terminator short block in s197

I may have the opportunity to get a terminator short block for less than $1000. question: is it worth it economically to get the terminator block or buy a built short block?

my long term goals for my mustang are around 550 rwhp, and very streetable bc it is 99% street driven, maybe a couple times/year to the track or more. if i do get the terminator block i plan to use 3v heads and comp cams so i can use my stock computer and current exhaust.

i've heard that i would have to drill holes in the block for oil passage and motor mounts adapters. what would i need to do to make this terminator block work in my mustang, and would my whipple SC bolt up to the terminator block w/out any fabrication or having to get another intake manifold?

IMO, If you don't know how to build engines then I'd just get a built shortblock that already has the holes aligned for everything and that you know it will have the right compression with the 3v heads.

i won't be doing the work myself. i was asking if having the work done, prepping, refreshing to the terminator block would be cheaper and not too much of a headache vs getting the built short block. idk how much money it would take to get this block prepped and ready to bolt in, or if my whipple SC will bolt right on there either. if it is too much work and i wouldnt be saving too much money, then yes i would much rather get the built short block and not worry about the terminator engine. the only reason i am considering this, is if i will save money, and if it's not too difficult to prep, and if my whipple SC will bolt right on it.

I would jump on the terminator block, that is basicly what i am running and with the 3v heads your wipple will bolt right on like it should. you will have to get some cheap motor mount adaptors to get the steel block to bolt into the s197 but that is not anything rare to find. if the person doing the swap knows anything about modulars and double checks his own work you should be fine. I made 553hp this past summer and will be turning up the wick this spring.

with the 4valve, you can get that hp with minor bolts on. Like full exhaust, good intake, upper and lower pullie, TB, ect.

If you have the money to spend, do it!!!

Nickoli said:

I would jump on the terminator block, that is basicly what i am running and with the 3v heads your wipple will bolt right on like it should. you will have to get some cheap motor mount adaptors to get the steel block to bolt into the s197 but that is not anything rare to find. if the person doing the swap knows anything about modulars and double checks his own work you should be fine. I made 553hp this past summer and will be turning up the wick this spring.

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thanks, thats the answer i was hoping for.

I heard that the valves will not clear on a terminator short block. I don't remember what was the problem but I am 100% sure that they are not a direct bolt in. you could use everyuthing but the PISTONS.

Nickoli said:

I would jump on the terminator block, that is basicly what i am running and with the 3v heads your wipple will bolt right on like it should. you will have to get some cheap motor mount adaptors to get the steel block to bolt into the s197 but that is not anything rare to find. if the person doing the swap knows anything about modulars and double checks his own work you should be fine. I made 553hp this past summer and will be turning up the wick this spring.

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If I'm reading this right, you are running just the termi engine block right? What are you running as far as internals? your sig says MMR900 shortblock??

Honestly i would get the termi block either way because you could probably sell the shortblock for more than you pay for it easy anywayz....so if u decide you dont want it you can use the funds to get a new shortblock from livernois or something.

Thatd be pretty cool swap kinda opposite of what im planning now.

Dont know anything about the swap but if you get info and it will work please post up. I would love to get one of these cheap instead of a full built SB.

I only want to make about 550rwhp so i think this would be perfect. I want to reuse my heads and everything and just get some blower cams.

Thanks,

got some info from Sean Hyland bc i've heard he's done this before. he says the 4v pistons won't work w/ the 3v heads. i would need to notch the 4v heads bc the exhaust valves will hit the pistons. i would need to get 3v heads to make it work.

i'm going to have to rethink my plan. i dont know if all the work will be worth it. i might just get a built short block and call it a day.

stangzilla said:

got some info from Sean Hyland bc i've heard he's done this before. he says the 4v pistons won't work w/ the 3v heads. i would need to notch the 4v heads bc the exhaust valves will hit the pistons. i would need to get 3v heads to make it work.

i'm going to have to rethink my plan. i dont know if all the work will be worth it. i might just get a built short block and call it a day.

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Do you mean get 3v pistons?

That is total BS, I am proof the 3v heads will work with 4v pistons. here is the pic i sent you of the ACTUAL pistons in my car running a 3v head

I am running stock heads and cams. im sure if you were going to run some huge cam they may not work but that is my story. think about this what would an engine builder tell you? of course they will tell you you must use the 3v piston for a 3v head, but do you have to? NO

trill gear head said:

If I'm reading this right, you are running just the termi engine block right? What are you running as far as internals? your sig says MMR900 shortblock??

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here is my build sheet:

Even if you did have to notch the pistons dont people do that all the time with pushrod motors? I seem to remember plenty of articles where they get some crazy highlift cams and have to notch the piston.

I would still think that would be way cheaper than getting a new built shortblock.

good info, Nickoli. when i emailed S. Hyland, i wrote that my plans were to run comp cams and ported 3v heads, so maybe that's why i got that response.

back to the research.....

stangzilla said:

good info, Nickoli. when i emailed S. Hyland, i wrote that my plans were to run comp cams and ported 3v heads, so maybe that's why i got that response.

back to the research.....

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here is a thread on modular fords i started that gave me some info when making my choice
http://www.modularfords.com/forums/showthread.php?t=100146

you certainly proved those naysayers wrong w/ the 3v heads on that block. i'm not sure what i'm going to do just yet, but i have plenty of time. not that many engine builders w/ s197 experience where i'm at, so in that regard i'm limited.

how much hp/tq are you running thru the stock 3v heads and cams?

Nickoli said:

I am running stock heads and cams. im sure if you were going to run some huge cam they may not work but that is my story. think about this what would an engine builder tell you? of course they will tell you you must use the 3v piston for a 3v head, but do you have to? NO

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I read that long thread you posted about your build and now i understand. I thought you meant that you could easily bolt up 3v heads strait up to a termi shortblock. After reading I figured it out that you used the termi rotating assembly. By the looks of your build you saved some dough and got a beast in return.

stangzilla said:

you certainly proved those naysayers wrong w/ the 3v heads on that block. i'm not sure what i'm going to do just yet, but i have plenty of time. not that many engine builders w/ s197 experience where i'm at, so in that regard i'm limited.

how much hp/tq are you running thru the stock 3v heads and cams?

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made 553hp/560tq this past summer but im upping everything and going for my goal of 700+ in a few months, also that is through an auto...

trill gear head said:

I read that long thread you posted about your build and now i understand. I thought you meant that you could easily bolt up 3v heads strait up to a termi shortblock. After reading I figured it out that you used the termi rotating assembly. By the looks of your build you saved some dough and got a beast in return.

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well, really you can bolt up everything from a 3v on a terminator short block, you just need to use a 3v oil pump, and know where a few little differences are. my combo is built by mmr from a new 04 cobra block, and was origionally built for my friends mach 1. so in reality it is a direct replacement for a cobra/mach1 4v setup.