10,000 RPM

[Frederic Breitwieser]

> gearing.  Federal law for emissions keeps law enforcement agencies to the
> same calibrations in the ECM's as civilian vehicles with the exception of
> top speed limiters.

All of the above plus sway bars, and on Chevy vehicles, a slightly
more aggressive cam.  Key word is slight.  Years ago, police motors
were often, not always, 4-bolt mains.

What I find especially interesting is the Ford 3.8L V6 police motor. 
Don't laugh, this exists!  I found out a lot about this particular
motor when I cracked my cylinder heads due to the years of boosting
the engine, and pounding on the "go" pedal.  Anyway, in 1993, the
differences between the "Regular" FWD 3.8L motor and the
"Police/Lincoln" FWD 3.8L motor are as follows, according to the local
Ford dealer's parts department in Bridgeport Connecticut.  I am
regurgitating :)

Intake valves are .2 larger in diameter.
Cam lobes have an additional .02" lobe length on the exhaust side.
The torque converter has a 100 RPM higher stall speed.
The idle is 50 RPM higher.
The struts are "Heavy Duty" on the Police Taurus, though my Lincoln
has air struts.
The idler pulley is mounted slightly differently (different part
number)
The water pump has a different part number.
The radiator has a different part number, and visually, it looks
"thicker".
The power steering pump has a different part number.

There are some suspension differences like sway bars I'd imagine, but
I didn't research those, only the engine differences, because the head
castings on my Lincoln match the same year police motor, and I wanted
the new heads to flow the same way as the old heads.  I ported them
with a dremel as I did the old heads, however in both cases I used the
stock "police package" valves that were already loaded.

After all this research, I accidentally stumbled across a 1988 Taurus
with the same casting, valve diameter, and stem length as the heads on
my Lincoln, in shiny, new condition in a junkyard.  The prior owner
apparently swapped in a motor just before it was bashed in the rear by
something significantly larger, so I yanked the heads and went on my
way.  $80 a piece was much better than "$795 plus a 3 month backorder"
from the dealer.

Sorry for the extra wind... I got on a roll.

-- 

Frederic Breitwieser
Bridgeport CT 06606

1993 Supercharged Lincoln Continental
1989 HWMMV w/turbocharged 500cid Caddy
1975 Dodge D200 Club Cab soon to have 431 stroker + turbos
2000 (I hope) Buick GTP (Mid-Engined Sports Car)