03 lincoln aviator

[CDW6212R]

Okay yes that's right, the right tuning and better fuel etc will work when done right. I had my 347 built with 9.76:1 compression to run a mild boost level, say 10psi or so. The 327 I plan to build for my blower SUV will also be in the mid 9's, but I want to hit close to 15psi with that. it is a balance of compression and boost with the blower type used. Intercooling and better fuel let us run more boost and compression, it makes the tuner's job more interesting doesn't it.

 

[jd4242]

Ran all the part numbers and called diamond to get the specs on the pistons. .

The pistons are 3.582 bore,10cc dished and 1.205 compression distance. .should be around 9.25:1 compression with 52cc heads..

The rods are 5.850 length and the crank is 3.750 stroke..

Being a .030 over bore and that i plan on getting the heads ported,im going to have them unshroud the valves some and shave the heads some to make up for where they unshroud the valves.how much and where the compression will end up at we will see

 

[4pointslow]

Awesome progress! Some real nice upgrades to the aviator.

 

[jd4242]

Well some deals are too good to be true..i was told when i bought the kit that he had contact with his valves on the driverside, his machinist told him 2 pistons were bad so he replaced them..the other 2 have slight contact marks on them from the valves,i knew this..he also bought new rings and bearings. .

Well i finally get the kit and the 6 used pistons are trashed..they have pitts and scratches all over the skirts,i wont run them..

Also the bearings are trashed as they were loose in the box and scratched all up..the crank also looks like it could use a polish..

I contacted the guy and he said that his machinist said only 2 were bad and thats what he replaced..he said he was only going off his word..he refunded me $250 so that definitely helps..i believe him that he was just going off his machinist word..

These pistons run $180 a piece so they are outa my price range. .ill probably go with manley flat top or 10cc stroker pistons, i can get a set for around $600..flat tops should take me to 10.6:1

So i ended up paying $940 for a forged stroker crank and eagle rods..still not a bad bad deal..

 

[jd4242]

Well after some research i may be able to send them off and have them cleaned and coated..for about $280 calico says they can fix them up and coat them..

 

[Dono]

Your pistons look a lot like my old ones. lol. Have to wonder how that happens.

 

[jd4242]

Your pistons look a lot like my old ones. lol. Have to wonder how that happens.

Piston slap..to much or to tight PTW clearance. .also strokers are more "prone" to it..the angle is greater on strokers and when too much PTW the basically rock and you get this on the thrust side..

If the PTW is too tight your get this on both sides,more non strokers tho..or even to much heat can cause the piston to swell and cause tight PTW

For strokers with a 2618 alloy in a aluminum block the PTW should be around .0035-.0040

For a iron block it should be around .0040-.0045

 

[CDW6212R]

Well after some research i may be able to send them off and have them cleaned and coated..for about $280 calico says they can fix them up and coat them..

That sounds promising. After I read the previous post, I thought to myself that a piston maker might be able to refurbish those, to a usable size. If the Calico place can do that you will come out very good. They need to be refinished to a size which matches a common bore size you can put into a block. I hope that works, those sounds like nice pistons.

 

[jd4242]

That sounds promising. After I read the previous post, I thought to myself that a piston maker might be able to refurbish those, to a usable size. If the Calico place can do that you will come out very good. They need to be refinished to a size which matches a common bore size you can put into a block. I hope that works, those sounds like nice pistons.

They told me they just sand the high spots,clean them and then put a coating on the skirts..this is as long as the pits or scratches arnt too deep and the piston isnt outa round. .they can coat up to a .0015 thickness. .they agreed the PTW was outa spec

 

[CDW6212R]

Very good, it sounds like they are aiming for a proper PTW spec. Is that a .030 over piston, are you planning to build yours or a whole different block?

 

[jd4242]

Very good, it sounds like they are aiming for a proper PTW spec. Is that a .030 over piston, are you planning to build yours or a whole different block?

I posted the PTW specs above they call for but yes its critical to get that spec.

Yes its a .030 about max for a WAP block..im not 100% sure on block,was buying a Teksid block but im sending the heads out to livernois to be ported and checked so that will take about 3 weeks so i probably will just use my 03 WAP block now,not much point getting or building another block up for it to sit for 3 weeks

 

[jd4242]

So been on the look out for a 98 cobra timing cover..my current aviator cover no vortech brackets will fit. .my current vortech bracket is for a mch 1 cover but it uses much more pieces than a 98 bracket and also a mach 1 has a one bolt tensioner thats known for tearing belts and when they do tear you have to remove the vortech bracket to change belts..

The 98 cover has a 3 bolt tensioner and uses much less brackets for the vortech, you also can change belts without removing the vortech. .

I got on on ebay yesterday for $58 with a tensioner. .there is problems that i notice right away..the power steering mounts much lower on the 98 cover.this wouldnt be much of a issue but the oil filter and bracket of the aviator is different from a 98 cobra and would hit the power steering pump if it mounts that low...also the 98 also uses a different reservoir mount..

So i want to retain the aviator PS location, reservoir and oil filter so my plan is to cut both covers in the same spot and weld the driverside of the aviator cover to the 98 cobra cover..this will let me use the 98 vortech bracket and everything on the passengers side and use all the aviator stuff on the driverside. .

Here are some pictures to better explain..

Plan to cut both on the red line,weld that upper section of the aviator to the 98 cobra..

The green is the difference in reservoir mounts.

And the blue is the difference in the power steering location. .

Ill make a jig on my welding table to make sure everything lines up and stays aligned when welding..


Aviator cover

98 cobra.

 

[Dono]

So, you will make the cuts, mount the two pieces to the front of a motor and tack it up really well before removing and welding solid?
Your threads are always a bit nutty. Never bolt on stuff.
Love it.

 

[jd4242]

So, you will make the cuts, mount the two pieces to the front of a motor and tack it up really well before removing and welding solid?
Your threads are always a bit nutty. Never bolt on stuff.
Love it.

Yea or was going to tack some bolts to my welding table so the cover could be bolted down to the table like if it was attached to the motor..

 

[4pointslow]

If it was anybody else I would think, nope not going to work (leaks or cracking).
But being that it is you and knowing how skilled you are from seeing all your past threads and builds, my thoughts are "he can do it".
I like the reasoning you are using too, belts should be fairly easy to remove if needed and they should not shred from contact with other components.

 

[jd4242]

If it was anybody else I would think, nope not going to work (leaks or cracking).
But being that it is you and knowing how skilled you are from seeing all your past threads and builds, my thoughts are "he can do it".
I like the reasoning you are using too, belts should be fairly easy to remove if needed and they should not shred from contact with other components.

I cant take full credit for the idea. .i got it from someone who had a 5.4 and cut the 5.4 and a 4.6 cover up so he could use the passengers side 4.6 on his 5.4 so his vortech bracket would work,vortech doesnt make a bracket for the 5.4 cover anymore..

I could swap to a 2v oil filter/bracket and then use a 98 cobra power steering pump and Reservoir but thats added cost and who knows if ill run into other fitment issues. I like to keep as much aviator, know it fit type of stuff if possible. .

Ive also decided against the mach 1 lower.after seeing some dyno charts and some mods people have been doing to the aviator, its going to work better for me..again saving money and using stock Aviator parts.

 

[jd4242]

Well the pistons have been checked and cleared..he said they honestly weren't that bad and as long as they were "cleaned" up and no high spots he wouldnt have thought twice about running them as is..

He mic them to make sure they didnt over heat and get outa round,then "smoothed" out the high spots and coated them ""dow corning brand MolyKote D-10-GBL""...he coated the one with the worse pits pretty heavy so that once the coating worn down it would be pretty smooth.he suggested to run them all at the same PTW and break them in good before running alot of boost to prevent the piston from swelling and wearing off to much on the heavy coated ones..i asked if best to hone the cylinder of the heavy coated ones slightly more and he said that the coating wasnt that much thicker to make it outa specs..that they would all wear to a pretty close PTW clearance. .he didnt want the coating to wear to much and then those cylinders become outa spec for PTW for the uncoated part of the piston. .

Also the 2 brand new pistons were 5 grams heavier than the old 6..the old 6 he said it also appears the vlave reliefs had been polished or ""opened"" up some..i assume the guy who i bought them from,his machinist cleaned them up some from where he had contact with his valves..he said they were not any CC different from the old ones though so it wouldnt effect compression at all..he then made all 8 identical and same weight..he said there is some coating on the ring grooves but he didnt want to clean them up,said when i fit/file my rings it would be best to clean them and make the grooves all to my machinist/ring suppliers specs

Charged me $150 including shipping,should be here Tuesday or Wednesday. .saved me a ton of money..

The worse ones but said it will smooth out some and is fine either way..

 

[CDW6212R]

Say JD, what might be useful to look for on a 2003 Aviator in a JY? I've got one I see here that turned up a couple of weeks ago. I'm hoping to get there some day this week coming up, with a friend. I just checked their site to see what may be there to look at, I did a general search for Lincoln.

 

[jd4242]

Say JD, what might be useful to look for on a 2003 Aviator in a JY? I've got one I see here that turned up a couple of weeks ago. I'm hoping to get there some day this week coming up, with a friend. I just checked their site to see what may be there to look at, I did a general search for Lincoln.

Depends what you or anyone else needs..main thing is heads,they are worth a pretty penny.About $500-750,mustang guys eat them up.Everything else really is only worth something if you know someone who needs that part..

 

[CDW6212R]

I see, the heads for sure but not much else. I think this Pull A Part here has plenty of people who go straight to the heads and intake for a lot of popular Fords. The 302's are quickly without heads/intake. I'll try to get there next week, I'm in the middle of my sister's Wrangler suspension, and my dad is back in the hospital.