LarsD's build thread

I suppose they built it to clear tubular K members? Really dumb of them not to take a stock K member into consideration.

Thing is, Nick has one on his car, and the pan is modded to clear a stock K. I'm installing the water pump right now, and I can't remember if the bottom stud goes on top, or under the A/C P/S bracket. I took pics, but I can't make them out.
 
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OK, well, as it turns out, I had everything right. The driver's side lower bolt hole in the block is damaged apparently. As it is eating up my stud like crazy. I should have had the engine primed by now, instead I've been fighting this nonsense. :mad:
 
Thankfully today went a little better then yesterday. Fortunately, a 3" tap was long enough to reach in past the timing cover and clean the threads enough for me to be able to get the water pump installed.

This was the guy causing all the trouble:

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I was able to prime the engine and start installing some of the accessories. I have a before pic floating around somewhere of that PS bracket. It was incredibly nasty, took a while with a small screwdriver, wire brush, and brake cleaner to get it looking decent. What a mess.

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Went to install the PS pump pulley and realized I couldn't put it on with the paint as faded as it was.

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Hopefully I can make some more good progress tomorrow.
 

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Got some more stuff bolted onto the block today. Tore an O-ring on the return line of the injector rails. Does anybody know what size these are, I measured 11/32, and if I need a special kind (beyond fuel compatible of course)? I also measured my fancy cap head SS bolts wrong and got 3/4" when I should have gotten 1". I was hoping to get it fired this weekend, but it looks like it'll have to wait until next weekend, I think I'm going to get close though.

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Getting a little more crowded in here:

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Found a fuel safe variety pack of O-rings at the parts store hopefully it won't leak. Found I have the wrong size bolts for the TB/EGR spacer (again!). Trying to figure out where I'm going to fit my overflow bottle and Taurus fan wiring since the new rad is bigger. Plus my Red top won't fit in my new battery box. Looks like I need one of those adapters that come with the red top that I threw away a long time ago cause I never used them (DOH!).
 

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Lars, I'm so jealous b/c you're so far ahead of me...I gotta catch up! Everything is looking great man...keep it up!

Thanks man. I should have had it running by now cause I lost a couple of weekends fighting the bell housing and transmission. I spent all four days off I had this past weekend hammering on it. Hopefully I'll get it fired soon.
 
Setting up my MAF transfer scalars.

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The overflow bottle was a major pain to mount this time. I want to get a proper pretty one.

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Gonna try to fire it tomorrow, hopefully with good results.
 

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lol @ pic

So I have two problems. One, the timing is super off somehow, runs very rough under 20 degrees at idle, much smoother at 32 degrees (spout out). Two, the passenger side collector on the shorties has a terrible leak. Took me an hour to get the timing close enough that it would start and run. Got it up to temp (well close, the stat opened @ 180, the temp dropped to 175ish, the fan kicked on, and it never got any hotter in my 112 degree shop), no leaks other then the exhaust that I can see, oil pressure was good, doesn't seem to be smelling rich.

I had two hours to mess with it today before work, and I burned the first hour and a half trying to get the timing right enough that it would start.
 
Oh, and for any future searchers. If you get a McLeod SFI bell housing (branded Ford Racing), do yourself a favor and knock out the half moon piece of metal for the starter on the block plate for the 164 tooth flywheel. I am running a 157 tooth flywheel, and this thing was causing me all kinds of grief on Sunday as the gear mesh was way too tight. I knocked out the plug, and it allowed the starter to shift just enough that it spins like it should now, instead of sounding like I am shredding a cat under the hood.
 
On the timing thing, did you verify TDC at the balancer/pointer when you had the heads off? What balancer are you running?

Woody installed the heads, it is a powerbond SFI balancer. My problem was (as much as I hate to admit it) was I timed TDC off of cylinder #5 instead of #1. You might be wondering at this point, "how did you do that?". Well, being a long time Chrysler guy, I automatically default to Chrysler firing order and cylinder numbering. Which puts #1 at #5 on a Ford. :rolleyes:

My idle issues I believe can be resolved with tuning at this point. I was looking at my bin files and the idle speed is set to 672 rpms. Considering the cam specs, I think it should be around 750-800 rpms instead. On my old 306, with a TFS stage 1 cam, I had to have it set to 800 rpms to keep it idling clean, and this cam is much more aggressive then a TFS1 cam.

ETA:

Went and dug up my cam card. I was off on the numbers.

.571 intake
.569 exhaust
Duration @ .050
219 intake
230 exhaust

112 degree Lobe separation

Spec'd for Install @ 110 degrees centerline.
 
Woody installed the heads, it is a powerbond SFI balancer. My problem was (as much as I hate to admit it) was I timed TDC off of cylinder #5 instead of #1. You might be wondering at this point, "how did you do that?". Well, being a long time Chrysler guy, I automatically default to Chrysler firing order and cylinder numbering. Which puts #1 at #5 on a Ford. :rolleyes:

My idle issues I believe can be resolved with tuning at this point. I was looking at my bin files and the idle speed is set to 672 rpms. Considering the cam specs, I think it should be around 750-800 rpms instead. On my old 306, with a TFS stage 1 cam, I had to have it set to 800 rpms to keep it idling clean, and this cam is much more aggressive then a TFS1 cam.

ETA:

Went and dug up my cam card. I was off on the numbers.

.571 intake
.569 exhaust
Duration @ .050
219 intake
230 exhaust

112 degree Lobe separation

Spec'd for Install @ 110 degrees centerline.

Ha! I got busted by my buddy for doing this. Only I had numbered the spark plug wires wrong, then tried to put number 5 at TDC. He told me "God hates you for doing it like a Chevy".
 
Ha! I got busted by my buddy for doing this. Only I had numbered the spark plug wires wrong, then tried to put number 5 at TDC. He told me "God hates you for doing it like a Chevy".

I got my Dad's Chevelle running again for him and never knew this. Now that I think about it, I never messed with the timing.
 
Messed with it more today, made some EEC adjustments, seems better. Starts pretty easily even when cold despite the hack tune I have on it. I adjusted the h pipe, but it is still puffing on me. Need to make a hold down for my battery since it doesn't fit with the new replacements battery tray (doh). I had to put a spacer on the clutch cable to give me some more adjustment. Ended up knocking off the vac tree hose while doing that, didn't know it so I had to hunt the vac leak. Then I had to re-torque upper intake also since it was leaking air. Runs a little rough at idle. Not sure how much of it is tune, and how much is the cam.

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