4.6 Two-Valve Modular Engine Build - Reality Show

Once the block is milled, Rich removes sharp edges from the top of each cylinder.

The piston-ring package and ring-groove location on the pistons are key elements of a Real Street engine. CP Pistons designed and produced a set of custom blower pistons for Bruce's engine, based on the rules for the class and information from Rich about the amount of boost the pistons will endure. It's important to note that every component in the rotating assembly has been given a full coating treatment by Calico Coatings to help reduce friction, which in turn will help the engine produce maximum horsepower.

Rich fits the pistons on the Manley H-beam connecting rods, making sure the pins move freely inside of the pin bores. When doing this, emphasis is put on feeling for rough spots that may prevent clean pin fitment. The rings are cut and installed once this process is completed.

The engine's Innovators West balancer requires a double-keyway setup at the end of the crankshaft. Rich secures the crank on the lathe, and cuts a second groove in the crankshaft's snout exactly 180 degrees from the standard slot.

To ensure that the main caps and cylinder heads remain secure when a boost-induced Real Street engine makes big steam, ARP's main and head studs are recommended from the bottom to the top.

Rich sets the crank and applies a liberal amount of assembly lube to the journals and Calico bearings before installing the main caps. The caps are torqued to 60 lb-ft on the big bolts (inside) and 20 lb-ft on the smaller bolts (outside), and Rich frequently checks to ensure the crankshaft rotates freely as he secures each one.

Trick Flow's new Twisted Wedge 4.6/5.4 aluminum cylinder heads are a natural choice for this type of race engine. Rich chose the 44cc castings for Bruce's new engine and prior to installing them, Rich puts each head through a session on the RGR flow bench-testing them at various valve lifts-to determine their point of peak efficiency.

With the rules in NMRA Real Street as restrictive as they are, Rich consulted with the cam wizards at Bullet Racing Cams to develop a pair of custom-grind, rules-compliant 'sticks that will work well with big boost. After securing the cams in their journals, hydraulic-lash adjusters and followers are then fastened in place on the cylinder heads.

With the crankshaft installed and rotating freely, pistons and rods are set down inside the cylinder bores. Rich uses a piston-ring compressor to square each slug with its hole, and then taps the top of the pistons with the butt end of a hammer to drop it in place. It's important to take extra care during this process, to prevent damaging a cylinder wall or Calico bearing surfaces.

Ford's multi-layered-steel head gaskets are used to create a solid seal between the Trick Flow heads and the block. Rich again uses a healthy amount of assembly lube on the head-stud threads, which will help provide accurate torque readings (105 lb-ft) as the heads are final fit on the Aluminator.

Rich adds the timing chains and adjustable timing gears. There's a bit of a science to setting up the cams in a modular engine. Of course, lift and setup/degreeing specs for the bumpsticks in this engine are highly classified.

If you're considering a Real Street-caliber Two-Valve engine, it's important to note that engine builders believe the timing covers with the three-bolt, serpentine-belt tensioner are the pieces to use. The three-bolt tensioners are much stronger than their single-bolt siblings, which is important when using centrifugal superchargers that feed off the engine's primary six-rib serpentine belt. With the the oil pump in place and the front timing-chain cover bolted down, a Canton Racing Products aluminum race pan (and stock 4.6 Two-Valve pickup) are secured down below.

Supercharged NMRA Real Street competitors running the Two-Valve 4.6 are required to have a 6.75-inch (diameter) lower pulley/balancer. Innovators West makes this Real Street-legal balancer, which as we noted earlier, must be installed with a double keyway for supercharged applications.

Topping the engine with Trick Flow's Track Heat intake manifold is the final step in the assembly operation, along with covering the cams with a set of Modular Mustang Racing's Modular distributor drive system. The trick system features an MSD distributor (two-wire, twin pickup, or crank trigger) and drive system in one cover, which will allow Bruce to use a conventional ignition system for spot-on, accurate timing in his new blown, modular-powered Pony.