[BULLITT-STANG]

Can anyone give me insight into rebuilding a modular motor. I am comfortable building motors but a friend says the modular motor has tight tolerances and clearances. My motor in my Bullitt took a s*** and I would like to rebuild it with forged internals and what not, but is there any issues I might run into. Are there any books or dvd's I can buy that would show bearing clearances, ring gap, blah blah blah. Has someone gone through their motor and successfully rebuilt it without any issues. Any help would be appreciated, still trying to decide my plan of attack.

[GreyWarrior07]

Check out Sean Hyland Motorsports, you can buy his books or Dvds off of summit and jegs or other places. His website doesnt really show all of his books but he has a couple.

[mustang_gtr_99]

The video above is a good referance but here is the tech manual. It is for a 3V but everything exept the VVT is the same.

http://ww2.justanswer.com/uploads/ke...INDER_HEAD.pdf

[Bullitt5339]

I rebuilt my first modular engine for a Crown Vic in 1995. I learned one thing that's very important back then, and share it as often as I can with people.

I had access to a fully equipped machine shop back then, with boring bar and all. I did not use a torque plate on that engine, because to be honest, the torque plate was $1600 back then, now it's about $500. I did everything exactly to specs, and put everything together, making sure everything was perfect.

Within a couple hundred miles, the engine was burning oil badly, and within 1500 miles, a few of the piston skirts were gone.

Come to find out, the 4.6 is very succeptible to distortion when the cylinder heads are torqued down, and it actually pulls the bores out of round. After doing some research back then (internet wasn't really around like it is now) and talking to a few Ford guys, I figured out the problem. It turned out that you need to use a torque plate to even power hone these engines in order to keep things straight once the heads are bolted on.

That info is a lot easier to come by nowadays, but still relevant, and often overlooked. I've seen quite a few rebuilt engines come my way over the years that had similar circumstances, and they had the machine work done at local places that either didn't use a torque plate, or told them that they didn't need one to do the work.

So, make sure anyone who does your machine work has a torque plate for the modular engine, and uses it even to hone the cylinders, or chances are that the engine won't last very long.

[mustang_gtr_99]

Depends on the block. If it is new or very low miles, just check measurements. With an older block, the above is very true.

[bodyshot]

This is very interesting!!! I would like to do this same thing down the road my stang has around 130K on it now and they don't last forever.

[SWEET2KSTANG]

Originally Posted by Bullitt5339 I rebuilt my first modular engine for a Crown Vic in 1995. I learned one thing that's very important back then, and share it as often as I can with people. I had access to a fully equipped machine shop back then, with boring bar and all. I did not use a torque plate on that engine, because to be honest, the torque plate was $1600 back then, now it's about $500. I did everything exactly to specs, and put everything together, making sure everything was perfect. Within a couple hundred miles, the engine was burning oil badly, and within 1500 miles, a few of the piston skirts were gone. Come to find out, the 4.6 is very succeptible to distortion when the cylinder heads are torqued down, and it actually pulls the bores out of round. After doing some research back then (internet wasn't really around like it is now) and talking to a few Ford guys, I figured out the problem. It turned out that you need to use a torque plate to even power hone these engines in order to keep things straight once the heads are bolted on. That info is a lot easier to come by nowadays, but still relevant, and often overlooked. I've seen quite a few rebuilt engines come my way over the years that had similar circumstances, and they had the machine work done at local places that either didn't use a torque plate, or told them that they didn't need one to do the work. So, make sure anyone who does your machine work has a torque plate for the modular engine, and uses it even to hone the cylinders, or chances are that the engine won't last very long.

Originally Posted by mustang_gtr_99 Depends on the block. If it is new or very low miles, just check measurements. With an older block, the above is very true.

the mod arent as bad with cylinder distortion as the push rods are. we have torque plated a lot of modulars, and done plenty without them as well, measure verysingle one of them, and havent found any differences yet. i did one without on a 4v we twist pretty tight, 7700rpm's, DD duties, etc, and its still fine. these things are very picky about tolerences, not forgiving like the older pushrods are.

[y2k02]

Can you buy a set of torque plates from ford? Surely they have to sell them as they build thousands and thousands of modular engines.

[86er]

what good is owing torque plates if you dont have the machining equipment.

They arent tougher to build persay, they just have tighter clearances as stated. Still go together like any engine, just a tighter build when done

[mustang_gtr_99]

Like he said^

just get some feeler guages and a good quality digital caliper

Edit: Oh, and a dial indicater

[y2k02]

Originally Posted by 86er what good is owing torque plates if you dont have the machining equipment.

Seeing how they are "needed" and most shops dont have them.....

[mustang_gtr_99]

This can be done with a scrap set of head bolted on as well

[BULLITT-STANG]

So is plasti-gauge used like a normal build? And what about bolt stretch and such? That may be in the article above, on my phone, haven't read it yet

[86er]

any machine shop thats able to write their name with out crayons should/would/will have torque plates

[mustang_gtr_99]

plasiguage is fine for bearing clearances. If you are rebuilding dont use cheap TTY bolts. Pay a little extra and go with some ARP hardware

[SWEET2KSTANG]

Originally Posted by y2k02 Can you buy a set of torque plates from ford? Surely they have to sell them as they build thousands and thousands of modular engines.

ford doesnt sell them, but machine equipment sellers do. they are expensive fuckers.

Originally Posted by BULLITT-STANG So is plasti-gauge used like a normal build? And what about bolt stretch and such? That may be in the article above, on my phone, haven't read it yet

the stock bolts are tty, good rod fasteners use stretch method instead of just torque methond.

Originally Posted by mustang_gtr_99 plasiguage is fine for bearing clearances. If you are rebuilding dont use cheap TTY bolts. Pay a little extra and go with some ARP hardware

depends on what bolts and what all is going on. nothing wrong with using stock replacement bolts in most cases.

[mustang_gtr_99]

I know but ARP studs can be reused down the road and if you want to add power dowline it is cheap insurance

[SWEET2KSTANG]

yup, but not all people go that far. stock bolts hold plenty, and holds more than most will ever push.

[stal94gt]

the piston to wall clearence can be a little looser than stock especialy if forged pistons are used. alot of people dont know that the tight .001 or less piston to wall gap is a huge contributing factor to scorched/broken pistons in modulars

[Bullitt5339]

Originally Posted by mustang_gtr_99 This can be done with a scrap set of head bolted on as well

Explain how you can bore an engine or hone it with a scrap set of heads bolted on please.......