hi everybody can anybody tell me how do i make the original 289 with the original 4 speed tranny of my 73 mav pull some muscle? i mean its not like it's been outrun by sentras but recently i drove a friend's jetta gli and i was overwhelmed, i know that's a turbo car, but i have a v8! it's 3 cylinders and a lot of cubic inches more so i'm guessing it should be faster than it is now. thank you!
Put more gear under it. No more than a 600 cfm carb. 1.94 intake 1.60 exhaust valves or aftermarket heads
if your 73s motor is orignal then its a 302. if its all stock then there is alot you need to do to get it to make the power and feel you want. i would recomend geting a kit that includes a cam shaft, cylinder heads, intake manifold, and carb. something like the edelbrock performer rpm kit. get a set of headers. regear the rear to 3.55s and put a posi in it. all this will make your car a realy fast fun car to drive and should easly beat any jetta
You look at the engines and think your car should be faster - Look at the difference in weight between the two cars and the rear gear ratios. As mentioned you have a 302 smog engine with low compression and minimal power. A kit that replaces the cam, heads, intake and carb will add some power and a lower rear gear will make better use of the power but you will still have the extra weight. You need about 1 hp for every 10 pounds of extra weight to make it perform the same - so add the power and enjoy the car.
the engine is a 289 as far as i know, i think here in mexico 73's got out with both engines. is there a way to difference them? i'll post a photo of it soon. thank you for all your recommendations so i'm taking it will handle all those mods with no trouble at all? the transmition is the original also. i'm not planning on getting rid of any of the stuff in the interior for a loss of weight, but maybe some of the stuff you've already told me come in aluminum? thanks guys!
The only real way to know is measure the stroke. Remove a spark plug, find TDC and insert a long stiff wire in the cylinder and turn the engine by hand. 3" is 302...2.87" is 289
They have different Jetta's then we do here just like the 5 cylinder turbocharged Focus's, the boss 260 motors, the Volkswagon scorroco or the Fiat Bravo that we will never see due to the EPA or the NHTSA. Look at all the problems Ford is having just bringing some of their european models to the US.
the same recomendations will work on a 289 or 302. the edelbrock performer rpm kit uses alum. heads and alum intake. should elimnate at least 50lbs from the front of the car
does anybody know how many hp does the 289 mav had from factory, the engine begs for a shift up at 4000rpm i don't know if that's something relevant or not.
there is no realy way for us to know what a mexican maverick with a 289 was rated at. the reason it wont rev past 4000 rpm very well is that the valve springs are worn out. if you replace them you will gain alot of top end power.
hey thanks! that's really useful info i'm gonna change them, i'd really like to rev the engine more, i know it has so much to give.
Ford did not produce 289 engines after 1967. The 302 and 289 use a block that looks the same from the outside the difference is in the crankshaft, rods and pistons. You have a 302.
To make the engine rev higher you will need to do some head work, a new cam, a better intake and larger carb.
i can't possibly refute that because i honestly don't know, just remember mexico's ford did a lot of things with mavericks that the u.s. ford didn't, a.k.a. shelby maverick? anyways it doesn't matter much to me if it's a 302 or a 289 what i really care is that is beats on the street, and i'm hands on it!
