New Heads and Cams Are In

[marcspaz]

I installed a set of Livernios Stage 3 heads and Comp Cams Stage 3 cams.

Well, all I can say is WOW! It's like I installed a damn supercharger! I can tell you that it will scare the hell out of most people. I can't imagine how sick it's gonna be once I get it tuned on the dyno.

I am going to wait about a week before I get any good numbers. My builder wants me to wait til I have 300-500 miles on it before we go nuts. That should give me some time to buy a Wideband O2 setup.

I want to say thanks to John over at BBR, Rick at Livernios, and Rich at RadMustangs for all the input and information. It was a big help.

Scott, thanks for all the help getting the car finished today. Get a tune so we can get those Stage 2 cams in your car.

Lastly, but by no means least, I need to give a special thanks to my friend Chris (owner of Excessive Motorsports) for giving me a place to work for a few days, loan of some tools, and the help turing the wrench.

I'll put some numbers up once I tune it and get to the track.

Spaz

 

[fullsayl]

LOL

I am so damn jealous Marc, well done. I can't wait to hear the real world results!

~Matty

 

[andyman]

awesome man, nothing like getting more power!

 

[Boss281]

I'm curious Marc. Dropping the motor/tranny gives you plenty of room with just a bit more planning and work, but do you think there might have been room to swap the heads IN the car????

 

[stkjock]

congrats Marc!

how about some vids!

 

[firestang70]

Congrays Marc!

 

[Rygen]

Awesome Marc. Can't wait to see what it puts down.

 

[Steedman07]

Grats on the new power...!!

 

[andyman]

congrats Marc!

how about some vids!

2nd'd

 

[ZmanM3]

Outstanding, I bet you can't wait to get it to the track.

 

[marcspaz]

I'm curious Marc. Dropping the motor/tranny gives you plenty of room with just a bit more planning and work, but do you think there might have been room to swap the heads IN the car????

Well, I'll give you a quick idea as to why dropping the motor was a good idea.

While leaving the motor in the car, it took me 8 hours to just swap my long tubes. With the motor in the car it took me 4 hours to install my stage 2 cams. That is about 12 hours just for those two things.

It took me 7 hours to drop the motor, completely strip all the old parts off the block, disassemble the old heads, and do all the prep-work for the install. The next day, I spent another 10 hours doing the complete build, installing the motor, and tuning the car. That is a total of 17 hours.

If I left the motor in the car, I doubt I could have done all the head and timing related stuff in 5 hours. And even if I could, you are talking about spending that whole 17 hours hunched over the fenders with your back at a 45 to 80 deg angle... no thanks.

congrats Marc!

how about some vids!

I'll try to shoot some today. I few seconds of idle, a pull-away, and a drive by should do the trick...

Outstanding, I bet you can't wait to get it to the track.

You can't image dude. There are 6 tracks with 80 miles of my house. I am going nuts, but I have to put some miles on it before I pound on it. Next weekend will work. I will have no less than 350 miles on it by next Saturday.

 

[05yellowgt]

Why wait so long to get on it? Its not like there is much break in required for the heads or cams.

 

[andyman]

What's with all the break-ins people like to do? I'm going to install a new air freshener but I won't turn the a/c on past 1 for 200 miles so that it can properly break in.

 

[BSell]

Why wait so long to get on it? Its not like there is much break in required for the heads or cams.

What about the cam-follower relationship? Stem-guides getting to know each other?

I know there is a school of thought that goes, run her like you will from day one to ensure thight seals. This is the direct opposite of 'traditional' break-in advice which says to ease into the expected duty cycle.

I wonder what the NACAR guys do for 'break-in' on their restrictor plate engines? Talk about a durability challange!

Don't the top fuel drag guys swap bearings after every run? I believe they do warm ups to ensure things are right/warm and then its 'hammer time!' I guess the warm ups are thier 'break-in,' right?

Brian

 

[marcspaz]

Why wait so long to get on it? Its not like there is much break in required for the heads or cams.

What's with all the break-ins people like to do? I'm going to install a new air freshener but I won't turn the a/c on past 1 for 200 miles so that it can properly break in.

I'll tell you what guys, when you have 150 - 200 hours of labor and $50k invested in buying and modding your Mustang, you can bang it around all you want.

I am going to make sure it's gonna hold together under normal operation before I go 8000 RPM WOT, dumpn' the clutch, and slamn' gears.

What about the cam-follower relationship? Stem-guides getting to know each other?

I know there is a school of thought that goes, run her like you will from day one to ensure thight seals. This is the direct opposite of 'traditional' break-in advice which says to ease into the expected duty cycle.

I wonder what the NACAR guys do for 'break-in' on their restrictor plate engines? Talk about a durability challange!

Don't the top fuel drag guys swap bearings after every run? I believe they do warm ups to ensure things are right/warm and then its 'hammer time!' I guess the warm ups are thier 'break-in,' right?

Brian

You bring up some valid points. I have been told by Comp and Livernios that there is no "break-in procedure". That does not mean parts don't need time to mesh and seat for optimum performance.

As far as pro racers and their cars... most of the teams you see on TV have a budget that is so high, it may as well be unlimited. NASCAR team have several spare engines, do rebuilds damn near every race, and only need to get there car to hold together for 500 miles or less before the next engine goes in.

Same thing with pro drag cars. The have these engines and trans that need to hold together at max power for about 7 - 8 miles total. Then they are doing swaps and rebuilds. Shoot, I personally have seen Top Fuel teams swap motors in the pits.

Me personally, I need my car to last a min of 100,000 miles for the next 5 years with a variety of uses from commuting to work, to date night with the wife, to a low 12 sec pass at the track (coming soon ). So, I don't mind waiting 4 days to put some miles on it before I dyno the car. Seems reasonable to me.

 

[andyman]

I'll tell you what guys, when you have 150 - 200 hours of labor and $50k invested in buying and modding your Mustang, you can bang it around all you want.

dude, at $50k invested for car+parts you better be running faster than low 12's.


any videos on the way?

 

[marcspaz]

dude, at $50k invested for car+parts you better be running faster than low 12's.


any videos on the way?

Making big numbers NA is a lot more expensive than if I went FI, that's for sure. I hope to see 11's, but we'll see.

I do want to shoot some video of the car. I may do that this afternoon once I get home from work. I hope to get some track video soon too. I will post it up when I get a chance.

 

[white07]

does the car lope alot with those stage 3 cams?

 

[Boss281]

So, I don't mind waiting 4 days to put some miles on it before I dyno the car. Seems reasonable to me.

Does that mean you're running Superstallions track rental on Saturday at Cecil County Dragway? I was thinking about selling my ticket since I haven't been able to get the new changes in place and my car is not making the power it should. But if you're going to do your first runs I'll go anyhow and do some video for you.

 

[marcspaz]

does the car lope alot with those stage 3 cams?

A bit, but not as much as the stage 2.

Does that mean you're running Superstallions track rental on Saturday at Cecil County Dragway? I was thinking about selling my ticket since I haven't been able to get the new changes in place and my car is not making the power it should. But if you're going to do your first runs I'll go anyhow and do some video for you.

I am not 100% sure. Lindsay is a bit upset that the last 2 weekends I spent 100% of my time working on the car. I might be able to sneak up there for a bit depending on when it is.

Send me a PM with the pricing info (link for event site?) and I will let you after I talk to her.

I have the stock heads at my house when you are ready too. I can bring them up maybe today or Thursday.