how common is a terminator swap?

[CrawCobra97]

Sons have been looking to just about every option on what to do with this cobra I have, I am considering a lot of things... Including forging my internals, vortech, KB, ect. My budget is around 5k I would want to start with close to 400 rwhp, but almost would like to have the ability for room to grow, so I have been thinking of doing a terminator swap, or a swap I could manage with he budget I have and get the results I'm looking for. I've seen and read a little bit on the swaps, what are some common problems are they common enough to were most of the snags and kinks have been figured out, and what else I would have to do to swap such a motor in my car thank you for all the help and answers!!!

 

[cbrown9064]

Search this sub forum and read. All the info is there, just a little effort to find it...

 

[JRMotorsports55]

For your goals, the term swap sounds like the right way to go. It's been done, lots of info around. I myself am just swapping the top end parts on to my stock shortblock and running stock boost level. May build the bottom end down the road, but trying to keep costs down at this time.

 

[CrawCobra97]

Nice! Now I did think of I can get a complete motor would it be easier to, swap the internals from the 03 cobra motor along with the c heads, basically build mine as a 03 cobra motor without having to swap the wiring harness or anything

 

[alaskablkmach]

As far as I know you don't have to swap the whole harness. Maybe injector harness but not sure...I have a cop harness on mine that plugs into the stock sn95 harness to run cop's.

 

[CrawCobra97]

Cool! I might go this route if I can snag up a motor for a good price

 

[Tabres]

A $5,000 budget isn't going to get you a Terminator swap.

For what you want you're better off buying a used Vortech or Procharger and putting the rest towards a built shortblock, and fuel and clutch upgrades. That'll get you where you want to be on power, leave you room to grow, keep you in budget and be way less work.

 

[PACIFICGREENSVT]

I found my complete 04 engine for 4500, the guy already had it all powder coated.

 

[CrawCobra97]

Yeah that is what is really going to determine if I can get a motor for a good price if not il get with a intercooled vortech setup and hope for the best

 

[PACIFICGREENSVT]

I hated my Vortech. After all the money I spent on the vortech & the tune I could of just done the 04 swap.

 

[CrawCobra97]

Really wow, did you have to swap k members or anything, and do you think it would be easier to combine them, as in 03 crank rods and Pistons, c head conversion ect ect or just do a full on swap

 

[PACIFICGREENSVT]

The complete swap was a cake walk, it almost fell in the engine bay on its own. I used my old k member, my old ecu, my old hood, old radiator, old t/stat. The only hard part was finding time to sneak out to the garage.

 

[CrawCobra97]

No kidding, how and where do you get the motor I seen some on eBay for like 7k which they all must be high as hell because a brand new coyote cost like 6k lol

 

[PACIFICGREENSVT]

Local guy here in the Detroit area, local forum.

 

[03cobra#694]

No kidding, how and where do you get the motor I seen some on eBay for like 7k which they all must be high as hell because a brand new coyote cost like 6k lol

Look in the "Terminator" market section here. There has been a few complete engines for sale lately.

 

[CrawCobra97]

Nice il take a look.. One more quotation I have is how did you get by stock ecu to communicate well with the newer motor, with supercharger and all

 

[PACIFICGREENSVT]

You're car/ECU will need a tune. Mine had the old tune from the vortech still in it, so it actualy started & ran pretty good at first, Then I took it to Lidio to tune it .

 

[CrawCobra97]

Cool!! This is starting to sound better then a vortech lol, theres a shop out by where I live called bobcat and he apparently is the shit for tuning Cobras thats probably were il take mine..hopefully when I'm ready I can find a motor for a good price, what kind of power did you see directly after he swap what all did you do to the motor beforehand rebuild or what

 

[PACIFICGREENSVT]

550 to the wheels through a c4 trans. The engine was low mileage and everything checked really well. So I threw 20pounds boost at it.

 

[cbrown9064]

Really wow, did you have to swap k members or anything, and do you think it would be easier to combine them, as in 03 crank rods and Pistons, c head conversion ect ect or just do a full on swap

FYI, our motors already came with a forged crank. The rods and pistons are not.

There is nothing special electrically about the terminator engine, except for the extra IAT sensor and the COP. With a COP conversion harness you should be ready to go.

The 2003-2004 Cobra blocks were cast iron, where ours are aluminum. Our blocks are good for 1000+ hp, so you are only gaining weight with the terminator block.