Sparks232

Im pretty new to working on cars, Ive only done a clutch on my V6 and another couple real easy bolt-ons, but what does the crank do? and where in the engine is it located?

Sparks232

anybody know what the crank does...and where inside the engine its located?

tehzack

Well, to put it simply, Its the backbone of your engine holmes. Its pushes the pistons up and down, spins the chains that turn your camshafts, turns your torque converter/ inputshaft. Just look at it this way:

Forged = = gooder.

Sparks232

allright...cool, and my girl has an automatic 02 Z-28 t-tops, and its got the 'sports package' which i think is something with the exhaust, and the chrome wheel package, but if i get this 5 speed mach 1. will i be able to beat her? she keeps talkin trash like every day about " my camaro is going to beat your car stock" oh ....it gets so annoying, but if i get the mach will i be able to take her car since its an auto? and im sure it depends on the driver, but i feel like i am a pretty good driver as far as launches and shifts goes...

_UnLiMiTeD_

stock vs stock, if you can drive good you should have her. the auto z28 is a mid 13's car. A well driven mach 1 5 speed is a low 13's

whiterabit998

go with the mach 1, there beautiful!! and you don't see them as much as you see cobras. insurence and gas would be less with a mach then a s/c cobra

xxkazp3rxx

You will only beat her if you can drive the hell out of the Mach... depends a lot on the gearing in her auto - im sure our GM fanboys can help me out but, I believe the auto Z28's came in 2 gear options.. if she has the gear in the 2s then you CAN beat her... if she has the gearing in the 3's you better practice hardcore at beating her... and if she's not stock - you can forget about it. Also unlike in Mustangs, the automatic Fbodies are BETTER performers then the manual fbodies. She can put a stall, lid and drag tires on it and be in the 12's...

I love the Mach 1... but, the bad things about it are;the mach 1 highcompression doesn't favor boost (if you ever want to s/c), and if you really want to mod the car - it still has the non forged internals, and if you want to really go fast - you'll have to replace the motor. Also it comes with the same crappy TR3650 Tranny that has TSBs all over the place for synchros... but i do love the interior.

btw, your mach 1 can beat a 99/01 Cobra by close to a 1/2 second in the qtr... nothing about the way they perform is the same. Also, a Terminator Cobra, will beat you by more then a 1/2 second in the qtr.

I know in my Terminator I get around 16mpg in the city if im driving like a good boy, and about 19-20 on the highway if im a good sane driver for the day. When I went from my GT to my Cobra, I lost 2mpg on avg, and I paid 13 dollars or so more a month for insurance. I actually pay less for my 03' Cobra on insurance then I did my 05' V6!

NeoTokyo

OK!!! Lets get down to the nitty gritty of the Mach1 engine VS Cobra.
I have personally hand dissasembled a 0 mile 03 Mach1 engine and reassembled.

Like said earlier, the Mach1 heads are the same as the 03/04 Cobra heads which have a superior flow pattern especially in the exhaust side where it actually outflows the FR500 heads in all aspects. These heads respond so absolutly incredibly well to porting, most shops will gain 30cfm over stock, a 1mm oversize in the valves will boost that level.

The cams in these heads are a .397" lift which may seem low to you 2V and OHC guys but when your talkin two valves you gotta concider that there are two 37mm intake valves opening to let more in and more lift isnt needed. An FR500 valvetrain kit for about $1300 is highly recomended as it raises the lift to a massive .472" (I forget the duration) and has a valvetrain that can handle inwards of 8500rpms fine, with the kit you get new valves with locks higher up for the stronger springs.

For the Mach1 Block. The mach1 block is an AluminumNHV block that only weights 70lbs and in being so light can only handle about 600hp by itself before starting to fail. There are portholes in the crank galley that should be smoothed out with a roller sander to prevent cracking when power levels exceed 450hp or any time you have the rotating assy out. The 03/04 Cobra block is an Iron affair that weights more and can handle a ton more abuse. The best aluminum block to use in a Mach1 or Aluminum Mod build is the 93-97 Mark VIII or 96-98 Cobra Block (Same cast) which weights only 5lbs more than the mach1 block but can handle 1200hp when prepped correctly.

For the Rotating Assy. The Mach1 had two cranks depending on transmission, the first being an Automatic transmission which had a 6blt cast iron crank which has still proven itself to 500hp boosted levels. The second being a Manual transmission which had the 8blt forged steel crank which is just as strong as the terminators. The Rods are powdered metal reguardless of trans and the pistons cast. The stock CR ratio is 10.61:1

A great idea for anyone running anything but an 03/04 Cobra is to get the oil cooler adapter from an 03/04 Cobra and install it onto your mod today.

Hope that helped a little, and if you are still dead set on a mach1 engine, I have a 0mi shortblock (6blt crank)that was put on a diagnostic at ford then used as a crash test car, and I have documentation of that, nothing in the shortblock has been touched as in removing bolts, the pan hasnt even been taken off. I went with other shortblock options, I have a few laying around.

Resource: SHM

-Eric-

Adam03GT

I would pick a cobra anyday over the mach. Just my opinion though.