Finally After 1 Year And 105 Days The Start Up Day Has Arrived.

[Venom351R]

Tomrrow I will go to start up the Cobra after this long project has started. What started out as a simple head swap turned into a lot more and encounterd some delays, hang ups and problems along the way. But hopefully all of that is behind me and as for tomorrow it will be running. I'm picking up my Prochamber and Flowtubes later today which have been modified to fit together. Tomorrow I have a friend coming by to help with the install of the long tubes and the rest of the exhaust. Once the Longtubes are on I'm going to start it up and check for any issues engine wise. If it all looks good then we will install the rest of the exhaust. As long as everything goes as planned I will be going to the dyno after the first weekend in June and to the track the second weekend in June.
I'm just hoping everything goes well tomorrow. I did everything as I feel I should have as far as the reinstall of the heads/intake, setting up the valve train and everything else but being my first time doing all of it there is that ever looming voice in the back of my head that keeps saying "YOUR DOING IT WRONG" But I hope its just more of me worrying then the actual application.

Id like to thank all of those on here ( you know who you are ) and on other sites for the mountain of questions I have had over the past year and a speical thanks to Kevin for powder coating my brackets and upper/lower intake.

 

[95steedamustang]

^^^^^^
Congrats! I was happy to be able to play a small part in such a great build. Can't wait to see pics of it out of the garage and going down the road.

 

[95steedamustang]

Ive put together a lot of Mustangs in my time and judging by your patience, pics and questions, I have no doubt that its done right.

 

[Chythar]

I know that feeling of "I've missed something". Had it the first time I pulled off my brake calipers and installed stainless steel lines. I must have bled the brakes three times before I cautiously took the car for a drive. I've done so much more work to the Mustangs I've owned since then and gained a lot of confidence, but that voice is still hanging around. I'm glad it is honestly, it makes me triple-check things and catch the odd mistake that slips by.

 

[Venom351R]

Ive been reading threads on other sites from guys who are doing similar type things and I keep thinking....oh crap did I do that when I put mine back together? Did I use Soild lifters when checking for PVC? Did I screw up when I put the head gaskets on? All of these things ran through my head, I actually read through my build thread last night to be sure I actually used solid lifters lol, and I checked the old head gaskets to be sure they were the same shape type and holes as the ones I bought and installed. I did all this work along the way and double checked everything when I did it but now that a lot of time has passed I forget about all the detail I took before. Will still have to bleed the brakes before I take it out and drive it but that should not take to long.

 

[RIO5.0]

Sweet.... Good luck to ya... 1st start up is always spooky.....
I got my new shortblock sitting in the garage and hopeful to put it back together this week. I pulled the motor before I stored it last Fall. I had R&L engines in Dover build me a nice "balanced" shortblock. My old block was spanked...Damn used turbo motor had .008 - .010 taper in the piston bores and I threw it away rather then go .040 over and buy new pistons....And the money pit continues....

 

[Venom351R]

Ouch, that makes for a deep money pit. The start up and long tube install went well just dealing with issues of the exhaust fitment now.

 

[VibrantRedGT]

Back in the day when I had a blower on the car and the boost spiked to a non-comfortable level which caused headgasket issues. I took the head off and saw a piece of piston ring staring me in the face I knew it was going to be a long time before the car would be back on the road. My car was down about as long as yours. I remember the day I started that 347, I was so happy again. I couldn't believe I waited that long to get it running. Like you I had lots to buy, I spent like over $8,000 during that long year. It was worth it in the end. You'll be happy once it's running perfectly.

 

[Venom351R]

Thanks I know I will be as well. I'm a caliper change and a break system bleed away from actually driving it. Going to get a new caliper today once I had back home and get my old one off. After that its just a matter of getting it tuned again.

 

[4Jenna]

Goodluck bud!

-CE

 

[ProKiller]

i'm sure you've done everything right. good luck!

 

[Venom351R]

well it started up and ran and nothing leaked and all of that seemed good to go. This is just minor stuff I have to take care of now b/c it sat for so long. As long as I did not have to tear back into the engine to fix anything like the intake not sealing, or the head gaskets leaking then I considered it a success

 

[95BlueStallion]

I cant believe you havent updated this? Did you get it buttoned up and dynoed?

 

[95opal]

Good deal tav... now get up to NED and hunt charlie down lol

 

[Venom351R]

I have no idea what charlie is even running for times now.

The shop that is tuning it is on vacation, I'm hoping I can get it down there next week and it will be there for a few weeks before it is tuned b/c they have to do some exhaust modifications and put the cats on

 

[88stang88]

I am getting excited for you!

 

[Venom351R]

Haha me to. Everything should be done as far as the tune this month. Was hoping to have it all sorted out by May but the exhaust has posed a problem which is why the shop has to get it all to work but over all to only be a month off is pretty good considering the amount that was actually done and out of all the potential issues I could have had the ones I did have were pretty easy fix's

 

[88stang88]

Quote from A-Team

"Hannibal: I love it when a plan comes together! "

 

[Venom351R]

haha nice

 

[Venom351R]

Got the livewires on today after they were on back order forever! Had to have summit call DUI and have them send the stupid things out to me. Anyway the engine mods are complete. Found a few loose spark plugs when doing the wires, prob had a lot to do with why it was kinda lacking some power. Tightened those back up and took it for another drive, everything seemed good (except for the small seeping coolant leak from the thermo housing which I'll have the dyno shop fix, Im doing doing stuff to it for awhile now) and did a nice little lighting up of the tires in first gear Been along time since I have been able to do that, the STI is not to good at burn outs lol. Also fixed the brake pad dragging on the caliper issue. No rubbing now and it brakes really well again.