Need help bringing my new mark viii alive

CoryDavis

CoryDavis

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I bought a 98 black on black for $500 and its in really good shape besides clear coat fade and does not run.

I got the car to start after messing with it for awhile. after I got it started the car will only stay running if I hold the gas to the floor. tons of white smoke, my guess would be a blown headgasket.


what do you guys think?
 
Does smoke smell like Coolant? (assuming that there's actually "Coolant" in the system)

Define "messed with it" .. Does that mean you cranked and cranked.. Then finally it started but just barely?

If its a blown head gasket, it'll be cheaper + easier to drop another long block in it.. Or part it out, I need some 98 black Int pieces :)
 
Yeah I think he should part it out.. Could help out a fellow Davis :)
 
If its a blown headgasket, than you could change the headgaskets...
 
I knew id hear part it out lmao. No thanks guys got plans of supercharging and keeping her. Idk about smoke smell as I dont like smoke so try to stay away from it. As far as messing with it I just tried starting regular then gave it a little gas with now results. Then floored it while starting it and took couple tries before she actually ran. Like I said lots of white smoke. And would die if I let off of pedal. Owners before me said it was fine then one morning went to start it and nothing. I dont think I got the real or full story. Originally thought crank sensor but I think blown head gasket. The motor is coming apart regardless for forged build but just wanted to see you guys opinions. Thanks
 
Go smell the smoke, not inhale it til your ears turn blue

There's a couple things you can do to verify a bad head gasket. 1) pull the spark plugs.. Do any look as thou they've been recently steam cleaned? Pressurize the coolant bottle with a pressure tester and Look down into the combustion chamber with a bright flashlight.. Is there A little green puddle in der? I'd start with cylinders 7&8

You can also rent an exhaust gas detection kit from O'Reilly and then purchase the fluid for it , can't remember how much that stuff costs thou because I never use it
 
Sapperfire said:
Go smell the smoke, not inhale it til your ears turn blue

There's a couple things you can do to verify a bad head gasket. 1) pull the spark plugs.. Do any look as thou they've been recently steam cleaned? Pressurize the coolant bottle with a pressure tester and Look down into the combustion chamber with a bright flashlight.. Is there A little green puddle in der? I'd start with cylinders 7&8

You can also rent an exhaust gas detection kit from O'Reilly and then purchase the fluid for it , can't remember how much that stuff costs thou because I never use it
Click to expand...


thanks man really appreciate the help! btw are you the only owner of a cross gen?
 
Cory, do a little research before you "build" a motor.
You would be better off buying a 03/04 cobra motor, upgrade parts are everywhere for them.
I'm at the end of my build and unless you have money falling out of your bung hole or own a built block already for parts it isn't cost effective at all.
Just remember you will be buying 4 or 32 of everything for the top end of the motor to the tune of 2000 or better, all of fords bolts are torque to yield one time use. You'll have over a 1000 in ARP hardware alone, timing set and upgraded gears.. 750, oil pump... 400... Rear block plate 100... IMRC deletes 250... Pistons with all th goodies... 1400 you'll need to find a forged crank.. 350 or so used. Gasket set and sensors... About another 1000 all in.
Now comes your machine work.. If you are still set on building your own motor at this point you'll need to make phone calls. Make sure the machine shop you use has torque plates for the ford module motor, to my surprise most never made the investment because of cost vs quantity. Cheaper to swap than build and performance parts are expensive.
No one in 4 states had them here so I bought a set to use for my build, now the machine shop rents them from time to time. 750 for those, no way you do a performance build without them.
You'll spend a min of 2000 at the machine shop, that's on the low end... You could spend that on the heads alone.
You could build 4 really nasty pushrod motors for what it cost to build one of ours.
Starting from scratch I wouldn't do it again. I would buy a 03/04 cobra motor and take care of the gaskets before I dropped the motor in. If the plan was to go more than 500hp I would put the rear block plate on, upgrade the oil pump to the billit one and take care of the timing set.
Just my opinion, I'm sure you could get by cheaper on some things but at what cost?
 
Crazy how fast a modular engine will suck the bank clean.. Like a pretty money vacuum.

There's a few Cross-Gens running around.... At least 4 others that I know of, but mine isn't just a Mark 8 conversion, mine has most of the pieces of a smashed 98 Cobra stuck to it
 
97MarkJA said:
Cory, do a little research before you "build" a motor.
You would be better off buying a 03/04 cobra motor, upgrade parts are everywhere for them.
I'm at the end of my build and unless you have money falling out of your bung hole or own a built block already for parts it isn't cost effective at all.
Just remember you will be buying 4 or 32 of everything for the top end of the motor to the tune of 2000 or better, all of fords bolts are torque to yield one time use. You'll have over a 1000 in ARP hardware alone, timing set and upgraded gears.. 750, oil pump... 400... Rear block plate 100... IMRC deletes 250... Pistons with all th goodies... 1400 you'll need to find a forged crank.. 350 or so used. Gasket set and sensors... About another 1000 all in.
Now comes your machine work.. If you are still set on building your own motor at this point you'll need to make phone calls. Make sure the machine shop you use has torque plates for the ford module motor, to my surprise most never made the investment because of cost vs quantity. Cheaper to swap than build and performance parts are expensive.
No one in 4 states had them here so I bought a set to use for my build, now the machine shop rents them from time to time. 750 for those, no way you do a performance build without them.
You'll spend a min of 2000 at the machine shop, that's on the low end... You could spend that on the heads alone.
You could build 4 really nasty pushrod motors for what it cost to build one of ours.
Starting from scratch I wouldn't do it again. I would buy a 03/04 cobra motor and take care of the gaskets before I dropped the motor in. If the plan was to go more than 500hp I would put the rear block plate on, upgrade the oil pump to the billit one and take care of the timing set.
Just my opinion, I'm sure you could get by cheaper on some things but at what cost?
Click to expand...

Sad but true, it makes my wallet hurt.
One hell of a engine until it has to come apart.

Its also getting hard to find a low mile drop in replacement.
Dont ask how I know.
Power shopping on the stang boards is the future for these b headed 32v engines.
C headed engines are not too far behind, only engines with miles on them are left.
Your likely buying the problem you already have in your engine bay.
The future is the coyote.
 
ford nut said:
Sad but true, it makes my wallet hurt.
One hell of a engine until it has to come apart.

Its also getting hard to find a low mile drop in replacement.
Dont ask how I know.
Power shopping on the stang boards is the future for these b headed 32v engines.
C headed engines are not too far behind, only engines with miles on them are left.
Your likely buying the problem you already have in your engine bay.
The NOW is the coyote.
Click to expand...

Fixed
 
97MarkJA said:
Cory, do a little research before you "build" a motor.
You would be better off buying a 03/04 cobra motor, upgrade parts are everywhere for them.
I'm at the end of my build and unless you have money falling out of your bung hole or own a built block already for parts it isn't cost effective at all.
Just remember you will be buying 4 or 32 of everything for the top end of the motor to the tune of 2000 or better, all of fords bolts are torque to yield one time use. You'll have over a 1000 in ARP hardware alone, timing set and upgraded gears.. 750, oil pump... 400... Rear block plate 100... IMRC deletes 250... Pistons with all th goodies... 1400 you'll need to find a forged crank.. 350 or so used. Gasket set and sensors... About another 1000 all in.
Now comes your machine work.. If you are still set on building your own motor at this point you'll need to make phone calls. Make sure the machine shop you use has torque plates for the ford module motor, to my surprise most never made the investment because of cost vs quantity. Cheaper to swap than build and performance parts are expensive.
No one in 4 states had them here so I bought a set to use for my build, now the machine shop rents them from time to time. 750 for those, no way you do a performance build without them.
You'll spend a min of 2000 at the machine shop, that's on the low end... You could spend that on the heads alone.
You could build 4 really nasty pushrod motors for what it cost to build one of ours.
Starting from scratch I wouldn't do it again. I would buy a 03/04 cobra motor and take care of the gaskets before I dropped the motor in. If the plan was to go more than 500hp I would put the rear block plate on, upgrade the oil pump to the billit one and take care of the timing set.
Just my opinion, I'm sure you could get by cheaper on some things but at what cost?
Click to expand...

yea im aware. I made a facebook status the other day that said if you ever wanna go broke build a mod motor. lol
 
That is a true statement.
Like I said, starting from scratch is rediculouis when it comes to cost. Cobra guys have it easy with a nice starting platform.
Cobra motor or coyote would give you a significant bump in power right away. Cobra is almost a drop in, coyote not so much. Should I happen to grenade this motor once it's in I would probably build a nasty pushrod motor.. After I cry of course. Depends on the carnage I guess, I've already spent all the money on parts.
 
F150 5.0's are dirt cheap right now.

ford nut said:
Sad but true, it makes my wallet hurt.
One hell of a engine until it has to come apart.

Its also getting hard to find a low mile drop in replacement.
Dont ask how I know.
Power shopping on the stang boards is the future for these b headed 32v engines.
C headed engines are not too far behind, only engines with miles on them are left.
Your likely buying the problem you already have in your engine bay.
The future is the coyote.
Click to expand...
 
I dont understand why more guys HAVENT already swapped to a pushrod engine. Build a stout 408 windsor and drop it in with a good c4 behind it..instead of blowing all that money on a 4.6..why? Just so you can say i have 4 cams? Its still a ford powerplant..whats the big deal..so many people are against pushrod engines saying its old technology and blah blah..it works and it works well and has been proven so for the past 40 years..if built right they can withstand just as much RPM if not more than a OHC engine. And like you say at much less cost. About the ONLY drawback i can see is hood clearance..which i wouldnt find to be a problem..cowl hoods can solve that. If a windsor will fit in an MN12..it will fit in a mark.
 
keVIIIn said:
I dont understand why more guys HAVENT already swapped to a pushrod engine. Build a stout 408 windsor and drop it in with a good c4 behind it..instead of blowing all that money on a 4.6..why? Just so you can say i have 4 cams? Its still a ford powerplant..whats the big deal..so many people are against pushrod engines saying its old technology and blah blah..it works and it works well and has been proven so for the past 40 years..if built right they can withstand just as much RPM if not more than a OHC engine. And like you say at much less cost. About the ONLY drawback i can see is hood clearance..which i wouldnt find to be a problem..cowl hoods can solve that. If a windsor will fit in an MN12..it will fit in a mark.
Click to expand...

You first
 
If i ever have engine trouble and have to pull it..it is not going back in. Ill pay a shop to retrofit a GM gen III small block into it. Its been done on a thunderbird before so i know its possible.

Im saying this for those people who hate on pushrod power but cant afford to build a DOHC engine the right way.
 
keVIIIn said:
If i ever have engine trouble and have to pull it..it is not going back in. Ill pay a shop to retrofit a bored and stroked 351 with a TKO600 into it. Its been done on a thunderbird before so i know its possible.

Im saying this for those people who hate on pushrod power but cant afford to build a DOHC engine the right way.
Click to expand...

Fixed that for ya, you must have bumped your head.
 
keVIIIn said:
If i ever have engine trouble and have to pull it..it is not going back in. Ill pay a shop to retrofit a GM gen III small block into it. Its been done on a thunderbird before so i know its possible.

Im saying this for those people who hate on pushrod power but cant afford to build a DOHC engine the right way.
Click to expand...
saw someone who had a Chevy 350 in their Mercedes.
 
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