Ford Mustang Short-Block Engine Rebuild - Recession Special Part 3

Don't go through the trouble of a new engine build and reuse the stock water pump and/or thermostat. At $31, it's well worth it to install a new one now than to spend the down time hanging over the fenders replacing it later. We set the FRPP Cobra lower intake manifold into place using the Fel-Pro 1250 gaskets included in the FRPP gasket kit. Leave the upper manifold off until you get the engine in the car. It's easier to hook the hoist up to it that way.

With the drivetrain back in the car and connected to its chassis, we only had to fill the fluids and set the timing, fuel pressure, and TPS. The Professional Products 65mm throttle body (pictured) we chose has a swivel base for the TPS sensor, which allows easy adjustment of the voltage.

Installing the transmission can be a pain in the rear, especially when it stops a quarter inch from the bellhousing. Once the assembly is in the car, connect the clutch cable and have someone depress it. This usually allows the transmission to slide the rest of the way in. Since that wasn't an option for us, we used a C-clamp to release the clutch and the transmission popped in.

On 93 octane and 14 degrees of initial timing, our little notchback pounded out 249 hp and 293 lb-ft of torque at the wheels. We didn't want to risk running the stock motor for a baseline as it was knocking, but most stock 5.0, five-speed cars make about 190 hp and 250 lb-ft of torque at the wheels. That's a pretty healthy improvement, especially considering that you could run this combo on 87-octane fuel and only lose two or three ponies in the process.

Though our project ended up lunching a head gasket in a short amount of time, we'd still call our first engine build a success. It runs a lot smoother, and provides plenty of oil pressure and good power. That's just what we were looking for from our daily commuter, and we did it without breaking the bank.

As you can see from the datalogger, our 19-lb/hr fuel injectors are at max duty cycle, and the stock mass air meter is about to call it quits as it nears 4.5 volts. We'll be upgrading these next month in a budget article that's sure to build some boost.