[BakerFX4]

OKAY guys.... LOL... I want to do the build myself and "heard" that i should buy an entire rotating assembly instead of having to buy individual pieces and then need my crank balanced or some shit. This link is what i think ima go with. I think its a good price. Im not looking for crazy horsepower but something that will just hold up at around 500rwhp at least. Does it matter the bore size? Slow02gt said it was "pointless" and "waste of money" to have it bored and to "spend the money somewhere else". Ill do a .30 bore if it will do some good. Will i be able to simply have our mechanic put these parts in and it be ready to go? The guy builds alot of motors for dirt track racing and assured me it would be no problem. I just wanna get what i need and put it together. Here's the link.

ModMax - 4.6 and 5.4 Modular Experts

[BakerFX4]

blown and cammed

[bobnasty]

i tell this to everyone i talk to from personal experiences and professional advice, if you are having a modular engine built, go with someone who either builds strictly modulars, or has built alot of modular engines, like i posted one a previous thread, i went with an engine builder/machine shop that never worked on a modular, and it cost me my engine and alot of money, the modular engine is a very finicky engine when it comes to machine work, if you dont beleive me, call someone like mmr, or dss, and they will tell you the same thing, i made the mistake of calling them after my brand new shortblock was destroyed and in peices

[SWEET2KSTANG]

you dont have to go with a full rotating assembly for any build. i never have, i get teh parts i want the way i want it. pointless to bore??? you will atleast need a final hone to get proper piston to wall clearance, if you want to run a larger valve size you will need to bore it anyways. a .020 over will give you a tad extra room to work with so you can help unshroud the valves as well if you work the heads too. these motors arent hard to build, jut got to know how they like to be set up. a stock crank will hold that power, so just a decent set of rods, and good pistons will be in order. its no big deal to have the rotating assembly balanced, just take to a machinist and they will take care of it. you will need the pistons, rods, crank, balancer, 1 rod bearing, and flywheel/flexplate to get it done.

[bobnasty]

dont forget new head and main studs (stock main, head, and side main bolts are all one time use only) for reassembly, and a torque plate for the machine work to include honing

[BakerFX4]

does balancing come before or after everything is installed. I know thats prolly a stupid question. LOL. This guy has built one other motor like this for a crown vic before. Thats the only one he has ever done and never heard back from the people so who knows. LOL. I dont really want to deal with a motor building machine shop if i dont have to. I will for the bore but thats it.

[casper gt]

you get it balanced before it gets put together. generally these motor's never go over +.020. 5.4 forged crank's are still avalible from Ford if you need one(cheap), but for your need's you might be ok with the cast crank you have. you really should get it built from someone who is very familular with mod motors, doesn't have to be a huge name big dollar place, you should be able to find someone some what local, but if you trust your guy alot, then go for it.

[BakerFX4]

so if i buy the complete rotating assembly then i dont have to worry about any balancing huh? I took the 5.4 apart already and when i did, it seemed pretty straight forward and fairly easy. And it was locked up due to a rod bearing. Kinda scarred the crank i do have but i would think it would be aight if need be. Here are my final questions on this part....

1. Will it be worth getting it bored .20 over or should i just leave it stock?

2. If I buy the full rotating assembly will it be ready to throw together as soon as i get it?

Sweet2kstang... I have the flywheel from the 5.4 motor. You say im going to need that? or will i be able to just throw my 4.6 stuff on their and my tranny will just bolt to it like it was a 4.6? And i have the timing cover for it also... will the 5.4 DOHC timing cover mount up to this future setup?

[bobnasty]

if your assembly is not balanced it will not be ready to put in, also they will need the entire rotating assembly and bearings to machine the block, this block distorts very easily when being machined, that is why the roataing assembly is mocked up in the block and the torqu plate is bolted down where the head goes to simulate the head being torqued down on the block while it is being machined, by the time all the machine work is said and done, the short block will have been mocked up several times, this process cannot be rushed, and i would say a definate no on the scarred crankshaft, atleast i wouldnt spend all that money and use a questionable crankshaft

[bobnasty]

also, no most rotating assemblies do not come balanced

[jivepepper]

MMR will sell you a balanced rotating assembly if you want to assemble it yourself. I'm glad I let someone build my shortblock that had 10+ years of modular race engine building experience.

I have absolutely beat mine half to death and back over the last 3.5 years. Overheating leaning it out a few times to the point of melting plugs and chucking one do to a weak pump. It still runs as good as new, and I still got my hands dirty installing it lol.