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welp, it finally happened

  • Thread starter Thread starter Poisoned Pony
  • Start date Start date Jan 21, 2009
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Poisoned Pony

Founding Member
Dec 17, 2000
286
0
17
Citrus Heights, CA
Jan 21, 2009
#1
  • Jan 21, 2009
  • #1
I've been nursing a bad rod bearing since mid-November and today it gave it's final notice. I pulled off the freeway coming home from class and noticed the rattling was ALOT worse than before. She stalled out a couple of times trying to get her home, but I eventually made it.

I was able to limp it to the garage without making the block air-cooled


Last pic of the stock motor. I'll start tearing her down this weekend, getting it ready to be pulled. Some of the parts on the top end side will make it to the new motor


My "workshop" lol. Story behind the block: fresh, stock rebuild that has a bad wristpin. Mileage with the wristpin is unknown, so off to the machine the block will go to be inspected.


Close up of the block. I removed the oil pan, pump and pick-up today along with #8 piston. The rest of the internals and the crank will be pulled tomorrow. Behind you can see the Romeo PI heads I got for free. They'll receive a port and polish job. The Ford Racing box is my high flow oil pump. The collection of boxes behind it is all the gaskets and bearings for the new motor.


I'm borrowing my pop's Ranger to get to school and work while the wifey is away doing the Army thing. She'll be back in May, but I hope to have this done by end of March.

now that the rebuild is in hyper-drive, my plan has been set:
- Romeo block based, .020 over
- forged Cobra crank out of a '96
- MMR rods
- Probe pistons, shooting for 9.55:1 compression

Cams are up in the air right now, definitely an upgrade from the VT Stage 1's are in order. I'm hoping to have the block at the machine shop in a couple of weeks
 

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CobraRed_96_GT

Active Member
May 20, 2006
1,421
4
39
UCSD/La Jolla
Jan 21, 2009
#2
  • Jan 21, 2009
  • #2
Oh snap man! Are you having MMR do the boring? Let me know and I'm sure i can get you a deal, they did that for me last week and are balancing my internals now. Plus they have a forum (sorta like this) where you get a $1 per post.
You shoulda told me you need a crank - i got teh hookups. If you need one let me know, i just direct you to the right people who have em, $170-210 usually.
Try to use manley rods if you can find them for around the same price. I actually have a set out of a 03 cobra with 11.6k miles, but they are used. If i find a new set i can pm ya.
Probe's aren't bad, but why 9.55:1 compression if i may ask.
Also i'd say go higher than VT stag 1's i know you can get it to pass smog with my stock h-pipe - or if you find some stage II blower cams, I'll trade you mine - lol.
 

Poisoned Pony

Founding Member
Dec 17, 2000
286
0
17
Citrus Heights, CA
Jan 21, 2009
#3
  • Jan 21, 2009
  • #3
CobraRed_96_GT said:
Oh snap man! Are you having MMR do the boring? Let me know and I'm sure i can get you a deal, they did that for me last week and are balancing my internals now. Plus they have a forum (sorta like this) where you get a $1 per post.
You shoulda told me you need a crank - i got teh hookups. If you need one let me know, i just direct you to the right people who have em, $170-210 usually.
Try to use manley rods if you can find them for around the same price. I actually have a set out of a 03 cobra with 11.6k miles, but they are used. If i find a new set i can pm ya.
Probe's aren't bad, but why 9.55:1 compression if i may ask.
Also i'd say go higher than VT stag 1's i know you can get it to pass smog with my stock h-pipe - or if you find some stage II blower cams, I'll trade you mine - lol.
Click to expand...

I wish I was close to MMR to have them doing the boring. Going with a local shop that has alot of modular experience. I'll have them check out the block and balance the internals and clean up the crank. I just picked up a '96 uniit for $150, so I'm set there.
I'm trying to hunt down a set of Manleys, but the MMR's don't seem too bad, plus they're a good deal and brand new. LMK on those that you have.
9.55:1 is for the sake of my ability to switch minds on what power adder I want lol 1 dy I'm staying the nitrous route, next I'm blower. I may just bump it and go with nitrous and compression just to be different from the crowd.
The cams will be atleast a Stage 2. I have the VT Stage 1's and I want change. I'm not too worried about smog. If I stay in Cali, I have a hook-up, but the next time the car is registered, it'll probably be in Utah or Montana.
 

CobraRed_96_GT

Active Member
May 20, 2006
1,421
4
39
UCSD/La Jolla
Jan 21, 2009
#4
  • Jan 21, 2009
  • #4
Poisoned Pony said:
I wish I was close to MMR to have them doing the boring. Going with a local shop that has alot of modular experience. I'll have them check out the block and balance the internals and clean up the crank. I just picked up a '96 uniit for $150, so I'm set there.
I'm trying to hunt down a set of Manleys, but the MMR's don't seem too bad, plus they're a good deal and brand new. LMK on those that you have.
9.55:1 is for the sake of my ability to switch minds on what power adder I want lol 1 dy I'm staying the nitrous route, next I'm blower. I may just bump it and go with nitrous and compression just to be different from the crowd.
The cams will be atleast a Stage 2. I have the VT Stage 1's and I want change. I'm not too worried about smog. If I stay in Cali, I have a hook-up, but the next time the car is registered, it'll probably be in Utah or Montana.
Click to expand...
Oh, i thought you WANTED VT stage 1's i misread.
Yeah, i have a full set of 03 cobra Manley's in the classifieds, but i'll look for some new ones for you - that's what i did: stumbled upon a set of new manleys for DIRT cheap. I'd rather take someone else's money and make a good profit on my manleys since i'd feel bad doing so with you. I think staying nitrous would be a great idea, and you could stay with N/A cams. Although piston selection would be rather important as nitrous beats up pistons, maybe MMR rods and a more expensive piston would be in order. I'll pm you about some inside info on that.
Glad you got a crank cheap, that or a lil less is about what i've been paying for em.
I'm excited, keep us updated - I just did all this. Oh, and subzero on corral.net is selling a set of rod bearings that you'll need for cheap - i pm'd him about them a long time ago and he never got back to me but now has em up again
 

Poisoned Pony

Founding Member
Dec 17, 2000
286
0
17
Citrus Heights, CA
Jan 21, 2009
#5
  • Jan 21, 2009
  • #5
CobraRed_96_GT said:
Oh, i thought you WANTED VT stage 1's i misread.
Yeah, i have a full set of 03 cobra Manley's in the classifieds, but i'll look for some new ones for you - that's what i did: stumbled upon a set of new manleys for DIRT cheap. I'd rather take someone else's money and make a good profit on my manleys since i'd feel bad doing so with you. I think staying nitrous would be a great idea, and you could stay with N/A cams. Although piston selection would be rather important as nitrous beats up pistons, maybe MMR rods and a more expensive piston would be in order. I'll pm you about some inside info on that.
Glad you got a crank cheap, that or a lil less is about what i've been paying for em.
I'm excited, keep us updated - I just did all this. Oh, and subzero on corral.net is selling a set of rod bearings that you'll need for cheap - i pm'd him about them a long time ago and he never got back to me but now has em up again
Click to expand...

send me some pics of Manleys, I may be very interested airbornematt@gmail.com
inside info on some good pistons would be appreciated The nitrous/N/A setup is enticing me since hardly anyone with a modular sticks to that route.
What bearings is he selling? I just bought some Speed-Pro's through my school for very nice price
 

CobraRed_96_GT

Active Member
May 20, 2006
1,421
4
39
UCSD/La Jolla
Jan 21, 2009
#6
  • Jan 21, 2009
  • #6
Poisoned Pony said:
send me some pics of Manleys, I may be very interested airbornematt@gmail.com
inside info on some good pistons would be appreciated The nitrous/N/A setup is enticing me since hardly anyone with a modular sticks to that route.
What bearings is he selling? I just bought some Speed-Pro's through my school for very nice price
Click to expand...
He just sold them for $30 shipped, lol. They were Speed-Pro main bearings.
 

blckstng96

Member
Apr 13, 2004
208
0
16
Jan 21, 2009
#7
  • Jan 21, 2009
  • #7
is the inside info on the mmr rods? haha
 

CobraRed_96_GT

Active Member
May 20, 2006
1,421
4
39
UCSD/La Jolla
Jan 21, 2009
#8
  • Jan 21, 2009
  • #8
blckstng96 said:
is the inside info on the mmr rods? haha
Click to expand...
No, their manley pistons
 

slayr281

The poster formerly known as slayr420
Founding Member
Jun 15, 1999
7,591
18
98
San Diego, California
Jan 21, 2009
#9
  • Jan 21, 2009
  • #9
Sounds like fun, keep us updated
 

BlownStangGT

REPEAT
Founding Member
Jan 22, 2002
3,860
6
58
Lancaster, PA
Jan 21, 2009
#10
  • Jan 21, 2009
  • #10
Should be fun, cant wait till you get it back running.......bigger and better as always
 

CobraRed_96_GT

Active Member
May 20, 2006
1,421
4
39
UCSD/La Jolla
Jan 21, 2009
#11
  • Jan 21, 2009
  • #11
4.7L FTW
 

LaserSVT

Got FB banned again for saying nards
Founding Member
Nov 29, 1999
9,390
3,536
233
Jan 21, 2009
#12
  • Jan 21, 2009
  • #12
sORRY FOR THE ENGINE BUT SOUNDS LIKE YOU HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR IT TO HAPPEN AND SEEM LIKE YOUR ON THE RIGHT TRACK FOR A REBUILD
(damn caps! )

Anyway CobraRed know the ins and outs on these engines so there is definatly a good source for parts and advice
 

02nightmaregt

To hell with your Mustang, I want to see your HOG!
Jul 1, 2007
513
4
19
Southern Indiana
Jan 21, 2009
#13
  • Jan 21, 2009
  • #13
Well that sucks it blew, but in a good way. At least now you get to rebuild it into a bigger better BEAST. It'll also give you something to do while the woman is deployed. Keep us updated
 

BurningRubber

10 Year Member
Dec 6, 2004
1,865
24
58
Jan 21, 2009
#14
  • Jan 21, 2009
  • #14
Sucks it let go man, but I am sure it will be worth it all the way when it's back up and running...
 

Poisoned Pony

Founding Member
Dec 17, 2000
286
0
17
Citrus Heights, CA
Jan 22, 2009
#15
  • Jan 22, 2009
  • #15
got all 8 pistons and rods out of the shortblock. Originally, the seller said it had a bad wrist-pin but all I could find was a bad rod bearing. Seller said it had about 100 miles before being pulled and I would have to agree with him because everything is in awesome condition. I'll take some pics tomorrow and post them up
 

Poisoned Pony

Founding Member
Dec 17, 2000
286
0
17
Citrus Heights, CA
Jan 23, 2009
#16
  • Jan 23, 2009
  • #16
Update for today:

shortblock is pretty much broken down. I still have the stock GT crank in it for the sake of storage. All the internals are in great shape and will be up for sale here soon. The wrist pin problem was never found, but I did find a burnt rod bearing on the #1 piston/rod.





picked up the Cobra crank today


rods should be here next week as well.
 

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BurningRubber

10 Year Member
Dec 6, 2004
1,865
24
58
Jan 23, 2009
#17
  • Jan 23, 2009
  • #17
Bad ass. That shot of the cylinder wall looks like it is in great condition.
 

CobraRed_96_GT

Active Member
May 20, 2006
1,421
4
39
UCSD/La Jolla
Jan 23, 2009
#18
  • Jan 23, 2009
  • #18
Damn, that shortblock is immaculate.

Me like cross hatching:
 

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02LaserRed2V

New Member
Jul 30, 2004
379
1
0
Augusta, GA
Jan 23, 2009
#19
  • Jan 23, 2009
  • #19
Congrats! I think? lol
 

georgio440

Member
Nov 22, 2007
195
0
17
Walnut Creek, CA
Jan 23, 2009
#20
  • Jan 23, 2009
  • #20
Wait, to the OP, do you go to UTI?
 
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