Mustang Engine Builder Program
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Click to expand.Sorry guys. Wound up busy helping a friend out on his car this weekend, and been working 12+ hour days so far this week. I'll make a new thread once I get all the receipts and all for proof, but here's a rough draft through. Pistons: used 03/04 Cobra pistons.
I got mine for $50. Low miles in perfect shape. I've seen them go for around $100 several times on online forums. Berthold akzidenz grotesk light condensed. Rods: you can get brand new Boss 302 rods for $180 shipped from Tousley Ford (now called AutoNation Ford White Bear Lake). Just got the email confirmation. Right at $180 shipped. Rod bearings: King OEM replacement, from Excessive Motorsports (who now owns Modular Head Shop).
$40 Main bearings: King OEM replacement, from Excessive Motorsports. $55 Main bolts: OEM replacement, Modular Head Shop. $35 Rod bolts: OEM Ford. $40 Rings: ModMax Moly rings. $120 Head gaskets / bolts: FRPP head changing kit.
$90 Machine shop work on the block: was quoted $100 to hone and clean the block, and polish the crank. I'd figure another $25 to install the pistons to the rods.
Figure $100 for all the gaskets (intake, oil cooler, timing cover, etc.). $50 for oil and coolant. All comes out to just under $900. That's for a motor good to 600 rwhp as long as it's kept under 6500ish RPM. As mentioned, I'll post up more specific links and receipts later. But that's all pretty well accurate.
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Click to expand.Not necessary as it's externally balanced. As long as you use a matched set of rods, and a matched set of pistons, it'll be fine as long as you aren't going huge RPM with it (600). The guy who ported my blower also does engine building (he has the fastest manual transmission Coyote 5.0, i.e. Knows what he's talking about), and says he regularly builds mild 2-valve engine builds.
For a budget build, he uses the exact same parts I listed above minus the pistons (I think he goes with a cheap set of Mahle's instead). Said he never has it balanced at the machine shop, and has never had a problem. Take it FWIW.
Not necessary as it's externally balanced. As long as you use a matched set of rods, and a matched set of pistons, it'll be fine as long as you aren't going huge RPM with it (600). The guy who ported my blower also does engine building (he has the fastest manual transmission Coyote 5.0, i.e. Knows what he's talking about), and says he regularly builds mild 2-valve engine builds. For a budget build, he uses the exact same parts I listed above minus the pistons (I think he goes with a cheap set of Mahle's instead). Said he never has it balanced at the machine shop, and has never had a problem. Take it FWIW.
Click to expand.I'm sure they did it, and it definitely is 'better' to have it balanced. The question is whether or not 'better' is needed. My understanding is that the factory tolerances are quite wide when it comes to balancing, and anything aftermarket is well within that range. I suspect the rods I bought from a 2012 Boss 302 are WAY closer to each other than the ones in a 15 year old 2-valve motor. I weighed the pistons/wrist pins I got from a Cobra, and the total range on those was less than.5 grams.
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So I'm pretty sure I'll be good. I'm sure they did it, and it definitely is 'better' to have it balanced. The question is whether or not 'better' is needed. My understanding is that the factory tolerances are quite wide when it comes to balancing, and anything aftermarket is well within that range. I suspect the rods I bought from a 2012 Boss 302 are WAY closer to each other than the ones in a 15 year old 2-valve motor. I weighed the pistons/wrist pins I got from a Cobra, and the total range on those was less than.5 grams.
So I'm pretty sure I'll be good. I really need to start up a build thread./quote Yes, spend the money upfront and then you will thank yourself later. A balance not only helps with motor life but also makes more power. Plus, that way instead of guessing, you know.