification by bolting on the carb, exhaust manifold and camshaft from this engine. Then it's a modified head and twin Webers along with a suitable higher tune cam. If the GT carb is used in the non GT engines then the GT distributor must also be used. The 1300 and the two 1500 non cross flow engines all use inlet valves of 1.43 in diameter compared with the 1.27 in valves of the 997 to 1 340 cc units and these larger valves can be fitted to the smaller capacity heads with good effect as long as the rest of the head is gas flowed and the carburation and cam is also changed.
The 15OOGT uses the larger valves but in fact has a slightly smaller diameter valve throat than the other engines to speed gas flow.
The tubular exhaust manifold fitted to the 15OOGT is an improvement over the cast iron type but if you are making the swap anyway you can gain more power by going to a specialist product rather than the Ford one.
Beyond the GT stage of tune the 1500 (and 1300) needs twin Webers, a hotter cam such as the old Cosworth A2 profile which is offered by some tuners and a modified version of the Ford Twin Cam distributor which has no vacuum advance mechanism. A capacity increase (just as long as you're not trying to remain within a capacity class for some branch of motor sport) will take the unit to 1650cc with the aid of 85 mm pistons. This bore is about the limit for the 1500 block and, ideally, liners should be fitted to prevent the cylinder walls going porous and the coolant leaking through. With A2 cam, dual Webers, well modified head, good exhaust and 1650 cc the 1500 base unit is capable of around 125 bhp. But, again, you've got to consider that a swap to an even larger four cylinder Ford unit would be simpler, more reliable and (possibly) cheaper in the long run.
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