Dmn8rx - 91 LX Coupe DIY Engine/Turbo build begins

[domn8rx]

so here goes. i wanted to get this up now cuz when we get the shortblock in, things are going to happen pretty quickly and doing this now will give me a headstart. it may still be a week or two before the shortblock comes in.

this will be my official build thread. stay tuned for updates.

the background:

i have the original 302 shortblock with heads, cam, intake. the block has 143,000 miles on it. i put a 62mm turbo on it. then i converted from efi to blow thru carb.

i dyno'd the car at 577 rwhp and then took her to the track and ran a 10.74 @125. shortly after that, the motor started oil fouling one of the plugs on the driver's side. i had to replace the plug every other day just to keep the car running decent. i was afraid i had cracked my block.

we took the motor out and took it apart to find the problem. turns out it was just a ring. that's good, but it kinda sucks too. i know i have already pushed this block beyond its capabilities. re-ringing the block and putting it back in was not going to happen.

the goal:

get a new block and associated parts and build the motor back up. the motor will be a 363ci 9.2:1 dart block. while i am at it, i am going to get rid of my existing 62mm turbo and the turbo kit it came as part of and fabricate my own turbo kit using a new, bigger turbo. i will be re-using my tfs heads and weiand intake.

the parts:

the parts list so far... this is still growing. hehehe

• milodon 7 qt oil pan
• milodon oil pickup
• milodon steel dipstick
• ARP oil pan bolts
• standard volume oil pump
• romac lightweight balancer
• cammotion custom grind cam
• motorcraft lifters
• cloyes timing chain
• felpro mls head gaskets
• spec stage 3 plus clutch
• sfi-approved lakewood bellhousing
• extended clutch fork
• masterpower 70mm turbo
• tial 50mm blow off valve
• tial 60mm wastegate
• bbk shorty headers
• two 2.5" v band clamps
• one 3" v band clamp
• 3.5" flowmaster universal tailpipe kit
• two 2.5" j bends
• one 2.5" u bend
• one 3.5" u bend
• t4 flange
• two flowmaster reducers (from 3" to 2.5")
• one 2.5" stainless flex joint
• diecast aluminum valve covers
• modified transmission mount (set motor back 1")
• oil filter remote mount kit
• temperature gauge (air intake temp)
• UPR solid motor mounts
• 4.125 bore TREperformance race prepped Dart 4 bolt main block
• TREperformance forged steel 4340 3.4" crankshaft for 363 (balanced with the rest of the assembly to a 28oz imbalance)
• TREperformance 4340 Forged H beam rods 5.315" for 363
• Clevite P rod/main bearings
• Probe SRS 2618-t6 high alloy lightweight forged pistons
• Speed Pro high performance moly rings
• ARP head studs
• 3.5" to 3" and 3" to 2.5" silicone adaptors (for cold side piping)
• MMR front tubular a-arms
• MMR front coil over conversion (14" full race kit)

[domn8rx]

diy turbo kit in a box lol

[wan2run]

Awesome! I'm anxious to see how this turns out.

[TurboMike]

wow.. sounds like you got a good plan... have you already sold the old turbo?

[domn8rx]

no, haven't sold the old turbo and kit yet. haven't decided what to do with it yet.

[TurboMike]

ps... dont forget to look on page 234 of July 2007 5.0 Mustangs and Fast Fords for a write up on Wendys car....

Congrats on the magazine entry!!! I wanna see my car in a mag sometime?

[domn8rx]

lol oh yeah... you saw that? i guess i forgot to mention it. i wasn't really expecting it, but it was very cool!

[TurboMike]

yeah that was kool!!! how did you manage to get that in there? We have our very own star!!!

[domn8rx]

my hubby had been telling me for a few months to send in pix of my car with info. but i never listened to him thinking that my car wasn't good enough or different enough to get noticed.

finally one day i did it. i figured what the hell. they might actually pick it and it will make him stop telling me to do it! lol

and to my surprise, it appeared only two months later. holy crap i couldn't believe it! even if i thought they would pick it, i certainly didn't think it would happen so soon.

hehehe

here is the 5.0 showcase:

[TurboMike]

yeah ya know I was looking at the magazine and my wife was sitting next to me and saw it... she asked if i knew you... i was like naaa... i doubt it... hehe... but a little more research and looking at the pics.. i was like wtf... hey we got a STAR!!! hehe...

Congrats! it is nice to see it in there... and TURBOed!!!

[domn8rx]

some progress...

got the coilovers and the a-arms installed today.

[domn8rx]

we were going to have a problem with routing the down pipe the way we wanted to before...





now i don't think that will be as much of an issue... plenty of room!

[TurboMike]

nice looking... what coilovers are those?

[domn8rx]

they are the MMR coilover conversion (14")

[TurboMike]

what type of tubing are you using for the intake? Mild steel or aluminum?

[domn8rx]

it's 3" aluminum pipe

[domn8rx]

john is taking advantage of the delay with the motor...

[domn8rx]

guess what i got today?!?!?!?!?!?

FINALLY!!!

[TurboMike]

woo hoo!!! Congrats!!!

[domn8rx]

lol just a lil teaser for the hole plugging... who knew you had to make big holes in order to get rid of little holes? lol




making progress with the engine bay welding. the towers are mostly welded up, the front panels are welded in. got the firewall still to do and thinking about doing the front strip as well. may do the holes near the top of the fenders when we take the fenders off for painting... thats still a little ways away.

[domn8rx]

can i get a HELLZ YEA!!!!