Talk to me about your alum. 482 build.

[fkemmerer]

Originally Posted by FUNFER2

Talk to me about your aluminum 482 build, rotating assembly, cam type & numbers, heads, intake, carb. dyno numbers, durability, cost and how well you like it, or not. And even changes that you would do different, if you could. Photo's also. Give me all the poop ya have.

Thank you,
Kevin

Kevin,

Keith Craft did a Fuel Injected 482 ci for me. Here's a summary of the specs:

• Shelby Aluminum Side-oil block, CNC ported aluminum, 4.250" Bore
• Forged Scat Crankshaft, 4.250" Stroke, Internally Balanced
• Forged Scat H-Beam Rods
• Forged Custom Diamond Pistons, 10.5:1 Final Compression Ratio
• CNC Stage II Ported Edelbrock aluminum heads with 2.19"/1.75 stainless steel valves
• TWM Induction Stack Fuel Injection Intake Manifold and 58 mm Throttle Bodies; modified for IAC motor with plumbing under intake
• Bosch 42 lb/hr Fuel Injectors running at 50 PSI and 47.5 lb/hr maximum output
• Competition Cams Custom Grind Hydraulic Roller Camshaft and Crane Hydraulic Roller Lifters (see below for CAM Specs)
• T&D Machine Products Shaft Mounted Roller Rockers
• Melling High Volume Oil Pump
• Aviad Cobra Oil Pan
• Ford Remote Oil Filter Setup
• BHJ Damper
• FAST XFI Computer with Electronic Traction Control
• FAST Dual Sync EFI Distributor
• MSD Digital-6 Ignition Box with Blaster HVC Coil
• Shelby Polished Valve Covers, Timing Cover and Water Pump
• ARP Fasteners Throughout, Polished SS Fasteners where Visible
• Powermaster Polished 100A 1-Wire Alternator
• March Polished Accessory Drive
• McLeod Street Twin Dual Disc Clutch with Aluminum Flywheel
• Powermaster Hi-Torque starter
• Lakewood Safety Bell Housing, Modified for Cobra Ground Clearance

Here's some pictures of the finished motor. It went into an ERA Cobra:





Here's the dyno sheet for Keith's engine dyno:



I have been very pleased with this engine. The drivability with the EFI system and the TWM setup is excellent (no problems cruising the car at 1500 RPM for example) and the throttle response and power are really excellent. I did switch from the Shelby polished valve covers to a black set for appearance reasons and I suspect the McLeod dual-disc clutch is a little much for my application. I also decided to use an MSD Digital-6 box instead of the MSD 6AL that Keith supplied with the motor as the Digital-6 is more easily adjustable, has a 2-step limiter, and provides higher output. MSD's new 6AL-2 would provide all of this functionality and has the same performance as the Digital-6. Other than those items, I would not change a thing. BTW, some tell me that the McLeod dual disc clutch feels a little heavy in the car. Personally, this does not bother me and I don't notice the clutch as being any stiffer than many single disc street/strip clutches I've used in the past. I just got my car finished late last year and I am still doing some tuning work. I sent my FAST system back to FAST and had it upgraded to include Electronic Traction Control (ETC, this requires a driveshaft sensor which I've installed on the car). I expect to do some tuning on the ETC setup in spring to see how well it will work on my Cobra. The FAST ETC system senses a sudden jump in driveshaft RPM when the rear wheels start to spin and takes timing out of the motor to reduce torque output. It will be interesting to see how well this works in a light car like the Cobra in the lower gears.

You can check out my website for more information on the motor and ERA that its in at:

http://www.anitafred.net/Cobra.htm

There's also a pretty complete build thread on the ERA forum which has alot of details on my setup as well. That thread may be found at:

ERA 753 - Final Assembly in Progress

If you decide to do an Aluminum 482 motor, I suggest you give Keith a call. I was very pleased with the work the he did on my motor and will likely work with him again for any future Ford projects that I do.

- Fred

[FUNFER2]

Very nice Fred !
Thank you for the information, photo's and your site.

Here is my exhaust system.

Header's- are 2" but, look at the attached photo's. Who ever made these, they squeezed the side's inward, like they put them in a vise ? Was this done for bolt clearance ?

How big of a issue is this ?

J-tubes are 1-3/4"
Collectors are 3"
Muffler housing are 4"
Turn outs are 3"

Are the J-tubes also too small and restrictive ?

Man, it looks like I'll have to spend even more, on new headers, flange,
J-tubes, collectors, mufflers, housing, turn outs,....... the entire exhaust system, before Keith's 482.

Thanks,

[fkemmerer]

Originally Posted by FUNFER2

Very nice Fred !
Thank you for the information, photo's and your site.

Here is my exhaust system.

Header's- are 2" but, look at the attached photo's. Who ever made these, they squeezed the side's inward, like they put them in a vise ? Was this done for bolt clearance ?

How big of a issue is this ?

J-tubes are 1-3/4"
Collectors are 3"
Muffler housing are 4"
Turn outs are 3"

Are the J-tubes also too small and restrictive ?

Man, it looks like I'll have to spend even more, on new headers, flange,
J-tubes, collectors, mufflers, housing, turn outs,....... the entire exhaust system, before Keith's 482.

Thanks,

Kevin,

Its hard to say from the pictures why the fabricator squeezed the tubing. While this is not a good thing, if your primaries are 2" and all of the tubes are more or less consistently modified this way, then it may not be as big of a factor as you think. What will matter most is how well the new heads on the 482 match up with you primaries and whether how restrictive the crush area in the pipes are in that context. This said, an engine the size of a 482 running at 4000 RPM plus needs a free flowing exhaust to perform at its best. I don't know what you have in terms of mufflers/sidepipes but if they are quite enough to make your car "street legal", then that is probably your biggest source of restriction and power loss. You menition that these are 4" on the ouside. What do they look like on the inside? That's what matters at this step in you exhaust system. If you can get something that is more free flowing in that area, I'm guessing it would probably help the most. I am not sure where the "J-tubes" are in the exhaust system - can you clarify?

- Fred

[FUNFER2]

Matching up the the 482 and the primaries will have to wait until I get the engine, unless I sent them to Keith with all of the other parts that will be donated from my 428.

I have no idea what mufflers Lone Star uses but, I've heard they are restrictive. As far as what's left of the glass packing, I doubt very little. It's fairly loud. I will be curious just what's left and how they were constructed.
It could be if the outside tube for the mufflers are 4", I hope they put in a 3" muffler, we'll see.

The J-tubes-all four pipes come straight down from the header, out from the collector, then they curve outside the body to the side pipes. Making a "J" shape.

[fkemmerer]

Originally Posted by FUNFER2

Matching up the the 482 and the primaries will have to wait until I get the engine, unless I sent them to Keith with all of the other parts that will be donated from my 428.

I have no idea what mufflers Lone Star uses but, I've heard they are restrictive. As far as what's left of the glass packing, I doubt very little. It's fairly loud. I will be curious just what's left and how they were constructed.
It could be if the outside tube for the mufflers are 4", I hope they put in a 3" muffler, we'll see.

The J-tubes-all four pipes come straight down from the header, out from the collector, then they curve outside the body to the side pipes. Making a "J" shape.

Kevin,

I'd say the place to start in terms of improving the xhaust system would be the sidepipes/mufflers.

- Fred

[767Jockey]

Fred, Kevin -
I wish I could remember what thread it was on but a guy dyno'ed the difference between his factory supplied sidepipe mufflers and the new ones (either Stainless Specialties or Classic Chambered, I forget which), and the difference was about 100 HP !!!!!

[FUNFER2]

I agree and have seen several guys say 40-100 HP gain. I could see up to 50 but,....100 ?

I have chassis dynode mine with the pipes I have, once I make the new one's, I will dyno it again and post the results, before seeling it.