Hey guys, bought a 04 Mystichrome Cobra with 31k miles. Runs great no issues what so ever. Build date is January 6th 2004. Everything stock besides has a aftermarket chip,intake,mufflers. Should I be looking to do the mod to be safe? Car isn’t daily driven only insured in summer.
Do I need to do a Head Cooling Mod?
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Most will probably tell you to do it. One of those better safe than sorry moves. However, I do not have that mod on my Coupe nor my Vert. Both cars are pretty much garage queens and they are primarily stock. Coupe has 45K miles and Vert has 76K miles. No ticks and no issues.
I have CAI, cat back, McLeod RST clutch and my coupe has a nitrous kit on it, but the electrical RPM switch is not installed. So, you see the solenoids and the bottle, but it does not work at the moment and I only sprayed it twice before removing the RPM switch to install in my 65 Mustang.
So, Depending on how you use your car (you said it's not a DD and summer driving only) I would say it is not needed, but you could install it for peace of mind.
I have CAI, cat back, McLeod RST clutch and my coupe has a nitrous kit on it, but the electrical RPM switch is not installed. So, you see the solenoids and the bottle, but it does not work at the moment and I only sprayed it twice before removing the RPM switch to install in my 65 Mustang.
So, Depending on how you use your car (you said it's not a DD and summer driving only) I would say it is not needed, but you could install it for peace of mind.
So, this is my opinion, and my opinion only. If you don’t go out and beat on the car regularly, then no. But if you go and throw more boost to it,change out the blower, then yes. It isn’t the easiest thing to do if you still have your EGR system in place.
I would say you will be fine without it.
If the transmission or the engine were to ever have to be pulled, I would go ahead and do it if it were my car thou. Cheap insurance.
It’s not a guaranteed fix, but it for sure helps to keep the hot spot out of the head that supposedly causes the valve guides to wear which leads to the notorious head tick.
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I would say you will be fine without it.
If the transmission or the engine were to ever have to be pulled, I would go ahead and do it if it were my car thou. Cheap insurance.
It’s not a guaranteed fix, but it for sure helps to keep the hot spot out of the head that supposedly causes the valve guides to wear which leads to the notorious head tick.
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Sounds good, yeah I don’t beat haha. Still has stock pulley, previous owner only put a chip, cold air intake and swapped the mufflers. Also only going to be insured during summer and probably driven once a week even then.
Even in a stock car you can cook #7 and 8 exhaust valve guides on an extended high speed run. Keep it stock and don't do the above and you will be fine.
The problem isn't guides the problems is loose fitting factory valve seats. When the head gets overly hot they can really loosen up, the head cooling mod can possibly prevent this.
After having the head tick develop at 8500 miles I think the head cooling mod is a good investment. By the time I bought a new head, installed it myself, I was easily out $2000+.
After having the head tick develop at 8500 miles I think the head cooling mod is a good investment. By the time I bought a new head, installed it myself, I was easily out $2000+.
I don't see too many examples of valve seats falling out but it does happen and when it does the motor will make an awful racket and will do a lot more damage if the owner keeps running the engine. The "tick" occurs when the exhaust valve guides being exposed in the port with no boss cast around them like most engines which will wick away heat and are directly exposed to the exhaust blast overheating the guides which will glow red hot when subjected to extended high engine output. That softens the metal causing then to wear the guides and in a hurry. The valves will start rocking in the guides hammering out the seats. I've seen examples of the mod motors valves rocking excessively in the head after the owner did something foolish, wear that should take eons can occur within seconds. People have actually driven their cars for quite some distance with an engine that has the tick something you can't do after you drop a valve seat which can be catastrophic if you keep running the engine.
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I believe the tick is the loose seat during valve contact.
From modular head shop website
03/04 Cobra Guys and Gals - Please be aware that the 03/04 Cobra, Mach 1 and Aviator Heads all have less than adequate Exhaust Valve Seat press fit. We are not sure why, nearly every set we have seen in the last 3 years has had at least one loose exhaust seat. We will not take any chances in sending a set of heads out that we are not 100% confident in. We haven't had any Valve Seats fall out and we aren't planning on it! With that being said, we will have to replace the Exhaust Seats with a better alloy and fitment. The cost of this is an additional $320.00 and includes the price of the Valve Seats
From modular head shop website
03/04 Cobra Guys and Gals - Please be aware that the 03/04 Cobra, Mach 1 and Aviator Heads all have less than adequate Exhaust Valve Seat press fit. We are not sure why, nearly every set we have seen in the last 3 years has had at least one loose exhaust seat. We will not take any chances in sending a set of heads out that we are not 100% confident in. We haven't had any Valve Seats fall out and we aren't planning on it! With that being said, we will have to replace the Exhaust Seats with a better alloy and fitment. The cost of this is an additional $320.00 and includes the price of the Valve Seats
Anyone have a good instruction on which mod to buy and easiest to do? Would I have to drop the tranny and pull the motor out?
Cobra engineering is a great piece. That's what I used.
My motor was out for the install so it was very simple.
Have you joined the Mystichrome owners page on Facebook? If not, look into it. A good bunch of guys on there!
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The kits listed in one place (one version goes in up top, the others require transmission removal): http://www.terminator-cobra.com/cooling.htm#Head_cooling_mod
Is this the one? https://www.lethalperformance.com/lethal-performance-gen-2-head-cooling-mod.html Don’t have to remove blower or tranny?
Or this one for $25 less - no need to remove blower or transmission:
https://lightningforceperformance.c...ead-cooling-mod-03-04-ford-svt-cobra-mustang/
https://lightningforceperformance.c...ead-cooling-mod-03-04-ford-svt-cobra-mustang/
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As I have read here many times, there is no need on the 4 valve Cobra engines in late 03 or any of the 04 engines, as the heads were modified from Ford already to fix the heating and tick issue. I got this info from Steve at Ford Performance directly. He was one of the two man teams that built these engines. You may just see his name on your valve cover! Real nice guy. It certainly won't hurt to modify it, but it's really not necessarily unless you thrash it hard.
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man i want the cobra engineering piece but pulling the trans seems like such a bitch
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I think I've seen this before. The article seems very specific, but you could call Steve and get his response. He's at Ford Performance..(Ford Racing) 800-367-3788. Good luck whatever you find out. Let us know.
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