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.
I really want a 500rwhp Marauder, though, and you are oh so close!! How's the tranny holding up? Does the converter slip?
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.
