Any tips before I tear her apart??????

[gray87GT]

Next saturday I will start to tear down and build my car. I am wondering if anybody has any tips for me.......anything I should be ready for or any tricks to doing it right. I will be installing the following: F303, Windsor Sr's, Cobra intake, heat spacer, mass air conversion, 73mm C&L, 24lb injectors, BBK FPR, Roller rockers, battle boxes, SSM liftbars, Tri-ax, King Cobra, new flywheel, air pump idler, FMS adjustable clutch cable/ quadrant, fuel pressure gauge, and a 180 stat. This is a huge job for me, and any advise will be greatly appreciated. thanks

[Michelle Page]

Asprin.

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1995 Mustang V6,automaatic
1966 Mustang
The long term project
1988 Mustang coupe
The fast one

[Shotgun28]

Good luck.. I hope everything goes as good as can be expected and take your time, don't have the I need to get this done by this day attitude. Also if you were serious about the head covers, what do you have? Being in the area and all.

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91 LX Convertible Gray on Red B&M Shift improver kit,ASP red alum. underdrive pulleys, Richmond 3.73 gears, 1 5/8 Flowtech long tube Headers and off road h-pipe, Flowmaster 2-chamber cat-back with S.S exhaust, MSD 6A Ignition with coil,Cap and rotor, Taylor Pro wires, K&N 12" conical filter system, Jet stage 2 performance chip and just purchased some GT40P heads, looking at exhaust, Lentech Street Terminator plus on it's way...

[1989GT]

Okay label all connections, vac. and electrical. Put all bolts and small pieces into labeled bags. Use oil on the upper head bolts and water sealant on the lower head bolts. Follow all torque sequences and use a torque wrench. Clean the clutch a flywheel with brake clean. Ford uses a rust inhibiter on their clutches and if you don't get it off the clutch will fail long before it's time. Trust me I learned that the hard way. The injectors don't go in very far. Don't force 'em. Test them before you put the upper intake on. Hook up the battery and prime the fuel lines. That way you can see if one leaks and you don't have to pull the upper to fix it. Remember that you have to put the roller rockers on at the base on the cam cycle(both valves closed). I've never installed a cam so someone else can help you there. Make sure you mark the position on the flywheel. The new one should go on the same way as the old one. When taking the flywheel off wedge a screw driver in so it doesn't turn and remember the flywheel is kinda heavy. Other than that it's pretty straight forward. Take your time. And if you get mad walk away and start again the next day. That'll save you a lot in broken parts. Also it's gonna be hard to take it easy on it but do. For the first few miles, and give that clutch some time to break in. Hope this helps.

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89GT,T-5Z, D.S.S. 306 shortblock w\main support, B-303 cam, Cobra intake, GT40P heads, 1.72rr, MAC "P" headers, MAC off-road H-Pipe, MAC true-fit w\tips, 373's...and the list goes on!
Throttle Junkie Powered by Ford!
12.824 @ 107.05 MPH
PVT Blankenship leaving for BCT 14MAR01
MOS 67 Romeo

[5.0 Coupe]

Before you take anything apart take some pictures. I use a digital camera and find this has been more help then anything I have ever done plus you have a record and you can post these on the net. Like 1989GT said lable of those small parts, lines, etc., really makes putting the car back together a lot easier.

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89 (GR40 Griggs)LX
89 LX Coupe
90 LX Coupe

[rj_stang]

Like the others said... lots of labels and pictures. When I replaced the head gaskets on my 3.8L 91 Lincoln I did lots of labeling with tape and numbers. Pictures are also a good idea and also gives you something to show others of your well done job.

[79Stang]

Do the oil pump and Shaft while you are at it, but dont buy a part store pump! I rebuilt my first motor put a 'new' pump in and it locked up snapped the shaft, and you know what a pain the 'double sump' oil pan causes when replacing the pump.

I would get a new pump from ford and the motorsports shaft - dont get the regular shaft because they snap It's good insurance for about $55 pump/shaft!

Good luck!

[silver_pilate]

I agree. Use lots of scotch tape labels and borrow a digital camera from someone if you don't have one.

Pay special attention to where the vaccume lines connect on the back of the intake and on the passenger side of the engine.

Also, take several pictures of the accessory brackets...close up where they bolt to the engine...in front and back of the bracket. Those things can be like a jigsaw puzzle if you're not sure how they go.

Grab some paper cups and a Sharpie marker, label the cups as you take stuff off, and put the bolts and nuts in the cups. Other than that....take your time.

As far as the injectors go, use some lube on the o-rings to help 'em in. Also, either make a tool or pick up a tool to disconnect the fuel rails. You can make one by cutting a strip about an inch wide off of the top of a plastic cup. Make it about 3" long and trim it if you need to. Use some plyers and shape it into a circle. Push this under the spring in the clip and wiggle the lines back and forth while pulling apart.

--nathan

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--silver_pilate

'91 GT, Built 306, Wolverine 1087 cam, ported Windsor Jr. Irons, and all the goodies...click the link to the left to see a full list of my mods...

Tried and True 302 Being Built to Outrun You! heh heh heh...
--Texas Panhandle--
Check out my site

[Five0]

Hey 79stang, The same thing happened with my old stang. replaced the oil pump and the pump locked up and broke the shaft.

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James Cox
nochevy@hotmail.com
1991 Mustang LX
12.565 @109.38mph 1.764 60ft

[Green92LX]

How about a case of beer? That always seem to make the job easier. Have fun and ggod luck!!!

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1992 5.0 LX, Edelbrock 6037 Heads, Cobra Intake,E-303, 1.6 Roller Rockers,65MM Holley TB, 75 MM Pro M Mass Air, 190 LPH FP w/ 24 lb injectors,BBK equal length shorties,offroad h-pipe,Mac Flowpath Mufflers, Pro 5.0, 3.73's,Motorsport "C" springs,welded subframe connectors, Ponies w/ 225/50 Nittos, 93 Cobra Spoiler

Daily driver: 89 Coupe with 205K plus, BBK shorties,offroad h-pipe,2-chamber flowmasters with dumps, cut and welded stock shifter...and it runs like a champ.

[macx]

10-4 on that good quality pump shaft! The stockers do like to twist off! Don't forget to put the little clip on it to keep it from pulling up when you pull the distrib out. Take a look at where it is on the old shaft. when installing especially valve cover and oil pan bolts, get some cheap carb spray and clean both the bolts and the holes, then air dry with comp air. (get ALL the oil/grease off the bolts and out of the holes) Then use loctite on the bolts and torque to specs. They'll never work loose and leak, especially if you use the good neoprene gaskets which you can reuse. On either sheet metal v covers or pan you're re-using, make sure to re-flatten any flange surfaces that have pulled in due to tightening the bolts. On the starter, I've found it much easier to take off the pass side header - then you can easily reach the top starter bolt. (don't forget to disconnect the batt before u do this!) The header is easy to put in after the motor goes in. On bolts where you don't need sealant (like front cover, some water pump bolts, exhaust manifold etc use anti-seize - MUCH easier to remove if you ever have to. When cleaning old gaskets off of thin things like oil pan & covers, careful with the scraper - don't gouge the surfaces. Either a good engine gasket scraper, or the side edge of a wood chisel (you do what you gotta do!) works good. If old gaskets are really hard, you can get permatex spray gasket remover to soften them first, but don't breath it!! Use a rubber mallet to break loose things stuck together with gaskets - like intakes, heads, water pump etc - then you won't break anything. Don't hammer the dampener back on - get a puller/installer. To pre-lube the engine before you fire it, with the distributor out, take a couple long extensions (make sure they fasten together firmly!) and using a speed wrench or similar and a (forget the size - check it on the oil pump shaft) put the socket on the oil pump shaft in thru the distrib hole and turn clockwise (I think - anybody remember?) till you feel resistance (takes about 30 seconds to feel resistance, if not maybe go the other way) - that's oil pumping - turn rapidly for a minute or so and you'll have oil thruout the whole motor before you turn it over the first time. Absolutely BEST thing I've found to loosen rusty or stuck bolts is STP general pupose lube spray (like WD40 but SO much better at loosening rusty stuff like exhaust!!) Spray on several times and let soak even overnite. For a stubborn bolt, if you can get it to loosen just a little, spray it, then turn it tight, then loose again - work it back & forth instead of trying to force it. Keep spraying it and working back & forth & it'll come out without breaking off which can ruin your whole day! Enjoy - DON'T get frustrated - take time to think things thru and ENJOY!! Careful with those little clips on the sides of the plugs that hook to the injectors - they like to break. Get NEW grommets for your AOD throttle valve cable connection at the throttle body arm (if you have auto) you can get 2 at Ford for a couple bucks - but you need to know the color of the old ones. DO NOT reuse the old bushings. They like to break, your connection falls apart, and your AOD goes GONE.

[NO SLO PK]

Also:

1) Get the tools you'll need for the job, which include a harmonic balancer remover, fuel line disconnects, 3/8" and 1/2" torque wrenches.

2) Gasket surfaces can't be clean enough. Go over them with solvent like NON-chlorinated brake cleaner before assembly.

3) The intake will need to be retorqued multiple times as the gasket yields upon tightening.

4) Use thread sealer on the head bolts that penetrate the water passages in the block (I believe these are the lower bolts).

5) Torque the top head bolts (or studs) to 10 ft-lb. higher than the lower head bolts.

6) Use a thick bead of RTV to seal the manifold to the block (in the front and rear), don't waste time with the cork seals in the intake gasket kit.

7) Buy a pump primer to pre-oil the engine.

8) Make sure the distributor is oriented correctly upon re-installation. You can be off 360 degrees and not realize it.

9) Use a dab of assembly grease (moly-sulfide) on both ends of the pushrods.

10) Coat the rocker arms in motor oil, especially in the tip and fulcrum areas.

Hope this helps!




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'91 LX
Procharger, 3 row intercooler, extrude honed Cobra intake, Mac full Length Headers, 30# inj., 73mm C&L, 75mm tb, E303 cam, 289 rods, ported E7 heads, MSD, T-Rex w/255 lph Walbro, 5 lug conversion, Cobra R wheels, 3.27 gears and Moser Axles.

[gray87GT]

Thanks for all the tips everyone, I REALLY appreciate it. I do have a digital camera, so I will be taking many before/during/and after pics for all to see. I don't start tell Feb 3rd......so PLEASE keep the great information coming. Thanks Jeff