Steve's Ride

[simplyconnected]

Steve, here's a glimpse of my 390 setup. CLICK HERE - Dave

[Yadkin]

Nice work Dave. Your engine stand seems to be holding up better than mine.

I never got around to vacuum testing the manifold. Basically I got lazy, trying to figure out how to close up all the holes so I could do the test and tired of running to the hardware store for 'makeitfit" components. But all the clearances looked good, so I'm not worried about a leak.

I just finished priming the oil system by using a electric drill with a $11 driveshaft from Summit. I installed an old pressure gauge from an air tank on top of the filter adapter. At 1500 rpm (which equates to 3000 rpm at the crank??) the pressure slowly builds to 55 psi.

That's about twice what I expected. I'm using Joe Gibbs performance break-in oil. Since I'm running a high volume pump both Rabotnick and Bush recommend using 6 quarts of oil. Rabotnick says to use the stock pan and just add a 6th quart. I measured the pan depth with 6 quarts of water in it and it cleared the crankshaft, but Kevin Bush told me not to risk it; just use a bigger pan.

I've got the OEM pan on it now for priming and initial start-up because it will be easier to transport the engine that way. With the OEM pan I can just make a simple box out of 2x8 and have the oil pan flange sit on the top edge of the box. The 8-qt. Moroso pan that I got is a hammer head design and will be difficult to make a cradle for.

When I primed without the valve covers on, just as Kevin predicted, I had oil flowing onto the floor within about ten seconds. This is with 0.075 restricters in each head. But I was able to check oiling to the rockers and everything looks OK. If I can't get the "flexible flyer" OEM valve covers to hold oil though I'll need to buy some nice rigid aluminum ones.

[simplyconnected]

I guess everyone does things differently. My break-in oil is Shell 10W-30, straight out of the quart bottles. That's the same break-in oil Ford Motor Co. uses minus the fluorescent leak detection dye. It's also the recommended break-in from my piston ring mfg'r.

Roller lifters eliminate the need for zddp, the engine tolerances are new and tight, and you have restricted flow to the rocker arms. So, why the HV oil pump? If your engine flows LESS oil than stock, because of your restrictors, where is the sixth quart of oil going to be? In the bottom of your oil pan.

The concern is for higher oil pressure and flow is at idle speeds. At running speeds the pressure relief valve simply dumps excess pressure back to the oil pan from the pump.

For all the above reasons, I'm keeping the stock rockers, stock rocker covers and stock oil pan. They proved to work just fine in millions of FE engines over many decades with five quarts of oil, not six. If the pump ever pulls air the OIL light and oil pressure gauge will tell me.

By the way, did you change your distributor gear? - Dave

[Yadkin]

I'm going with the break-in oil, volume, and viscosity that Kevin Bush, my trusted performance engine builder, recommends. Is it overkill? Probably. And at $9/ qt I may have left $18 on the table.

I'm going with the HV oil pump and head restrictions that Rabotnick, PRW, and Kevin all recommend. I'm going with the bronze gear that Kevin recommended and Aubrey, owner of Clemmons Speed Shop, approved of and installed with an oversize roll pin.

[Yadkin]

Here's my high-tech transport cradle.

[Yadkin]

Up, up and away:

[Yadkin]

Twin engine Chevy

[Yadkin]

Delivered:

[Yadkin]

Parts neatly boxed up for the install on Wednesday:

[Yadkin]

I initially planned to start the motor with the OEM oil pan with 6 quarts of oil in it.

When I discussed this with Kevin he was adamant that I use the big pan from the get-go. In fact he insisted that he put the new pan on himself. So we met at Brad's shop at 8 this evening. He has a very interesting technique for installing these pans.

I had bought the oil pump pick-up recommended for the pan. Kevin inspected it earlier and instructed me to check the flatness of the mating flange, and to make sure the bolt area of the flange was flat. If you don't get a good seal here, the pump will suck air. It was neither, so I had to carefully bend the flange and sand it on a flat surface with 220 grit paper to flatten it. Then I had to file the top surface to get a flat spot for the bolt washers. I then soaked the gasket in oil for 24 hours.

He put the pickup on with 3/8" clearance to the bottom of the pan, installed red locktight and torqued to 20#-ft.

I bought a Felpro black composite gasket to replace the old cork one. After cleaning the engine flange with brake clean Kevin trimmed the gasket with scissors on the outside to just outside the bolt holes. Then he put a smear of Permatex RTV grey sealer on the flange, inside of the bolt holes and laid the gasket on top of it and lined up all the holes. Then he put a bead of RTV on the outside of the gasket to replace what he had trimmed off, just a bit thicker than the gasket. Then we set the pan on vertically without pushing it around on the gasket. Then we put more red locktight on the bolts and hand tightened them.

The next step was to inspect the exposed perimeter and make sure of an even bead of sealant. I had to add a bit here and there, and then I used my finger to swipe a consistent bead all around.

Then he torqued the bolts in a circular pattern in two steps. Ford recommends 12 on a cork gasket which is excessive; Kevin uses about half of that, just barely squeezing the gasket. And inspection of the sealer shows a slight squeeze out, meaning this gasket will never leak.

[Yadkin]

Here's an update on my progress. The engine is installed, and plumbed to the radiator. The transmission cooler lines are plumbed as well. I've got my heater hose bypassed to the rear of the carb spacer. The alternator and coil are on. Fuel is hard-tubed from the pump to the carb. Carb vacuum line is fitted. 8 quarts of 15-50 oil in the pan and engine primed with my cordless drill rotating in reverse. 8 quarts of Type F in the transmission.

Got a small problem with the starter, a Power Master that Summit said would fit. Neat unit that the solenoid is integrated into, but it's very noisy, so I called tech support. "Tommy" was very helpful, after a series of questions he determined that the flywheel I have is an early model 158? teeth, and his starter is set up for a 180? teeth flywheel. I've got fitment issues that they are unsure of. Plus the distance from the mounting flange to the edge of the teeth is 3/4", way more than his starter is set for. He's sending out another type at his cost, and is asking for detailed measurements and pictures in return so they can upgrade their fitment charts.

[Yadkin]

Today I bought a cheap mechanical oil pressure gauge that I'll rig up to use during the initial start-up, and to use during self-transport to the body work garage and paint garage.

I put in a bid on a vapor canister to a late model Focus. Once I get one I'll put a vent in the tank and maybe tap the carb fuel bowl. It comes with a purge solenoid, and I'll wire that to ignition and then plumb the outlet downstream of the OEM PCV valve. Any luck, and no stinky gas vapors in my garage.

[Yadkin]

The starter came in, so I'm going to steal away a bit this weekend and fit it.

The other night I filled the radiator and found leaks in the carb spacer connectors. The small pits left over from cleaning them lets the coolant leak like a sieve, even with no pressure behind it. Dorman makes some fittings that might work to replace them. O'Reilly had one of course, and I need two, so they should be here Tuesday.

I also tried to fit the Sanderson Headers. They are for an FE, but in a Galaxie chassis. NO WAY CAN THEY FIT. I called Tech support, and Fransisco was very helpful, it turns out that they just started offering these headers for 58-66 TBirds. I bought a pair and he agreed to take back mine.

[Yadkin]

The new starter fits and runs perfectly. Many thanks to Tommy at Powermaster Performance. I sent him about 10 pictures documenting the install, removal and checking the grease pattern on the new gears.

[Yadkin]

I finally got the new power panel wired up. Did not test it though. Probably should. It's powered directly from the battery through a 100 amp circuit breaker and a #6 gauge wire.

The hazard flasher was the biggest part of the puzzle. I bought two different ISO style flashers that fit in one of the relay spots and tested them with different lighting set-ups. Neither one was rated to handle all eight bulbs. One flashed at the right rate if I ran it with two bulbs, so I used that one. Yeah I could have used a resistor but I didn't want to bother with that. Here's the basic wiring logic.

From an unused fuse in the OE panel I power my control switch on the console. Those are only rated at 2 amps. The red switch powers a relay, and the relay powers the flasher. The flasher then powers two diodes that power the two front lamps by splicing into the circuit. The flasher also powers two micro relays that each power the two rear lamps, again by splicing into the circuits.

I'm also using this new panel to trigger the starter and getting rid of the OE starter relay that makes these old cars so easy to steal.