Skwerl's first hot rod

[19COBRA93]

Oh no!!!! What the!!?? Many people have made a lot more than that and ran it for years without issues.

Sorry to hear that.

And many people have made much less than that and had it let go. Myself included. Mine was barely making 470 at the wheels when it destroyed itself.

 

[lethe]

I didn't even take the chance of running FI with the stock motor. I built a forged bottom end first.

 

[Pentalab]

Welp, looks like I'm building my motor a little faster than I wanted to. TVS install, first pull on the dyno and mine let go. Made 502 on what was a pretty safe tune, just to much power for the stock 3v.

What happened..did it throw a rod ? The rods are pretzel sticks in these engs. You only need just 1 bad one. What rpm did it blow at on its 1st dyno run ? That really sux though.... having an eng blow up. FRPP claims 550 crank HP with it's 11 psi whipple kits. FRPP also clearly depicts 499 rwhp. Loads of TQ too...like 390 ft lbs @ 1.5 krpm. A few of those whipple kits have resulted in a broken rod.

Jimbo

 

[KyleB]

Yep, shot a rod right through the bottom. Around 6300 - 505 to the tire with some steam rollers on the back. 305/45/18s. My stock tires dyno around 20hp more than these lol.

In other news, my strut tower brace doesn't fit over the tvs, do we have an option for another brand?

 

[skwerl]

The only strut tower brace I'm aware of that fits over the blower is the Steeda, but it may not fit under a stock hood (I have no idea). I had a GT500 brace and it hit both my hood and my throttle body. I bent it to fit but at that point I realized it wasn't doing any good so I removed it.

I started on my cam removal today. Used the Freedom Racing tool on one fucking rocker and almost tossed the damn thing out in the street. It fits in and comes out EXACTLY one way and god help you if something else is in the way. I ended up popping the rest out the old fashioned way with a flat blade screwdriver and it went much quicker than the fancy tool. I may try to use it on reassembly but I'm afraid I'll get it in there and won't be able to get it out. It's terribly time consuming and cumbersome. The video shows it being used from 10' away and never shows any close up shots, then POOF! Magically the retainers are all done. I'm thankful I didn't spend my hard earned money on it.

I also discovered yesterday that my A arm is bent from my curb encounter a couple weeks ago. Ordered up new A arms from BMR and they should be here in a day or two.

My new cams won't be here for a few days so my car is down for the time being. I'll need it tuned again once the cams are in so it may be a week or two before I can drive it again.

 

[AutoXRacer]

I bought that Freedom tool, it took me a while to get the hang of it.
I practiced on my old motor. The video is useless...doesn't even show you how to setup the tool. Thats what took me the longest was to figure out how to set it up and use it.

Once you figure that its quick and easy.

Yep, shot a rod right through the bottom. Around 6300 - 505 to the tire with some steam rollers on the back. 305/45/18s. My stock tires dyno around 20hp more than these lol.

In other news, my strut tower brace doesn't fit over the tvs, do we have an option for another brand?

Strut brace, why do you need a stinking strut brace when you are only going straight? LMAO
I gave up on that... Unless you are willing to replace the hood, we are stuck with no brace!!

6,300 RPM is what killed you!! Why did you take it up that high?

 

[BruceH]

I bought that Freedom tool, it took me a while to get the hang of it.
I practiced on my old motor. The video is useless...doesn't even show you how to setup the tool. Thats what took me the longest was to figure out how to set it up and use it.

Once you figure that its quick and easy.

I had the same experience. I've used both the Ford tool and the Freedom Racing and would much rather use the FR.

 

[skwerl]

Bruce- While you're here, could you remind me of the torque specs for the phaser bolts? I forgot already since the engine build. Also the cam cap bolts.

And my biggest issue with the FR valve spring tool is getting the damn valve fork into place. If you put it in first then you can't get the tool under the cam and the fork hangs up in the spring and on the sides of the head. There's no place for it to drop down and back up while putting the tool under the cam. If you put the tool under the cam first then you're not getting the fork installed.

I think on the install I'm just going to lay the rockers in place first and then bolt the cam down on top of them. I'll end up destroying that tool otherwise and it doesn't belong to me.

 

[AutoXRacer]

Page 6 for camshaft caps
Page 8 for phaser bolt
http://iihs.net/fsm/?dir=165&viewfile=Camshaft%20-%20LH.pdf

Camshaft Caps: Tighten to 10 Nm (89 lb-in)

Phaser Bolt:
Tighten the camshaft phaser and sprocket bolt
in 2 stages:
• Stage 1: Tighten to 40 Nm (30 lb-ft).
• Stage 2: Tighten an additional 90 degrees.

Regarding the freedom tool, you have to first place the tool under the cam, then install the foot positioning it so it will clear the head and surrounding hardware (you have to play with it), install plate, and adjust allen screw.

 

[lethe]

I put the tool in first then the leg. I also removed the little plate where the 4 allen screw are. That way you don't have to slide the leg up in there, you can just lay it in place.

 

[skwerl]

So remove the plate and leave it off? That would help.

BTW, cams are out. Amazon still hasn't shipped the new cams I ordered 2 days ago.

 

[lethe]

Yes. I never used that plate but i put it back on before i sent it to RJ in case it was needed for some reason. I couldn't figure why it was really needed in the first place. I think you will find it much easier without the plate.

 

[BruceH]

So remove the plate and leave it off? That would help.

BTW, cams are out. Amazon still hasn't shipped the new cams I ordered 2 days ago.

Yes, leave it off and remember that you will need to adjust the allen screw every time.

 

[AutoXRacer]

Hmm, I put the plate back after I set the foot.

 

[GallopingFord]

pft tools. I use a crow bar.

I find it somewhat humorous to buy an aftermarket product like camshafts from amazon.com

 

[KyleB]

Strut brace, why do you need a stinking strut brace when you are only going straight? LMAO
I gave up on that... Unless you are willing to replace the hood, we are stuck with no brace!!

6,300 RPM is what killed you!! Why did you take it up that high?

I don't have a stock hood... or did yall forget?
As for 6300, I needed an excuse to build a motor so I could hang out with you guys again!

Check out this funky STB from Hennessy

 

[eighty6gt]

6300... isn't ok?

I would not run an STB in the S197 chassis unless I was driving a car with gigantic hoosier race slicks at all four corners. It would be very unlikely that car would have a supercharger on it - think Boss 302 engine.

That Hennessey piece looks like some fine ballast.

 

[skwerl]

6300 is fine. The Bullitt has a 6500 redline from the factory.

 

[KyleB]

I guess 6300 with over 500hp on the stock motor wasn't ok, but I plan on being able to take my car to 6500 every time I drive it!

 

[eighty6gt]

I think you were unfortunate with an outlier rod that was particularly weak. Either that or the "conservative" tune let it rattle somehow.

I have noticed that I haven't ever seen a car with a VMP tune lose a stock engine. Anyone? I think Justin knows how to ensure the reciprocating assembly doesn't see the wrong sort of loads... ie: too high a torque at low rpm.