Livernois 298cid stroker build in 96 Cobra

[Waffles]

Well, I thought I'd start a project thread for my 96 Cobra project. I recently purchased a Livernois 298cid forged rotating stroker assembly. I did a lot of homework, asking about 3 billion questions. Things that convinced me to buy Livernois were that, they did not just gather together several off-the-shelf parts to put together a stroker kit. Each part was specfically designed to work together by Livernois.

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i111/cga1974/Cobra%20build/P1010068.jpg

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i111/cga1974/Cobra%20build/P1010066.jpg

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i111/cga1974/Cobra%20build/P1010065.jpg

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i111/cga1974/Cobra%20build/p1010063.jpg

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i111/cga1974/Cobra%20build/p1010067.jpg

I found a Teksid donor block from a 96 Lincoln Mark VIII in a junk yard. It took forever to pull from the car in the middle of the junkyard. The cost was $175, saving about $125. I'd never go that route again.

When I pulled the motor apart, I found that the secondary cam chain was broke. The valves on #2 were open when the piston hit. The head gasket was also blown, leaving the all the water passages full of sludge.

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i111/cga1974/Cobra%20build/Mark8pistonscore.jpg

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i111/cga1974/Cobra%20build/mark8block.jpg

[DeckerEnt]

You have a lot of clean up ahead of you. Good luck.
Keith

[Waffles]

Looks not quite so bad now with the stock rotating assembly out of it.

Anyone know where to have the block pressure tested?

[mustangjon]

call earl the number i gave ya, he only charged me 65 to tank/flux/pressure test the heads before i ported them

[DeckerEnt]

The stamping on the piston face, it that going to make a hot spot? Will you need to sand it a little to make it smooth? Seems sharp edges like that could cause some problems especially if you are going to run some spray or another power adder.
Keith

[Waffles]

The pistons are coated, so I won't be sanding them. I don't know the answer to whether it would create hot spots or not, but I'd think if it did they wouldn't do it. I know Livernois added more material to the top of Mahle's standard piston for a higher HP rating and to move the wrist pin location for more favorable angles. It's rated to 1000HP.

[Waffles]

Took the stock rotating assembly out and started cleaning the block up today.

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i111/cga1974/Cobra%20build/P1010063-1.jpg

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i111/cga1974/Cobra%20build/P1010065-1.jpg

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i111/cga1974/Cobra%20build/P1010064.jpg

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i111/cga1974/Cobra%20build/P1010066-1.jpg

[mustang8998]

289 Stroker..........that just sounds funny!

On a serious note, this is a build I'll follow. Don't have any desire to do one, just an interesting project.

Nice job on the block, it looks brand new.

Good Luck with it!

[Waffles]

289 Stroker..........that just sounds funny!

lol... I did the same thing when I first saw it, but it's actually a 298, not a 289.



On a serious note, this is a build I'll follow. Don't have any desire to do one, just an interesting project.

Nice job on the block, it looks brand new.


Thanks, and yeah I'm very excited about the build. It's really my first time with a project of this proportion so I'm reading a lot and asking a ton of questions.

[DeckerEnt]

That cleaned up well. What did you clean it with? I know I didn't stop by with the truck. LOL
Keith

[Waffles]

lol... I have a concentrated commercial degreaser I used and pressure washed it. Then I scrubbed it with a brush and repeated the process about 10 times. I was pretty happy with it. It's aluminum except for the sleeves. So I had to dry the sleeves immediately after.

[mustang8998]

it's actually a 298, not a 289.

Dyslexia, what can I say. :o

Still funny though. ;)

[Waffles]

Okay, I need some help. I read everything I can find, and ask questions of everyone I can find to ask. I do a lot of homework before I dive into something. So here's my problem. Everyone tells me, if I've never assembled an engine before I should pay someone else to do it. My problem with that is this... if I pay someone else to do it, how many will I have assembled afterward? Exactly, none. Another friend of mine says that it's an "easy" thing, and that the one thing everyone has in common when they tell me not to build it myself, is that they're all trying to get paid.

So, I guess I need advice and whatever information or help anyone can give. Anything will he helpful, thanks!

[mustang8998]

It's not rocket science. With all the information out there, i.e; books, manuals and the web, you should have all the right instruction.

I've never assembled a mod motor, but the principle is the same. Keep a close eye on tolerances, lube everything and cleanliness are all important.

[Rick93coupe]

All I'll say is that there's usually a reason that motors that come out of the big name shops perform well. That's not to say that you can't do it, but there's a ton of tricks to making them live a long happy life.
It also only takes one mistake to ruin some of your hardware.

[Goober]

If it was going to be just a stock build, I would do it yourself. But since eyou have a lot of money wrapped up in rotating assembly, I would have someone assemble it into a long block.

[Waffles]

I don't feel the need to totally do it all by myself really, just to participate. I want the learning experience just as much as I want the motor done right. Know what I mean?

[Waffles]

Well, Mike from Dayton Performance has come through for me again. I'm off to Dayton tomorrow night to drop my block, internals, and heads off. He'll have the block machined, and then we'll assemble the bottom end together in a couple weeks. He'll also be doing a bowl blend and gasket match on the heads and a 5 angle grind valve job. Am excited it's finally going to be going together.

[cstreu1026]

I'm anxious to see the results.

[Waffles]

I'm anxious to feel the results kickin me right in the ass! Gettin excited!

[Mustard]

should be a good runner when it's done.

[cstreu1026]

You gonna spring for some bigger cams?

[nskaats]

You gonna spring for some bigger cams?

:agree:

No sense in doing all that work with stock cams. You'll be wasting time and money. Spill it, what are the cam specs?

[Waffles]

Cams are out of my budget for the moment. Gonna do the springs so that I can swap cams out later without pullin the motor and heads. Cams will be Comp 106500s.

[nskaats]

I would be doing those before I put it back together even if it takes more time. No sense in spending the time and money to pull it back apart again.

Is the recommended RPM range accurate on those? Seems pretty low for that engine...???

[JIMS SVT]

No...I had those and the power never peaked at 7400 rpm on my stock shortblock.

[nskaats]

Sounds a little better. I would think with such a short stroke they would like a lot more than 6,500 RPM.

[Waffles]

Well I don't have another car right now and I'm bumming rides to work etc. So, unless I can work something out it's gonna go like that. There is a possibility I'm picking up a DD for cheap and if that happens I'll wait for the cams to put it back together.

[Waffles]

Went to see Mike tonight and dropped off all my stuff. Block gets sent off to the machinists tomorrow and we'll see how that goes.

[Waffles]

Okay, so there are some updates... though not many. Block went off to the machinist. Turns out that once the torque plate was on, the #3 and #7 cylinders were out of round more than would work for my pistons. They need .020 to clean it up, and that won't work for me.

Mike Bell made the trek down from Dayton tonight for some good Chinese food and to check Matt Johnson's blocks with the dial bore guage. A deal was struck, a trade made, and it looks like I'll be back in business!

Thanks Mike for making the trip, and thanks Matt for helpin me out.

[PonymanfiveO]

Glad I could help out!!!

now get it together!

Cams wont be too damn difficult to do once its back together, although doing them now would be the easiest. ;)

[2-8-1]

Sounds a little better. I would think with such a short stroke they would like a lot more than 6,500 RPM.

Uh, short stroke? It's stroke is longer than a 351w. Mod motors have LONG strokes for their size. 3.55 bore and a 3.54 stroke. Windsor is a 4.00 Bore and a 3.50 Stroke

[Waffles]

Glad I could help out!!!

now get it together!

Cams wont be too damn difficult to do once its back together, although doing them now would be the easiest. ;)

Yeah, I'm definately doing cams before it goes back together now. Whatever time it needs to be done right, it'll get. The difference is that when I started this the Cobra was my daily driver. Since then I picked up a Mark III Supra and got a beater for a daily so I'm not so desperate for transportation. It can stay apart for as long as it needs to in order to be done right.

[1992MustangDW]

Nice project. Cant Wait till its done

[NXcoupe]

You are welcome, always glad to help a fellow stanger out.

[nskaats]

Uh, short stroke? It's stroke is longer than a 351w. Mod motors have LONG strokes for their size. 3.55 bore and a 3.54 stroke. Windsor is a 4.00 Bore and a 3.50 Stroke

At 3.54", they still have a relatively short stroke. They can turn pretty big RPM while maintaining a reasonable piston speed.


Yeah, I'm definately doing cams before it goes back together now. Whatever time it needs to be done right, it'll get. The difference is that when I started this the Cobra was my daily driver. Since then I picked up a Mark III Supra and got a beater for a daily so I'm not so desperate for transportation. It can stay apart for as long as it needs to in order to be done right.

Nice to see you'll be spending time to do it once and do it right Chris. Let me know if there's anything I can do to help out.