OK, dropping the trany and trying to talk myself into our out of doing one of the head cooling mods to my 03 cobra. It's pullied, cat back, CAI, and a BAMA tune, that's it. So, for all of you who did or did not do the head cooling mod, any problems? Car has 40k miles on it, goes to 1/8 mile track once a year for a few runs and does car show burnouts, 98.5% normal road driving.
Who did NOT do the head cooling mod and survived long term??
- Thread starter bigwave
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Head cooling mod is a MUST for any other cars with mods , perhaps without mods bone stock you may get away with it but it's an easy install I highly recommend it!!
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You don't "have" to do the head cooling mod, of course, but it is usually recommended. Especially if you're in a convenient position to do it. Only a small percentage of '03-'04 Cobras have developed the tick issue, so in all likelihood you'll never experience it. And your mods won't affect it either way. All that said, if I was in your shoes I'd probably do it, just because it's a convenient time to do it and you'll have assurance going forward that you won't have to deal with an issue down the road, IF it were to develop. JMO.
+1, also recommended tune upgrade
My car had 126k and I beat on it and I have no tick. But I do have a 2004 and haven't pullied the car yet.
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No hcm here. 26K original miles, whipple @ 22psi for the past 8 years
E85 is the only cooling mod you need
E85 is the only cooling mod you need
No hcm..
4 thread replaced by ford@60kish
9 thread valve seat@170kish
same head cracked cyl #7@200kish
Installed latest new complete head.
@409k now
4 thread replaced by ford@60kish
9 thread valve seat@170kish
same head cracked cyl #7@200kish
Installed latest new complete head.
@409k now
Read up (or there is Google):
http://www.terminator-cobra.com/cooling.htm#Head_cooling_mod
Stems from this:
http://www.terminator-cobra.com/castings.htm
In my opinion as someone who had the head tick develop by 8500 miles I would highly recommend you do it. The problem is loose valve seats and these cars have a crappy fitment on them from the factory.
I know Malcolm's car wasn't ticking but when he had his heads done he had a loose seat so he was about to start having issues, I believe he was around 45k miles. Here's Modular headshops take on it.
"03/04 Cobra Guys and Gals - Please be aware that the 03/04 Cobra, Mach 1 and Aviator Heads all have less than adequate Exhaust Valve Seat press fit. We are not sure why, nearly every set we have seen in the last 3 years has had at least one loose exhaust seat. We will not take any chances in sending a set of heads out that we are not 100% confident in. We haven't had any Valve Seats fall out and we aren't planning on it! With that being said, we will have to replace the Exhaust Seats with a better alloy and fitment. The cost of this is an additional $320.00 and includes the price of the Valve Seats. "
To me the head cooling mod is so cheap and easy to do that it should be done to help possibly prevent issues. I know I spoke to a local guy that had big terminator builds that told me the HCM was a must but I didn't listen. I wished I had listened, might have saved me from pulling the motor and installing a revised 05 head. Which I still installed a HCM with the revised head.
I know Malcolm's car wasn't ticking but when he had his heads done he had a loose seat so he was about to start having issues, I believe he was around 45k miles. Here's Modular headshops take on it.
"03/04 Cobra Guys and Gals - Please be aware that the 03/04 Cobra, Mach 1 and Aviator Heads all have less than adequate Exhaust Valve Seat press fit. We are not sure why, nearly every set we have seen in the last 3 years has had at least one loose exhaust seat. We will not take any chances in sending a set of heads out that we are not 100% confident in. We haven't had any Valve Seats fall out and we aren't planning on it! With that being said, we will have to replace the Exhaust Seats with a better alloy and fitment. The cost of this is an additional $320.00 and includes the price of the Valve Seats. "
To me the head cooling mod is so cheap and easy to do that it should be done to help possibly prevent issues. I know I spoke to a local guy that had big terminator builds that told me the HCM was a must but I didn't listen. I wished I had listened, might have saved me from pulling the motor and installing a revised 05 head. Which I still installed a HCM with the revised head.
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Alright, if I'm going to do it and I have the trans out, which kit gets me on with the clutch project in the most efficient manner possible? It looked like there was a kit that just took the drain plug out of the left and fed it over to the right where it went through the heater core and ???
see sig for mods, no head cooling mod but i also dont race and only do the occasional highway pull and my car has 20k on it
Iv had my car since 03 and I dont have it done. All my friends who had a cobra, not one had a head cooling mod. And they were dippin into the 9's and 10's on stock motor. I even had a vendor tell me not to do it. I never did it.
JT's car had the tick. Loud as hell. No cooling mods. car was going 11.20's without a ported eaton. lol. pullied and bolt on's.
JT's car had the tick. Loud as hell. No cooling mods. car was going 11.20's without a ported eaton. lol. pullied and bolt on's.
No mod here. Road raced plenty with the Heaton and a Whipple.
No issues.
No issues.
This question is basically the same as asking "if I have sex with a woman without a condom, will I get her pregnant or get STDs?"
Most of the time, no. But that's playing with some hot fire man.
Why would you take that chance when a motor is hard to find and $6000+ and the head cooling mod costs $100 on the upper end?
Everyone knows that these mods address and engineering oversight. Sure you may skate by without the added cooling in the back of the head, but I see plenty of examples includig ticking heads and cracked cylinders.
I personally think the Evenflow design is best, but that an opinion.
Wear or install protection on both of your cobras.
Most of the time, no. But that's playing with some hot fire man.
Why would you take that chance when a motor is hard to find and $6000+ and the head cooling mod costs $100 on the upper end?
Everyone knows that these mods address and engineering oversight. Sure you may skate by without the added cooling in the back of the head, but I see plenty of examples includig ticking heads and cracked cylinders.
I personally think the Evenflow design is best, but that an opinion.
Wear or install protection on both of your cobras.
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