TTSaleen's new Mach 1 Build Project & Eaton Swap

[Ryan2KRedL]

As some of you know, in July 2014, I sold my Black TTSaleen.
It was the right time to let it go after 12 years.

It was not long before I was in search of another project.
I found it in a 2003 Mach 1 with only 40,000 miles, Torch Red and automatic.
I was actually looking for an auto this time around from the start!

Car was super clean when I got it and mostly stock.

I quickly did the following mods to it -

Tinted windows
Coilovers front and rear
18" chrome saleen wheels
Toyo tires
4.10 gears
3" exhaust with Magnaflow mufflers
MAC long tubes
MAC offroad prochamber

But I really was ready for some BOOST!!
I found a great deal on a kit here on SVTP in the Market section.

Included were -
Steggy ported Eaton - Stage 4
LFP single blade throttle body
AFCO heat exchanger
METCO pulleys/idlers
Thump Racing manual belt tensioner
BA2600 mass air meter
MMR head cooling mod
Plus all the swap parts such as alternator, front cover, intercooler, lines, pump, etc.

I gathered the following parts before starting the swap -
Ford Racing 60# injectors
Lethal Performance Division-X budget return style fuel system with Walbro GSS342 pumps
Canton intercooler reservoir tank
Canton powersteering reservoir tank
New Ford SVT intercooler pump
New Radiator hose kit from Ford
All new gaskets and o-rings
External breather kit for both valve covers


Here's my pictures.
Not dynoed it yet, but will this week.
Car feels great on the street and has INSTANT boost!

Starting point -

 

[Ryan2KRedL]

1-6-2015 -

Removed radiator and fan to give more access to front of engine.
Removed intake as one unit (left top still attached).
Removed entire engine harness so it was out of my way.

Removed knock sensor bosses and ground them smooth my angle grinder.
Mocked up the lower intake and supercharger.

Gonna look pretty good!


Ready to remove intake -

This plastic connection was holding the wiring harness in place and keeping the intake from moving forward!

Intake on the ground!

About to remove knock sensors to allow more room to clear the supercharger manifold.

Cherry on top!

 

[Ryan2KRedL]

Project update - 1/9/2015 -

Removed balancer, front cover, both valve covers, oil cooler, power steering, etc.
Mocked up my head-cooling mod and sat the lower intake and supercharger back on it for now.

Gotta remove the EGR tube from my long tube headers. Got a plug to fit onto the header and I'll keep the EGR off for good.

 

[Ryan2KRedL]

Few small updates.

- Got a few parts at the powder-coaters, so cannot reassemble engine yet.

- Got the Division-X fuel hat and Walbro GSS342 fuel pumps mounted and wired into my 2003 cobra fuel tank with the correct cobra fuel-level sensor.

- Remade my water cooling head-cross over line. The one that came with my kit was poorly made with push-lock fittings and starlite hose. Not good.
Now it's stainless line with correct fittings. I decided to use a 45* fitting on one side to give a little more clearance and prevent the hose from being in such a hard U-shape.

- Had Melvin @ Fastlane Motorsports help me remove the existing upper pulley and hub and replace with a new Metco hub & pulley.

Anyway here's some pics.

 

[Ryan2KRedL]

Couple of updates.

Got the powder coating completed on a few items.
Started putting it back together.

Small issue, I'm missing the dowel pins to center the supercharger. Got some coming in this week, but for now slapped the charger on top for mock up.

Also pulled out the Mach 1 gas tank and installed the 03 cobra tank with my Division-X return style fuel system.

 

[Ryan2KRedL]

Here's a few progress pics.
Finished the main accessory setup and got the belt installed.
Mounted the pulley bridge and my Metco idlers.
Started working on extending the alternator wiring from top mount to side mount.
Installed water tubing, supercharger intercooler adapter and hoses.

Got to get the alternator installed, power steering lines hooked up, and oil fiter adapter reinstalled.

Getting there slowly, but having fun doing it.

 

[Ryan2KRedL]

Small project update.

Got the alternator harness modified with the Cobra style connector.
I took my wires and soldered on the connector. I did not have to lengthen any wires at all. As a matter of fact, my factory wires are a little long!
It helps that I removed them from the factory harness bundle!

Mounted the alternator and brackets.

My Canton power steering reservoir was necessary (one of the casualties of my install, the factory one had a crack on the lower fitting).

Canton power steering reservoir installed.
Gates green stripe belt arrived and fit like a glove.
Radiator and fan installed.
All radiator/thermostat hoses arrived and installed.
New Reische 170* thermostat installed.

Little things left to do -

1. Wire up IAT2.
2. Address power steering line connection at bottom of pump. Appears to be leaking.
3. Wire up intercooler pump.
4. Figure out needed vacuum lines and install.
5. Complete fuel line run to engine and tighten down regulator.
6. Install throttle and cruise cables.
7. Add coolant and burp system for intercooler.
8. Add coolant and burp system for radiator.
9. Get startup tune and load before starting engine.
10. Take off intercooler brackets and paint black.
11. Cap off EGR fitting on header.
12. Install motor mount nut and tighten.
13. Make up a breather system for both valve covers.

 

[Ryan2KRedL]

Fired it up and drove it 15 miles today for its maiden voyage.
My kid rode with me and said, "Daddy, I missed your Mach 1". Haha. Me too!

Car rides like a champ. Startup tune is spot-on.
Crusing, idling, etc is perfect.
Ready to get it on the dyno and checked before I put my foot on the floor!

Outside pics with hood/bumper back on.

 

[Ryan2KRedL]

Here's the long awaited......how to mount your shaker to an Eaton with pics.

So first thing is to reuse your factory brackets!
Yes true it can be done, but you gotta cut the hell out of the front one!
The back one needs a small cut to eliminate the extra hanging over the throttle body.

I cut the front one apart and could only use the passenger side.
My driver side will not fit with my aftermarket pulley arrangement.
I bent up some flat aluminum from Home Depot as a mock up.
Not sure if I will keep this or not the way it is now.

Gotta clearance the bottom side of the front mount so it does not push on my intercooler hose.

Gotta cut a small corner off the rear bracket to clear the boost dump solenoid.

That's about it.
Some wrinkle black paint once I'm done on the brackets and it will be ready!
I bolted it up tonight and it fit perfectly in the hood opening and was tight!

This is probably the easiest thing I have done on this Eaton swap!
On to the pictures.

 

[Ryan2KRedL]

Got the brackets modified and clearanced to allow more adjustment of the shaker.

It's as far back as possible and against the supercharger case.
I'm happy with the final location and fitment.

Also installed my Cobra steering wheel. I had this on a former 2002 Saleen project and kept it when that project sold (put the original wheel back on it).
I like the feel of this Cobra wheel, so it's gonna be staying in the Mach for a while!

Drove the car tonight and got to "get on it" thru 1st gear and 1/2 way thru 2nd.

It's a monster! Traction on the 1-2 shift is no existent.
I can spin those Toyo R888's a long way!
Can't wait to get it final dialed in and see what kind of power and boost this thing makes!

 

[Ryan2KRedL]

Stock wheel removal -

Cobra wheel replacement -

 

[Ryan2KRedL]

 

[Ryan2KRedL]

 

[Ryan2KRedL]

[youtube_browser]jdaP-JSKxSE[/youtube_browser]

 

[cmb570]

Looks great

 

[starnsey]

Love Torch Red Mach's. Ugh, so awesome, minus that auto

 

[BLKFOX]

I want to do this to my TR so bad....

 

[tinkey61]

Looks good ryan. I was gonna go with an Eaton swap but came across a complete 03 cobra drivetrain at a nice deal so picked it up.

 

[Ryan2KRedL]

Looks great

Thanks!

Love Torch Red Mach's. Ugh, so awesome, minus that auto

LOL! To each his own! I've really enjoyed the auto. Guess I've pulled gears for over 27 years and kinda got tired of it.

I want to do this to my TR so bad....

Go for it! Swap isn't too bad and really gives the Mach what it should have had from the factory!

Looks good ryan. I was gonna go with an Eaton swap but came across a complete 03 cobra drivetrain at a nice deal so picked it up.

That is awesome. I could not find any complete engine swaps with low mileage and in my price range.
I will be building up a new shortblock eventually so I can turn up the boost.
How do you like yours since the swap?

 

[tinkey61]

Man I love it. Like you said 1-3 are useless. It is just a different animal from what my procharger fox body was. I ain't gonna lie though. I miss the videos of your old tt saleen. I have thought about building a 4r70 to put in it but the 6 speed is fun to drive.