98 to 03 Cobra...project

[jumperjack]

Or you could get an aluminator short/longblock.

Op, good luck! Post up some pictures by using the "Insert Image" function on the forum as you progress.

I would pass on the Aluminator. I am getting ready to start and pull mine out this coming week. Here is the link as to what has been going on with it. I think I am just going to put an iron block in and be done with it.

http://www.svtperformance.com/forums/engine-tuning-214/591874-aluminator-problems.html

 

[Mustang Matt]

This on my agenda very soon. How is it working out for you?

No problems with the COPs whatsoever. If I can wire it, anyone can wire it.
I thought I had a problem after I first got it together but it turned out to be a fuel pressure gauge I installed on the rail was leaking.

I'm going to dyno on May 9th. The former owner of the engine dynoed 510 rwhp on stegemiers dyno with 2# less boost and the stock 03 fuel system/exhaust.

Hoping for around 530 rwhp with my changes.

 

[jumperjack]

No problems with the COPs whatsoever. If I can wire it, anyone can wire it.
I thought I had a problem after I first got it together but it turned out to be a fuel pressure gauge I installed on the rail was leaking.

I'm going to dyno on May 9th. The former owner of the engine dynoed 510 rwhp on stegemiers dyno with 2# less boost and the stock 03 fuel system/exhaust.

Hoping for around 530 rwhp with my changes.

Good Luck on the tune. Where did you run the wires into the coil covers at?

 

[KWClutch]

Ok well motor already has the COP's. How do I make it work with a 98 computer? Or if I swap the 03 ECM with the 98 will I have any interior lights/gauge problems? I have the 03 ecm and harness. What route should I go?

 

[KWClutch]

So I think what I'm going to have to do is us the 98 engine harness is that right? If I reflash the 98 with the 03 ecm I'll pretty much have to redo the entire car wiring. Does anyone know if that's correct?

 

[KWClutch]

Put it back together today with new gaskets and stuff.

 

[Mustang Matt]

You can use the 98 computer. I used a 97 harness which had one difference from 98 but it was minor enough not to matter. Ultimately if you want to keep COPs you have to rewire the coil pack wiring to the COP wiring like I mentioned in post 18.

If you have an Xcal2 your tuner can adjust the dwell to match what a COP car uses.

You might find some of my old notes useful:
https://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dgcxhnzw_11f8wbxmhr&hl=en

 

[KWClutch]

Right but I can use the 03 ecm? Would the only thing I need to change would be the interior harness to the gauges and buy a 03 cluster. Or would all of the interior be dead? Also dealing with the fuel. I have a 98 cobra tank in there now with a svt focus 255 pump. I bought an 03 cobra tank too. Should I just keep the return style? Could I swap it out with the 03 hat so I have dual internal pumps instead of having to add a booster pump?

 

[Mustang Matt]

I would highly recommend keeping return style. It's a religious debate I don't want to start up again but I've seen more than one person blow up their motor due to a bad FPRS. I went the glenn's performance route. It was overkill and a lot of money but it is a fantastic setup.

You can change the ECM but there are enough little differences in the harnesses to make it difficult. The easiest and cheapest way in my opinion is to stick with the 98 ecu and engine harness. I picked up a 99 cobra harness and stripped out all the COP wiring. If you can find a COP harness from almost anything it will make that job easier on you if that's your holdup.

You'll run into PATS issues if you swap the computer and cluster but you can turn that off in the tune or if you swap the interior harnesses you could probably get your keys reprogrammed.

That being said, you can swap the entire inside of that car into yours if you want. A friend of mine swapped an 03/04 cobra front to back into his 94 except for the body. He did a very clean job and the car is fantastic.

 

[na svt]

I concur, keep the cars computer and fuel system.

 

[KWClutch]

Yeah I already have the 03 motor harness that came with mine. Could I keep the return style rails from my 98 and use them on the 03? And could I just swap out the 03 hat so I'll have dual inside pumps? I'm on a budget but that being said I've left some in there for things like this to come up but I dont need a super fuel system either.

 

[KWClutch]

I concur, keep the cars computer and fuel system.

So I already know about the COP conversion. How can I keep the return style given I already have all the stuff from the 98 and I do have a complete 03 motor as well. I do have an 03 tank with hats and pump. I also have the 98 tank on the car right now with a 255 svt focus pump.

 

[SoCalHarley]

I Just PM you... but using the existing fuel system is real easy. You will only need a fuel pressure regulator as I see you already have an upgraded 255 lph pump. Just specify return system in the tune and it will work fine. The only issue we ran into was with the adjustable regulator, not allowed in CA for smog so we had to rig a non adjustable one up from a Lightning which meant machining a base for it but it worked great and was OK for the smog referee. I put the Aeromotive one back on after it passed however, but there was no real reason to. The COP setup as everyone says is a much easier and cost effective way to go.... I kind of like the looks of the wires running into the heads. The look reminds me of an old Ford SOHC 427 from back in the day....

 

[Mustang Matt]

You might have to do some research on the fuel setup. I think the 98 rails will work if you bend the brackets. I used Fore fuel rails with a blockoff for the FRPS that worked flawlessly.

At the moment I can't think of any reason you couldn't use the 03 tank with hats and pumps but you'd probably have to do a bit of conversion to make them return style.

Phreakness on forums.tccoa.com made a custom return hat out of an 03 hat if I remember right. I can't find the photo of it though.

 

[KWClutch]

Yeah I think that's what I'm going to do. I'm going to try to switch out the interior harness and cluster so if anyone knows of one please let me know. All the help is greatly appreciated and when I'm done I'll be sure to thank everyone by name who helped me with info.

 

[SoCalHarley]

You might have to do some research on the fuel setup. I think the 98 rails will work if you bend the brackets..

I just used the rails that came with the 03 engine.... no need to change any of that out.

 

[na svt]

I have a harness and a cluster w/boost guage. I also have a lot of other 03/04 cobra parts. I'll be listing them tomorrow in the classifieds.

 

[KWClutch]

I just used the rails that came with the 03 engine.... no need to change any of that out.

I will be keeping the return style rails so the 03 rails wont work.

 

[SoCalHarley]

If you use a regulator liked the Aeromotive A1000 Injected Bypass Regulator, P/N 13101
the return is taken care of by the regulator so the factory 03 rails only see the output from the regulator. Look at the installation instructions for it here and you will see where the return hooks up.
http://www.aeromotiveinc.com/pdf/13101.pdf
The regulator was about $130 or so which was much less than changing the rails. Just make sure if you are going for SMOG approval some states like CA will not allow adjustable regulators.

 

[Mustang Matt]

That's the regulator I used also. He'd need a couple of adapters to go from AN to the Ford fuel rail connectors though right? And he'd have to make custom lines or use pushloc I suppose.