Chingon's Engine Build

[CDsDontBurn]

With the proper tooling, the eccentric bolt hole can be made though.

 

[Zep5.0]

The bigger issue is that articulates a lot more than the strut rod end, plus plays a part in keeping the suspension "upright" where a heim would allow it to flex forward and back.

 

[Chingon1]

@CDsDontBurn that stock bushing has the hole offset and the Johnny joints have it right in the middle. I’m not sure you could machine anything to accomplish that. Well atleast my puny brain can’t think of anything haha.



@Zep5.0 which part are you talking about, the rear upper??

 

[Chingon1]

Here’s the typical out of focus picture over at SCP this looks like a spherical bushing also.

 

[Chingon1]

One step closer to getting this project done, I don’t like being pushy at all. It’s only on his spare time which is fine with me.

So far it looks pretty good, he’s gonna grind down on the sides where the side bolts go through, the welds won’t let the bolt sit flush on the plate.

 

[Chingon1]

So I wasn’t to happy with the other Johnny joint I went with earlier. It was a lil too small for the task at hand. This new one is weldable and is 2.5” vs the old 2”.

You can see it’s pretty much h a monoball in a urethane bushing. In a shell. Idea is to chop off the end of the control arm body wide and weld this on there.

 

[Chingon1]

So unfortunately, it seems like my engine is toast. It was ticking on Thursday a lil bit so I parked it. Friday afternoon after work I tried cranking it and it started fine for 5 seconds then boom, made a crazy noise and shut off oh well I figured it wasn’t going to last long. Drained the oil and it was glittery. my tune was pretty decent it had about 14 degrees of timing and about lambda .80 at full throttle so I’m sure it wasn’t that.


Anyways, I have a 98 cobra block complete I wanted to rebuild. It’s got the heads and intake but to keep cost down I think I’ll stick with my recently rebuilt and ported PI heads and intake, plus the timing component are brand new so I’d save some money there. I’d love the 4v swap but that’s just extra cheese to spend on it.

I do have a Mach 1 intake in my closet, and the JY has heads for 130 each so I can pick up a set of DC 4v heads! Still really debating it. Knowing me I’m gonna want to port them a bit haha


Anyways, since the cobra has a forged crank I was planning on getting the boss 302 rods (which are about $200 on eBay brand new) and some forged pistons to up the boost safely. I know the hyper’s won’t hang at maybe 15lbs and pump 91?? At this point It also makes sense to add some decent cams in the mix and really bring out the ponies.

So my question is…

1. Does my timing cover need to be swapped over to the 4v??

2. I think I read somewhere that the pivot point of the tensioner bracket where the chains ride in needs to be enlarged to a 8mm bolt since the stock is like 6mm I believe.

Any input is appreciated as always

Pivot Pin Ford 4.6L/5.4L/5.8L - Accufab Racing

Primary Timing Chain Pivot Pin sets are available in 8mm or 9mm to fit all 5.4L - 5.8L's, all 99 and up Cobra 4.6L's, all 4.6L 96-98, and 4.6L 93-98 Lincoln

accufabracing.com

 

[Zep5.0]

Could you sell the 2V stuff to better pay for the 4V swap? Just seems like now is the time.

 

[XR7-4.6]

You definitely need a 4V timing cover, 2V is way different. I’d stick with the 2V personally and build the bottom end to handle more boost to make up for it.

 

[Chingon1]

@Zep5.0 i could but max I could get is like $1000 for the complete top end, which would barely cover the rebuild of the 4v heads maybe. It would be cool but just not feasible right now.

@XR7-4.6 I think your right, my heads are already built and have trickflow lifter and decent springs already.
All I’d really need is a decent cam, those boss 302 rods plus forged pistons and that should net me around 600 at the engine hopefully. More than likely necessitating a built 4R haha

 

[Chingon1]

Just got this Teksid block with cobra crank and Manley rods and pistons for $750. The crank turned over nice and smooth and it looks like the cross hatching is in good shape. Also has ARP studs on the heads and mains, aaand it has the 8mm studs for the timing chain.

Plan is to get new bearing, it kinda seems like the rings are in good shape so I’m not sure if I’m able to reuse them.

 

[Chingon1]

Just for the engine back from the seller, was looking at the walls and it looks to have a lil bit of scoring. It’s not deep at all and the walls are smooth. The pistons are .030 over tho, can the walls be smoothed out?

I do have another ‘98 cobra block I can use, all stock hasn’t been bored or anything.

What’s my best option??

 

[XR7-4.6]

It doesn’t look bad to me in the picture, can you hang a fingernail on them? Really you could probably just hone it again if the scoring’s not deep

 

[Chingon1]

It doesn’t look bad to me in the picture, can you hang a fingernail on them? Really you could probably just hone it again if the scoring’s not deep

Yea no, it still feels smooth even tho it looks like that and no I can’t hang a fingernail on it. I think I can get away with a ball hone. I wanted to hit the machine shop but it kinda seems like it’s unnecessary by the looks of it.

I’m gonna re-ring it but I’m kinda nervous because I’ve never done that before. I know I have to open the gap for boost tho.

 

[KevinVarnes]

Allegedly how many miles since the new pistons and rings were installed?

It isn't that hard. I don't know what the latest recommendations for end gap are, but the last couple n/a engines I built all had .022"-.025" end gap. I thought that seemed large since that is what I used to hear for end gap for forced induction engines, but speaking with technical support they said that was good. No issues on my Saturn as far as oil burn.

 

[Zep5.0]

Looks very light scoring from here. I wouldn't be surprised if the rings are fine.

 

[Chingon1]

Allegedly how many miles since the new pistons and rings were installed?

It isn't that hard. I don't know what the latest recommendations for end gap are, but the last couple n/a engines I built all had .022"-.025" end gap. I thought that seemed large since that is what I used to hear for end gap for forced induction engines, but speaking with technical support they said that was good. No issues on my Saturn as far as oil burn.

I’m not sure the guy I bought it from didn’t know either. But it kinda seems like a semi fresh build to me. That’s good to hear, I have a buddy who’s going to let me borrow a ring tool to grind them down. I’m in contact with an engine builder on the FB marketplace who’s very well known so I’m going to ask him what he thinks.

Looks very light scoring from here. I wouldn't be surprised if the rings are fine.

That’s what I’m thinking too but I don’t wanna take any chances with reusing them, they aren’t that expensive so I might just swap them out. IF they were messed up what’s a sign to tell?? I havnt disassembled just yet but I’ll do it soon.

 

[Zep5.0]

I’m not sure the guy I bought it from didn’t know either. But it kinda seems like a semi fresh build to me. That’s good to hear, I have a buddy who’s going to let me borrow a ring tool to grind them down. I’m in contact with an engine builder on the FB marketplace who’s very well known so I’m going to ask him what he thinks.


That’s what I’m thinking too but I don’t wanna take any chances with reusing them, they aren’t that expensive so I might just swap them out. IF they were messed up what’s a sign to tell?? I havnt disassembled just yet but I’ll do it soon.

Really hard to tell without a compression test. If the piston moves around in the bore a lot that's a sure tell they're toast.

 

[Chingon1]

@Zep5.0 pretty much not gonna happen, but the pistons don’t move in any irregular way in the bore. Im so tempted to just slap it back together like this but I don’t wanna be mad myself if it seizes up the first time it cranks.

 

[Chingon1]

So unfortunately it seems like the block has a big chip on the bottom of one of the bores, and the pistons are like kinda cracked around the valve relieves. That sucks, whatever I still have the forged crank and h beam rods.

ATLEAST I still have the other cobra block that I can build. Gonna try and get some money back from the guy or try and sell it.

 

[Zep5.0]

So unfortunately it seems like the block has a big chip on the bottom of one of the bores, and the pistons are like kinda cracked around the valve relieves. That sucks, whatever I still have the forged crank and h beam rods.

ATLEAST I still have the other cobra block that I can build. Gonna try and get some money back from the guy or try and sell it.


View attachment 14698

I've never seen the texture on the left side there before. Almost like the hone was cavitating. Weird.

The block could be sleeved if needed. I'm not sure on the cost of doing so.

 

[Chingon1]

@Zep5.0 i wonder if a piece chipped off and that’s why they took the motor out. Bearings looks good tho. Ehh at this point I’d rather get that other block I have instead, kinda kicking myself in the butt for not just starting with the block I had in the first place.

 

[Grog6]

I can get mark engines here for < $500. You will not get it sleeved for that. Blocks are the same.

 

[Chingon1]

@Grog6 right. Ow the JY has 300$ engine for sale, they have plenty of aviators too. I’m kinda stuck because the place where I have the engine isn’t available weekends and that’s pretty much the only time I have free

 

[XR7-4.6]

Resleeving isnt worth it unless you go 3.7” big bore and even that’s arguably not that worth the cost either… IF that stuff is even available anymore.

If I were in your shoes I’d take the good unmolested block you have and bore it .030 over and swap the entire rotating assembly from the overbored block into it. Boring a block isn’t terribly expensive and you already have the oversized pistons and crank balanced to them and the rods so that would save you that expense. I don’t know what you paid for it unless I missed it but you could still make it a good buy as opposed to a steal in the end.

 

[Chingon1]

@XR7-4.6 modmax has the liners for $1000 plus pistons, which I’m not down for right now. I paid $700 for it but unfortunately after tearing it down it seems the block has that chip plus only 3 of the 8 pistons are good, the rest had like cracks around the valves. The guy is going to give me back $200 and I keep everything.

Pretty much I came up on the H beams, forged crank and the timing chain pivot pins. I’m gonna try and sell the block and pistons for 2-300$ soon to get some money back and put that towards rebuilding the other block. I just need some good pistons now.

 

[Grog6]

WTF is that!
Never seen that damage.

 

[XR7-4.6]

WTF is that!
Never seen that damage.

Detonation will do that.

 

[Chingon1]

It’s a wrap , whatever it happens sometimes.

Definitely need to get new parts from now on, performance parts are hard to come by that havnt been abused.

 

[XR7-4.6]

It’s a wrap , whatever it happens sometimes.

Definitely need to get new parts from now on, performance parts are hard to come by that havnt been abused.

Really you just need to take it on a part by part basis. I still roll the dice with used given the opportunity since I’m a cheapskate, but a whole assembled shortblock has a lot to hide until you take it apart where a set of pistons by themselves, crank etc you can spot or inspect before committing to the buy.

Same goes for buying a modified car ten fold; you’re buying someone else’s problems.