"Internals 101" recap and conclusion

[SergntMac]

Several months ago, I started a thread here detailing my own custom engine build. I didn't do this work myself, I just picked the parts and hired the talent. Well, after four months of blood, sweat, tears and CASH, it's done.

If you like to hear punch lines first, here are the totals, including any shipping, handling, tax and so on. Beer not included, that's a whole 'nother budget.

INVESTMENT
Engine build by Randy Crowley/PER = 6307.00
Vortech blower upgrade to T trim = 1200.00
Sutton Ford dyno tune with SCT "Big Air" MAF install = 628.00

RESULTS
478 RWHP/434 RWTQ
15 lbs. of boost (3.12 pulley) 12.0 AFR
No headers/no juice, lot's of options ahead.

Okay, there's your punch line, read on if you want to hear the joke.

For y'all who are relatively new here at MM.Net, I own the Kenny Brown Marauder S, serial #1x. This is the first Marauder to be supercharged, and it was built as an experimental car. The Marauder S is a whole car build, one stop shopping. Buy one and drive it like you stole it. My 1x was built, tested, and retired in 2002, long before supercharging took hold as it has here today. KB went on to build 50 more Marauder S cars and they are scattered all over the country, some in public service. I know of 3 others here, and one in the wild.

My 1x is rough, not refined. Lots of first time try outs with mods on the whole car. However, from this experiment, we learned about chips, custom tuning, tires, suspension, exhaust, brake upgrades, and a whole lot more. If you're modding your MM today, your choices in mods began with this car. Thank you Kenny brown.

Please no wars or flames over this, I didn't select any particular style of supercharging over another, and I'm not here to start this childish argument one more time. The KB Marauder S employs a Vortech centrifugal blower in "S" trim, and my point is that in 2002, there were no choices to make. There was only one supercharged Marauder in the world at the time, and it's mine. I didn't pick the blower, I bought the whole car, and it was present for the Trilogy #1 unveiling and open house. On that day, y'all got a choice.

My 1x drew some attention from popular magazines and television. It was a very daring experiment commissioned by my friend Bill Karrow, known here as MENSREA. This Marauder has a history behind it, and anything automotive with a history behind it also means it's growing old. Considering the 16K miles driven in experiment and testing, and the thousands of miles of brutal treatment under my ownership, I was sure something was going to give up someday. Since I took ownership, I have rebuilt the rear end and transmission, so, it's only logical to expect the engine to wear out. Rather than wait for that, I went shopping.

First stop was Dennis Reinhart, who wrote me an outline for a race engine. What to look for in wear in tear, and how to address that. Also some education of what's out on the marker today, thank you my friend, Dennis.

Next stop was finding a builder. I considered Jim O'Neil in Michigan, Paul's HP, and VT Engineering, and I drove out to meet all of them personally. However, in the end, all were just a bit too far away from home. I interviewed as many local builders, and a few mail order companies, not finding a comfort zone with any of them until I met Randy Crowley at PER Race engines (www.per-race-engines.com). After a few planning sessions, I turned the 1x over to Randy and his very professional PER crew.

Randy pulled the engine, broke it down and speced everthing for wear and tear. After 20K of supercharged beating, the bone stock MM engine was in almost new condition. Very little to worry about after all, but you wouldn't know this without the inspection.

Randy retained the stock block and added a balanced forged crank from Ford Racing, Eagle "H" beam rods, JE aluminum forged pistons with a 13cc dish, Clevelite 77 main and rod bearings, Cometic gaskets, and ARP fastners throughout for the new build. Everything was professionally cleaned, tested, balanced and hand fit together. A clean up "cross thatch" hone to the bore, mild competition 3 angle valve job, .005 decking to heads and block and so on. A very professional and sturdy build, this engine is durable and will take up to 30 pounds of boost safely. 6307.00, and I drove the 1x home.

BTW, the JE pistons use an offset wrist pin ffor power and durability, but there is a side affect of an engine "tick." I know this will make some of you nuts, and if so, don't build yourself a race engine, k?

The next step was a trip to Lidio's for fine tuning. We changed out the stock KB 3.48 pulley for a 3.12 pulley, but went home disappointed. Only 10 lbs of boost, and a dismal 411 RWHP, not to mention a persistent oil leak from Lord knows where. What did I miss? Well, it was like tripping over a log in the forest, the 13 CC dish in the JE pistons effectively reduced my compression ration to 9:1. Great...I can burn 87 octane gas, but I'm not going anywhere. Even with the pulley change, the Vortech "S" trim wasn't up to the new challenge, and the lower compression ratio was sucking the blower dry. Fortunately (and why I have come to like centrifugal blowers), the Vortech is rebuildable.

I sent the blower back to Vortech for an upgrade to the "T" trim, and here's why. The "S" trim blower is capable of 50,000 RPM producing 20 Lbs. of boost @ 1,000 CFM, good for 680 HP. The "T" trim is capable of 55,000 RPM, producing 26 Lbs. of boost @ 1,200 CFM, good for 825 HP. Moreover, Vortech discovered that the front and rear seals on the blower had given up, and there's the oil leak I couldn't track down to save my life. So, something was about to fail after all, and I was pleased to get some problems solved. Retaining the 3.12 pulley, the new blower was reinstalled and the 1x ran like it never ran before. Just wild with power. Cost plus shipping, insurance and so on...1200.

I knew this new combination needed to be retuned even after Lidio's fine tune. Thinking in small "adjustment" terms to my AFR and so on, I decided to save myself the 800 mile round trip to Lidio, and visit Sutton Ford here in Matteson IL. (www.suttonhp.com).

I met these guys almost a year ago when Sutton decided to dive into the local race car business. Zack and I even attended a two day SCT tuning training session with Jerry W. there last year. Back then, Sutton was a solid dealership with 12+ years in the business, but new to the high performance game. Coming back a year later, a lot has developed, and it's all good. To call them a "superstore" is an understatement.

Well, just yesterday, we wrapped up the engine build and produced the performance specs you laughed at ^ there. It was a very interesting dyno day and I learned a lot. My 1x still used the OEM MAF in a blow through (after supercharging) design, and that wasn't working out with the new engine and blower. The meter pegged at 4K rpm and the AFR dropped to 10. Not good, pig rich, and if the meter is pegged, you're not going to tune around it with fuel/timing/spark table manipulation.

My SCT Master Tuner Jerry VanDerlinde suggested changing the MAF and he had a 90mm Ford Racing MAF on the shelf. We tried this, but it won't work. '03 Marauders read the AIT at the MAF, and I didn't feel like changing any wires. Jerry, also an SCT dealer, suggested the SCT "Big Air" 90mm MAF, and it fit perfectly wiring and all. The one problem, he had no Marauder SCT files on hand for the Big Air MAF. We spent the day building a file, and fine tuning away from a "turbulence" condition common with blow through setups. Late last night, the job was done. The SCT "Big Air" and dyno tuning, at real deal at 628.00 Jerry VanDerlinde and Sutton Ford rock!

Well, that's the joke, and the punch line. The thing to remember here, is that I am now on the botton rung of a whole new ladder. 478 RWHP/434 RWTQ on 93 octane, 312. pulley, 12.0 AFR, 15# of boost...8135.00. No fuel system complications, everything is flowing fine with 45# throughout the RPM spectrum. No headers, no juice, just raw (and safe) power to the ground, with a whole lot of room to grow.

I won't speculate any ET. I'm a crappy 1320 driver, but you're welcome to start a pool. When the tracks open around here, Zack's going to give the 1x a few drives and we'll see where the my investment gets me. Needless to say it's been an adventure, and I am very pleased with the 1x car today. This is one bad assed Marauder.

My sincere thanks to all who helped me through the project, most importantly, Zack. Never had a better friend.

[Mikeenh]

Congratulations Mac .....ENJOY !!!

[RVT04]

OK THEN, i know what i want for Christmas
I have loved every word and every pic of your fantastic rebuild
what an awesome job
thanks for the feed
sr rvt04

[Dr Caleb]

Hey Sarge! Thanks for the wrap up!

And thanks for going to the trouble of documenting it, and wearing out your two fingers typing it for us!

:beer:

[Bigdogjim]

Great:up:

Does that mean your back to the real world now:rofl:

See you in May at Barry's:)

[maraudernkc]

SergntMac, I am gald you are back and your MM is up an flying. I have a couple a questions.

What Injectors are you running?

What fuel Pump system are you running?

Are you running a 6 rib or 8 rib pulley?

On our Dyno testing we saw the 39LB (03 Cobra Injectors) running out of fuel at around 475RWHP.

Glad to see you up and running!

[rumble]

Awesome, simply awesome. It never ceases to amaze me
of the spirit of nearly all the folks on this board.

Thanks Sarge,once again, great job.

[sailsmen]

Congratulations! :banana2:

Thanks for sharing the 411, we all benefit from it!

[carfixer]

Mac, thanks for the great writeup. I enjoyed reading it. I always like a good ending. :up:

[maraudernkc]

What was the RPM that you spun your new beast at to get those great numbers. I bet she spools up fast!


Several months ago, I started a thread here detailing my own custom engine build. I didn't do this work myself, I just picked the parts and hired the talent. Well, after four months of blood, sweat, tears and CASH, it's done.

If you like to hear punch lines first, here are the totals, including any shipping, handling, tax and so on. Beer not included, that's a whole 'nother budget.

INVESTMENT
Engine build by Randy Crowley/PER = 6307.00
Vortech blower upgrade to T trim = 1200.00
Sutton Ford dyno tune with SCT "Big Air" MAF install = 628.00

RESULTS
478 RWHP/434 RWTQ
15 lbs. of boost (3.12 pulley) 12.0 AFR
No headers/no juice, lot's of options ahead.

Okay, there's your punch line, read on if you want to hear the joke.

For y'all who are relatively new here at MM.Net, I own the Kenny Brown Marauder S, serial #1x. This is the first Marauder to be supercharged, and it was built as an experimental car. The Marauder S is a whole car build, one stop shopping. Buy one and drive it like you stole it. My 1x was built, tested, and retired in 2002, long before supercharging took hold as it has here today. KB went on to build 50 more Marauder S cars and they are scattered all over the country, some in public service. I know of 3 others here, and one in the wild.

My 1x is rough, not refined. Lots of first time try outs with mods on the whole car. However, from this experiment, we learned about chips, custom tuning, tires, suspension, exhaust, brake upgrades, and a whole lot more. If you're modding your MM today, your choices in mods began with this car. Thank you Kenny brown.

Please no wars or flames over this, I didn't select any particular style of supercharging over another, and I'm not here to start this childish argument one more time. The KB Marauder S employs a Vortech centrifugal blower in "S" trim, and my point is that in 2002, there were no choices to make. There was only one supercharged Marauder in the world at the time, and it's mine. I didn't pick the blower, I bought the whole car, and it was present for the Trilogy #1 unveiling and open house. On that day, y'all got a choice.

My 1x drew some attention from popular magazines and television. It was a very daring experiment commissioned by my friend Bill Karrow, known here as MENSREA. This Marauder has a history behind it, and anything automotive with a history behind it also means it's growing old. Considering the 16K miles driven in experiment and testing, and the thousands of miles of brutal treatment under my ownership, I was sure something was going to give up someday. Since I took ownership, I have rebuilt the rear end and transmission, so, it's only logical to expect the engine to wear out. Rather than wait for that, I went shopping.

First stop was Dennis Reinhart, who wrote me an outline for a race engine. What to look for in wear in tear, and how to address that. Also some education of what's out on the marker today, thank you my friend, Dennis.

Next stop was finding a builder. I considered Jim O'Neil in Michigan, Paul's HP, and VT Engineering, and I drove out to meet all of them personally. However, in the end, all were just a bit too far away from home. I interviewed as many local builders, and a few mail order companies, not finding a comfort zone with any of them until I met Randy Crowley at PER Race engines (www.per-race-engines.com). After a few planning sessions, I turned the 1x over to Randy and his very professional PER crew.

Randy pulled the engine, broke it down and speced everthing for wear and tear. After 20K of supercharged beating, the bone stock MM engine was in almost new condition. Very little to worry about after all, but you wouldn't know this without the inspection.

Randy retained the stock block and added a balanced forged crank from Ford Racing, Eagle "H" beam rods, JE aluminum forged pistons with a 13cc dish, Clevelite 77 main and rod bearings, Cometic gaskets, and ARP fastners throughout for the new build. Everything was professionally cleaned, tested, balanced and hand fit together. A clean up "cross thatch" hone to the bore, mild competition 3 angle valve job, .005 decking to heads and block and so on. A very professional and sturdy build, this engine is durable and will take up to 30 pounds of boost safely. 6307.00, and I drove the 1x home.

BTW, the JE pistons use an offset wrist pin ffor power and durability, but there is a side affect of an engine "tick." I know this will make some of you nuts, and if so, don't build yourself a race engine, k?

The next step was a trip to Lidio's for fine tuning. We changed out the stock KB 3.48 pulley for a 3.12 pulley, but went home disappointed. Only 10 lbs of boost, and a dismal 411 RWHP, not to mention a persistent oil leak from Lord knows where. What did I miss? Well, it was like tripping over a log in the forest, the 13 CC dish in the JE pistons effectively reduced my compression ration to 9:1. Great...I can burn 87 octane gas, but I'm not going anywhere. Even with the pulley change, the Vortech "S" trim wasn't up to the new challenge, and the lower compression ratio was sucking the blower dry. Fortunately (and why I have come to like centrifugal blowers), the Vortech is rebuildable.

I sent the blower back to Vortech for an upgrade to the "T" trim, and here's why. The "S" trim blower is capable of 50,000 RPM producing 20 Lbs. of boost @ 1,000 CFM, good for 680 HP. The "T" trim is capable of 55,000 RPM, producing 26 Lbs. of boost @ 1,200 CFM, good for 825 HP. Moreover, Vortech discovered that the front and rear seals on the blower had given up, and there's the oil leak I couldn't track down to save my life. So, something was about to fail after all, and I was pleased to get some problems solved. Retaining the 3.12 pulley, the new blower was reinstalled and the 1x ran like it never ran before. Just wild with power. Cost plus shipping, insurance and so on...1200.

I knew this new combination needed to be retuned even after Lidio's fine tune. Thinking in small "adjustment" terms to my AFR and so on, I decided to save myself the 800 mile round trip to Lidio, and visit Sutton Ford here in Matteson IL. (www.suttonhp.com).

I met these guys almost a year ago when Sutton decided to dive into the local race car business. Zack and I even attended a two day SCT tuning training session with Jerry W. there last year. Back then, Sutton was a solid dealership with 12+ years in the business, but new to the high performance game. Coming back a year later, a lot has developed, and it's all good. To call them a "superstore" is an understatement.

Well, just yesterday, we wrapped up the engine build and produced the performance specs you laughed at ^ there. It was a very interesting dyno day and I learned a lot. My 1x still used the OEM MAF in a blow through (after supercharging) design, and that wasn't working out with the new engine and blower. The meter pegged at 4K rpm and the AFR dropped to 10. Not good, pig rich, and if the meter is pegged, you're not going to tune around it with fuel/timing/spark table manipulation.

My SCT Master Tuner Jerry VanDerlinde suggested changing the MAF and he had a 90mm Ford Racing MAF on the shelf. We tried this, but it won't work. '03 Marauders read the AIT at the MAF, and I didn't feel like changing any wires. Jerry, also an SCT dealer, suggested the SCT "Big Air" 90mm MAF, and it fit perfectly wiring and all. The one problem, he had no Marauder SCT files on hand for the Big Air MAF. We spent the day building a file, and fine tuning away from a "turbulence" condition common with blow through setups. Late last night, the job was done. The SCT "Big Air" and dyno tuning, at real deal at 628.00 Jerry VanDerlinde and Sutton Ford rock!

Well, that's the joke, and the punch line. The thing to remember here, is that I am now on the botton rung of a whole new ladder. 478 RWHP/434 RWTQ on 93 octane, 312. pulley, 12.0 AFR, 15# of boost...8135.00. No fuel system complications, everything is flowing fine with 45# throughout the RPM spectrum. No headers, no juice, just raw (and safe) power to the ground, with a whole lot of room to grow.

I won't speculate any ET. I'm a crappy 1320 driver, but you're welcome to start a pool. When the tracks open around here, Zack's going to give the 1x a few drives and we'll see where the my investment gets me. Needless to say it's been an adventure, and I am very pleased with the 1x car today. This is one bad assed Marauder.

My sincere thanks to all who helped me through the project, most importantly, Zack. Never had a better friend.

[MAD-3R]

BTW, the JE pistons use an offset wrist pin ffor power and durability, but there is a side affect of an engine "tick." I know this will make some of you nuts, and if so, don't build yourself a race engine, k?


How I know the tick...

It does decrease a bit with breakin. not much, but some.


Did you go with the Billit Oil pump gears?

[MarauderMark]

Thats fantastic!!Great to read 1x is better condition now .Is this just the short block ? If you did the heads what did you do ?It's really good to see your back.:up:

[CRUZTAKER]

It's good to hear the rebuild is done.


Can't wait to see it, good to hear from you.

[Smokie]

Sarge, kinda like old times again, welcome back.

[NAVCHAP]

Mac, nice to have you around, it's 2002 all over again! Great #s and nice write up! -kjs-

[glassman99]

Look'n forward to see'n her run at MV3!!! (That's Southern english!)

[merc]

Moreover, Vortech discovered that the front and rear seals on the blower had given up, and there's the oil leak I couldn't track down to save my life. So, something was about to fail after all, and I was pleased to get some problems solved. Retaining the 3.12 pulley, the new blower was reinstalled and the 1x ran like it never ran before. Just wild with power. Cost plus shipping, insurance and so on...1200.


One of the topics of discussion around my neck of the woods is centrifical superchargers leaking fluids. I have seen 3 prochargers returned for seal problems. I don't have much data about the overall reliability of seals. Word of mouth and group forums, like this one, becomes the first source of education. SergntMac, could you elaborate about the T-Trim upgrade and any additional technical information that you obtained from Votech. What is the warranty from the manufacture and how was their customer service.

No flames here
:flamer:

Oh, and glad you are back from vacation. I wish some of the other old timers would return. Where is Triple T? :rolleyes:

example: http://forums.stangnet.com/archive/index.php/t-411059.html

I hope not to step on any toes here.

DanG
01-12-04, 10:16 AM
If your stuck on procharger, and definetly want a self contained blower then I would say the D1SC over the P1SC. I can say this, that the D1SC on my car made quite a big difference, around 460rwhp with 9psi on stock shortblock.

However, I've had my share of problems with the D1SC, meaning leaking seals. I know alot of folks believe that procharger has fixed the seal issues, however I am still having them after 2 1/2 years. If you want to know more, just PM me and I'll give you some details, I really don't want to post everything here.

If it were my car all over again, I would either go with a novi 2000, or the non-self contained D1 which I am not sure if they even make for your car.

good luck

Dan

[drobin]

Mac,

Congradulations and thanks for the update on your new mods. I know you are one pleased MM owner and hope you continue your quest for performance.

drobin
Donald

[sailsmen]

I beleive Vortec has a one year on the S/C.

[Haggis]

Mac, you have been greatly missed around here. Not only are people still ranting and raving, we are also having discussions about 'Buttermilk' of all things.

Back to topic glad to hear your project is done and great numbers. My question is are you finding it difficult to hook up now on street tires and how are you going about solving that issue? Also with more power being delivered, what do you think will be the weak link in the chain now for the drive train?

Thanks for continuing the experiment that Kenny Brown started 2yrs ago. I know that if I ever run into problems or want to upgrade my engine that I have you to thank for doing the leg work on our cars. It has been said before to others, but you are truely the MAN!! :2thumbs: :up: :2thumbs:

Now stop being a lurker and come out of hiding, you are greatly missed around here and we need you back. Who cares what others may think or say.

[SergntMac]

Oopps...Forgot to add the link to my gallery.
http://www.mercurygallery.net/mmnet/showgallery.php/cat/500/ppuser/392

Thanks for all the kind words, gentlemen. I'll try and answer as many questions as I can, hope I don't leave anyone out.

What Injectors are you running? What fuel Pump system are you running? Are you running a 6 rib or 8 rib pulley? On our Dyno testing we saw the 39LB (03 Cobra Injectors) running out of fuel at around 475RWHP.Ford Racing, 42# injectors. 6 rib system, stock water pump. It's a Walbro 255 in the tank, with Reinhart's external filter and -8 braided lines. Getting those 45 degree bends out the fuel line was critical to maintaining decent pressure. I think the lowest FP was 40# @ 6400 RPM.

How I know the tick. It does decrease a bit with breakin. not much, but some. Did you go with the Billit Oil pump gears?I know you know this sound, Phil, and I tend to have some fun with it. When someone who thinks they know something about race engines asks me about my "piston slap", I just tell them the noise is my from my solid lifters and roller rockers...Hehehe. I stuck with the OEM pump and gears, but I did my homework too. For moderate builds like mine, billet gears are a waste of money, and the Ford Racing HO pump is good stuff, but it will suck your OEM capacity pan dry in one pass. I'm betting the OEM pump and gears will be fine, but only time will tell. Some I spoke to said the whole billet gears thingy was more a sales pitch than not. Also a story about Sean Hyland's experience being traced back to bad crank snouts, not weak gears. What ever, but I prefer my advice to come from real world experience, and there are many more OEM gear sets on the 1320 track, than not.

Is this just the short block ? If you did the heads what did you do ?This was a whole engine build, Mark, top to bottom. Mild competition 3 angle valve grind, retaining stock valves, springs and cams.

One of the topics of discussion around my neck of the woods is centrifical superchargers leaking fluids. I have seen 3 prochargers returned for seal problems. I don't have much data about the overall reliability of seals. Word of mouth and group forums, like this one, becomes the first source of education. SergntMac, could you elaborate about the T-Trim upgrade and any additional technical information that you obtained from Votech. What is the warranty from the manufacture and how was their customer service. DanVortech says their average seal life is 40 to 50K, depending on owner abuse, and I think it's only logical to agree. The S and T trim blower mainshafts are capable of 50,000 RPM, add to that exposure to the elements and some "variations" in the install, and I cannot expect any blower seal to live that long. Just one of the conditions of ownership, I suppose. I do feel that Vortech's positive lubricated system which takes cooler and fresh oil from the engine has merits that a sealed system does not, but to each his own. As for the customer service with Vortech, it was a bit dry at first. But, after chewing the fat with John Snee, a very good friend of Kenny Brown and Dennis Reinhart. Things went smoothly when John recalled working on the 1x project back in '02. I have a 3 year limited warranty on the T tirm upgrade.

[WhoMe]

Excellent post!!! Now I need a built block too!! I can only handle one project at a time, though, and DR has my Saleen in the shop for an 03 Cobra/Kenne Bell/4R70W swap :) I really want a 500rwhp Marauder, though, and you are oh so close!! How's the tranny holding up? Does the converter slip?


I think you meant to say the Probe pistons are non-offset :) Got a set of those in the Saleen now, and they do slap. The offset (stock) keeps the pistons from rocking in the bore, eliminating the slap.

For those contemplating a full build, the Marauder got the worst of the 4.6L aluminum blocks :( For really big hp use you may want to consider a 99 or so Cobra block, or even an iron block. I doubt block flex is an issue below 500rwhp at moderate rpms. I also think the oil pump gears should be upgraded, just in case you ever get detonation. With forged goodies the engine will live longer, but that leaves the gears a weak link. Why doesn't someone else just make a set out of good steel? At a reasonable price there wouldn't be ay question about replacing them.

David
SCT

[Petrograde]

Great post Sarge. Congrats!

Good to hear from ya again!

[Ross]

Great to see you again Sarge! What an engine that must be! :bows:

BTW, Next Thursday is Texas Day of the Tartan! Drive that beast down here and we'll go hit the pubs in our kilts. :beer:

[John F. Russo]

Several months ago, I started a thread here detailing my own custom engine build. I didn't do this work myself, I just picked the parts and hired the talent. Well, after four months of blood, sweat, tears and CASH, it's done.

If you like to hear punch lines first, here are the totals, including any shipping, handling, tax and so on. Beer not included, that's a whole 'nother budget.

INVESTMENT
Engine build by Randy Crowley/PER = 6307.00
Vortech blower upgrade to T trim = 1200.00
Sutton Ford dyno tune with SCT "Big Air" MAF install = 628.00

RESULTS
478 RWHP/434 RWTQ
15 lbs. of boost (3.12 pulley) 12.0 AFR
No headers/no juice, lot's of options ahead.

Okay, there's your punch line, read on if you want to hear the joke.

For y'all who are relatively new here at MM.Net, I own the Kenny Brown Marauder S, serial #1x. This is the first Marauder to be supercharged, and it was built as an experimental car. The Marauder S is a whole car build, one stop shopping. Buy one and drive it like you stole it. My 1x was built, tested, and retired in 2002, long before supercharging took hold as it has here today. KB went on to build 50 more Marauder S cars and they are scattered all over the country, some in public service. I know of 3 others here, and one in the wild.

My 1x is rough, not refined. Lots of first time try outs with mods on the whole car. However, from this experiment, we learned about chips, custom tuning, tires, suspension, exhaust, brake upgrades, and a whole lot more. If you're modding your MM today, your choices in mods began with this car. Thank you Kenny brown.

Please no wars or flames over this, I didn't select any particular style of supercharging over another, and I'm not here to start this childish argument one more time. The KB Marauder S employs a Vortech centrifugal blower in "S" trim, and my point is that in 2002, there were no choices to make. There was only one supercharged Marauder in the world at the time, and it's mine. I didn't pick the blower, I bought the whole car, and it was present for the Trilogy #1 unveiling and open house. On that day, y'all got a choice.

My 1x drew some attention from popular magazines and television. It was a very daring experiment commissioned by my friend Bill Karrow, known here as MENSREA. This Marauder has a history behind it, and anything automotive with a history behind it also means it's growing old. Considering the 16K miles driven in experiment and testing, and the thousands of miles of brutal treatment under my ownership, I was sure something was going to give up someday. Since I took ownership, I have rebuilt the rear end and transmission, so, it's only logical to expect the engine to wear out. Rather than wait for that, I went shopping.

First stop was Dennis Reinhart, who wrote me an outline for a race engine. What to look for in wear in tear, and how to address that. Also some education of what's out on the marker today, thank you my friend, Dennis.

Next stop was finding a builder. I considered Jim O'Neil in Michigan, Paul's HP, and VT Engineering, and I drove out to meet all of them personally. However, in the end, all were just a bit too far away from home. I interviewed as many local builders, and a few mail order companies, not finding a comfort zone with any of them until I met Randy Crowley at PER Race engines (www.per-race-engines.com). After a few planning sessions, I turned the 1x over to Randy and his very professional PER crew.

Randy pulled the engine, broke it down and speced everthing for wear and tear. After 20K of supercharged beating, the bone stock MM engine was in almost new condition. Very little to worry about after all, but you wouldn't know this without the inspection.

Randy retained the stock block and added a balanced forged crank from Ford Racing, Eagle "H" beam rods, JE aluminum forged pistons with a 13cc dish, Clevelite 77 main and rod bearings, Cometic gaskets, and ARP fastners throughout for the new build. Everything was professionally cleaned, tested, balanced and hand fit together. A clean up "cross thatch" hone to the bore, mild competition 3 angle valve job, .005 decking to heads and block and so on. A very professional and sturdy build, this engine is durable and will take up to 30 pounds of boost safely. 6307.00, and I drove the 1x home.

BTW, the JE pistons use an offset wrist pin ffor power and durability, but there is a side affect of an engine "tick." I know this will make some of you nuts, and if so, don't build yourself a race engine, k?

The next step was a trip to Lidio's for fine tuning. We changed out the stock KB 3.48 pulley for a 3.12 pulley, but went home disappointed. Only 10 lbs of boost, and a dismal 411 RWHP, not to mention a persistent oil leak from Lord knows where. What did I miss? Well, it was like tripping over a log in the forest, the 13 CC dish in the JE pistons effectively reduced my compression ration to 9:1. Great...I can burn 87 octane gas, but I'm not going anywhere. Even with the pulley change, the Vortech "S" trim wasn't up to the new challenge, and the lower compression ratio was sucking the blower dry. Fortunately (and why I have come to like centrifugal blowers), the Vortech is rebuildable.

I sent the blower back to Vortech for an upgrade to the "T" trim, and here's why. The "S" trim blower is capable of 50,000 RPM producing 20 Lbs. of boost @ 1,000 CFM, good for 680 HP. The "T" trim is capable of 55,000 RPM, producing 26 Lbs. of boost @ 1,200 CFM, good for 825 HP. Moreover, Vortech discovered that the front and rear seals on the blower had given up, and there's the oil leak I couldn't track down to save my life. So, something was about to fail after all, and I was pleased to get some problems solved. Retaining the 3.12 pulley, the new blower was reinstalled and the 1x ran like it never ran before. Just wild with power. Cost plus shipping, insurance and so on...1200.

I knew this new combination needed to be retuned even after Lidio's fine tune. Thinking in small "adjustment" terms to my AFR and so on, I decided to save myself the 800 mile round trip to Lidio, and visit Sutton Ford here in Matteson IL. (www.suttonhp.com).

I met these guys almost a year ago when Sutton decided to dive into the local race car business. Zack and I even attended a two day SCT tuning training session with Jerry W. there last year. Back then, Sutton was a solid dealership with 12+ years in the business, but new to the high performance game. Coming back a year later, a lot has developed, and it's all good. To call them a "superstore" is an understatement.

Well, just yesterday, we wrapped up the engine build and produced the performance specs you laughed at ^ there. It was a very interesting dyno day and I learned a lot. My 1x still used the OEM MAF in a blow through (after supercharging) design, and that wasn't working out with the new engine and blower. The meter pegged at 4K rpm and the AFR dropped to 10. Not good, pig rich, and if the meter is pegged, you're not going to tune around it with fuel/timing/spark table manipulation.

My SCT Master Tuner Jerry VanDerlinde suggested changing the MAF and he had a 90mm Ford Racing MAF on the shelf. We tried this, but it won't work. '03 Marauders read the AIT at the MAF, and I didn't feel like changing any wires. Jerry, also an SCT dealer, suggested the SCT "Big Air" 90mm MAF, and it fit perfectly wiring and all. The one problem, he had no Marauder SCT files on hand for the Big Air MAF. We spent the day building a file, and fine tuning away from a "turbulence" condition common with blow through setups. Late last night, the job was done. The SCT "Big Air" and dyno tuning, at real deal at 628.00 Jerry VanDerlinde and Sutton Ford rock!

Well, that's the joke, and the punch line. The thing to remember here, is that I am now on the botton rung of a whole new ladder. 478 RWHP/434 RWTQ on 93 octane, 312. pulley, 12.0 AFR, 15# of boost...8135.00. No fuel system complications, everything is flowing fine with 45# throughout the RPM spectrum. No headers, no juice, just raw (and safe) power to the ground, with a whole lot of room to grow.

I won't speculate any ET. I'm a crappy 1320 driver, but you're welcome to start a pool. When the tracks open around here, Zack's going to give the 1x a few drives and we'll see where the my investment gets me. Needless to say it's been an adventure, and I am very pleased with the 1x car today. This is one bad assed Marauder.

My sincere thanks to all who helped me through the project, most importantly, Zack. Never had a better friend.


Good to see you back! I'll be reading this.

[RF Overlord]

Now stop being a lurker and come out of hiding, you are greatly missed around here and we need you back. Who cares what others may think or say.

I second that, Mac...there aren't many of us old-timers left... :D

[jgc61sr2002]

Welcome back SergntMac. :D

[MarauderBoy]

Welcome back Mac! Looking forward to contrast and compare discussions soon.

Mark

[deerejoe]

...coupled with vision will generally succeed when effort/cost is no obstacle to personal achievement.

Congratulations.
My sincere wishes for your enjoyment of the fruit of your labor.
I'm sure it has been NO small feat.

[Glenn]

Good to read your post on the rebuild summary - very interesting. Please give us a continuing update on how it does on the track. It will be great reading.

Glenn

[SergntMac]

Please give us a continuing update on how it does on the track. GlennNo problem, Glenn, but first, an apology to my friend Arun (ADE1000).

This past week we made arrangements to meet up on Saturday afternoon (4/2), and I completely forgot about it. I was sitting at my desk around 10 AM when I noticed the announcement in the Windy City forum, that a local race track, Great Lakes Drag-a-way, was offering free drag racing as a season opener. I delegated my work for the day and hit the highway, oblivious to the fact that I was to meet up with Arun after work. Sorry Arun, hope you understand. Oh...The lure of speed and burnt rubber...

So...I scoot up to Great Lakes, and met up with "Motorhead 350", while there.

GLD isn't one of my favorite drag strips, but it was the first open in my area. 55 degrees, 46 percent humidty, scatttered clouds and 15 MPH headwind. Almost perfect for a fun day of racing, eh? Not so fast...

The place was reasonably crowded, but there were enough mishaps to keep turnaround time high. Ricers with some very unusual concepts about drag racing got lanes closed twice. Six hours earned 3 passes. 15.642/104 MPH, 14.588/107 MPH, and the best of the day, 13.421/110 MPH, all on street tires. Ugh.

No traction, none at all. Dominic (Motorhead 350) said he was 1.5 seconds slow too, and by the looks of his immaculate '90 Blazer, I believe him. Anyway, my best time came from simply driving away from the tree and hammering it in second gear. Even then, it got a bit wild. Nonetheless, the MPH tells the story, 110 MPH trap speed shows promise and potential, just need to find the right tire combination. I'm considering the Micky Thompson drag radial now available in 18 inch, or, the tried and true BFG.

Dominic, your Blazer will rock with that Weiand blower, best wishes with your project.

[MarauderMark]

Six hours earned 3 passes. 15.642/104 MPH, 14.588/107 MPH, and the best of the day, 13.421/110 MPH, all on street tires. Ugh.

No traction, none at all. Dominic (Motorhead 350) said he was 1.5 seconds slow too, and by the looks of his immaculate '90 Blazer, I believe him. Anyway, my best time came from simply driving away from the tree and hammering it in second gear. Even then, it got a bit wild. Nonetheless, the MPH tells the story, 110 MPH trap speed shows promise and potential, just need to find the right tire combination. I'm considering the Micky Thompson drag radial now available in 18 inch, or, the tried and true BFG.

Dominic, your Blazer will rock with that Weiand blower, best wishes with your project.


I think when you go up to run the MM go through the water spot and smoke em for about 10 or 15 full seconds.That should have em nice and sticky , i mean maybe you didn't heat them up long enough cause thats what i did and ran a 12.1 on stock tires..just a thought..

[Paul T. Casey]

Sarge, thanks for your time spent reporting all the data.

[bigslim]

Mac, will you be coming to MVIII? If you can't make the whole week how about coming for Track Day? Glad you are back on the road.

[duhtroll]

Sarge - you are certainly welcome to come to the May meet here in Cedar Falls. It's only 2 hours farther than the Rock Island dyno day you attended in '03.

We'd love to have you and see what that car can do.

-A

[SergntMac]

I've been testing my new engine and tune from every aspect I can imagine, and it's passed every test with flying colors.

Yesterday (4/5), I took a 650 mile round trip to Detroit. Perfect driving weather, temps in the low/mid 70's. Engine water temps steady at 183 degrees, IAT temps held 7-10 above ambient. Max boost 16.4 at WOT. I averaged 18 MPG on the trip out, and 21.3 on the return home. The only difference between the two trips that I can credit this to would be using the A/C on the trip out, and a steady tailwind on the trip home.

The 1x peformed flawlessly, this car is tuned for battle. As mods, I strongly support the SCT "Big Air" MAF, and SCT custom tuning. This combination rocks! Looks like the only mod left to debate, is a set of drag radials.

Thanks again y'all for the kind words and support.

[stevengerard]

I averaged 18 MPG on the trip out, and 21.3 on the return home.
You also left behind 220 lbs of payload!!!

[maraudernkc]

SergntMac, You can tell from your trap speed that you had no traction. You should have some great times when you hook up.

I am getting ready to drop in my new forged bottom end and was wondering what size pulley you were running on your Vortech and how much total timing did they put in your tune. My motor will be 9 to 1 compression ratio.

Is your new motor 8.5 to 1?

Will you be at Marauderville?


No problem, Glenn, but first, an apology to my friend Arun (ADE1000).

This past week we made arrangements to meet up on Saturday afternoon (4/2), and I completely forgot about it. I was sitting at my desk around 10 AM when I noticed the announcement in the Windy City forum, that a local race track, Great Lakes Drag-a-way, was offering free drag racing as a season opener. I delegated my work for the day and hit the highway, oblivious to the fact that I was to meet up with Arun after work. Sorry Arun, hope you understand. Oh...The lure of speed and burnt rubber...

So...I scoot up to Great Lakes, and met up with "Motorhead 350", while there.

GLD isn't one of my favorite drag strips, but it was the first open in my area. 55 degrees, 46 percent humidty, scatttered clouds and 15 MPH headwind. Almost perfect for a fun day of racing, eh? Not so fast...

The place was reasonably crowded, but there were enough mishaps to keep turnaround time high. Ricers with some very unusual concepts about drag racing got lanes closed twice. Six hours earned 3 passes. 15.642/104 MPH, 14.588/107 MPH, and the best of the day, 13.421/110 MPH, all on street tires. Ugh.

No traction, none at all. Dominic (Motorhead 350) said he was 1.5 seconds slow too, and by the looks of his immaculate '90 Blazer, I believe him. Anyway, my best time came from simply driving away from the tree and hammering it in second gear. Even then, it got a bit wild. Nonetheless, the MPH tells the story, 110 MPH trap speed shows promise and potential, just need to find the right tire combination. I'm considering the Micky Thompson drag radial now available in 18 inch, or, the tried and true BFG.

Dominic, your Blazer will rock with that Weiand blower, best wishes with your project.

[SergntMac]

I am getting ready to drop in my new forged bottom end and was wondering what size pulley you were running on your Vortech and how much total timing did they put in your tune. My motor will be 9 to 1 compression ratio. Is your new motor 8.5 to 1? Will you be at Marauderville?It's a Vortech T trim with a 3.12 pulley, 15# of boost. I can't answer the "total timing" question, Greg, because I don't know. The 13cc dished JE forged pistons and .005 decking to head and block brought the compression down to 9:1, Cometic gaskets. I'm not planning to attend MVIII.

[mensrea]

Mac, let me drive down the 1/4.......... then it really will be like old times out at the track with the announcer saying "holy crap, was that a Mercury?"..... glad you are enjoying the car. You are one of the BEST people I have ever met and you deserve a little fun, even if it makes me green with envy... BTW, minnesota sucks. For the rest of you, when your marauder was still a pile of steel, Macs car was rockin the automotive world, it sure was fun being first. Well Mac, take it easy and see you on power tour, just take it easy on my wimpy GTO.....

[mensrea]

Mac, up the boost on that pig and lets see it really haul some ass.... the T trim upgrade is the best bang for your buck out there, and nice to see your IAT is hanging nicely.... more kudos for Kenny's original design, when I had my T trim on the mustang my IATs were ridiculously high, your intercooler set up is really working. NOW STICK 20 LBS IN that pig and lets see it really scare the hell out of the blown vettes...

BTW, I got my AVIC today and am just waiting on my three amps and components to arrive before I too join the non-directionally challenged (please don't mention how many times I called and asked for directions). Well I am truly jealous, and I bet Brandon would crap himself if he drove it now.

Have you considered a little 50 shot to cool your intake charge?

The only other mod you need now is a kick ass set of floor mats.

[Dr Caleb]

Holy moley! Now there is a username from the past!

[mensrea]

yeeeeeeeeeee haaaaaaaaaaaa

[ADE 1000]

No problem, Glenn, but first, an apology to my friend Arun (ADE1000).

This past week we made arrangements to meet up on Saturday afternoon (4/2), and I completely forgot about it. I was sitting at my desk around 10 AM when I noticed the announcement in the Windy City forum, that a local race track, Great Lakes Drag-a-way, was offering free drag racing as a season opener. I delegated my work for the day and hit the highway, oblivious to the fact that I was to meet up with Arun after work. Sorry Arun, hope you understand. Oh...The lure of speed and burnt rubber...



No problem Mac. Speed and burnt rubber is something I would not be able to resist myself.

Your experiences at GLD parallel mine, ending up with way more burnt rubber than speed. If you find a better venue near Chicagoland let me know, I've got a pair of BFG drag radials sitting in the garage that really need some use.

[mensrea]

I think you guys might need to refine your launches, my car club, the Chicago Gear Heads, has quick 8s, and nine second people that race all the time at GLD..... so if they can get traction, you should be able to as well. Either that, or wait for the track to get a little rubber built up on it. Or maybe you should go on a non test and tune event, or get in a club that has a vanity lane.... trust me with the quick 8s in front of you, your lane WILL get traction.

[SergntMac]

SergntMac, You can tell from your trap speed that you had no traction. You should have some great times when you hook up.

I am getting ready to drop in my new forged bottom end and was wondering what size pulley you were running on your Vortech and how much total timing did they put in your tune. My motor will be 9 to 1 compression ratio.

Is your new motor 8.5 to 1?I answered most of this question ^ there, but I didn't know the timing thingy. Jerry says 16 degrees.

Why is this suddenly so important? We have been discussing supercharging for years now, and this hasn't come up before. I see in other threads that some of y'all are getting excited about it. Why? I don't get the big deal.

[stevengerard]

I answered most of this question ^ there, but I didn't know the timing thingy. Jerry says 16 degrees.

Why is this suddenly so important? We have been discussing supercharging for years now, and this hasn't come up before. I see in other threads that some of y'all are getting excited about it. Why? I don't get the big deal.

I'm wondering the same thing, is it because that is a mjor part of tuning these cars, has it to do with how much heat builds up?

[maraudernkc]

SergntMac, Timing is important becuase the more you can run without detonation the more power you make. The cooler your IAT tempature is the more timing you can run. If you are running 16 degrees what that tells me is that your tune and S/C must be ruuning pretty effecient. That's what we had was 16 Degrees but backed it down to 14 for everyday tunes.

I am glad to hear your car is running well! :burnout:


I answered most of this question ^ there, but I didn't know the timing thingy. Jerry says 16 degrees.

Why is this suddenly so important? We have been discussing supercharging for years now, and this hasn't come up before. I see in other threads that some of y'all are getting excited about it. Why? I don't get the big deal.

[SergntMac]

SergntMac, Timing is important becuase the more you can run without detonation the more power you make. The cooler your IAT tempature is the more timing you can run. If you are running 16 degrees what that tells me is that your tune and S/C must be ruuning pretty effecient. That's what we had was 16 Degrees but backed it down to 14 for everyday tunes.Thanks, Greg, I hear you and I know how it works. What I was asking, and don't understand, is why folks are suddenly curious about the numbers, and why it's become a flashpoint between members. Seems kind silly, eh?

[mensrea]

Hey... the flashpoint here is why I dont have your car the weekend, it looks gorgeous up here.......

[SergntMac]

Hey... the flashpoint here is why I dont have your car the weekend, it looks gorgeous up here.......
I've told you a dozen times now, Bill, you can have your MM back anytime you want it, for ever how long you want to drive it. Let me at that '04 GTO for a weekend, and I'll find out what's it's really made of...

[mensrea]

its a puny 350 horse car

[SergntMac]

This past Sunday (4/17/05), Zack and I wrote the final chapter in my winter MM project.

I have been testing my new engine and Vortech T-Trim blower in the great variety of ways I enjoy my Marauder, while monitoring the EEC. Stability in bumper to bumper rush hour traffic, dozens of hard "stop light" launches, OTR drives for overall MPG, as well as two 3 hour "Cannon Ball" like endurance runs, just top off the tank and drive non-stop until gasping on fumes. The EEC memory is a library of 411 useful in tuning, and my new engine, blower and MAF are a great combination. The final test, drag racing performance, left me waiting for local tracks to open for the season.

I tried Great Lakes Dragway in Union Grove, WI. back on 4/5/05, with disappointing results. I expected traction to be poor, but it was worse than I predicted. Too soon in the season I suppose, no wonder it was free. I ran a 15.6x, 14.4x and 13.4x on 285/45/18 Pirelli P-Zero street tires, and went up in smoke, but I did achieve 110 MPH in the traps and this promised better times ahead.

US. 41 is about 90 miles south of Chicago, in Morocco, Indiana. It's an IHRA sanctioned track with a lot of local...cough..."sportsmen", but not a lot of ricers. The ricers that do show are okay, they're doing the same thing the rest of us do there, they're just using the wrong end of the car.

The forecast predicted rain in Chicago, and it was raining as I met up with Zack. But, weather stations reported clear sky over Morocco, and predicted temps in the 50s as well. We hit the road around 7 AM, with one stop for 100 octane gas. When we arrived track side, it was raining, and we decided to wait it out and see what develops. We spent our time installing Zack's BFG drag radials in 275/35/18 (21 PSI), and building a few alternate SCT programs with the Pro Racer software. Zack had some ideas about adding more timing to the 16 degrees on board, and we were going to go exploring, if and when the weather improved.

Be advised that this tire size will set off alarms on the street. Both the ABS and Traction Control will respond to the shorter 26" height. You can shut off the T/C, and the ABS will go out when you restore your street tires.

Around 10:30 AM, the rain clouds moved out towards the East, and the Sun came out with revenge. Everything dried up fast, temps shot up to 80+ degrees while humidity hung at 90 percent. It would take a strong and colder wind to push this cloud of steam away from us, and that wasn't happening. So, we gave it out best shot, and our best run of the day was our first run. It's also the best run ever on record for the Kenny Brown Marauder S 1x.

Reaction...1.412
60 foot ET...1.725
330 foot ET...5.131
594 foot ET...7.445
1/8 mile ET...7.964
1/8 mile MPH...86.71
1000 foot ET...10.400
1/4 mile ET...12.456
1/4 mile MPH...110.29

For the record here, our slowest run of the day.

Reaction...2.338
60 foot ET...1.808
330 foot ET...5.215
594 foot ET...7.536
1/8 mile ET...8.064
1/8 mile MPH...85.22
1000 foot ET...10.526
1/4 mile ET...12.591
1/4 mile MPH...109.47

Those 60 foot times are sure pleasing to me, hook up has been a problem for the car, both on the street and at the race track. We left shortly after "high noon", when it was apparent that weather conditions were not going to improve until sundown. Nonetheless, it was a good race day, and I have an idea of how my 1x is going to run this season.

All in all, this is good, and I am very pleased with the performance gains from this project. 12.456/110.29 MPH is the quickest this Vortech powered MM has ever run, and it ran very consistent. My 1x could be a great bracket car. Potential for even greater performance remains on tap. I'm at 478 RWHP/434 RWTQ right now, and when I want more, all I'll need to do is add some bolt-on stuff, such as a smaller blower pulley (presently a 3.12"/12# pulley), an electric water pump (presently, OEM water pump, no underdrive pulleys either), Kook's headers (presently Cobra manifolds, with 2.5" OD and Magnaflo 18s), none of which I have considered yet.

Yes, I could do more, and deliver a lot more power to the ground, but I don't feel a need for it at the present time. The 1x is plenty fast as it sits today. Maybe I'll try some after sunset "test and tunes" and see what develops from cooler night racing? Everyone does better at night.

This post is most likely to be my last comment on this project, there isn't much more to add. I have to give my sincere "thank you" to those who helped me with my project. My good friend, Zack, and new friends Randy Crowley of PER (www.per-race-engines.com) and Sutton Ford's Master Tech and SCT tuning specialist, Jerry VanDerlinde (www.suttonhp.com). Thank you all for a job well done.

[klmore]

This post is most likely to be my last comment on this project, there isn't much more to add. I have to give my sincere "thank you" to those who helped me with my project. My good friend, Zack, and new friends Randy Crowley of PER (www.per-race-engines.com (http://www.per-race-engines.com)) and Sutton Ford's Master Tech and SCT tuning specialist, Jerry VanDerlinde (www.suttonhp.com (http://www.suttonhp.com)). Thank you all for a job well done.
Very impressive numbers. Good job.:burnout: