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Aluminator Gibtec Build

448K views 789 replies 65 participants last post by  eschaider 
#1 · (Edited)
Thread update: Table of Contents

Since this thread has gotten long and I've received many PM's on Facebook and e-mail with questions about the build, I figured a ToC would help anyone searching. It is based on 15 posts per page, and is also broken down in groups and now with hyperlinked post numbers. In the event some quick info is needed, this should make it easy! Also, all hyperlinks, other than the obvious cut-and-paste links are bold so they stand out and are easier to recognize, especially when not logged in.

p.1 (Posts 1-15): Short block, pistons, heads, '98 Cobra cams, bearings, ARP parts list, oil pump & windage tray
p.2 (Posts 16-30): Oil cooler gasket, block heater, head gaskets, more on ARP
p.3 (Posts 31-45): Timing components, cam bolts
p.4 (Posts 46-60): Timing cover bolt modification (aluminum block), upgraded secondary tensioner
p.5 (Posts 61-75): Cam degree tools
p.6 (Posts 76-90): Misc. chat
p.7 (Posts 91-105): Oil slinger discussion
p.8 (Posts 106-120): Oil slinger cont., rear main seal
p.9 (Posts 121-135): Rear main seal cont.
p.10 (Posts 136-150): King bearing tech from Ed
p.11 (Posts 151-165): King bearing tech cont., GT-500 rockers, timing cover hole (Cont. from P.4)
p.12 (Posts 166-180): Degreeing the cams, '98 specs
p.13 (Posts 181-195): Degreeing the cams cont., timing cover, cam follower install
p.14 (Posts 196-210): Primary tensioner ratchet modification
p.15 (Posts 211-225): Primary tensioner spacer modification (update to P.14)
p.16 (Posts 226-240): Primary tensioner spacer modification cont.
p.17 (Posts 241-255): Valve cover mock-up, exhaust manifolds
p.18 (Posts 256-270): Tensioner spacer info from Ed, ready to pull "old" engine
p.19 (Posts 271-285): Oil cooler, PCV fitting for aluminum block
p.20 (Posts 286-300): Quick Seat info
p.21 (Posts 301-315): Old vs. new piston trivia, valve covers
p.22 (Posts 316-330): New engine installed, Centerforce clutch
p.23 (Posts 331-345): Crank damper, accessory belts
p.24 (Posts 346-360): Transmission install, accessory belts cont.
p.25 (Posts 361-375): Power steering pump and A/C install notes
p.26 (Posts 376-390): First start!
p.27 (Posts 391-405): First start cont.
p.28 (Posts 406-420): Notes on PTW clearances from Ed, Vampire introduction
p.29 (Posts 421-435): Rod clearance notes from Ed, block bore information
p.30 (Posts 436-450): OE piston trivia
p.31 (Posts 451-465): Misc. oil pan discussion
p.32 (Posts 466-480): Head stud info & torque notes from Ed, wideband install, PCM harness info
p.33 (Posts 481-495): PCM connector notes
p.34 (Posts 496-510): Gauge install, oil pressure sensor, billet oil filter
p.35 (Posts 511-525): Oil and pump discussion
p.36 (Posts 526-540): Head stud re-torque
p.37 (Posts 541-555): Head stud re-torque cont.
p.38 (Posts 556-570): Head stud re-torque cont.
p.39 (Posts 571-585): Project cost sheet, Vampire install completion
p.40 (Posts 586-600): Vampire adjustments
p.41 (Posts 601-615): AFR and piston notes from Ed, Vampire gauge addition
p.42 (Posts 616-630): More from Ed on detonation, new CAI
p.43 (Posts 631-645): Vampire gauge video clip
p.44 (Posts 646-660): Dyno tune results and video clip (11/1/16), new oil separator
p.45 (Posts 661-675): Switch to Mobil1 0W-40 & UOA, piston wrist pin discussion, updated alternator
p.46 (Posts 676-690): General alternator discussion
p.47 (Posts 691-705): Bolt torque & #5 thrust bearing comments, upgraded tensioner, Whipple 2.3 on the way
p.48 (Posts 706-720): Whipple talk, new intercooler, more fuel system chat
p.49 (Posts 721-735): More on the Vampire, 4.6 vs Coyote discussion, intercooler pictures
p.50 (Posts 736-750): Eaton removed, intercooler comparison pics, Whipple installed, intercooler tech
p.51 (Posts 751-765): Some e85 talk, first drive with the Whipple and new intercooler
p.52 (Posts 766-780): Visit to Gibtec, some info on Prolong
p.53 (Posts 781-): More on Prolong, new Explorer ST to go with the Cobra.

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This project had been in the works for a while: started a few years back when I picked up a brand new set of FRPP heads and a like-new Aluminator block for less than $2,000, which sat in storage until now. The smart thing to do would have been to sell the goods and make some money, especially since my OEM engine only has 21,000 miles on it, but who can resist tinkering. Adding to that, when you can make something leaps and bounds better, might as well enjoy the fruits of your labor while you have the chance.

I'll actually begin with a shot of where I am as of the date I decided to start this thread (fall of '15), but will go backwards to the early stages and update it little by little with as much tech as I can. Since there are not a lot of Aluminator builds out there, hopefully this will be helpful to anyone considering this route. Here's the long block:

Automotive tire Motor vehicle Automotive design Automotive exterior Engineering


Before moving on, I have to pass on a world of thanks to Ed for designing the finest 2618 aluminum piston out there through Gibtec of Denver, and for his willingness to help out so many on this forum with the encyclopedia of knowledge he possesses!! For those that haven't seen the Gibtec "Custom ModMotor Piston" thread, here are my specs (0.002" oversize) and pics added from it:



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Camera lens Camera Camera accessory Digital camera Lens


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I also intended to add an Aluminator build page up on my own site, but for now it just serves as a link back here since this got long. For anyone curious about the Aluminator block, this Castings page has a bunch of information on what makes it such a great choice! Stay tuned, more to come...
 
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#662 ·
My pleasure - hope it helps.

If you have any questions about your upcoming project, don't hesitate to throw them up here - someone is usually around that can answer them in a timely manner.
 
#663 · (Edited)
Now that the warm weather is finally rolling in, today was a perfect day to get ready for it by draining the Rotella "break-in" oil and making the switch to the Mobil1 0W-40. With just under 700 miles on the engine, I figured it was as good a time as any, even though I typically give new engines about 1,000 miles before I make the switch. With all the idle time this engine has had when I wasn't able to drive, the mileage was close enough.

This was my first oil change with the billet oil filter, and it made the process real simple (details on the filter back on Post #506). Cleaning it was akin to the process used on a K&N filter, so some generic degreaser and a trip to my laundry tub was all that I needed. It probably took me longer to blow it out with compressed air after than it did to rinse the cartridge, which still wasn't that long.

With the Maximum Motorsports 4-point brace bolted on to the Steeda K-member, it has to be swung out of the way to get at the drain plug, but that is no big deal as well (three bolts and the washers out, with one left in to swivel it). The latest version of the Canton pan has the drain plug in the center rear, whereas the original '00R pans placed it off to the side - where there would have been easier access. Anyway, the brace is out of the way before removing the plug:

Plant Automotive tire Tire Tree Motor vehicle


After that, the filter came off relatively easily, except that the base was on a bit more snug that what I had thought initially - oops. That was no big deal since the housing and cartridge was easy to slide off while letting the oil drain out of it. On that note, there was a heck of a lot less oil pouring out around the side since I imagine the steel mesh inside allows the oil to collect lower in the case rather than being packed around the paper mesh of other filters.

This was left on the cooler body after the rest was removed (a small flat-head screwdriver inserted in to one of the flow passages made it easy to get it loose):

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I also wrap the steering rack boot in aluminum foil to keep it from getting cruddy, and that also allows the oil to drain smoothly out and in to the pan. As an alternative, I have meant to pick up a Form-A-Funnel to try out, but always forget about it. In the meantime, the foil works great for the small oil river that comes out of the filter!

For anyone that has contemplated whether these billet filters are worthwhile, I'd give them a thumbs-up for sure. Not only was it nice not having to pitch a factory-like filter, it was good to get a look at the cartridge and the magnets to see some small amounts of "material" that could, and had, accumulated in there (just a bit on the magnets).

Putting it back together is a cinch as well once you lube the o-rings and then just screw it all back together. Just in case, I used a small magnet to get some of the crud off the filter magnets, then blew a bit more air through it one last time just for the heck of it. Before I spinned it on, I also filled it about halfway with clean oil. Here are the parts, along with the M1 oil, of which I used 8 quarts:

Automotive tire Drinkware Gas Auto part Electric blue


Liquid Fluid Automotive tire Font Personal care


Interestingly, I noticed that start-up oil pressure with the Rotella 15W-40 was about 105 PSI, whereas it is about 95 with the M1 0W-40. With the better cold-flow pumpability of the new oil, it was reasonable to assume this would be the case. I did grab a sample of the Rotella oil as well, and will be sending it off to Blackstone again this week (the first UOA report came out real well, so I expect the same here). When those results come back, I'll be sure to post them up.

Also, I made sure to empty the oil separator since I haven't done so since it was installed last year. This tank really works (more on it in Post #651 from the previous page)! Unlike the "popular" one I had tried out, there would only be a slight film of oil in the bottom of that each year (probably about as effective as an air compressor water separator), but I had a noticeable accumulation in the bottom this time. This hopefully means much less oil coating the intercooler.

Automotive lighting Automotive tire Cameras & optics Camera lens Gadget


The first start with the synthetic lube was perfect, and I have to say this engine is ridiculously quiet. Other than the slight tap of the injectors (much less than the OE 39# versions), there really is a nice smoothness to it, which I am perfectly happy with! It's also completely dry underneath, so there are no leaks or drips, which is even better. On a noise note, I had been asked on more than one occasion to grab a video clip near the tail-pipes, and I'll get to that sometime soon. Otherwise, I am looking forward to having some more fun with it this year for sure.
 
#664 ·
For those who haven't read Joe's entire thread his pistons were built with a zero offset on the wrist pins.

The reason most DD engines use an offset pin is to minimize piston slap so the owner / customer does not complain about the broken parts sound of cold start up piston slap in his engine. Properly assembled a zero offset pin will not produce the piston slap most of us would prefer not to hear / have. The trick is properly assembly.

Large PTW clearances and poorly matched piston skirt cam will produce slap. Reasonable PTW and proper piston cam will mitigate or more often than not render piston slap inaudible. Biggest advantage to zero offset pins is stronger pin bosses and the ability to put any piston anywhere.


Ed
 
#665 ·
For those who haven't read Joe's entire thread his pistons were built with a zero offset on the wrist pins.

The reason most DD engines use an offset pin is to minimize piston slap so the owner / customer does not complain about the broken parts sound of cold start up piston slap in his engine. Properly assembled a zero offset pin will not produce the piston slap most of us would prefer not to hear / have. The trick is properly assembly.

Large PTW clearances and poorly matched piston skirt cam will produce slap. Reasonable PTW and proper piston cam will mitigate or more often than not render piston slap inaudible. Biggest advantage to zero offset pins is stronger pin bosses and the ability to put any piston anywhere.

Ed
This is interesting and a subject never brought up when I ordered my set from Nick. He never asked if my car was a DD...is it reasonable to assume he just figured it was and built the pistons with offset pins..?

Joe's car is certainly a DD. Why would he order zero offset pins? Color me properly confused :sly:
 
#669 · (Edited)
I knew my comment about how quiet (and smooth) this engine is, would get picked up on. It really is amazing how well it is running, and the zero-offset wrist-pins are absolutely perfect. I'll admit that I was a bit apprehensive about the idea at first, but Ed easily convinced me there would be no issues and he was spot on with the design (for anyone on the fence about it, there is nothing to worry about).

Other than my "mistake" of skimping out on the garden sprayer pre-oiling process, the slight bit of clatter I heard on the very first start-up has been long since forgotten. In my own defense, I figured that "extended" cranking would get the oil everywhere it needed to be, but if I could do it over again, the bottle would have been the way to go. In any case, this engine is running better than what Dearborn supplied me with, although I am sure the new owner of that mill will get a lot of good years out of it (it only had about 22,000 miles on it and was well cared for).

For those that still want the OE-ish wrist pin offset for whatever reason, I'm betting Ed has made sure that Nick and his crew will ensure there will be plenty enough material around the boss to alleviate the weak spot like shown in the picture above. Then again, since the new design is showing to be effective, there really is no need to have it any other way. Continuing to be happy with it for sure.
 
#671 · (Edited)
The Garden Sprayer Method refers to making a device to pressurize the oiling system before the first start up. The garden sprayer pump is used to create the pressure to push the oil into all the tiny areas of the engine. You just need to replace the end of the sprayer with the fitting to go into where the oil pressure sensor is, along with a ball valve to release the pressurized oil once you pump up the sprayer.

I got tired of pumping and added a fitting to the top of the bottle to fill it up with my air compressor. I used about 20 psi and it seemed to get the job done. I pumped about four quarts of oil into the engine using this method and then added the rest the regular way.

Hope this helps.

Sent from my A0001 using Tapatalk
 
#672 ·
When you choose to use the garden sprayer approach you want to exercise a little caution with the air pressure. Many garden sprayers are intended to handle around 10 to 15 psi max. Check yours to be certain what it was rated for. If you exceed the manufacturer's recommended operating pressure with the use of an air compressor you risk blowing up the tank and potentially getting injured in the process. 15 psi is normally more than adequate to get the job done.

When using an air compressor it is very easy to overdo the tank pressure, not so likely when you pump it up by hand. I tend to fall down on the chicken side of the fence with these sorts of things so 20 psi raises my pulse a few notches.

Be prudent don't take unnecessary risks.


Ed
 
#673 · (Edited)
I should have definitely clarified the whole "garden sprayer" pre-oiling method, but it sounds like everyone is squared away. Had I gone that route in any case, I would have just used my Motive Power Bleeder since it could have easily been adapted to the un-used port in the oil cooler adapter. Adding to that, and as Ed mentioned, the pressure could be kept fairly low - around 10-15 PSI which is the norm when bleeding the brakes.

In any case, the latest UOA came in from Blackstone and all looks well according to them. The Zn & Ph levels are higher with this oil (probably mentioned that earlier in the build) which made it a good choice for break-in. Even better, no coolant or fuel in the oil. Looking forward to seeing how the M1 0W-40 fares, but it will be doing its thing until about this time next year. Time to put some more miles on!

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#674 ·
Great test results Joe! That comes from the attention to detail and the TLC you used in your assembly.

For those who are following this thread, the Blackstone Labs oil analysis is the best barometer for knowing how your engine is doing mechanically. It is cheap money, easy to do and if you go to their web page they will even send you the gizmo to put the oil sample into — hard to beat that!


Ed
 
#675 · (Edited)
Just over 1,000 miles on the engine now and it is running fantastic as expected. No plans - for about the third year in a row - to get to many car shows, so it's been a bit tougher to put on more miles. Hopefully I'll keep plugging away as long as we get breaks from rain.

The only gremlin lately was the alternator (one of my custom units) which when tested, was somehow drawing about 250A. Not sure what was going on with it, but the voltage output was dropping and it was getting toasty. The owner of the shop that built it thinks one of his guys might have inadvertently assembled the higher amp version for me when I just wanted the standard 160A upgrade. Fortunately they built me a spare 160A version that I had on the shelf and it is now installed and working perfectly. The other should be back soon once they straighten it out and I'll keep that in the box just in case.

On that note, my $0.02 is that the real high output alternators on these cars are just not necessary (135A up to 160/170 is perfect). Pushing them up to over 200 just means more power is required to turn them, and they generate a whole lot more heat. The other 160A (with a 2-1/8" pulley) is functioning beautifully and all is back to normal:

Automotive tire Automotive lighting Gas Jewellery Rim
 
#679 ·
On that note, my $0.02 is that the real high output alternators on these cars are just not necessary (135A up to 160/170 is perfect). Pushing them up to over 200 just means more power is required to turn them, and they generate a whole lot more heat. The other 160A (with a 2-1/8" pulley) is functioning beautifully and all is back to normal:
Good info Joe. I have been very fortunate too to still be on the OEM alternator, however I recently switched to a 200 amp from Justin Wheeler because I now have 75 amps being used up between my fuel pumps and IC pump. So I think your statement of "(135A up to 160/170 is perfect)" really depends on the specific car. For a relatively OEM build I would agree with you.

--Joe
 
#676 ·
Good stuff Joe...as always. Our motors were finished up about the same time with mine running just a little earlier than yours IIRC. I've got about 3100 miles on mine. My oil analysis from Blackstone at the 3000 mile change here a couple months ago looked very similar to yours...combination of the King SI Series bearings plus normal new engine break in. All is well. I REALLY need to remember this thread as I must be the luckiest Cobra owner on the planet: not a single alternator issue to date lol. When mine eventually croaks, I need to remember this :salut:
 
#678 · (Edited)
The King bearings definitely have a role in the nice UOA's. I'm sure glad to have them in mine and am thankful Ed has such good things to say about them. Anyone building one of these engines is wise to seek out King - especially when you can put the one-piece thrust bearing in place. Now if I can just get out for more drives...!

And I must be the unluckiest lol. I've owned 4 Mustangs and have been through at least 15 alternators. I went through 5 on my 89 Coupe.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk
It seems to be one extreme or the other with these cars, but I've been relatively lucky, even back to my Fox days. Not sure how my custom unit ended up being of the 200A+ variety, but the 6G units do tend to work much better when in the 160A range (for those that don't have the desire to buy a Mechman or Nations version). In any case, the OE 105A output of the 6G is just weak, but it appears there are now options for the much better 3G versions that are 135A. They are a tight fit and the mounting bracket needs a bit of clearancing, but it's another way to go.

Some details are at the end of my Alternator 101 thread. The guy selling them is coincidentally named Ken - I'll touch base and see if he wants to add more details and maybe some contact info.
 
#681 ·
Your build is a text book example of how to do the job correctly, Joe. The documentation you provided and the corresponding explanations / instructions are and have been wildly popular as is evidenced by the 124,8xx views your thread has had, making it the fourth most popular thread on the site up to this time.

For anyone considering a build, Joe's thread in particular and all the other build threads, should be on your list of must read documents. It will save you time, money and show you the correct way to go about the effort you are about to undertake.

Joe, thanks for taking the time and effort to do the job correctly and also to document it for everyone else. Hard to tell which is more demanding, the work or the documentation but both are genuinely appreciated.

For anyone who has not yet been there, be sure to take a look at Joe's website Terminator Cobra (=< clickable) It is easily the motherload of SVT Cobra OEM information. The site does not provide for commentary but it is, without a doubt, the definitive knowledge base for everything 03/04 SVT Cobra.

Ed
 
#682 · (Edited)
Thanks again, Ed! Glad to have been able to keep all this going (along with my two sites) and the input from everyone has been appreciated. I'm still amazed how often people write asking for further input or to just say thanks, and I even frequently find myself referring back to the thread when details get fuzzy. In any case, I sure dig how well the engine is running, and I'm real glad I didn't get too carried away with PhotoBucket to document it all! Hopefully I'll get the remaining ten or so posts with the broken image links edited within the next week so it's complete for those that are still checking back.
 
#683 · (Edited)
Giving the thread a bump since I finally had the chance to go through and fix all my broken PhotoBucket links. This was a bit of a pain, but fortunately all the pictures are saved on my hard drive. Just a matter of chasing them all down and organizing the effected posts, but the images are all back. Keep on enjoying!
 
#686 ·
Definitely glad to have that monkey off my back! Fortunately, the majority of the pictures were uploaded directly to the server (hopefully I am not close to any limits that may be imposed on users). Not sure why I decided to mess with PhotoBucket anyway, but they sure hosed a lot of people by blocking the 3rd party hosting.

In any case, the big posts that needed updating were those covering the head stud re-torque and the Vampire install, so they were well worth getting pictures back in. Besides, John's creation is so good that I'd hate to leave anyone hanging who wanted to see plenty of detail on the process. Now it's time to get back on some updates of my own site...
 
#689 · (Edited)
Thanks for re-posting the pics.. Vampire system all the way!!

ks
For sure!

I've enjoyed sharing and documenting all this for everyone's benefit. Also, I've been glad to give props, here and on my website, to all the great components out there for these engines (and the cars themselves). One of course being the Vampire. John really has made a fantastic product that is such a must-have on these blown engines, which just can't be mentioned enough!
 
#692 ·
Thanks (again), Ed, for adding all that. More good stuff for anyone using this thread as their build reference, and hopefully Mark will be glad that his post wasn't completely ignored!
 
#693 ·
Not to keep kicking a dead horse - and for clarification for those reading and following - but it looks like this is a problem more associated with the OEM aluminum blocks and not the cast iron blocks...is that correct? I know this is one area I payed special attention to when we went thru mine. With my OEM cast iron block, we torqued the head studs to a final 85 ft lbs with ARP ultra-torque lube.
 
#694 ·
Without some exploratory research it is hard to say which and how many blocks are impacted, Jeff. What is known with some certainty now is the Aluminator blocks are susceptible to the failure. Without some exploratory sawing on used up blocks like the Aluminator in the picture above it is difficult, at best, to pick winners and losers. The cast iron blocks usually use sections that are not as heavy as aluminum but that is not necessarily a disqualifier because of the differences in material specifications between cast iron and aluminum.

The known cracking failure mode for the iron blocks is the now familiar crack that originates in the mid to lower portion of the cylinder and propagates downward through the main web. This type of failure typically occurs over a longer term and is a combination of block fatigue and piston side thrust at the bottom of the stroke as the piston descends to but mostly rises from BDC. The failure in the dye penetrant photo above, in post #691, is an ultimate strength failure where insufficient aluminum in the OEM casting is supporting the head stud well between the bottom of the stud and the top of the main web.

Unless the builder gets crazy with the head stud torque this type of failure is improbable although not impossible. A properly torqued head with 85 to 90 ft/lbs of torque applied and retorqued after the first heat cycle will in virtually all instances provide good gasket seal up through ~20/24 psi of boost with a screw blower and 26/28 psi of boost with a turbo. If you intend to operate above those thresholds the potential for an MLS gasket failure goes up significantly - even with the best prepared head and block surfaces.

If the builder feels the need to operate above those boost levels then you are getting into a more serious race engine build and should be considering dead soft copper head gaskets, flanged cylinder sleeves with receiver grooves and stainless wire o-rings in the heads. That is the next level of gasket sealing tech. Street engines do not need to go there.

Almost forgot! There is a significant contributing factor to the gasket failure scenario and it is detonation.

The sharp rise in cylinder pressure at the instant of detonation puts extraordinary stresses on the head gasket and its seal that are way over the top in terms of the highest anticipated in cylinder pressures the design engineers were engineering to contain. The best solution here is a good tune and the use of a J&S Vampire detonation detection and suppression system. I have repeatedly sung this song over the last decade or more. The J&S product is the only system available that both detects and prevents detonation in real time before the next ignition event occurs on a cylinder by cylinder basis.

Everything else is like the TV commercial with the bank robbery monitor in the bank that is being robbed. One of the bank customers asks the monitor why he isn't doing anything to prevent the robbery. He responds that he is a monitor. His job is to let you know when a robbery is occurring, not to stop it. Same story with every add on detonation detection device on the market today - except J&S.

The simplest, easiest and most cost effective steps anyone can take to minimize the potential for head gasket failure is an 85 to 90 ft/lb torque spec with ARP 2000 fasteners, ARP UltraTorque and a retorque once the engine has cooled to ambient temperatures. The retorque must be after the first heat cycle. This technique is simply a best practice and also the best protection against MLS gasket (or any other head gasket) failure. Of course it should go without saying but don't overheat the engine and do not forget to get a J&S Vampire. If you can't afford the J&S Vampire you can not afford the engine you just built.

Ed
 
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