1BAD96SVT's build thread - 01/08 wiring/engine reinstall
We don't really have a dedicated forum for build-ups/projects but I'm frankly getting tired of the high-school-drama-zero-tech-info-nothing-but-post-whoring sn95forums.com so here goes. Some tech, some mutimedia, some dry humor.
Mike, 1BAD96SVT, contacted me some time ago about installing a forged long block into his 1996 Cobra after symptoms leading him to believe he had hurt the stock motor. After seeing my own builds and other customers I have done, he felt that it was time to just get it done (the car had been stored for some time, angry at it). If the name doesn't ring a bell, I don't think anyone on this forum doesn't recognize this car...
After discussing a few options, I persuaded him to buy the parts and assembly through a shop I have been working with for a few years, Lorenzo's Fast Flow & Cylinder Head. He trailered the car down to me 10/25 and made the deposit with the engine builder. His friend was very surprised to see that they had brought it to an Acura dealership. I owe a big thank you to my service manager Steve P. and owners the Davis family for their no-holds-barred side work policies, more than a dozen fast Mustangs have been built between these doors with a few STis and EVOs (and even a T/A...) sprinkled in between...without their generosity I would still be working in my driveway and two car garage in the cold on my side stuff.
Anyway, test drive, warm motor, compression test revealed low pressure cylinder 7, really low cylinder 8. I didn't want to just assume blue smoke sometimes at idle and real bad (CROPDUSTER bad) on decel after boost meant motor hurt, sometimes it's a little BS thing like a PCV system set up wrong. For leakdown, 7 and 8 were terrible and I could really hear it through the oil fill cap. Either hurt pistons or rings, almost 500rwhp on a stock B head motor tends to do that. I informed the customer of the diagnosis and began tear down the next day.
Sorry for some of the terrible pictures. I take my 450D to shoots, races, and meets but keep a simple point and shoot in my tool box for when my hands are dirty.
Put the car on the lift backward to have more room when the motor comes out.
Just the start of the many piles of parts.
Blower, exhaust, etc.
Upper intake, started the harness.
Trans. With the tools I have at my disposal, it's really no more difficult to pull it in the car rather than drop engine and trans together and then separate. I really recommend doing it this way if you have shorties.
What is this mess?
Oh, this will never do either (see HID ballast).
Here's one you guys can help me on. Vac valve located in p/s front of engine bay, may have been relocated. One connector two wire. Manifold vacuum to it, output is capped. Car has had SAI deleted.
My OCD is beginning to show. Guess what I don't like about this picture?
We will no longer need these ugly, ineffective, and purposeless emissions components.
More OCD, apparently also turret's...
I wasn't going to make fun of Mike for double side taping his KB BAS to the engine bay, but he made a thread about it, LOL. You threw yourself under the bus on that one, bud.
http://www.svtperformance.com/forums/how-278/654159-how-kb-boost-spark-install.html
Getting there...
Ugliness. Car is COP swapped, so I recommended we find a C head P/S bracket. We later did.
Just one example of something I started doing a few builds ago. Instead of writing lots of crap down, just take pictures as notes. When you see the pics when you upload them, you'll remember to tie up "loose ends." Questions you need to answer like what is this, where does this go, nuts/bolts that were missing, stuff that needs to be addressed, etc. This one was "I found a damaged/broken wire."
Dear Mike: thanks for powdercoating, painting, and chroming EVERYTHING in your engine bay. It looks great at car shows, and makes your car builder crap his pants in fear of scratching things. Like your valve covers. Not a lot of clearance on either side, we'll pull both before removing the engine.
Gotta have the fender covers. Keep in mind they are magnetic, so keep the undersides clean - any dirt/small metal gets stuck on the magnet and dragged across the paint like 60grit sandpaper, the exact opposite your intentions of a fender cover.
A couple hours in wrapping it up for the night.
Glass trans out. Need degrease bad.
More junk out.
Steeda X2 balljoints. Does this look correct (spacing between bottom of spindle and taper of BJ)? Never used them before.
Stupid P/S lines are last.
BAM!
Disassembled, took some pics of timing cover as studs are pretty annoying to remember which go where. Now lots and lots of piles of parts.
Tossed longblock in back of Escape. 10 hours of work, not the quickest I've ever done but worked at a pretty comfortable pace and had no issues.
New front spring lower "insulators."
Wrapped it up, boxed the parts and pushed the car outside, awaiting motor builder now.
We don't really have a dedicated forum for build-ups/projects but I'm frankly getting tired of the high-school-drama-zero-tech-info-nothing-but-post-whoring sn95forums.com so here goes. Some tech, some mutimedia, some dry humor.
Mike, 1BAD96SVT, contacted me some time ago about installing a forged long block into his 1996 Cobra after symptoms leading him to believe he had hurt the stock motor. After seeing my own builds and other customers I have done, he felt that it was time to just get it done (the car had been stored for some time, angry at it). If the name doesn't ring a bell, I don't think anyone on this forum doesn't recognize this car...
After discussing a few options, I persuaded him to buy the parts and assembly through a shop I have been working with for a few years, Lorenzo's Fast Flow & Cylinder Head. He trailered the car down to me 10/25 and made the deposit with the engine builder. His friend was very surprised to see that they had brought it to an Acura dealership. I owe a big thank you to my service manager Steve P. and owners the Davis family for their no-holds-barred side work policies, more than a dozen fast Mustangs have been built between these doors with a few STis and EVOs (and even a T/A...) sprinkled in between...without their generosity I would still be working in my driveway and two car garage in the cold on my side stuff.
Anyway, test drive, warm motor, compression test revealed low pressure cylinder 7, really low cylinder 8. I didn't want to just assume blue smoke sometimes at idle and real bad (CROPDUSTER bad) on decel after boost meant motor hurt, sometimes it's a little BS thing like a PCV system set up wrong. For leakdown, 7 and 8 were terrible and I could really hear it through the oil fill cap. Either hurt pistons or rings, almost 500rwhp on a stock B head motor tends to do that. I informed the customer of the diagnosis and began tear down the next day.
Sorry for some of the terrible pictures. I take my 450D to shoots, races, and meets but keep a simple point and shoot in my tool box for when my hands are dirty.
Put the car on the lift backward to have more room when the motor comes out.
Just the start of the many piles of parts.
Blower, exhaust, etc.
Upper intake, started the harness.
Trans. With the tools I have at my disposal, it's really no more difficult to pull it in the car rather than drop engine and trans together and then separate. I really recommend doing it this way if you have shorties.
What is this mess?
Oh, this will never do either (see HID ballast).
Here's one you guys can help me on. Vac valve located in p/s front of engine bay, may have been relocated. One connector two wire. Manifold vacuum to it, output is capped. Car has had SAI deleted.
My OCD is beginning to show. Guess what I don't like about this picture?
We will no longer need these ugly, ineffective, and purposeless emissions components.
More OCD, apparently also turret's...
I wasn't going to make fun of Mike for double side taping his KB BAS to the engine bay, but he made a thread about it, LOL. You threw yourself under the bus on that one, bud.
http://www.svtperformance.com/forums/how-278/654159-how-kb-boost-spark-install.html
Getting there...
Ugliness. Car is COP swapped, so I recommended we find a C head P/S bracket. We later did.
Just one example of something I started doing a few builds ago. Instead of writing lots of crap down, just take pictures as notes. When you see the pics when you upload them, you'll remember to tie up "loose ends." Questions you need to answer like what is this, where does this go, nuts/bolts that were missing, stuff that needs to be addressed, etc. This one was "I found a damaged/broken wire."
Dear Mike: thanks for powdercoating, painting, and chroming EVERYTHING in your engine bay. It looks great at car shows, and makes your car builder crap his pants in fear of scratching things. Like your valve covers. Not a lot of clearance on either side, we'll pull both before removing the engine.
Gotta have the fender covers. Keep in mind they are magnetic, so keep the undersides clean - any dirt/small metal gets stuck on the magnet and dragged across the paint like 60grit sandpaper, the exact opposite your intentions of a fender cover.
A couple hours in wrapping it up for the night.
Glass trans out. Need degrease bad.
More junk out.
Steeda X2 balljoints. Does this look correct (spacing between bottom of spindle and taper of BJ)? Never used them before.
Stupid P/S lines are last.
BAM!
Disassembled, took some pics of timing cover as studs are pretty annoying to remember which go where. Now lots and lots of piles of parts.
Tossed longblock in back of Escape. 10 hours of work, not the quickest I've ever done but worked at a pretty comfortable pace and had no issues.
New front spring lower "insulators."
Wrapped it up, boxed the parts and pushed the car outside, awaiting motor builder now.
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