When I proposed building a 351C for this book, Jim Grubbs of JGM Performance Engineering hauled out a fresh D2AE-CA four-bolt main block and boldly suggested 600 hp at 7,500 rpm.
That’s when I contacted Alan Davis at Eagle Specialties for a 4340 steel crank, H-beam rods, and Mahle forged and coated pistons to fill the block. Eagle stepped up with a 4.000-inch stroke 4340 crank, 6.000-inch H-beams, and custom Mahle pistons.
JGM Performance Engineering
Jim has been a Ford enthusiast all of his life and has been in the engine building business for thirty years. He likes to experiment with Ford engines, primarily the 385-series big-blocks and older FEs.
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In planning this 600-hp Cleveland stroker, Jim said he wanted to try Trick Flow’s new PowerPort Cleveland CNC 225, a CNC-ported aluminum casting with 225-cc intake ports, 60-cc chambers, 2.080/1.600-inch intake/exhaust valves, 340-cfm intake, 240-cfm exhaust, and capable of more than 600 hp. “That’s the head I want for this project,” Jim commented and no wonder.
TFS begins with a strong idea of what it wants in a cylinder head and induction system, then its engineers use 3D and computer aided design (CAD) to design and flow test the idea. Thanks to modern technology, once TFS has a real-world prototype part, it is quickly pressed into testing and operation: on the flow bench for continued port and chamber work; then to the engine dynamometer lab to see how it performs; and finally to the racetrack for real-world experience and final tweaking.
JGM Performance Engineering begins with a D2AE-CA four-bolt main block bored and honed to 4.030 inches with cylinders notched to clear an Eagle 4.000-inch-stroke 4340 steel crank with H-beam rods and forged Mahle pistons.
For good oil control and friction reduction, hone lifter bores to a nice crosshatch and check for size. JGM hones lifter bores on every engine it builds.
Mains are fitted with ARP studs for rigidity and security. Consider the use of a main stud girdle, which provides abundant support, when you’re going for this much power.
Check and hone line bore to a consistent crosshatch for good main bearing retention and crush. Rare is the block you’d have to line bore.
Match hone bores to each Mahle piston to achieve adequate piston to wall clearances. The objective is to get good sealing with the least amount of friction possible.
This is an Eagle 4340 steel stroker kit with 4.000 inches of stroke on tap, 6.000-inch H-beam rods, and 4.030-inch Mahlecoated pistons with just enough of a dome to give 13.0:1 compression.
This is a custom Comp Cams mechanical roller (#32-000-9) with .440/420-inch lobe lift and 260/275-degree duration at .050 inch.
The Cleveland cylinder head marketplace went from no choices to abundant choices. JGM Performance Engineering chose the Trick Flow CNC 225 Cleveland head for its right-sized 225 cc intake ports and 2.080/1.600-inch valves.
On the exhaust side, the CNC 225 head enjoys a great exit with minimal restriction with a smooth fl oor. Valve size is conservative at 1.600 inches because it helps torque.
Trick Flow’s CNC 225 Cleveland has poly-angle valves like the factory head with a choice of either 1.460- or 1.530- inch spring heights. Viton fl uoroelastomer valve seals offer good oil control and excellent sealing.
High-swirl 60-to 62-cc chambers with 2.080/1.600-inch valves and hardened seats are CNC machined with excellent quench that eliminates detonation tendencies. These heads are also designed to fi t 289/302/351W.
Jesel Pro Series Mohawk Beam shaftmounted rocker arms are made from a custom-blended aluminum alloy that is shotpeened for strength.
This is a single-plane Trick Flow TFS- 5160111-C intake manifold, which is a perfect match for the CNC 225 heads. As with most manifolds, some port matching is required if you want things spot on.
Holley’s new 950-cfm HP aluminum carburetor offers the fl ow and fuel delivery the JGM Cleveland needs to make more than 600 hp.
When Jim Grubbs specifi ed this head, he had also done his homework learning everything he could about the TFS PowerPort Cleveland CNC 225. And when our 225s arrived from TFS, they were everything Trick Flow said they would be. Jim immediately disassembled the heads and fl ow bench tested them to see numbers.
More Than 600 Horsepower
Making 600 hp has never been easy for even the most savvy of engine builders. You must possess a good understanding of cylinder head fl ow, cam specifications, valve timing events, compression, and a host of other variables. When Jim Grubbs plans an engine, he takes all of these variables into consideration. It is often the little things that add up to make a big difference in power.
Written by George Reid and Republished with Permission of CarTech Inc
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