New Motor Complete and Installed!

[MikesMerc]

Wow...that was fast!!

Lidio and his crew did a awesome job. Less than three weeks from start to finish and they did an impeccable job. I got the car back last night with a scant few miles on the fresh mill. What a feeling!!

I'm greatful that Lidio was able to get this project done so fast and allow me to get everything ready in time for the new season. I'll need time to put a few hundred easy miles on her before it goes back to the shop for some fresh synthetic and a hopped up dyno tune. With the larger heat exchanger, mildly worked heads, and forged pistons and rods, I'm going to be stepping up the output a bit. Although I plan on leaving some margin of overhead for safety, 550 rwhp and 600 lb-ft of rwtq is the goal. With the new power I decided to have the trans gone through as well with new paper and fluid. We went with much better clutches and left the 1-2 actuator trick in place.

I expected the motor to exhibit a little extra clatter from the forged internals but things were surprisingly still pretty quiet. That's definitely a good thing. I am surprised as I hear a lot of forged motors that "slap around" when they are cold. Maybe mine might loosen up over time...so far its very quiet.

As for cosmetics, it might disappoint some folks, but I went with big understatement. I had the o4 raw cam covers powder coated to match the Trilogy blower kit. It turned out nice I think. Nothing blingy. Very OEM looking. The powder coating sure beats those terrible looking bare 04 cam covers. The only thing I might consider are some chrome or nicely polished coil covers.

http://www.forums.motorcitymarauders. com/Downloads/Pictures/mikesMM/center.JPG


http://www.forums.motorcitymarauders. com/Downloads/Pictures/mikesMM/left.JPG


So far so good. Everything feels great. Nice and tight and nary a rattle. I'll keep everyone posted when I turn up the wick in a few weeks.

[2003DOHC]

WOW,That was a fast tunaround and the engine looks great,Enjoy and please keep us posted as you turn up the power level. I will never be able to afford a supercharger let alone a new forged internal engine but I am glad some of or members can!!:D

[jgc61sr2002]

Mike - Congrats, sure looks great.:D :up:

[natedog1284]

Wow :eek: Beautiful Mike. I love the cam covers, very subtle, especially for as face-slappingly fast as it will be on the track! Congratulations, very nice!
-Nate

[Tallboy]

Gorgeous, Mike. Simply gorgeous! I can't wait to see her in person!:beer:

[Agent M79]

I think it looks great. I like it understated.

[Glenn]

Like your engine. Looks very OEM. Great Job. Good luck with it.

Glenn

[Rider90]

I like it!

[Hotrauder]

Mike that is the nuts! I love it. No surprise that the job was fast and perfect. You put a lot of planning into it and if there is anyone better than Lidio I sure don't know who it is. As I have said before, I would let him do my heart transplant. I can't wait to see your show in person. Dennis:beer:

[DEFYANT]

Very nice touch Mike. Good job on this project!

[bigslim]

Way to go my brother. I can't wait to see you post some numbers this year.

[Mike M]

It really does look nice. Does it feel any different? Is it still a 4.6?

[2ndMDRebel]

Pictures truly do not do the Trilogy package justice. After seeing them in person I was amazed at how clean and OEM they look.
Congrats!

[Bradley G]

Looks like, if you're not forging ahead, you are falling behind! :D
Best of luck Pal!, you got a taste of low twelves in Trilogy #1, Now you can get there a bit safer.

[MarauderTJA]

Looks great Mike:up: Bet you can't wait to get that beast tuned.

I sooooo jealous:cool:. My forged motor will be taking some time before it is finished being built and installed. Probably not until the early fall.

Best of luck:beer:

[juno]

Beautious!!:cool:

[TooManyFords]

Wow, I totally understand your joy Mike (as mine is being r&r'd today).

Keep us posted when you're through the break-in and back on the dyno. Also, out of curiousity, what oil did you use for the break-in?

Cheers!

John

[bigslim]

Looks like, if you're not forging ahead, you are falling behind! :D
Best of luck Pal!, you got a taste of low twelves in Trilogy #1, Now you can get there a bit safer.
You mean low 11's?

[O's Fan Rich]

WOW!!
I love the color match look.
So, this means Lidio is selling motors now?

I'm switching from hating on TAF..... to you now!!!:bows: :bows:

[MikesMerc]

Thanks for the positive response everyone:beer:



It really does look nice. Does it feel any different? Is it still a 4.6?

It's still a 4.6 and it feels very much the same. Compression might be just a tiny tiny bit lower due to the mild bowl work that was done. But that would be insiginificant to power production. We kept it at about 10:1.

I'm not a big fan of the poke n stroke on the aluminum 4.6 motors. I don't like the idea of of increasing bore and thinning out the walls, and I don't like how far the piston skirts hang out of the holes when they are stroked. Not that this is bad! A solid motor can be built this way, but not cheaply in my opnion. Strokin n pokin the "right way" was not in the budget.




Wow, I totally understand your joy Mike (as mine is being r&r'd today).

It is indeed very exciting!! Good luck with your build as well!!



Also, out of curiousity, what oil did you use for the break-in?


We ran a simple dino based 5w-20.

[blackf0rk]

Mike! I agree with your covers - they look just great! I like the OEM look, very classy. 4 thumbs up (if possible). :P

[MI2QWK4U]

First off, the pics dont do the engine bay justice! I saw it the day Lidio was putting some miles on it, and was floored! The valve covers look great. I know that the first 6 Trilogies had the billitt polished finsh on them, but I wish mine was that powdercoated grey color. They did a great job on the color match. Lidios guys did a great job on the R&R. Not many shops can produce this kind of quality work in the time Alternative Auto did. Mike has one Lethal Marauder there! I think his Marauder is the pinicle of a "working man's" built Marauder. Mike was smart on his build up, but didnt spend insane amounts of money on it. No knocks agains Trilogy #1 or Marty's "super Marauders" that are in a different league than the rest of us, but Mike will be on their heals for a lot less.
Mike, cant wait to see this beast at the track!

[MI2QWK4U]

WOW!!
I love the color match look.
So, this means Lidio is selling motors now?

I'm switching from hating on TAF..... to you now!!!:bows: :bows:


Lidio sells a lot of motors. He has one of the best engine builders period, very methodical and a perfectionist.
My engine plans are to do one motor a year, just like Mike did with his Marauder, but I will need motors for the Mach 1, 06 Mustang GT, and the Marauder.

If anyone here ever needs a motor, keep Lidio in mind. He is resonable and wont sell you anything you dont need.

[sweetair]

That motor really is a beautiful site to look at. KNowing how strong she is on the inside must make you feel confident of her capabilities. Great job to you and Lidio..

[RVT04]

[QUOTE=MikesMerc]Wow...that was fast!!

Lidio and his crew did a awesome job. Less than three weeks from start to finish and they did an impeccable job. I got the car back last night with a scant few miles on the fresh mill. What a feeling!!

I'm greatful that Lidio was able to get this project done so fast and allow me to get everything ready in time for the new season. I'll need time to put a few hundred easy miles on her before it goes back to the shop for some fresh synthetic and a hopped up dyno tune. With the larger heat exchanger, mildly worked heads, and forged pistons and rods, I'm going to be stepping up the output a bit. Although I plan on leaving some margin of overhead for safety, 550 rwhp and 600 lb-ft of rwtq is the goal. With the new power I decided to have the trans gone through as well with new paper and fluid. We went with much better clutches and left the 1-2 actuator trick in place.

I expected the motor to exhibit a little extra clatter from the forged internals but things were surprisingly still pretty quiet. That's definitely a good thing. I am surprised as I hear a lot of forged motors that "slap around" when they are cold. Maybe mine might loosen up over time...so far its very quiet.

As for cosmetics, it might disappoint some folks, but I went with big understatement. I had the o4 raw cam covers powder coated to match the Trilogy blower kit. It turned out nice I think. Nothing blingy. Very OEM looking. The powder coating sure beats those terrible looking bare 04 cam covers. The only thing I might consider are some chrome or nicely polished coil covers.

http://www.forums.motorcitymarauders. com/Downloads/Pictures/mikesMM/center.JPG


http://www.forums.motorcitymarauders. com/Downloads/Pictures/mikesMM/left.JPG


So far so good. Everything feels great. Nice and tight and nary a rattle. I'll keep everyone posted when I turn up the wick in a few weeks.[/QUOTE

IMHO THE PIC IS A STUDY IN PERFECTION. EXCELLENT CHOICE AND I WOULD NOT PUT NARY A DROP O CHROME IN THAT PORTRAIT.

[Warpath]

...If anyone here ever needs a motor, keep Lidio in mind. He is resonable and wont sell you anything you dont need.

X2. I bought my big bore from Lidio and I'm a happy customer.

[MikesMerc]

[QUOTE=MikesMerc]I WOULD NOT PUT NARY A DROP O CHROME IN THAT PORTRAIT.

You are probably right :)

[MarauderMark]

Great job and a great person to do the work :up:.Only 1 question i thought your motor was allready built ..

[MikesMerc]

Only 1 question i thought your motor was allready built ..

Nope. Up until last week the motor was all factory original.

You can see my thread on the tear down of the original motor and how it looked after 2 years of abuse running over 500rwhp:
http://www.mercurymarauder.net/forums/showthread.php?t=25153