96-98 Cobra

bditty50 · Jan 15, 2010

I'm looking at a 96-98 cobra and I'm wondering whats the power potential of these motors stock with a blower? When building the bottom can the heads flow enough? Can they put out 03/04 Cobra numbers when built to handle power? Can the motors be bored and stroked and if so how big can you go with boost?

lang williams · Jan 15, 2010

I'm pretty new to the cars myself but the block an crank can pretty much handle anything you can throw at them. The rods an pistons are the weak link. I put a kenne bell on my car an the guy I got the blower from said he dyno'd 350 at the rear wheels which is prob just under a stock terminator cobra. I hear 400 rwhp is the safe limit on the stock rods and pistons.

Sea Pony · Jan 15, 2010

No. It is less on the 96-cobra's

I don't know how much power you can make, but you can't go above 8-9 psi without strengthening.

SVT32VDOHC · Feb 3, 2010

I had a 96 Cobra for 8 years. The last 5 years I owned it was with the Vortec V2-SQ with 8psi and longtube headers. Everything else was stock. I laid down 414RWHP and 366RWTQ. I ran 12.53@114MPH with a 1.888 60ft time. That was launching at idle. No burnout.

HP numbers aren't everything I now have an 04 Cobra with 591RWHP and 548RWTQ. I sold my 96 to a buddy. We raced on the street and I easily took him down. We never went to the track together, but when I took my 04 there, I'd run low 12's at 120-124MPH with a 2.1-2.3 60ft times. All I did was spin. I compared time slips and my 96 actually beat my 04 thru the 1/8 but my 04 edged out the 96 in the end by only 2 or 3 tenths.

So...HP means nothing. Get a good tire and good suspension and learn to launch.

bditty50 · Feb 3, 2010

thanks for the info.

bditty50 · Feb 3, 2010

What kind of gearing did you use with the blower?

bditty50 · Feb 6, 2010

What hp level can the heads flow before porting?

Autographx · Feb 26, 2010

I've always heard that the 96-98 bottom end can handle about 490hp. I have a buddy who built the bottom end on his 98 and was told that he was good for 600hp (crank HP)

bditty50 · Feb 26, 2010

I don't think that is right I've heard much higher on that.

tank_567 · Feb 26, 2010

bditty50 said:
I don't think that is right I've heard much higher on that.

um yeah maybe in a 03-04 cobra or 06-10 gt500, they can go into the 800rwhp with no issues.

96-01 cobras/mark VIII 03-04 mach 1, and all other N/A 4v engines have the same crank, rod/piston setup, your not going to see more than 500rwhp on them before you blow them out the side of the block. Stock heads can take you into the 600rwhp on C heads and some have seen over 500 on stock b heads. 93-97 mark VIII had the best 4.6L aluminum blocks made, 99/01 are crap. 96-98 cobras are ok cars, but if you have the money just buy an 03-04 cobra or a 05-09 GT.

bditty50 · Feb 26, 2010

I'm talking not the factory rods and pistons building one of these engines. I know they handle for more then 600hp. The blocks are said to handle 1000+ hp and also, the blocks of the 96-98 cobras are the same as the mark cars.

Jamin McKenzie · Feb 27, 2010

Block is said to be good to about 1000-1200 hp. (Teksid) Best block they made, so they say.
Crank is forged.
Heads are great for blown applications.
Rods and pistons suck.
The general guideline is stay under 400RWHP on STOCK internals. After that you are really playing with fire and it's not a matter of if, but when you are gonna blow her up.

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