What should I do for the long run???

[USAstang]

I mentioned earlier I was burning oil at a rate of 2-3 quarts per oil change.

What should I do in the long run here's a list of what I bought the car of one of my good friends I've known for a long time.

Aftermarket headers
No cats w/ flows
3.73
cam (doesn't have receipts)
1.7 rockers
K&N (just a drop in)

I don't think the car is leaking oil but rather burning it.

If I get my engine rebuilt what should I have done to it? I know it's a very open ended question but my goal is to have around 450 hp.

Should I go and get ring work done and all new gaskets (also where should I take it?? What is a good place to have this done), and go with a blower setup?

I'd like to keep everything under 6000$ or so this will be my own college grad present for myself.

Just want to have light at the end of the tunnel so its another incentive to do well in school

Any ideas are welcome, just want some sort of plan so I know where I'm going with this car. Take care and thanks again for helping a noob out.

 

[wickdgt]

Im not a pro but you could be losing oil from the rings or valve seals. Pull your plugs if any are oil soaked that is a sure sign. I believe if your valve seals are bad when you down ****s you will see blue smoke.

 

[5.0 Nostalgia]

Long run plans need some thought. Develop a goal for the type of power you want to make (looks like you did that) and how you want to get it. Looks like you want to do a blower. Is that now or in the future? If you are going to put out 450hp, you need to think about good internals. Also, you may want to invest in a new block. Plenty of folks have used the factory A50 block with that power, but many have wishboned them with less. I would save all that for later and build the rest of the car first. Put all the stuff you have now on. Do a leakdown and compression test first. I have 2 91's and neither consume as much oil as you describe. My 89 does though. Maybe pull the heads to see if you are getting blow-by. If so, then do a minor rebuild with rings and bearings now and save the money. If you have the money now, maybe you want to just do everything.

 

[USAstang]

Hmm good ideas from both of you and thanks. I'll look at the plugs this Xmas break, and I'll look into doing a possible rebuild.

 

[88GT17MA]

having a plan is the hardest part. $6000 is a reasonable amount of money to get pretty far into the project. Like nostalgia said, worry about the rest of the car first. Get your suspension and brakes done and think about the ENTIRE drivetrain rather than just the engine. If your are going to have 450 HP you need a rebuild. A 450 HP engine is not just an engine it is a PERFORMANCE engine and needs to be built right and strong. I would second what was said about maybe getting a new block or at least bring it to a machine shop. After you drop $6000 you will be happy with the power, but you will be kicking your tires stuck on the side of the road one night when something crucial falls apart because of a hack job. Any project is going to cost more than you thought so I learned to start small and then have money left over to keep going rather than start big and be broke with a half built/finished car.

 

[Grn92LX]

For $6,000 you can buy a 347 stroker and the necessary parts. I suggest PM'ing Rick91GT on here since he builds engines at a good price. YOu could do 400rwhp with a 347 w/o too much sweat, but it will cost ya. You do NOT need any of that forged 4340 stuff.

 

[rd]

Do a compression test, and it all cylinders are similar, and the car generally runs ok, you will probably have some improvement with just changing the valve stem seals. I think Ford considers a quart in 800 miles acceptable for 5.0 Mustangs, back when they were in warranty. If you have some smoke at startup, and while extended idling, it is a sign of worn valve seals, and maybe valve guides.

 

[USAstang]

Should I just save a bit more and go buy a mod'd mustang with the specs I want? Is it worth the trouble dropping 6g's on a car when with a bit more you can get one with my goal hp?

I'm a lil pissed right now since I have to take my radiator to get fixed, damn dump truck spit out a rock so fast I couldn't avoid it and it dinged it where it has to be leaking, there's no other logical reason for my car to be losing fluid. It was running perfectly fine not to long ago. Sorry for venting, just seems ditching my plan to work on my car seems somewhat pointless if with just a bit more $$ I can get the car with what I want. But it would mean alot more to work on the car I have now since it is my dad and I's project. More info that you guys need, but ohwell.

 

[2002BLGT]

losing that much oil it would be fouling a plug once a week , I would bet anything the engine is fine and it just needs a lower intake gasket becuase its probably puking oil out the back , like 9 out of 10 5.0Ls on the road that or the PCV screen in the back of the intake is all gummed up .....I would pull the intake first after a compression check which I would bet money will come out just fine ....then do a HCI swap and that should get you in the 300+ range fairly cheap .....and then get a good blower on top that should get you the 450 you are looking for and still have change from 6 grand .....IMO...... it wouldnt be burning that much oil and not fouling a plug or 3 .......

 

[USAstang]

Yeah the only factor left out of the HCI is the "I" but I'm waiting on going to the local junkyards and crossing my fingers. First things first is the radiator though :-(

But will the stock motor be ok handling 450hp? as well as the t5 tranny?