The engine comes together...

[dj_mindframe_99]

So I was at the machine shop today almost all the parts are in to start the rebuild. the rotating assembly needs to be shipped out and balanced before we continue. so we're still a few weeks out, looking like a good Christmas for me??

I will add more pictures once the rotating assembly is installed on the block, and I'll have more pictures of the "after" on the heads once they are cleaned up and Greg works his magic on them but before he puts them on the engine.
Then I'll add a few more once the engine is completed before it's transplanted back home.

here we go... expedition engine build Photos by dj_mindframe_99 | Photobucket

if it's ok to just post all the pictures in sequence on here let me know, I'll change it around.

 

[Vigilante]

that all looks great!

Take an extra good look at the area around the thermostat. My 4.6 has a lot of corrosion and rotted through aluminum right there.

 

[dj_mindframe_99]

much appreciated. I will give it a good look over when I head back, most of those accessory kind of parts I may have some fun with. like painting all the cooling parts blue for example.

the block, oil pan, valve covers, intake and timing cover will all be black, the cylinder heads will be shiny new aluminum and the headers are ceramic coated in silver.

 

[Vigilante]

good ol' Ford blue. haha. I work on airplanes a lot and they color code a lot of the systems. Fuel is yellow, hydraulics are red, coolant blue or green. It would be an interesting system to have on a car. I think I just gave myself a cool idea!

 

[toms89]

Hope everything goes well ! Think that's a decent choice on cams.... not to aggressive. You will likely need to get custom tune to take full advantage of your mods or you will leave a lot of performance potential untapped.

Any idea what the final compression will be at with the pistons chosen?

The rods are the weakest link with these mod motors. If you afford it go with forged rods then the motor would be pretty much "bullet proof".

 

[rburch]

I second what tom said! Also a good way to keep aluminium looking new its a product called shark skin i believe! It just wipes on!

 

[dj_mindframe_99]

As I understand a dyno tune for these trucks will run about $700.
I have a superchips tuner with some canned tunes. or do I just fork over the dough for a new tuner with tunes made for my driving habits?

keep in mind if i dyno it, I will have proof in numbers in terms of power and torque. and the super awesome graphs. a powerful persuasion to most to know exactly what you ended up with at the end of all the planning and waiting and digging.

I do not think the compression is changing. Those are stock replacements. the entire rotating assembly is stock in fact, however everything is being balanced and made to be tight as a drum. the assembler is going the extra mile of boring each cylinder to match each piston to ensure the most perfect fit he can get out of it.

but if it does change at all I would think it would only go up a little...little bit?????

I know that if the rods come back as weak or otherwise damaged we will replace with stock parts. this truck Isn't going to see the kind of abuse ness. to designate forged rods, or pistons even.

but I did consider dropping the extra $700 for a set of pistons until I saw a set of rods was another $600ish I just didn't have that extra $1,300 to drop and I'm not gonna see the performance on the back-end because I'm just not going to use it that hard.

I did however opt to spend on some better ARP fasteners, and upgraded gaskets in a few places. the guy building it feels very confident in a 400h.p. 450lb. ft. torque (at the flywheel) engine when it's all assembled.
I've also decided on a true dual Borla exhaust, undecided on the cats.

Toms89 I want to thank you again personally for letting me pick your brain so much. I would not have come this far in the build if it weren't for you. and the rest of you guys for that matter.