How to Build a 5.0 Coyote Engine on Any Budget

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Attached to the front side of the crankshaft is the lower chain drive gear. Like the factory oil pump gears, these are made from powdered metal. MMR’s gear is billet steel and will better survive high-horsepower engine applications, especially those with a supercharger where crankshaft loads increase considerably. Another smart upgrade when running a supercharger – especially with stiffer valve springs – are a set of MMR heavy duty secondary chains. This secondary chain links both the intake and exhaust cams and are subjected to high levels of stress.

Moving up is MMR’s billet chain guides. Ford’s factory guides are made from plastic and are known to deflect. This deflection can cause a variance in cam timing. The MMR guides are made from billet aluminum and available with new wear strips.

Ford has repeatedly changed their minds on oil squirters. The reality is that aftermarket forged pistons typically don’t need them and are usually blocked off. These oil squirters have been known to fail for no reason as well, which leads to a reduction in oil pressure. MMR’s oil squirter block offs should be installed ahead of the crankshaft and will help provide additional operating oil pressure.

Our Build

• MMR Billet Oil Pump Gears and Ported Factory Housing 
• MMR Billet Lower Crank Gear 
• MMR Billet Chain Guides 
• MMR High-Flow Oil Pickup Tube 
• MMR Oil Squirter Block Off Plates 
• MMR Super Heavy Duty Secondary Chains 
• MMR Oil Tube Spacer

Short-Block Build – $1,900 to $7,500+

Time for the fun stuff. When it comes to making north of around 500 rear-wheel horsepower on an F150 engine, 600 on a ’11-14 Mustang, and 700 on a ’15-17, it’s time to consider building a bottom end. The factory crank in both engine variants are forged 4340 and are nearly bulletproof. The stock cranks can be reused or a new one can be purchased at an insanely low price. Budget rods, new bearings, and pistons can be an affordable means to a strong short-block, but keep in mind, it’s likely you will need a .010-over piston after the used bores have been cleaned up. Have your machinist verify this ahead of a rebuild.

For our build, we opted for a new BOSS 302 crankshaft from Summit, K1 Technologies H-beam connecting rods, and JE Pistons. The rods are made from 4340 steel and come with ARP 2000 rod bolts. H-Beam in design, the K1 connecting rods are finished in the United States and offered at a very affordable price level. The stock Coyote crankshaft is also forged from 4340 steel and has proven itself well north of 1,500 horsepower, making it one of the best factory cranks available on the market.

Our JE Pistons have been customized to a 10.5:1 compression ratio, so that after block and head decking, we will likely end up closer to 11:1. The pistons are symmetrical in design and are .010 oversized. They have been optioned with JE’s thermal barrier and skirt coating. Since our engine is heading to a road race car, we wanted to minimize piston fatigue with help from the thermal barrier. JE’s Tuff Skirt coating helps with skirt-to-bore break-in and acts as a dry film lubricant to aid any momentary oil pressure drops.