At the risk of losing credibility with our readers (assuming I had any to begin with!), I must admit to never having built an engine before. I’ve done general maintenance, bodywork, welding, complete paintjobs, and even rebuilt a couple of automatic transmissions, but I’ve never taken an engine apart and put it back together—until now. People I’ve revealed this to usually have the same reaction: Couldn’t you have chosen an easier engine to build than the 4.6? My response is always the same (and I hope I don’t sound smug when I say it): Building this engine wasn’t that hard.
I mention this potentially embarrassing truth not as a means of publicly patting myself on the back but rather to inspire our readers. If I can put together an overhead cam 4.6L Ford engine, so can you. To my relief, it started and ran once I got it back in the car. It runs even better now with at least 4,000 miles of daily driving and almost 30 full power pulls on Westech’s chassis dyno. No oil loss, no scary sounds, and best of all, it makes nearly 70 more horsepower and 50 more lb-ft of torque than before, thanks to Trick Flow Specialties Top End Kit for 2V Modular Ford engines.
Don’t be fooled by this car’s two extra doors; this same build will work for any SOHC 4.6 or 5.4L Ford engine currently running in millions of cars and trucks—SN-95 Mustangs, Thunderbirds and Cougars, Town Cars, hell, even F-150 and Econoline van owners can do this job and reap the benefits of Trick Flow’s 4.6 Twisted Wedge Top End Kit.
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As a baseline, I have a glovebox of 10-second, eighth-mile timeslips (about 15.60 quarter-
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Trick Flow includes an instruction book, which illustrates the job being done on a Mustang
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In my Ford service manual, step one in the section on removing the cylinder heads was “rem
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Remove the fan and coolant reservoir and unbolt the exhaust, torque converter and transmis
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Teardown is straightforward. Begin by prying the heater hose from the back of the water pu
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The timing cover is retained with two different sized bolts, some of which have long studs
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Though the overhead cam arrangement looks complicated, it really isn’t. The roller cam fol
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This is important: Remove the cam followers before taking the timing chains or tensioners
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The tool levers against the cam to push down on the valvespring, unloading the follower an
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Check out the damage to my cam tensioner and guide. The driver-side tensioner arm was worn
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The slack-side chain guide was broken, too.
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Now it’s safe to remove the cam timing system. Save yourself a lot of hassle and remove th
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Remove the cylinder head bolts and throw them away. They are torque-to-yield fasteners and
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While flow-testing the stock heads, several people advised me to inspect the entire engine
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Because the engine looked so good inside, and because I didn’t have a ton of money to spen
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I filed all the sharp edges off the crankshaft and cleaned it with car-wash soap one rainy
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I used a degreaser solvent to clean the connecting rods, pistons, and rings, working one c
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The modular V8 uses floating wristpins that are easier to disassemble and reassemble becau
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The pistons had a lot of carbon buildup and several of the oil control rings were stuck. I
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I reused the rings rather than buying new ones so I wouldn’t have to hone the engine. Besi
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Reassembling the pistons and rods is easy because Ford casts each part with identifying ma
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Even after 160,000 miles, the ring gaps were within spec—0.015 for the top rings, between
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Iron-block modular engines were built at the Romeo and Windsor plants, and like previous F
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The thrust bearing is different, too. Romeo engines use a shim in the block and a flanged
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Here is the correct thrust bearing arrangement for a Romeo block. The upper bearing shell
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The main caps are numbered from the factory, eliminating any chance of mismatching. This p
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I replaced the torque-to-yield main bolts with ARP studs. The main bearing clearance was w
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The pistons and connecting rods are installed as on any other engine. The rod bearing clea
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Trick Flow’s top-end kit comes complete with the heads and cams, of course, but also with
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Like the stock cylinder heads, Trick Flow’s heads can be installed on either bank of the e
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Using the supplied assembly lube, coat the cam journals and install the cams. Soak the new
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These engines use MLS head gaskets, and they are clearly marked for the left or right side
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I cleaned and reused the stock oil pump. Installation of the timing gear begins with setti
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Because I had heard about the modular engine’s potential for mismatched cam timing, I requ
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To install them, I needed the spacer behind the stock timing gears.
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To remove the stock cam gears, I needed OTC’s cam-holding tool, which consists of a button
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I needed an impact wrench to get these bolts off, as they were really tight. That’s why I
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The stock timing gears have a tooth that engages the keyway on the cams, but the Comp cam
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The timing chains come with colored links to indicate cam alignment during installation. O
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It really is that easy. Fully installed, the system should look like this. Note that the r
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I rechecked the cam timing to find that Trick Flow’s specs of a 113-degree installed cente
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Before finishing assembly of the engine, I checked all the cylinders with OTC leakdown tes
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I assembled the remainder of the engine using timing cover, valve cover, and oil pan gaske
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I encountered an interesting problem with Fel-Pro’s rear main seal, the brown one in this
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With the engine nearly ready to drop into the car, I ran into my next snag. The right side
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Mustang exhaust manifolds aren’t routed as closely to the engine block. Either way, we’d a
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I would have had to do a lot of grinding to make the manifold fit, and I simply didn’t hav
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I tried to drop the engine into the car with the headers bolted on, but they were too long
Mod Motor Cam Timing
I’ve come across a lot of rumors floating around online about mod motor cams being installed as many as 4 degrees advanced or retarded from the factory. Wanting to verify this, I checked my engine’s cam timing before removing the cylinder heads. We won’t document the entire process here, as we’ve done about half a million cam-degreeing articles in the past 58 years. The mod motor’s overhead cam arrangement only adds a slight twist to the process in this boilerplate article.
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Though you can probably get by without it, we recommend buying Trick Flow’s cam degree sup
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Though you can probably get by without it, we recommend buying Trick Flow’s cam degree sup
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The rest of the process is the same as with a pushrod engine. Find the exact TDC of the cy
Cylinder Head Flow Chart
I brought the stock heads and the new Trick Flow heads to Westech for flow bench testing. The difference is dramatic. There is a lot of potential in these Trick Flow castings.
Stock:
| Valve Opening |
Intake CFM |
Exhaust CFM |
| 0.050 |
27 |
22 |
| 0.100 |
51 |
50 |
| 0.200 |
96 |
86 |
| 0.300 |
133 |
111 |
| 0.400 |
156 |
124 |
| 0.500 |
171 |
131 |
| 0.600 |
177 |
135 |
Trick Flow:
| Valve Opening |
Intake CFM |
Exhaust CFM |
| 0.050 |
26 |
23 |
| 0.100 |
54 |
50 |
| 0.200 |
124 |
93 |
| 0.300 |
173 |
129 |
| 0.400 |
210 |
155 |
| 0.500 |
232 |
165 |
| 0.600 |
239 |
170 |
*Cylinder heads tested at Westech Performance’s SuperFlow 300 flow bench with a 3.580 bore adapter. Stock 4.6 bore is 3.552 inches.
On the Dyno
The engine fired on the second crank and ran surprisingly well. After fixing the previously mentioned oil leaks from the gallery plugs in the cylinder heads (and fixing an unrelated wiring nightmare under the dash), my car felt really strong running on Blue Oval Chips’ programming for the Mercury Marauder MAF installed in our June ’11 issue. However, Trick Flow recommends reprogramming the ECM after installing its Top End Kit, so I spent the better part of a day on Westech’s chassis dyno, as Ernie Mena fine-tuned the air/fuel ratio and timing. Tuning Ford ECMs requires some sort of handheld programmer that goes between the tuning shop’s laptop and the ECM. Ernie used the SCT X3 Power Flash programmer I bought from Blue Oval Chips. As a result, my car is now making 70 more horsepower and nearly 50 more lb-ft of torque. The torque band is much flatter than stock, as well, making about 300 lb-ft from 3,500 rpm all the way to 5,000 rpm. The car feels much more powerful and a lot more fun to drive. We’ll have some dragstrip numbers to back up these horsepower figures soon.
Where’d That Power Come From?
Stock versus Trick Flow Heads
|
Stock NPI (92-99) Heads |
Stock PI (99-Present)Heads |
TFS Twisted Wedge
|
| Intake Runner |
146 cc |
159 cc |
185 cc |
| Intake Valve Diameter |
1.752 inches |
1.752 inches |
1.840 inches |
| Exhaust Runner |
|
|
93 cc |
| Exhaust Valve Diameter |
1.339 inches |
1.417 inches |
1.450 inches |
| Combustion Chamber |
52 cc |
44 cc |
38 cc |
| Compression ratio (stock pistons, rods cylinder bore, and deck height) |
9.3:1(with 10.5cc piston dish) |
9.4:1(with 15.8cc piston dish) |
10.1:1(with 15.8cc piston dish) |
| Cam Specs |
204/208 duration at 0.050 lift/0.480 valve lift |
200/208 duration, 0.505/0.531 valve lift, 115 LSA |
228/230 duration, 0.550 valve lift, 112 LSA |
The secret to our 4.6’s newly found power is a collaboration of a better combustion chamber design, bigger ports, slightly larger valves, and Trick Flow’s canted valve arrangement. Changing the angle of the intake valve provides a better path into the cylinders. It also eliminates piston-to-valve clearance problems very common to SOHC 4.6 engines—you can’t advance the cam too far or run intake lift numbers more than about 0.525 inch without notching the pistons. With its valve arrangement, Trick Flow says lift of up to 0.600 inch is safe. Every engine builder we’ve checked with says Trick Flow’s heads—with CNC-shaped chambers and as-cast intake and exhaust runners—will outflow any ported factory cylinder head, and our gains of 70 hp to the rear wheels is right inline with what other Trick Flow customers are seeing. While we’re still breathing through the car’s stock intake and tailpipes, we know there is more potential in these heads, especially at higher engine speeds. We’re looking at intake combinations and possibly a power-adder to see how much more we can wring out of these things. Note in the chart above that the best naturally aspirated combination may be an early non-power- improved block and Trick Flow’s 38cc chamber heads. If you want more compression, bolt these heads on a four-valve block, which comes with flat-top pistons and will net a compression ratio of nearly 12:1. For guys who love boost, Trick Flow also sells a version of these cylinder heads with 44cc combustion chambers. END
Parts List
| Description |
PN |
Source |
Price |
| Clean block and install freeze plugs |
N/A |
Hi-Tek |
$50.00 |
| Trick Flow 2V Modular Top End Kit |
TFS-K519-390-375 |
Summit Racing |
2,899.95 |
| ARP main bearing cam studs |
156-5401 |
ARP |
106.95 |
| King main bearings |
KGB-MB5353SI |
Summit Racing |
50.95 |
| King connecting rod bearings |
KGB-CR868SI |
Summit Racing |
39.95 |
| Cloyes timing chain tensioner, right |
9-5433 |
Rock Auto |
33.79 |
| Cloyes timing chain tensioner, left |
9-5432 |
Rock Auto |
32.79 |
| Fel-Pro timing cover gasket set |
TCS45869-1 |
Rock Auto |
16.64 |
| Fel-Pro oil filter adapter gasket |
230 70801 |
Rock Auto |
7.59 |
| Fel-Pro front crank seal |
230 TCS46114 |
Rock Auto |
9.31 |
| Cloyes tensioner arm, right |
95340 |
Rock Auto |
17.51 |
| Cloyes tensioner arm, left |
95341 |
Rock Auto |
18.81 |
| Cloyes timing chain guide, right |
95428 |
Rock Auto |
18.81 |
| Cloyes timing chain guide, left |
95429 |
Rock Auto |
19.17 |
| Fel-Pro Oil pan gasket |
OS30725R |
Rock Auto |
22.79 |
| Fel-Pro valve cover gaskets |
VS50564R |
Rock Auto |
29.79 |
| Comp adjustable cam gear set |
10246SET |
Comp |
248.95 |
| Connecting rod bolts (4.95 each) |
F3LY-6214-A |
South Bay Ford |
79.20 |
| Rear main seal |
F4AZ-6701-A |
South Bay Ford |
25.57 |
| Piston pin retainers(sold in sets of 4) |
F6AZ-6140-AA |
South Bay Ford |
37.84 |
| Stainless Works headers and catalytic converters |
CRVIC03HDRCAT |
Stainless Works |
1,590.00 |
| Spark plugs |
NGK3403 |
B&C Auto Parts |
27.60 |
| TOTAL |
|
|
$5,383.96 |
Tool List
| Description |
PN |
Source |
Price |
| Ford V8 cam holding tool |
OTC-6498 |
Summit Racing |
$119.95 |
| Cam degree supplement kit |
TFS-90100 |
Summit Racing |
39.95 |
| Ford rear crank seal installer tool |
OTC-7786 |
Summit Racing |
109.95 |
| Harmonic balancer installer |
OTC-6505 |
Summit Racing |
119.95 |
| Cylinder leakdown tester |
OTC-5609 |
Summit Racing |
99.95 |
| Piston ring installer and compressor tool |
CMB-17-0000 |
Summit Racing |
34.85 |
| Proform Parts universal degree wheel kit |
PRO-66787 |
Summit Racing |
89.95 |
| TOTAL |
|
|
$614.55 |
|
|
Rock Auto
6680 Odana Road
Madison
WI
53719
866-762-5288
www.rockauto.com
|
Racers' Edge Tuning
8107 Phlox Street
Downey
CA
90241
562-622-2508
www.racersedgetuning.net
|
King Engine Bearings
327 Little Falls road, Suite 5
Cedar Grove
NJ
07009
800-772-3670
www.kingbearings.com
|
Cloyes Gear And Products Inc.
Ft. Smith
AR
479-645-1662
www.cloyes.com
|
Federal-Mogul Corporation
26555 Northwestern Hwy.
Southfield
MI
48033
248-354-7700
www.federal-mogul.com
|
Blue Oval Chips
Danville
IN
317-718-7231
www.blueovalchips.com
|
Westech Performance Group
11098 Venture Drive
Unit C
Mira Loma
CA
91752
951-685-4767
www.westechperformance.com
|
SPX Service Solutions
Romeoville
IL
www.servicesolutions.spx.com
|
Hi-Tek Engine Rebuilding
Gardena
CA
310-327-2411
|
ARP
1863 Eastman Avenue
Ventura
CA
93003
800-826-3045
www.arp-bolts.com
|
Summit Racing Equipment
PO Box 909
Akron
OH
44398
800-230-3030
330-630-0240
www.summitracing.com
|
Comp Cams
3406 Democrat Road
Memphis
TN
38118
800-999-0853
www.compcams.com
|
Stainless Works
9899 E. Washington St.
Chargrin Falls
OH
44023
800-878-6935
www.stainlessworks.net
|
South Bay Ford
Hawthorne
CA
888-358-9380
www.southbayford.com
|
B&C Auto Parts
Gardena
CA
310-380-7474
| |