Progress Thread My Kenne Bell Twin Screw'd Foxbody thread, (new addition to the family)

My dilemma is that I'm doing a white and black theme but the block and oil pan on my motor is already blue. Not sure what to do under the hood at this point. I was thinking about adding some color under the hood with red and blue AN fittings and braided lines and keeping the motor the color it is or I could make it black with all black AN fittings and keep it flowing. Not sure what to do. I'm leaning towards color under the hood. Opinions welcome right now.

P.S. It sucks installing springs when you have no motor or trans and both sides are torn apart. Had to use a come along to winch up the first side to get the strut installed so I could drop that side down to the ground to do the other side the "right" way.
 
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So I got all the suspension installed again and car is back on the ground (for now). Turned my attention to the engine this weekend and I'm very disappointed so far. Engine is dirty, aluminum parts are tarnished and look like trash. This is not acceptable when looking at my nice clean engine bay. The water pump, lower intake manifold, TB and spacer look like sh*t. Any tips for polishing or cleaning up these parts?

Also took off the factory rockers and went to install my Scorpion 1.6 RR's and my push rods are too short. I need to get a push rod measuring tool this week and check'em.

Any advice on installing the RR's? All old rocker arms are removed. Instructions say to rotate crank until I see the intake push rod on Cyl #1 go up (opening) and then come back down (closing) and once all the way down I install rocker arm on exhaust side. Is that how you guys are doing it? These are pedestal mount. @84Ttop @srtthis @Noobz347 @mikestang63
 
So I got all the suspension installed again and car is back on the ground (for now). Turned my attention to the engine this weekend and I'm very disappointed so far. Engine is dirty, aluminum parts are tarnished and look like trash. This is not acceptable when looking at my nice clean engine bay. The water pump, lower intake manifold, TB and spacer look like sh*t. Any tips for polishing or cleaning up these parts?

Also took off the factory rockers and went to install my Scorpion 1.6 RR's and my push rods are too short. I need to get a push rod measuring tool this week and check'em.

Any advice on installing the RR's? All old rocker arms are removed. Instructions say to rotate crank until I see the intake push rod on Cyl #1 go up (opening) and then come back down (closing) and once all the way down I install rocker arm on exhaust side. Is that how you guys are doing it? These are pedestal mount. @84Ttop @srtthis @Noobz347 @mikestang63
I adjust the exhaust side just after the intake valve begins to close and adjust the intake side just as the exhaust side starts to open.
As far as cleaning the aluminum stuff, Wessley's (spelling) bleach white tire cleaner makes cast aluminum parts look like brand new! A small wire brush and bleach-white and you will look like a million bucks!
 
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I adjust the exhaust side just after the intake valve begins to close and adjust the intake side just as the exhaust side starts to open.
As far as cleaning the aluminum stuff, Wessley's (spelling) bleach white tire cleaner makes cast aluminum parts look like brand new! A small wire brush and bleach-white and you will look like a million bucks!

So you adjust the exhaust side right when the intake closes? Am I understanding that right?
Do you back it off a little bit once a valve starts to open or close?
Do you use a dial indicator or go by eye?
 
So you adjust the exhaust side right when the intake closes? Am I understanding that right?
Do you back it off a little bit once a valve starts to open or close?
Do you use a dial indicator or go by eye?
I just go by eye, you are probably psyching your self out a little on top of it. With a pedestal rocker, you will have a really hard time getting the valves wrong. As long as the preload looks good you will be fine.
 
When I did it, just after the intake closed, I tighten the bolt to zero lash then tried to torque it down but only got a 1/4 turn at most and the bolt (i think) bottomed out, I couldn't turn it anymore at all. Push rod to short? Instructions call for 15-20 ft lbs which should be reached within 1/4 to 3/4 of a turn.

I am probably psyching myself out a bit.
 
@84Ttop

Last night I took another swing at installing my RR's. It's weird, cyl #1 exhaust installed (with intake just closing fully) and RR tightens down all the way and doesn't even touch the pushrod. About 1/16" wiggle play in it. So I turn the engine where the exhaust starts to open and install intake RR, this one installs fine. So my thinking was that my lifter flattened down. So I go to the next cylinder and install both ex and int RR's and neither of the touch the pushrods. Confusing thing is that my intake on cyl #1 installed fine, the other 3 are not. My pushrods are too short but how do you explain cyl #1 intake going in correctly?

One more question, can only changing from stock rockers to Scorp 1.6 RR's result in push rods being too short?
 
It is very possible that the lifters have bled down. Do you have a priming tool to pump them back up? If not, you may need to crank the motor over for a bit (ignition coil wire off) to build the oil pressure back up in the lifters
 
It's getting pretty Dusty in here.. Lol so,any progress?

I've been banging my head against the wall trying to figure out the correct way to measure for push rod length and setting them up. A lot of bad information out there (or so it seems that way). Either bad info or more than one way to do it right? I found out that most of my lifters are frozen, even after giving them an oil bath they're still locked up so i'll order new ones today. Once I get them I'll go through and measure my push rod lengths again and then order those.

I also need to clean up my intake manifold upper and lower, clean up my water pump, throttle body and heads. Need to paint the block and oil pan too. After getting the engine bay nice and clean I looked at the engine and realized that there is way more clean up needed than I originally expected.

I've also been busy splitting wood for the winter and spending more time riding dirt bikes with my 5 y/o. Can't just be working all the time, gotta play too!
 
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I might take it down the track a time or two but this is 100% street. I'd like it for the extra 2 quarts of oil and the aesthetics of it but that alone is not worth the $250. I'll put that money somewhere else.
 
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I adjust the exhaust side just after the intake valve begins to close and adjust the intake side just as the exhaust side starts to open.
As far as cleaning the aluminum stuff, Wessley's (spelling) bleach white tire cleaner makes cast aluminum parts look like brand new! A small wire brush and bleach-white and you will look like a million bucks!

@84Ttop , Bleche-wite worked well!! I actually did a couple more rounds of cleaning after this picture and got it looking even better. I hear Eagle 1 mag wheel cleaner works wonders too but costs $2.50 more than Bleche-wite. I only need this to get my intake clean enough to paint.

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My new FRPP hyd lifters will arrive tomorrow and I should be able to get my push rods by end of next week and have the valve train installed and then I can flip my engine over and inspect the bottom end, replace oil pump, pick up and shaft. I'll also paint the block and oil pan with high temp Dupli-color engine enamel.

Anyone have a part # for the one piece Felpro oil pan gasket? What type of caulking/gasket maker should I use in addition to the gasket?

Thoughts on Melling oil pump and pick up? ARP shaft is a must as well. All will be ordered next week and I need to figure out my valve covers too.
 
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Any auto parts store will have the one piece felpro oil pan gasket, it should be easy for any autozone idiot to find. As far a sealer is concerned I prefer "right stuff" but black rtv will work just as well. A dab in the corners where the lip seals from the ends meet both rails will suffice nicely. Oil pump and pick up can be stock auto parts store replacements, melling would be best to stick with in this department as well.
 
So I now have everything I need to get my motor back together and hopefully installed in the next two weeks or so. Just ordered my pushrods from Summit and they will arrive tomorrow along with my shim kit. I have my new melling oil pump and pick up and ARP oil pump drive shaft. All the goodies should be installed by this weekend and get the T-5 mounted up to the engine and get it installed.

Stoked to be making decent progress! :banana:
 
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