My flipped manifold mustang build
03-23-2010, 01:59 PM
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My flipped manifold mustang build Hey guys, after alot of reading up on here over the winter, I finally started working on my 89 Notchback stang. I am from Detroit and wanted to build something using as many of our local shops as possible. I picked up a random 5.3 that Katech was selling, the price was right and it looked brand new, so I bought it and took it home.
Tore it down to a shortblock and installed a set of 317s off a spare 6.0 Ive got laying around as well as the new LSA head gaskets from the local Caddy dealer. Im holding them down with a set of ARP head studs, all torqued to 80lbs. I installed a set of the Livernois dual valvesprings and their titanium retainers. These are made in house and are very nice. Although a pain in the *** to install with the c-clamp style spring compressor I had. I just cleaned up the valves and laped them by hand and put everything back together myself.
On the bottom half, I decided to leave it stock internals as I am planning to build another iron block in the future with one of the locals. All I did to the bottom end were reliability upgrades. The bottom half got new Katech rod bolts, a ported Katech oil pump, and a C5-R timing chain from Katech as well. All very high quality items that went on without issue. I swapped over the oil pickup and pan from my current ls1 I removed from the car as well as the SFI legal TCI flexplate. I will also be reusing my LS6 intake manifold and the stock throttle body. Still undecided on injector size at this time. I am leaning heavily toward a set of 80#'s and running straight E85 as Ive got the fuel pump and plumbing to support it.
Next the transmission. In every build Ive ever done it seems as if I spent all the money on the motor and then scraped by with the trans and it never put the power down like i wanted it to. I was also sick of the TH350 manual valvebody that was currently in the car. So I picked up a 4l80e from a friends junkyard. It is a GM reman and was actually pretty clean looking on the inside. It got the treatment from our detroit local, Mike Ridings. He installed a Transgo HD2 shift kit one night at his house for me and built me a custom billet converter. Brand new this thing cost less than some lesser quality used ones. Ended up snapping a mounting hole off the case last night trying to bolt the engine/trans together...Sunova Beach!!! Taking it to the trans guy tonight and hes gonna weld it back up for me though !!!!!
I just finally pulled the motor out this past weekend, removed the nitrous kit from it and am tidying up the wiring, adding loom, and am gonna give the engine bay the quick once over spitshine and spraypaint.
Ill update more once I start seeing how everything fits. Current worries to me are how much room I will have for the stock f-body style radiator and fans. It looks like they may fit perfectly in the swept back stock style although I will lose airflow and may have to make a cutout in the bumper. I also dont know how much room Ill have for the steering shaft.
Updates coming soon
Tore it down to a shortblock and installed a set of 317s off a spare 6.0 Ive got laying around as well as the new LSA head gaskets from the local Caddy dealer. Im holding them down with a set of ARP head studs, all torqued to 80lbs. I installed a set of the Livernois dual valvesprings and their titanium retainers. These are made in house and are very nice. Although a pain in the *** to install with the c-clamp style spring compressor I had. I just cleaned up the valves and laped them by hand and put everything back together myself.
On the bottom half, I decided to leave it stock internals as I am planning to build another iron block in the future with one of the locals. All I did to the bottom end were reliability upgrades. The bottom half got new Katech rod bolts, a ported Katech oil pump, and a C5-R timing chain from Katech as well. All very high quality items that went on without issue. I swapped over the oil pickup and pan from my current ls1 I removed from the car as well as the SFI legal TCI flexplate. I will also be reusing my LS6 intake manifold and the stock throttle body. Still undecided on injector size at this time. I am leaning heavily toward a set of 80#'s and running straight E85 as Ive got the fuel pump and plumbing to support it.
Next the transmission. In every build Ive ever done it seems as if I spent all the money on the motor and then scraped by with the trans and it never put the power down like i wanted it to. I was also sick of the TH350 manual valvebody that was currently in the car. So I picked up a 4l80e from a friends junkyard. It is a GM reman and was actually pretty clean looking on the inside. It got the treatment from our detroit local, Mike Ridings. He installed a Transgo HD2 shift kit one night at his house for me and built me a custom billet converter. Brand new this thing cost less than some lesser quality used ones. Ended up snapping a mounting hole off the case last night trying to bolt the engine/trans together...Sunova Beach!!! Taking it to the trans guy tonight and hes gonna weld it back up for me though !!!!!
I just finally pulled the motor out this past weekend, removed the nitrous kit from it and am tidying up the wiring, adding loom, and am gonna give the engine bay the quick once over spitshine and spraypaint.
Ill update more once I start seeing how everything fits. Current worries to me are how much room I will have for the stock f-body style radiator and fans. It looks like they may fit perfectly in the swept back stock style although I will lose airflow and may have to make a cutout in the bumper. I also dont know how much room Ill have for the steering shaft.
Updates coming soon
Last edited by cjmatt; 07-06-2010 at 04:54 PM.
06-07-2010, 01:07 PM
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bump, makin some more progress. got the tune sorted out last night. Talked HPTuners into sending me their new beta software so I could get the tune to load correctly. Decided to change plans slightly and scrap the low mounted turbo, this way I can keep the factory fans and radiator and still have room up front for an intercooler if I decide to add one down the line. Also chopped off the 3 bolt flanges from the manifolds and replaced them with 3" v-bands to help everything package a little nicer and make it easier to disassemble
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06-08-2010, 09:59 AM
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thanks! I just love how well everything fits. from the motor, to the manifolds, to the transmission, everything slides into place and has plenty of room. Its definitely a nice change to be able to swap my plugs in 10 minutes unlike the 3 hours it took on my trans am, hha
Anyone got any estimates on what it'll make?
Anyone got any estimates on what it'll make?
06-23-2010, 08:38 AM
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the Amp setting will vary with DA and various other weather conditions. It will also vary a lot with type of shielding gas used as well as individual welding machines.