Engine Build

[intermatic]

I just heard back from the shop after sending my car in. 2 weeks ago, my car shut down on me when driving on the highway. It somehow managed to have leaked all the oil (shop thinks someone drained my oil) and the engine seized.
The shop told me that the block and heads are fine but I need a new rotating assembly. I’ll probably end up going with manley rods, diamond pistons, and a new crank. They told me that the cams are most likely okay as well, but that we could talk about possibly replacing them if that’s something I wanted to do.

My question is, do you guys think that because the engine is already out of the car and disassembled, that some new cams would be more of an option for me to consider, price wise, as opposed to someone wanting to do cams that has not already had the motor pulled? I’ve mainly read on here that the juice isn’t worth the squeeze when it comes to power gains vs price, but seeing as my engines already out, maybe it’s worth it?
(I’m planning on purchasing a 2.3 tvs for it once the engine has been assembled and back in the car as well)

What do you guys think?

I have a 2003 cobra w/ basic mods - pulley, exhaust, CAI, and 125 dry shot (nitrous to be removed with this shop visit).

 

[03SonicVert]

If you had no oil in the crankcase the cam bearings are typically the first thing to go. The cam bearings are part of the machined aluminum head itself with the cam caps/ladders also being aluminum. If an engine is starved of oil the cam ladders should be pulled and inspected. You might get lucky put if it was ran w/o oil to the point the engine seized I would think the heads and cams would be damaged.

 

[Jimmysidecarr]

If you had no oil in the crankcase the cam bearings are typically the first thing to go. The cam bearings are part of the machined aluminum head itself with the cam caps/ladders also being aluminum. If an engine is starved of oil the cam ladders should be pulled and inspected. You might get lucky put if it was ran w/o oil to the point the engine seized I would think the heads and cams would be damaged.

This!

Photos of the cam journals and the crank and rods, if you have not personally seen them yet, shame on you.

 

[intermatic]

My shop pulled the motor and sent it to the machine shop last week. This is the first I've spoken to my shop since the diagnosis.
I don't have the time, nor skills honestly to work on my car myself so I have yet to see the damage. This weekend I will most likely.
Assuming the cams are shot, my question was, is replacing the cams with some stage 2 or 3 comp cams a route I might actually want to pursue financially, given the engine has already been pulled (as opposed to replacing with factory cams). I know most guys argue that cams aren't worth the money, performance-wise, but when you take into consideration my given situation, maybe it is? That's all I was wondering.
I think aftermarket cams sounds great and would be awesome to have. I'm just curious about the amount of money I'd be saving if I decided to do them now, as opposed to later on down the road.

 

[SVT_Troy]

man it depends on how much your ready to spend and what your plans are with the car. If this is your daily and you want something reliable your best bet may be to just have the shop slap the motor back together, get a reman and send that blown motor back for your core return.

If you have the coin, time and want to build a solid motor then I'm sure the experienced guys can chime in and give you some build pointers.

 

[HandBanana]

lets see some pixors to assess the damage. If you've got the coin you might as well do cams too so that way you don't regret it later on.

 

[intermatic]

I'll get some pics to post this weekend when I visit the shop. Thanks for the replies guys.

 

[Wicked46]

You need to think of your long term goals with the car. Are you a weekend cruiser or a racer? If you're a racer and are always at the track, go all out (money permitting)

If your just a weekend warrior and want to freshen the motor up, keep it somewhat stock and look into buying a reman from Tousley Ford. Stock motors can take A LOT of power

 

[03cobraracer]

yeah definitely look into the new reman motor, $4k after core return is friggin cheap for a brand new complete longblock

 

[Nolimit]

Im in the same boat as the OP. .. i am considering a reman but want a piece of mind the internals will hold up to my weekend warrior abuse.

 

[fr03cobra]

got mine on layaway for a year.lol MMR 5.0L stroker short block. Bought new heads going to port them and stage 3 cam.

 

[intermatic]

This whole fiasco has triggered a build.
Going with stoker kit - billet crank, RPM rods, diamond pistons, ARP 2000 series hardware, VMP TVS blower.

 

[MTBSully]

This whole fiasco has triggered a build.
Going with stoker kit - billet crank, RPM rods, diamond pistons, ARP 2000 series hardware, VMP TVS blower.

love it when that happens

 

[gaspasr]

It's only $:shrug:

 

[intermatic]

I'm definitely very excited about it. Parts will be ordered next week. I'll be sure to post any/all updates, especially dyno #s once the build is finally complete.

 

[intermatic]

So, a new rotating assembly has been ordered and I’m just waiting on the parts to arrive and the shop to build it.
I’ve been pretty dead set on the 2.3 TVS for a while now and am starting to wonder if this is the right choice for me. I know that I want to one day have the car pushing 750+ and realize this might be out of reach with the 2.3. I do not want to have to upgrade superchargers again in the future to attain my goals. I feel like I’d be close to maxing out power-wise with the TVS and I’ll have a built motor capable of so much more.
It seems that the 2.9 whipple can offer me similar power to the TVS on a 93 tune, and have room for more growth – obviously being that it is a bigger blower. I also have been looking into the 3.4 whipple which obviously has incredible potential and can still offer me power on a pump gas tune. Yes, I realize that on pump gas, the 3.4 may not be running in its efficiency range and won’t offer the same low end torque/power as the TVS. What do you guys think is the right choice?
The car is my daily driver, however I don’t drive often (cars been in the shop since end of September and I’ve been getting by borrowing my gfs every now and then). I do plan on taking it to the track once the warmer weather rolls around as well.

 

[intermatic]

oh and Happy Thanksgiving to everyone

 

[intermatic]

anybody? I was expecting maybe some of the TVS guys to chime in and maybe people to offer some insight from their experience

 

[99S_V_T]

Timspony makes right around 750 wheel and has some room to grow.... the TVS blowers are freaks of nature, If your goal is 750 the 2.3 can get you there.... Not that any street tire could ever plant the torque that the TVS makes... so its kind of a moot point IMO. Gotta look for area under the curve. Why use something that wont spend much time at all in its efficiency range instead of using something that you can use to its full potential daily and have a blast doing it? :shrug:

 

[gabe1530]

if your stuck with 93 octane, i would stay with the 2.3 tvs. with your stroker plans and cams it would easily make all the power you would need. be sure to get the gt500 throttle body and inlet as well.