FAQ on 1995 Cobra Rs?????

[Robert M]

Some corrections to what you guys are posting:

Rods are not hyper, the pistons are. 15cc dish.
Cam is not high performance. It's a low rpm Torque cam made for trucks.
The motors WERE put together by Roush. There was a huge stink between Ford and Roush when the Lightnings came out with such low HP and TQ #'s. Roush did not have that issue. This was due to cam choice amongst other things.


Any other questions?

So the 5.8L engines were shipped to Roush as industrial/marine shortblocks? or longblocks? The hyper. pistons are the standard issue piston for the industrial/marine application? OR were the hyper. pistons installed for the 95R application by Roush? The 95R camshaft that is currently listed through Ford racing, is the exact replacement for the original?

Lastly, where have you been?

R

 

[94 Cobra R]

lol...moved to Gainesville, Robert! Working as an editor for a publishing company here

The camshaft is the exact same one that was used in the 95 R's. And no, the hyper pistons were used in all motors after 93 (middle of 93 actually). The motors were shipped with GT40 heads installed, but Roush did the initial design on the motor then farmed it out, just like everything else on the car. They basically designed everything on the R then farmed out everything for production. Much like my hood is #4 out of 7 prototypes made then sent to Harwood.

I wish you could see the paper work passed between Ford and Roush when the 93 Cobras and Lightnings were released. SVT was NOT happy that the Cobra was so superior to the Lightning. (Roush was in charge of the Cobra, SVT the Lightning)

 

[Robert M]

lol...moved to Gainesville, Robert! Working as an editor for a publishing company here

The camshaft is the exact same one that was used in the 95 R's. And no, the hyper pistons were used in all motors after 93 (middle of 93 actually). The motors were shipped with GT40 heads installed, but Roush did the initial design on the motor then farmed it out, just like everything else on the car. They basically designed everything on the R then farmed out everything for production. Much like my hood is #4 out of 7 prototypes made then sent to Harwood.

I wish you could see the paper work passed between Ford and Roush when the 93 Cobras and Lightnings were released. SVT was NOT happy that the Cobra was so superior to the Lightning. (Roush was in charge of the Cobra, SVT the Lightning)

I just want to clarify.........the post 1993 engines we are talking about are the Industrial/Marine 5.8L, and these were the basis for the Cobra R 5.8L and not all 1993 and newer engines in general used the hyper. pistons? The reason why it is of interest is that I know niether of my 95 5.0L 2-Tops rattle at times when cold like the many different Cobra R 5.8's I have heard. So is this a common marine/industrial engine noise when cold?

Roush apparently installed all other items, unique 5.8L intake (upper), lower intake, valve covers, manual trans flywheel, etc. on the 95R engines so they could do the "Hot Run" test an verify there were no leaks before the engine assy. left their warehouse for shipment to Ford?


You should be right at home in Gator Land, right?

R

 

[94 Cobra R]

No, no, nothing to due with the hyper pistons used. Has to do with the R motors and the way they were set up. I'll find the paper work on it but I know it's only the R motors that have the issue.
And Roush definitely did the hot run in their warehouses...

You better believe it!! Go Gators! How are you doing?

 

[asperformance]

Roush did not assemble the 95 R motors, He did however build like the first 10 95 R's which included the Motors. If you have a SVT book it gives you the full story on the 95 R motor, in which it states that all where built in one day. Plus I have seen the Vin numbe off of one of the first 10 95 R's and it is a completely differet stamp on the block, they where Block style numbers and the production 95 R's have a unique dot type number, I will look up the page number in the SVT book that tells about the 95 R motor production.

 

[Robert M]

No, no, nothing to due with the hyper pistons used. Has to do with the R motors and the way they were set up. I'll find the paper work on it but I know it's only the R motors that have the issue.
And Roush definitely did the hot run in their warehouses...

You better believe it!! Go Gators! How are you doing?

Jimmy - I guess that is what I am interested in knowing.............

You are mentioning that the cold start engine noise in some/most 95R 5.8L's "has to do with the R motors and the way they were set up." This would lead me to believe that the 5.8's specified for the 95R's, plus the extras, were assembled differently than the other 5.8's that were produced during that time period for normal applications in the marine/industrial world? Who set them up with a more loose piston to cylinder wall? Engine builders at Ford? before these assy. were sent to Roush?

And then I am seeing another post saying Roush did not build these engines? Is this because Roush "farmed out" the build?

The "Hot Run sheet" that I have for my 95R engine (by its specific valve cover number) has a long check list of items that were verified after my engine was tested, who and where was this done? I was told Roush did this.

R

 

[Robert M]

Well, I guess this answers some of the questions.....................

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Must...egoryZ140684QQihZ005QQitemZ150115767410QQrdZ1

I guess I knew that these engines were built at the Windsor plant, or at least partially assembled there? But were the short blocks specific to the 95R a special build (loose) unlike "other" engines built at that plant?

R

 

[94 Cobra R]

Previous poster guy: Never said Roush built all the motors, just said they designed the motors and farmed it out, like everything else they did on the R cars.

Robert: Roush did the hot testing and the shortblock and longblock were R specific. The blocks were marine motors but the internals and everything else were Roush specificied. This includes the cam, which HAPPENS to be the marine cam. They felt it was torquey enough to be in the car but felt most people were going to change them. Big story on why they didn't use the roller setup even though the motors are roller capable. I'll email it to you later. I wish I could have kept the paperwork that transpired between all of the Roush staff, but it was "classified"...lol.

 

[Robert M]

Previous poster guy: Never said Roush built all the motors, just said they designed the motors and farmed it out, like everything else they did on the R cars.

Robert: Roush did the hot testing and the shortblock and longblock were R specific. The blocks were marine motors but the internals and everything else were Roush specificied. This includes the cam, which HAPPENS to be the marine cam. They felt it was torquey enough to be in the car but felt most people were going to change them. Big story on why they didn't use the roller setup even though the motors are roller capable. I'll email it to you later. I wish I could have kept the paperwork that transpired between all of the Roush staff, but it was "classified"...lol.

Well, I guess I have some comfort in knowing that my 95R 5.8L is much more closely related to a Ski-Nautique rather than a fork lift at the Wal-Mart warehouse. :beer:

But in the end, it sounds as if the 95R test-mule 5.8's were designed and spec'ed by Roush? and then the Windsor plant built 255 to this spec? and then they were sent to Roush, or Roush set up a Hot-Test in, or near the Windsor plant, and then the 5.8's were shipped for installation in the 95R's?

And the rest is history.

BTW - I called Rick S. today.

R

 

[94 Cobra R]

Ha, funny, I just exchanged some emails with Ricky. Great guy, good boss, and great friend. He sent me the email on the same link you posted.

The motors were sent to Roush and they hot tested all of them.

I guess no one else has any questions...lol.

Know of anyone looking for a Cobra R with A/C and leather?

 

[fordgasm67]

I happend across this today, I thought you guys might be interested...
http://www.karkraft.com/new_engines.htm
so would this be the same as the "R" motor??

B

 

[Robert M]

I happend across this today, I thought you guys might be interested...
http://www.karkraft.com/new_engines.htm
so would this be the same as the "R" motor??

B

Or would this be closer to a Lightning motor?^^^

R

 

[95R#177]

I happend across this today, I thought you guys might be interested...
http://www.karkraft.com/new_engines.htm
so would this be the same as the "R" motor??

B

Interesting. To me, it reinforces my perception that the Kar Kraft guy does stuff I just don't get:

Why go to all that trouble and not use at least the X303 Al heads?
Why not just make it a full roller motor?
Why not weld on the oil filler extension on the valve cover?
I wonder what cam he's using?
Why not use the plentiful Ford 65mm throttle body?

 

[ponyracer]

If you cross reference the short block at the dealership it comes up with the replacement number for a 92-96 F150/Bronco short block. So that is what I have as a basis for my 5.8 conversion.

 

[94 Cobra R]

Well, the sad thing is that someone must be buying stuff from him, otherwise he wouldn't have all of that junk in stock...