They are safe at 450rw and there are hundreds supercharged of 96-01 Cobra's and 03/04 Machs that are proof.

 

My 98 had a procharger since 08. Around 12-14 pounds. It's now got around 170,000 miles on it been driven and raced hard it's still going. Took the blower off eariler this year do to burning more oil than I would like. It's been fun with the stock motor but it's long over due for a built motor

 

As long as its tuned right!!! Those stock pistons dont like to be abused and at their limit 450rwhp, a small burp of detonation they will destruct.

 

There's no magic number.

One guy might have a stock block at 450 for years with no issues, another guy might pop his at 400 after a week.

You could dyno both cars at three different dynos and get three different numbers also.

I would hope most people supercharging a stock block are prepared for the possibility that it could break.

Or rather, I would hope most people supercharging, are prepared for the possibility that things break.

My theory is to replace it while it still has value and offset the cost of a block built for boost.

 

I had a 100% stock 96 cobra, made 415 to the tire on 150hp nitrous, swap to a s-trim on 13-14lbs made 467 all stock. Swap to a forged piston and h beam rod, stock block and crank with a t-trim 19lbs and 75hp nitrous made 708hp to the tire with 60lb injectors, imrc delete and a 355 gear though a th400 trans

 

Nice to hear. Most of the guys were 03-04 Cobra owners I was talking to and were acting like the 96-01 motors were made of glass or something.

 

Some of that may be because from 96-01, Cobra owners were paving the way through tuning and that included blowing up a lot of stock motors by inexperienced/incompetent owners/tuners. 03/04 benefited from all that time and research. Plus it's a stronger short block so 03-04 wasn't as common to grenade.

 

This is why the 03-04 cobras are dubbed terminators. The engines are completely forged stock. So yea, the 96-98 cobras are glass compared to those

 

My 96 bone stock engine cobra has an s trim on it pulling 10.5psi and put down 402rwhp corrected or 427rwhp. This was only a couple of months ago and I don't drive it much at all but my car is doing just fine. I also always hear that magic 450 number so I'll probably just leave it as is. Also my car only has 48xxx miles on it too so it's probably in good order on the inside.

 

^^^ Where are you located in Ky?

 

Bowling Green

 

96blackgt54, the name "terminator" isnt because the motor is bulletproof, it was the factory code name given to the 03/04 cobra motor...like the new 11 up gt motor is code named "coyote", boss 302 is "roadrunner", and the 5.4 or 5.8L shelby motor (cant remember which) is code named "condor"...

 

Did ford give the 96-98 Cobra a code name?

 

Interesting timing of this post. I was just reading in new issue of MM&FF tech section a question on this very subject. According to Ken Miele, those blocks are cast in Carmagnola Italy by Teksid. They are owned by Fiat, who also owns Ferrari. They cast all the Ferrari blocks as well. He claims with proper rods and pistons the block will easily handle 1000 HP +. Unfortunately he makes no mention of the stock pistons and rods, as the question was would the block itself support 600 HP.

 

96blackgt54 you can roll your eyes and think whatever you want to but thems the facts.

Gruse I dont know of a code name for the 4v motors from 96-98, 99/01, and 03/04 mach's

 

480rwhp here no issues. 03 Mach 1 (only 14k miles on car though)