jthorn9

OK I'm open to suggestions here but here's the deal. As my 5.0 sits it's pretty much dead, while it runs I use that term loosely it barely goes 50 feet. Needless to say I need a whole new engine block with external accessories. I plan on selling the kenne bell unit because I need the car to be a daily driver again so keep that in mind when answering and my fiance' will be driving this car as well so last thing I need is for her to be in control of a 400+ rwhp car. So here's my question; should I:

1.) Buy a 94/95 H.O. used engine with low miles (complete assembly) and just swap out the heads/intake with my GT-40x heads and ported intakes (which are all in perfect condition its my block that's fried)? Should make 280 bhp with my supporting mods N/A

1.B) Buy a 94/95 H.o engine (complete assembly) and swap the GT-40 x heads, intake, and kenne bell over, convert over to 24lb injectors, and run a low 6 psi? Should make approx 350 bhp

2.) Buy a 94/95 Cobra engine with around 100K on the motor (complete assembly) for double the price of the H.O. motor and sell EVERYTHING of of my current motor? Should make approx 255 bhp with my supporting mods N/A

2.B) Buy a 94/95 Cobra engine with around 100K on the motor (complete assembly) for double the price of the H.O. motor and sell EVERYTHING of of my current motor? However just use the Kenne Bell and run a low 6 psi? Should make approx 330 bhp with my supporting mods N/A

3.) Buy the 94/95 H.O motor and install it as is and return the car to a slow *** 5.slow? Should make 225 bhp N/A

3.B) Buy the 94/95 H.O motor and install just the Kenne Bell running 6 psi and the GT-40 lower intake? Should make 300 bhp N/A?

Keep in mind this isn't the only thing I need to do to the car so I'm trying to keep things on a budget but the parts I have to sell still hold some value, however with that said I want the car to have some "*****" per say.

For reference I'm asking $3000 for the Kenne Bell with the cai, maf, 30lb injectors, gauge pod, gauges, fmb, and the bolts.

If I sold the heads I'd ask $500 (they have just been fully cleaned and resurfaced however may need to be resurfaced again after being reinstalled on the car and ran for all of 10 miles at best)

If I sold the ported 94/95 gt-40 intakes I have of which the upper is powdercoated I'd ask $400

THIS IS NOT A FOR SALE ADD THAT'S JUST FOR REFFERENCE. Want to see what others think.

In addition I need new front/rear seats, a new 94/95 gauge cluster, some minor interior electrical work, and new tires.

mjr46

option 1 seems most cost effective..........but you have to decide how much coin you have to throw at it, if it's not much cross off the ones that cost more, sacrifices often must be made to fit ones budget....focus more on your upcoming wedding

jthorn9

Yep, I've pretty much crossed out option 2, but wanted to see others' ideas and opinions. Used parts don't seem to sell very well cause people want a deal of a life time and I certainly didn't get a deal of a life time when I bought the stuff so using what I have seems best. What I don't use will likely be scrapped along with a lot of other metal and aluminum we have around here. Won't make much money but I'll probably get $100-200 in scrap.

TrimDrip

I have a kb with a fried motor also. Not really but, since a soleniod stuck on the meth, it has oil smoke out one tailpipe. On 6lbs of boost with the stock gt40p heads and stock cam it made 377hp, with the meth it made 390 on the dynojet.

I really don't feel the kb is streetable. There is no intercooler and the car will never hook. 490 lbs of torque at such a low rpm just doesn't make me happy for a street car.

I have considered rebuilding since it is the easiest and cheapest route. I already have a tune that I know will work. Maybe even getting another tune on the flip switch just to slow it down a bit. But, I am considering anouther route for power like a vortech or just all motor. All motor is expensive it goes fast though. No 302 is going to make the torque I am making know without a pissload of money thrown at it.

jthorn9

I'm not entirely sure what's wrong with my motor but in August of 2009 the drivers side head gasket blew, and I mean blew, cylinders 6/7/8 between all blew and at one of the water jackets. It also looks like the rear main seal blew, and one of the caps on the heads blew out as well. Ever since then my motor has never ran right, but I had to change the crank pulley/balancer (old one semi spun off) and because of Firestones amazing work my crank bolt is striped and the new balancer won't seat all the way. The motor runs but feels either out of balance, or like it's misfiring or something. Like I said ever since August of 09 it has never worked right and for about 6 months before that, even before the Kenne Bell it was iffy. I figured I have multiple sensor problems and possibly problems with the block itself, I know the crank bolt housing is stripped out. So I figure if I get a new block it will cure all the old issues. Just don't feel like swapping out the heads on up again, but I hate the stock H.O engines performance, it has torque but falls on its face in the middle rps when the torque fades out and there isn't a lot of supporting horse power. Nothing like my 99 Cobra where it pulls like a beast in the middle to upper RPMs. My other fear is that my GT-40 X heads could be damaged but from what I could tell, aside from that freeze plug blowing out nothing was wrong with them other than needing to be remilled.

I like the Kenne Bell but I'm getting the feeling that even at a mild 6 psi it may cause issues with the engine. All I know that reguardless when I put the GT-40 x heads on this time I'm buying and using stud mount bolts and high performance gaskets because of the aluminum heads willingness to warp due to temperature difference between the block and heads.

jthorn9

Only reason I'm rebuilding this car is because used Mustangs are hard to find around here and when they pop up dealers want an arm and a leg for them, and not to mention every, asside from the motor, including the heads up, has less than 20,000 miles on it. The whole car, aside from the frame and paint itself is brand new. So once I put a new block in it, and it runs again, the block will likely be the item with the most miles on it on the car.

TrimDrip

lol, yeah, 6psi causes problems. When I put mine on, the balnacer spun within 25 miles of drving. Then the clutch went out, which was expected but, they were the first things to go. I had the same blown gasket problem on the head gaskets from the car running lean. After the tune, it was too late. I bought a gt40p engine and retuned but, the meth solonoid stuck closed and it was over in one pull.

If I do go back, meth won't be on the car. They say it can be tuned in to lower timing at certain air temps but, the meth really doesn't lower the air temps a whole lot anyways. Just seems like asking for trouble from a non tuner point of view.

As far as heads, I would go with a decked block and new or surfaced aluminum heads along with a multilayer steel gasket. Or just stick with iron heads since they really make more power than I need out of the car anyways. I will definantly being going with studs. I would have this time but, I never removed the heads since they had been on the engine since day one. My new seals do leak a bit but, I believe they have sealed off. I find it hard to believe a motor with air forced in the engine will be oil leak free anyways. At least not as long as a na motor.

If I were you, I would look into heli coiling the crank. I have never seen or heard about it being done but, i don't see why it couldn't be.

jthorn9

WTF is heli coiling the crank?

From what I've seen I think on Monday I'm just gonna order a new H.O. engine assembly, new head gaskets, and stud bolts. Then go outside drive the car to the slab, and start tearing it down to pull the motor so that when the new one gets in all the parts are ready and all I have to do is tear down that motor, clean it up, and put on my GT-40 stuff. Then Take pics, and sell what I can. Should be able to drive the car by next month if all goes as well as planned. Probably much sooner but I leave in time for work, bad weather, delay in parts, and problems. I'm gonna have my heads checked out to make sure they aren't screwed up, if not then have them resurfaced and bolt them onto my new block. Only other thing I need to get is a new radiator because when my last crank spun off it cracked my already brand new radiator, how lovely.

TrimDrip

heli coil is what is used to repair a stripped hole. You can take an aluminum head, intake or starter, heli coil it and it will be better than it ever was fresh off the assembly line. A crank, I really don't know about that but, I still believe a balancer could be torqued to the correct spec with a heli coil. Your motor won't have to come out of the car. The balancer for that matter may not be needed to be removed.

All it is, is taking a drill and drilling out the hole. running a tap through it and installing one of these.

jthorn9

Well the problem is the crank bolt is fine thread and most taps are course, in short it would need to be machined because of the size of the bolt that goes into the crank. In short I'm just gonna get a new lower millage motor. My 5.0 has approx 150,000 miles on it and all types of sensors have failed or are giving issues so I can desperately use anything that comes on a new motor in that ball park. If I can get a new (used) motor with about 50-70,000 on it I will be happy and this time I'll do things much differently and never boost the motor, put higher flow fuel stuff, and all those other things on the car I had before. Just the Ford heads and intake are the only things to just give the motor that little extra umph.