'98 Cobra Transformation!

[Turbo98]

Finally got the turbo drain lines rebuilt in braided for a few reasons. I was going to do it later but figured now is the time while doing the turbo swap. One was to get rid of a kink which I didn’t like. Two because of the heat, over time the pushlock can split at the turbo fitting. Three is because one of the fittings at the turbo had a 3/8” NPT end instead of ½” like everything else.


This is the line that had a decent kink in it:


At some point soon, I’ll also replace the pushlock going from the scavenger pump to the pan. There is a small kink in that but it’s not as compromising because the oil is being pumped in that line.

 

[Murder Snake]

Nice!!!

 

[Turbo98]

Got all the vacuum lines finished up, turbos bolted up with all new stainless hardware, new drain lines on, feeds hooked up, went over all the silicone connector clamps, and did a few other misc. things. Oh, I also clearanced the bumper support on the pass. side so the filter clears better. Just a few pics before getting the pipes fixed up and putting the front back on, etc.

Downpipes are about 2 1/8” short:


Random, lol:




More later….

 

[Turbo98]

Nice!!!

Thanks as always!

 

[DVJ38]

This thread helps motivate me to work on my car, even if it is way smaller stuff lol

 

[Turbo98]

Trust me... If I can do this stuff, anybody can!

 

[Murder Snake]

This thread helps motivate me to work on my car, even if it is way smaller stuff lol

so true!! but also make me feel kinda inferior!!!!!!!!!!

you probably already convered this but let me be lazy and ask...are you using like a Mach 1 computer for the auto or a 98 auto computer or what. Thanx and I love reading about this. It is just too cool:banana:

 

[Turbo98]

Thanks man.....

The trans has a manual valve body so it doesn't shift on it's own. I manually activate the overdrive and lock-up. Currently there isn't anybody that makes a 4R with an auto valve body that can handle the power.

 

[Murder Snake]

Interesting. thanx!!!!!

 

[PSUCOBRA96]

hope you get it all buttoned up so you can enjoy it in the summer, seems like you have been working on it constantly for a while. Such a sweet build.

 

[90goldtsiawd]

Updates?

 

[Turbo98]

Well, I finally got the car in and out of the shop and the new exhaust is DONE. I took it to Craven Performance in St. Peters, MO. They did an awesome job! They basically re-made the downpipes. They could have modified the ones I had but by the time they spent a lot of time messing with them and re-welding, etc, it was just better to rebuild them from scratch for a cleaner set-up. The wastegate placements turned out real nice—right off the bends in the up-pipe like they should be. These wastegates are so compact and they fit really neatly. It should make extreme power with efficient wastegate dumping and good boost control. I still need to hook up the vacuum lines and tidy up some stuff but here are some pics:




Driver’s side:








Pass. side:

 

[CamCobra10]

Nice build, how do you like the 5.3? What did you do build it up and internals? 4r70w is nice, i have a lentech in mine, what did you do to fit the bezel around the shifter?

 

[Turbo98]

Thanks.

Yeah, obviously the Lentech is very good and strong. Nice choice! The boot just had to be mofified a bit by cutting a little more of it off at the top to make the hole larger. Then take the B&M shifter and unbolt the top handle part in order to sandwich the boot in-between to hold it nad bolt it back together. You have to cut the black plate off the B&M also.

As far as the 5.3L, it has the BOSS block, Oliver billet I-beam rods, Diamond coated pistons, Total Seal rings, Clevite coated bearing, ARP2000 rod bolts, Kellog crank, etc. It makes good torque and gets the turbos moving fast.

 

[CamCobra10]

Thanks.

Yeah, obviously the Lentech is very good and strong. Nice choice! The boot just had to be mofified a bit by cutting a little more of it off at the top to make the hole larger. Then take the B&M shifter and unbolt the top handle part in order to sandwich the boot in-between to hold it nad bolt it back together. You have to cut the black plate off the B&M also.

As far as the 5.3L, it has the BOSS block, Oliver billet I-beam rods, Diamond coated pistons, Total Seal rings, Clevite coated bearing, ARP2000 rod bolts, Kellog crank, etc. It makes good torque and gets the turbos moving fast.

I didn't want a manual valve body at first, but at 3grand and what it was couldn't pass it up...thanks for the info on the bezel, just bought a new one now I don't have to butcher it up!

Sounds like you have all the right parts to handle big power, who made your engine and how much did it cost you for just the short block? I have an idea, been pricing them from a few people and its definitely not cheap...what heads are you running

 

[Turbo98]

I'm running ported FordGT heads. I'm not sure what it cost for the engine. I originally bought it from Modular Performance but then had an unexplained bearing failure. The shop who was building it rebuilt it with new rings/bearings. So putting a price on it is kind of hard. it's definitely made for huge power. It also has a main stud girdle to help dampen harmonics. We'll see what it does with the larger turbos.

 

[CamCobra10]

Im reading your thread on another forum, you did a great job on documentation, actually figuring out/pros cons of different combos and what will work , i'm in between reading your intake and cam write up - your builder and na svt had a few minor words, but it gives you the benefit having 2 guys who knows what they are talking about and gives another point of view...sucks what happened with the rings, i'm getting jpc to do my shortblock...only problem i'm running into are the heads and money, i already have built b heads, cams and mmr intake, would want to keep the heads and change the cams, springs...looking to pull my ysi in the 7,500+ rpm range...03 04 cobra heads maybe a little better, but is it really worth the cost since I already have my setup in place?

 

[Turbo98]

I'm sure your car will do really well with the B heads and the BB stroker--especially since your spinning it a little higher. Obviously the centri likes the upper RPM's. With the extra cubes, the B heads should work good.

I'm not sure about the MMR intake though. It seems you will have to spin it higher but it may work well with the centri and whatever cams you have. I don't have a huge amount of experience with those blowers though.

 

[Turbo98]

Well, not much of an update. But I officially got invited to the KOTS (King of the Street) competition. Kind of cool I guess. I’m not sure I can make it if I don’t get the car back soon.

 

[mysteed]

Congrats! You NEED to go to KOTS.