Finally Going to Mod the 03

**Koild Up** · 02-10-2009, 10:49 PM

I have a friend who is selling his Whipple 2.3l on the cheep and im going to get it. He made around 550hp at 16lbs i believe. Has low miles on it. I have one problem, my motor is around the 75k mile mark. Ive done some research and here is what im looking to do.

Got the "tick" to fix
Irs bushing kit (MaximumMotorsports?)
Irs Brace (billetflow?)
Upgrade intercooler(?)
Upgrade clutch (?)
Bassani offroad H
Borla Stingers
Lowering kit (eibach?)
Some kind of cold air kit (?)
SCT tune/chip
Injectors/fuel pump?

This is going to be a steet vehicle only. Is there any mods im missing. I want to get around the same Mid 500hp. Since the motor will have to be dropped to get the heads fixed, should i consider new bearings and such? Im looking for ideas on which companies to purchase and which to avoid and where are quality places to purchase parts.. I have seen your cars last year at Summit and they looked awesome. I have already consulted on some prices from Terry at Street Lethal i just need to get the parts together. Thanks for any hellp guys.

Crash

**o4c0b|2a** · 02-11-2009, 01:05 PM

Your mod list is pretty good. I commented on a few.
Irs Brace (billetflow?) Billetflow are nice pieces and work great.

Upgrade intercooler(?) Not entirely necesarry, but doesn't hurt. LFP sells nice ones.

Upgrade clutch (?) Ram or Spec are good clutches.

Lowering kit (eibach?) Eibach is fine. H&R makes nice products as well. I run the race springs

Some kind of cold air kit (?) I wouldn't go spend huge money, running a straight shot with 10" filter is fine.

SCT tune/chip - Sct xcaliber 3

Injectors/fuel pump? 60# injectors, KB Boost-a-Pump (w/upgraded wiring)and diablosport mafia will work fine.

My mod list is as follows:
KB 2.2 at 16#'s (19#'s on race gas)
BAP
60# injectors
mafia
sct xcal 2w/ lund tuning
LFP heat exchanger
PPRV delete
straight shot 10" filter
Accufab tb
centerforce df clutch
BF IRS Brace
Bassani catted x and catback

Call Lou at Laural Mountain, he carries quite a few of these products. I'm sure some of the other vendors can help you out as well.

My car runs great, plenty of fuel left to go around. As long as the tune is good, your car should be fine. Mines a street car too. Stock internals and manifolds. Depending on the abuse the car has taken over time. Maybe a compression test as well wouldn't hurt to see where its at. It's been noted that some have seen 03-04's go successfully to 80k miles modded, some on the other hand, well not so lucky. I'd suggest getting the motor squared away first.

**wickedsnake03** · 02-11-2009, 02:53 PM

I agree aloy with what o4c0b|2a already said. I have the h&R race springs as well and love them. i am also running 60s and a boost a pump. I have the LFP heat exchanger and its a quality piece. i am also running a radiator and expansion tank as well as a ice box. seems to help. One more thing i would reccomend would be to do the head cooling mod.

**724COBRA** · 02-11-2009, 10:54 PM

Originally Posted by Koild Up

I have a friend who is selling his Whipple 2.3l on the cheep and im going to get it. He made around 550hp at 16lbs i believe. Has low miles on it. I have one problem, my motor is around the 75k mile mark. Ive done some research and here is what im looking to do.

Got the "tick" to fix
Irs bushing kit (MaximumMotorsports?)
Irs Brace (billetflow?)
Upgrade intercooler(?)
Upgrade clutch (?)
Bassani offroad H
Borla Stingers
Lowering kit (eibach?)
Some kind of cold air kit (?)
SCT tune/chip
Injectors/fuel pump?

This is going to be a steet vehicle only. Is there any mods im missing. I want to get around the same Mid 500hp. Since the motor will have to be dropped to get the heads fixed, should i consider new bearings and such? Im looking for ideas on which companies to purchase and which to avoid and where are quality places to purchase parts.. I have seen your cars last year at Summit and they looked awesome. I have already consulted on some prices from Terry at Street Lethal i just need to get the parts together. Thanks for any hellp guys.

Crash

Looks great! I just bought a KB 2.2 yesterday! very excited. I would check out a dude on svtperformance.com if you are looking for IRS bushings. He has a great kit. His name is AC427COBRA. Also Terry did a great job on my car!

**biminiLX** · 02-12-2009, 11:51 PM

Sounds like a nice plan. Just FYI, unless you've heard the Stingers without cats you might be better off with a more street style muffler. Also, if you have the trans out you might consider the 26-spline input shaft.
-J

**Koild Up** · 02-13-2009, 03:04 AM

Originally Posted by biminiLX

Sounds like a nice plan. Just FYI, unless you've heard the Stingers without cats you might be better off with a more street style muffler. Also, if you have the trans out you might consider the 26-spline input shaft.
-J

I have had Flowmaster American Thunder's on it and it was not loud enough. I switched over to SLP Loudmouths which were great for the first few hundred or so miles. It seems now that they sound awesome when they are cold, but after a few mins driving, it just isnt the sound what im looking for. I have heard SLP's with no cats and i dont like it, but that was on a SOHC GT. I have heard Bassani no cat with the Stingers and i LOVE it so im kinda set on Stingers right now.

**Koild Up** · 02-13-2009, 03:06 AM

Originally Posted by wickedsnake03

I agree aloy with what o4c0b|2a already said. I have the h&R race springs as well and love them. i am also running 60s and a boost a pump. I have the LFP heat exchanger and its a quality piece. i am also running a radiator and expansion tank as well as a ice box. seems to help. One more thing i would reccomend would be to do the head cooling mod.

What exactly is the head cooling mod? Would i be better off stepping up to a Ford GT pump rather than a boost-a-pump with 60's?

o4c0b|2a
Yea number one on the list is getting the heads fixed. I have a Ram 900 series for my 89lx but i have heard that these are not good "street" clutches. Most of the 900 series from what i know are great for strip action but dont last as long as a street style clutch. Am i going to have to upgrade the flywheel also or reuse the stock one?

Thanks for all the help so far guys i appreciate it.

**724COBRA** · 02-14-2009, 04:08 PM

Originally Posted by Koild Up

What exactly is the head cooling mod? Would i be better off stepping up to a Ford GT pump rather than a boost-a-pump with 60's?

o4c0b|2a
Yea number one on the list is getting the heads fixed. I have a Ram 900 series for my 89lx but i have heard that these are not good "street" clutches. Most of the 900 series from what i know are great for strip action but dont last as long as a street style clutch. Am i going to have to upgrade the flywheel also or reuse the stock one?

Thanks for all the help so far guys i appreciate it.

The 03 and 04 Cobras had problems with the coolant passage to one of the heads. A head cooling mod helps reroute the coolant i believe

**724COBRA** · 02-14-2009, 04:09 PM

Originally Posted by Koild Up

I have had Flowmaster American Thunder's on it and it was not loud enough. I switched over to SLP Loudmouths which were great for the first few hundred or so miles. It seems now that they sound awesome when they are cold, but after a few mins driving, it just isnt the sound what im looking for. I have heard SLP's with no cats and i dont like it, but that was on a SOHC GT. I have heard Bassani no cat with the Stingers and i LOVE it so im kinda set on Stingers right now.

I love my stingers

**wickedsnake03** · 02-14-2009, 05:48 PM

yeah the head cooling mod helps direct more collant into the 7 and 8. imo its worth it. I have had no problems running 19#s with a kenne bell 2.2 and just a boost a pump. and its on a pretty wicked tune as well seeing i dont drive the car all the time. but it is a 93 octane pump gas tune, just get a fuel gauge and a wideband and you will be fine

**wickedsnake03** · 02-14-2009, 05:52 PM

one more quick thing is you go with a boost a pump do the wire mod to it

**Shadowstealth** · 02-15-2009, 11:53 AM

Originally Posted by Koild Up

I have a friend who is selling his Whipple 2.3l on the cheep and im going to get it. He made around 550hp at 16lbs i believe. Has low miles on it. I have one problem, my motor is around the 75k mile mark. Ive done some research and here is what im looking to do.

Got the "tick" to fix
Irs bushing kit (MaximumMotorsports?)
Irs Brace (billetflow?)
Upgrade intercooler(?)
Upgrade clutch (?)
Bassani offroad H
Borla Stingers
Lowering kit (eibach?)
Some kind of cold air kit (?)
SCT tune/chip
Injectors/fuel pump?

This is going to be a steet vehicle only. Is there any mods im missing. I want to get around the same Mid 500hp. Since the motor will have to be dropped to get the heads fixed, should i consider new bearings and such? Im looking for ideas on which companies to purchase and which to avoid and where are quality places to purchase parts.. I have seen your cars last year at Summit and they looked awesome. I have already consulted on some prices from Terry at Street Lethal i just need to get the parts together. Thanks for any hellp guys.

Crash

WHAT KINDA TICK DO YOU HAVE?

**MBH** · 02-15-2009, 01:06 PM

Originally Posted by wickedsnake03

one more quick thing is you go with a boost a pump do the wire mod to it

what is the wire mod?

**wickedsnake03** · 02-15-2009, 03:31 PM

when you buy the BAP it comes with 14ga hot wires for the hookup. most people change that out to 10ga wire. I cant say that its needed but there has been tests down that show the 14ga wire is known to be an issue. So its really just a safety thing so you dont burn up your BAP and not an expensive change really.

**Koild Up** · 02-15-2009, 08:09 PM

Originally Posted by Shadowstealth

WHAT KINDA TICK DO YOU HAVE?

The typical head "tick" sounds like metal on metal that some 03 Cobras had. It has something to do with motors that were put together between certain dates. It comes and goes. The is a TSB on it from ford but each time i take the car in, i get the excuse "well we couldnt get it to tick so bring it back when it ticks all the time." Its deff not the injectors cuz those make a ticking noise. there is alot of info on SVTperformance. com about it. You deff know if u have it, its a horrible noise and i cringe everytime it does it.

**MBH** · 02-16-2009, 09:29 PM

Originally Posted by wickedsnake03

when you buy the BAP it comes with 14ga hot wires for the hookup. most people change that out to 10ga wire. I cant say that its needed but there has been tests down that show the 14ga wire is known to be an issue. So its really just a safety thing so you dont burn up your BAP and not an expensive change really.

oh ok cool. When I bought mine it had a BAP, I'll have to check

**wickedsnake03** · 02-16-2009, 10:50 PM

as long as you got a fuel gauge or wideband you will be fine either way bo. they really reccommend it when running aftermarket pumps since they usually draw more power from your system

**o4c0b|2a** · 02-26-2009, 10:35 AM

Interesting, I have my BAP setup with 14a wiring (what it came with) since 4 yrs ago with no issues (also no Lethal Performance wiring upgrade). The only thing I was told was mine was setup pre, instead of post which can be an issue. but at the tuning session we didn't see an issue with the way it was currently working. But thats with BAP, 60# injectors, and mafia, stock pumps.

**u1arunit** · 02-26-2009, 12:54 PM

My fuel system that I put down the numbers in my sig with consists of a SCT BA2400 MAF meter, 60# Inj, BAP, wire kit, removed PPRV, and larger fuel feed line. Def wire the BAP pre FPDM.

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