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Mark's Marauder Build

Zack

4 Doors 4 Life
Mar 21, 2004
6,297
20
NW Indiana
I dont even know if Mark is a member here :confused:
He goes by Marauderboy on MM.net

Anyway, he has a 29k MM here for a bunch of stuff. Back in 04, I installed a Vortech for him. Sometime since then, he took the car to a reputable shop in michigan for a built bottom end, a little bowl work in the heads and a smaller pulley. I think that cranked out 480rwhp IIRC.

He's ready to make some POWA now, so he showed up with this:

100_3107.jpg


Its a DSS Big Bore Stroker.

Look at how ridiculously clean this thing is:

100_3090.jpg

100_3092.jpg

100_3098.jpg

100_3096.jpg


There are a bunch of neat parts going including:
Comp Stage 3 Cams
Return Fuel System
Battery Relocation (UGH)
Walbro 400LPH pump

He wants to retain the Air/Water setup and upgrade it, so I ordered the FrozenBoost Type 100 Heat exchanger and the Lightning Intercooler pump.

The Vortech goes out tomorrow to be upgraded to a T-Trim.

I will retain the dual bosch bypass valves but vent them to atmosphere with mufflers on them. I will also switch to a blow-thru MAF.

Mark dropped the car off to me complaining about smoke out the tailpipes at start-up. I found this awful wierd since the shop he took it to has a pristine reputation. I thought maybe a valve seal was bad and planned on having them replaced when the heads went in for the cams and springs. As I started taking the car apart, the problem became quite obvious:

100_3108.jpg

100_3109.jpg


Look at that oil seepage from the head gasket! This engine has 19k on in BTW.

Here is the other side:

100_3106.jpg

100_3103.jpg

100_3102.jpg


Its only on the driver's side, and the only way this happens if the bolts were not tightened fully, or the head is warped. We will find out soon!

The engine will be out very soon. I have to remove the AC compressor, PS pump and TC nuts. I almost broke a vein in my forehead removing the bellhousing bolts....improper usage of an impact gun. :mad:

More to come as I progress.... :headbang:
 

Zack

4 Doors 4 Life
Mar 21, 2004
6,297
20
NW Indiana
Fucking wow.
I can't win whatever I say. I can't win if I drop names. I can't win just being me sometimes.

I just discovered this car still has the stock 80mm Maf on it.
If anyone has a clue about tuning you will.know this is pretty much a crime and to be tuned, the method of doing so is not.only wrong, but total bullshit.
It doesn't even have a MAFia on it.
First off, a built motor, S trim and a 3.12 pulley should make more than 480rwhp. In addition, to tune this car with that MAF you have to tune off of the base fuel table, since the MAF is surely pegged at 410rwhp.

But im always the asshole for pointing stuff like this out.
Fucking whatever.
 

rocket5979

Gearhead
Nov 15, 2005
6,576
18
Round Lake, IL
I just discovered this car still has the stock 80mm Maf on it.
If anyone has a clue about tuning you will.know this is pretty much a crime and to be tuned, the method of doing so is not.only wrong, but total bullshit.
It doesn't even have a MAFia on it.

Holy shit?!?!?? That is so wrong on many levels. It is the easiest thing to switch out. Why does it always seem that people are willing to spend big money on the "cool" things like blowers and built shortblocks, but not on required lower dollar supporting items like air metering, fueling, and tuning? Well regardless if it was the shop's or owner's call to retain the stock MAFS it was a bad one.

Don't worry about sounding like the asshole. Sometimes people need to be told they are being a friggin idiot with their car. :toast:
 

Zack

4 Doors 4 Life
Mar 21, 2004
6,297
20
NW Indiana
You're like the lyle and dan of marauders....lol. Most of the cars that made it in to dan's garage had been screwed up by other shops, even the reputable ones. They showed me some crazy shit when I hung out there

Miss those times :(

Yeah I hear ya.

The cobra owners who wear flip flops and have no clue, and the Geritol swallowing check writing Marauder owners think the 'big names' are heros and can do no wrong.

Im always nailed to the cross for telling the truth.
Everyone who has banned me from their forum or called me a pot stirring asshole can go shove a fucking fence pole up their mother fucking ass.

Fuck you you FUCKING FUCKS. :mad:
 

Zack

4 Doors 4 Life
Mar 21, 2004
6,297
20
NW Indiana
Holy shit?!?!?? That is so wrong on many levels. It is the easiest thing to switch out. Why does it always seem that people are willing to spend big money on the "cool" things like blowers and built shortblocks, but not on required lower dollar supporting items like air metering, fueling, and tuning? Well regardless if it was the shop's or owner's call to retain the stock MAFS it was a bad one.

Don't worry about sounding like the asshole. Sometimes people need to be told they are being a friggin idiot with their car. :toast:

Trust me im not bashing the owner. Guys like him pay my bills,, but I make sure their cars leave correct, even if we go over budget.

The marauder community started as a bunch of middle aged guys who once had a muscle car back in the day. They got married, gained 80 pounds, became lazy as fuck and paid others to work on their shit. When that happened, there were two primary vendors who provided service....and another who made a great supercharger kit (which led to multiple engine failures...and I called him out on it because it was flawed, only to be banned and called a pot-stirring asshole. .....and that guy re-designed his kit after that because of me but I got no credit.)

After 10 years of this, I really could give two shits who gets screwed over. They made their bed, and I hope it has disease carrying bed bugs.

Any smart person will trailer their broken car to me from across the country because I dont do it to feed my family. I do it so the owner will have a long-lasting smile every time they turn that key. I am not on a time limit, nor am I in it to make similar profit like big shops do.
I do it because im a gearhead...who has been beaten and burned on the cross for challenging those with 'banners' on the top of the webpage.

Again, fuck all of you who have done me wrong, or been to chickenshit to defend me on the forums, in fear you will be looked down upon by others.
You know who you are.
 

guspech750

Guspech Superdriller
TCG Premium
Jan 23, 2010
9,322
6,111
North Aurora
Well Zack. There is a very good reason why so many people bring their cars to you!! You know these Cobras and MM's very well, but I think what really separates you from the big names is that you truly love these two awesome cars, truly do care and take so much pride in your work.

Keep it up man!!


Sent from my iPhone
Eaton Swap + 4.10's = Wreeeeeeeeeedom!!
 

Jon01

TCG Elite Member
TCG Premium
Feb 8, 2012
4,021
15,508
Well Zack. There is a very good reason why so many people bring their cars to you!! You know these Cobras and MM's very well, but I think what really separates you from the big names is that you truly love these two awesome cars, truly do care and take so much pride in your work.

Keep it up man!!

This.
The fact that the homers over on mm.net(unfortunately the biggest site for the cars) were so defensive of their revenue stream that they destroyed any kind of shade-tree tech that threatened it is frankly infuriating.
Had they embraced it from the get-go the cars may have a much larger following than they do.
But, as stated before, those of us who do know our ass from a hole in the ground are greatly appreciative of what you do.
Hell, for you to send me a tune because the hack tune DR did for my car sucked balls out of the goodness of your heart has me sold right there.
 

fordasaurus

Supercharged Gearhead
Apr 28, 2011
23
0
Well Zack. There is a very good reason why so many people bring their cars to you!! You know these Cobras and MM's very well, but I think what really separates you from the big names is that you truly love these two awesome cars, truly do care and take so much pride in your work.

I'm a little shocked at what he has found but yes, this is exactly why Zack has my car today. I know he will put it together the right way and I'll remain happy and satisfied with his work right up to the next project!
 

Zack

4 Doors 4 Life
Mar 21, 2004
6,297
20
NW Indiana
Ready for some LOL's? Good because im an LOL toting M'Fer.

Wonder why we found oil seeping from the head gaskets?
Because the bolts were torqued to 80 ft. lbs.

No point in even making a big deal of it, I expect it. For reference, a modular head bolt torque procedure is this:
Cylinder Head Bolts 4.6L with sae30w oil
Step 1 30 ft. lbs.
step 2 add 90*
step 3 loose all bolts - 1 full turn
Step 4 30 ft. lbs.
Step 5 add 90*
Step 6 add 90*


This works out to be FAR more than 80 ft. lbs. I normally have to put my full body weight into loosening the bolts...with a 2 ft breaker bar. These were effortless.

Care for proof? No FUCKING problem:

Look at the gasket between the cylinders:
2012-02-18_15-28-58_481.jpg


Look at the pistons where there is no carbon. Coolant is what has kept them clean:
100_3111.jpg


More:
100_3116.jpg


Look at this area where combustion gases stained the block:

100_3110.jpg


Passenger side, which didnt suffer as bad:

100_3112.jpg


I thought for sure id pop the pan to find stock pistons and rods, but luckily I found Eagle rods and Diamond pistons. 6 Bolt crank was retained for this engine though.
But then I looked down and found this ghetto hack:

100_3117.jpg

100_3126.jpg


Why in the world...never seen that one before. :confused: Oh, maybe its because the asshat who put this together was too lazy to install the correct pickup tube, unique to a Marauder:
100_3121.jpg


There is no excuse for this, at all...NONE.

So, for 6800 dollars, you get a partially forged engine, with the STOCK BORE!!!! Thats right, stock bore, and the donor block was surely supercharged, because the knock sensor bosses were ground down.

Thats right. 6800 gets you an improperly assembled engine, with the stock bore, and only 480rwhp.

But wait! As long as we are gonna lube our cocks with caustic lye before we shove them into the owners ass, let be sure to skip out on replacing cheap cam cover seals. Look for it....

2012-02-18_14-56-17_291.jpg


Signed,

one sickened individual.
 
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