03 Cobra: Teksid Build Questions

Well some of you may have seen the youtube video on the 2003 Cobra I recently picked up (no big deal if not, irrelevant). Sneak peak for those of you that have, its got low compression on 1 cylinder, so motor is coming out. Its a mostly stock setup. 2.93 upper, longtubes, catback, tune etc.

Originally was thinking about getting stock motor rebuild but in the interest of time i started looking around locally for motors and what do you know some guy is selling a freshly rebuilt 97 cobra motor:

-Teksid block
-.010 over
-OEM forged kellog cobra crank
-Molnar forged H beam rods
-Diamond pistons ~10:1 compression
-Clevite bearings
-Fully Rebuilt heads

Obviously the major issue here is the B heads, which wont work with the eaton lower intake. No problem, seller says he will sell for cheaper without them. Great!

So my plan as of now is:

-Shortblock described above
-Find some nice refurbished 9 thread C heads, or a cheap set and have them refurbished

Thats about all i have so far. What I need help with is the following. I've owned plenty of mod motor cars but never built up a shortblock/longblock so this is new for me.

Keep in mind, this is going to stay a upper pulley, pump gas, bolt on car ~500whp. Nothing crazy as of right now.

-Head gaskets and head bolts: OEM Ford or something else? I assume MLS since it is a FI motor
- Should I see if the seller will throw in the 97 cobra cams? is it the intake AND exhaust cams that are desireable? or just the intake?
-Other than grinding down the bosses in the valley, and updating the timing dowels, anything else I need to do to make the Teksid block work on my 03-04 setup?
-New OEM timing components, or something else?

Anything else i'm missing or any advice is much appreciated here!

What will the compression be with C heads? Are you going to run E85 or pump? 10:1 is a little much for me on pump gas.

For your power goals I'd say stock is fine for head bolts and gaskets. Of course that depends on what you can find and if you're really going to keep it at 500. If there's an inkling of an idea anywhere in your head that you might turn it up someday go with studs now.

It's the intake cams that everyone wants. IMO, if you can get them, cool. If not, run a slightly smaller blower pulley.

I know when bolting a timing cover for an aluminum block to an iron block there's an extra bolt hole that needs to be sealed. I'm not sure how the iron block timing cover fits to the aluminum block, but something to keep an eye out for.

Steel tensioners. The Cobra Engineering secondary tensioner wouldn't be a bad idea. Upgrading the guides probably wouldn't hurt either. I know I would if I ever have my engine apart.

Since you are going to be swapping heads anyway, I would do aftermarket cams now if thats something you plan on ever doing.

I have a nice set of DC cast heads at Modular Head shop right now that I thought I was going to need. They aren't cheap, but they are the newest revision and will be completely refurbished, if you're interested. I'm not going to need them.

NateDogg said:

Since you are going to be swapping heads anyway, I would do aftermarket cams now if thats something you plan on ever doing.

I have a nice set of DC cast heads at Modular Head shop right now that I thought I was going to need. They aren't cheap, but they are the newest revision and will be completely refurbished, if you're interested. I'm not going to need them.

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Feel free to PM me a price. Sounds like they would be more than I want to spend, but doesnt hurt to ask I guess lol

I'd probably be looking for around 2400.

Spend the money and have someone build your short block. I bought a “built teksid” recently and it lasted 500 miles. Balance and machine work wasn’t right. I have Keith Rhea at wonder racing building me another. Buy once cry once.


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causajt said:

Spend the money and have someone build your short block. I bought a “built teksid” recently and it lasted 500 miles. Balance and machine work wasn’t right. I have Keith Rhea at wonder racing building me another. Buy once cry once.


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Click to expand...

This is a brand new shortblock freshly machined and assembled by a local engine builder that has been building modular DOHC fords along with many other engines for years. He built a buddies 03 cobra motor a few years back and he beats the absolute SNOT out of it with no issues year after year, so i'm fairly confident in the machine shop work.

What I need help with is the rest of the parts:

Head gaskets: Everyone running OEM, or seems Felpro MLS are popular as well
Timing Components: Re-use OEM if they look good, or replace? If so, with what?
Windage tray: I've heard my cobra one wont fit teksid block. Order a 3V one?

Anything else I should add while i'm there? Head cooling mod?

Ford racing timing kit. Was $5-600 from summit last I checked. Includes everything needed. Should look into the upgraded pins for timing guides. Cometic MLS head gaskets. You can get oil pan gaskets with windage trays built in. You will need to cut the crank scrappers out of the stock oil pan. My buddy runs one, was like $90 I think.

MTBSully said:

This is a brand new shortblock freshly machined and assembled by a local engine builder that has been building modular DOHC fords along with many other engines for years. He built a buddies 03 cobra motor a few years back and he beats the absolute SNOT out of it with no issues year after year, so i'm fairly confident in the machine shop work.

What I need help with is the rest of the parts:

Head gaskets: Everyone running OEM, or seems Felpro MLS are popular as well
Timing Components: Re-use OEM if they look good, or replace? If so, with what?
Windage tray: I've heard my cobra one wont fit teksid block. Order a 3V one?

Anything else I should add while i'm there? Head cooling mod?

Click to expand...

Dowel pins should be addressed while it's out, cheap insurance.

This should give you the full scope on Teksid conversions from Malcolm's website.


Head gaskets....always replace. Cometic MLS or Felpro OEM style. Your engine builder will take care of that. I am going with MLX for a little more sealing power.

Timing components are ok to re-use for the most part, but i'd replace all chains and timing guide wear strips. If your primary tensioners are plastic, replace with the iron verisons. Passenger side secondary tensioner from Cobra Engineering.

If you can still locate a 3V windage tray, that's the one to get, but you will need the main stud kit specific for the windage tray option as it has longer studs. If not, you can use the gasket/windage tray all-in-one option but i tend to stay away from those.

Subbing I'm going to need to do motor soon I think

You and I have all the same vehicles in all the same colors too btw lol

03' White Snake said:

Ford racing timing kit. Was $5-600 from summit last I checked. Includes everything needed. Should look into the upgraded pins for timing guides. Cometic MLS head gaskets. You can get oil pan gaskets with windage trays built in. You will need to cut the crank scrappers out of the stock oil pan. My buddy runs one, was like $90 I think.

Click to expand...

Thanks I'll look into that.

bird_dog0347 said:

Cobra Engineering LLC

Dowel pins should be addressed while it's out, cheap insurance.

Click to expand...

Was planning on that as well, thanks!

DCguy said:

This should give you the full scope on Teksid conversions from Malcolm's website.

Teksid block conversion 03 Cobra

mustang ford performance tuning engine building electronic modules dyno turbo supercharger tvs whipple kenne bell precision exhaust cobra

www.mdracingkc.com

Head gaskets....always replace. Cometic MLS or Felpro OEM style. Your engine builder will take care of that. I am going with MLX for a little more sealing power.

Timing components are ok to re-use for the most part, but i'd replace all chains and timing guide wear strips. If your primary tensioners are plastic, replace with the iron verisons. Passenger side secondary tensioner from Cobra Engineering.

If you can still locate a 3V windage tray, that's the one to get, but you will need the main stud kit specific for the windage tray option as it has longer studs. If not, you can use the gasket/windage tray all-in-one option if i tend to stay away from those.

Click to expand...

I was checking out that thread. Definitely some good information there. Thanks!

Felpro head bolts as well? Or most guys go OEM?

For a built motor i would skip OEM head bolts and go straight to ARP studs. Get the 2000's if you can swing it. Buy once cry once.

Looks like a 3V windage try is gonna be hard/impossible to find. Any other options without using arp main studs? Any reason the OEM 96-01 cobra windage tray wouldn't work?

Do I need a camshaft holding tool to remove/install heads and time the motor?

MTBSully said:

Do I need a camshaft holding tool to remove/install heads and time the motor?

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No. A crank socket makes life easier but not needed to time the motor. You can set the dots and chains straight up (not degreeing them) without any special tools.

I remove all the followers, set the dots on the cams and crank to the colored links on the chains. then turn the motor over by the crank and pop the followers back into the heads. Need the cams to be on the base circle and they pop in easy with a large flat head screw driver.

Good to know. How do you torque the cam bolts without the tool though? Or do you get all the timing components on, hold the flywheel and then torque the timing gears?

might just buy the tool anyways to have it

MTBSully said:

Good to know. How do you torque the cam bolts without the tool though? Or do you get all the timing components on, hold the flywheel and then torque the timing gears?

might just buy the tool anyways to have it

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If they are aftermarket cams, they have a hex in the middle of cam. Put a large wrench or adjustable on it and torque the cam bolts. I guess if they are stock cams, you would need to hold them somehow, so yea the tool might be required then. I did not do mine with stock cams so I am not sure on it.

Started prepping the shortblock yesterday. Installed the cobra engineering timing dowels, ground off the bosses in the intake, cleaned out my oil pan, installed the 04 cobra windage tray, which fits fine by the way and looks exactly the same as the 96-98 cobra windage tray (i believe they even have the same part number) not sure why that article I read said the cobra windage tray wouldn't fit. Installed my new Ford Racing HV/HP oil pump. Just need to tap in my heater hose fitting and we should be good to bolt the heads on. Picked up a freshly machined set of DB 9 thread heads locally.

One other thing to mention, did not need to cut the crank scrapers out of the pan. They clear fine as far as i can see.