Ultimate Budget 2v Motor

[98snakehorse]

If you can keep a stock bore, you can use terminator Pistons, ive seen those go for under $300

not go mention, depending on what your machine work bill costs and the deal on the pistons, you could potentially come out at the same price with new pistons, assuming you only need to hone/cross hatch the cylinder walls.

I suppose your right. I may go ahead and get these cylinders honed and keep it a 3.552 Bore. Im looking at some Manley 18cc dished pistons, part# 494200-8. With these my compression ratio should be at around 9.7:1 If I'm doing the calculation right? Cost is a bit much at $713 for the pistons and rings. I would love to find a set cheaper though....​

 

[Thomas_W]

I suppose your right. I may go ahead and get these cylinders honed and keep it a 3.552 Bore. Im looking at some Manley 18cc dished pistons, part# 494200-8. With these my compression ratio should be at around 9.7:1 If I'm doing the calculation right? Cost is a bit much at $713 for the pistons and rings. I would love to find a set cheaper though....​

$713 isnt a bad deal for pistons and rings. When I built the engine in my last car, my diamond Pistons and rings were around $1300.

 

[98snakehorse]

$713 isnt a bad deal for pistons and rings. When I built the engine in my last car, my diamond Pistons and rings were around $1300.

Oh I agree just keeping it budget. Dss actually make a set where I have the option to bump up the cr a little too. Their pistion and ring kit is just over 600.

Sent using my Typewriter

 

[Thomas_W]

Oh I agree just keeping it budget. Dss actually make a set where I have the option to bump up the cr a little too. Their pistion and ring kit is just over 600.

Sent using my Typewriter

Yea i understand that. I've been pricing my 3V build and the Crank, rods and Pistons/rings alone are around $3500. Another $3k for heads, $1500 for cams/springs, $2500-3000 for a sheetmetal intake.. and we haven't even gotten to the oil system, thrust bearing conversion, etc.. I'm beginning to think about just building a Dart blocked 408/427 windsor, it works out to around the same price (potentially cheaper) but with much higher HP expectations and an easier install of the turbo system.

 

[98snakehorse]

So spent some time last night cleaning up the npi block. Cleaned both sides of the deck and took a closer looked at the cylinder walls. I have a 3 claw hone attachment on the way. Its really crazy how nice these bores are but I figured a couple passes down each cylinder wont hurt. I also took the crank out from hiding and gave it a good clean. Its in super good shape aswell. In the mean time I have both the block and crank lightly covered in some ATF fluid and bagged.

Im pretty sure Im going to go with the DSS rod and piston kit. They give a choice of either doing a 10cc dished piston or an 18cc. I cant make up my mind which one to go with. Kit comes with the main and rod bearings, forged pistons, piston rings, forged I-beam rods with the arp rod bolts. I will just need to get the main and head bolts along with gaskets.

 

[98snakehorse]

A new question that keeps popping into my head is what would be a good measurement to gap the piston rings to? Also do you have to gap the oil rings aswell? This is something I've been researching online but everyone seems to have a different answer lol. This will be for a boosted application so I believe the gap needs to be wider than factory.

 

[98snakehorse]

Updates: So i've been continuing my research to get a reliable budget 2v build going. So far im pretty sure I will be going with 13 boss rods and Mahle 16cc pistons. It will be std bore 4.6 npi romeo block with PI Romeo Heads and factory PI cams. This will up the compression a little bit which should be favoring the boost more. Spent a good part of lastnight going over the main caps and cleaning the rear main cover. My block has been cleaned and honed. Just need to start ordering gaskets / bearings and the rods/pistons. Still not too sure what to gap the rings to so if anybody has info on that would be great.

In the end I really want a reliable short block that can handle 500 to 600rwhp reliably if I ever decide to take it that far.

To be continued.........

 

[96blak54]

Gap the rings .020". Careful, dont get cheap brittle stock rings. Dont skimp on the rod, puston, rings combo...you should be good!

 

[98snakehorse]

Gap the rings .020". Careful, dont get cheap brittle stock rings. Dont skimp on the rod, puston, rings combo...you should be good!

Thanks for the info, arent you supposed to gap the top and bottom rings differently? I see people giving different #'s for them. Also the pistons Im getting is their power pack option so it comes with their coated pistons, low drag rings and wrist pins.

 

[96blak54]

You can make ring gaps into science. Total seal gapless rings are hard to beat. They take out the guess work. Be prepared to spend $200.

 

[98snakehorse]

We'll see. I'll have to see what Mahle recommends with their kit.

 

[98snakehorse]

Update, Crank is in and rods and pistons are on the way. Im going to do a price breakdown on what it takes to build a 500+rwhp reliable 2v when your on somewhat of a budget.

Purchased
Boss Rods + Rod Bolts = $186 shipped
Mahle Pistons, pin, locks, rings = 650 shipped
King Main and Rod Bearings = $120
ARP Main Studs = $100

Still to buy
Ford Racing Head Bolts
Ford Racing Head Gaskets
Various engine gaskets
Oil Pump
Tensioners
Chains

 

[Thomas_W]

Go with ARP headstuds.

When i bought my Ford TTY headbolts, i believe they were arouns $18/ea (this was 10years ago, ao my memory may be off). With the number you need, head studs would be cheaper.

 

[98snakehorse]

Go with ARP headstuds.

When i bought my Ford TTY headbolts, i believe they were arouns $18/ea (this was 10years ago, ao my memory may be off). With the number you need, head studs would be cheaper.

I've used the felpro head bolts on other 2v's and they worked fine. You can pick a full setup for those around 40 bucks. Im on the trail for some used ARP's right now. 300+ for head studs is killing my budget 2v build lol. If I cant find a good deal on used I may try my luck with the Felpros. If they dont work out I can report back here to help others doing a budget 2v build and switch over to ARP.

 

[BMAC96GT]

I love this thread. I'll probably follow exactly in your footsteps with this build when I start building the NPI engine that I have on the stand. Have you ever built a motor before or will this be your first time?

 

[98snakehorse]

I love this thread. I'll probably follow exactly in your footsteps with this build when I start building the NPI engine that I have on the stand. Have you ever built a motor before or will this be your first time?

This is all completely new to me.

 

[98snakehorse]

Forgot to post these picks to this thread... New main bearings, arp main studs and crank installed. Rod and pistons should be here by this week or early next.

 

[tecwizrd]

I notice in the pictures above, it looks like you reused the stock main cap bolts on the side of the engine. I think those are torque to yield and should be replaced with new. I am not 100% sure about that, I thought I read that in the shop manual or maybe in one of the 4.6L build books.

 

[98snakehorse]

I notice in the pictures above, it looks like you reused the stock main cap bolts on the side of the engine. I think those are torque to yield and should be replaced with new. I am not 100% sure about that, I thought I read that in the shop manual or maybe in one of the 4.6L build books.

Not on the side caps.. atleast for romeo blocks. They are only tourqed to 14ft lbs. They also don't require any additional degree of turn. From research on others who have rebuilt these engines they have gotten by reusing these bolts.

The head bolts, rod bolts and main bolts are mandatory for new replacement which mine will be.

Sent using my Typewriter

 

[lwarrior1016]

Oh yeah, I reused the side bolts too. Also, with those boss rods I followed arp torque spec for the rod bolts.