My car goes back together today!! Oh Joy!!

2FastLX · 04-07-2001, 07:03 AM

Today is the day. I finally got my heads back from the shop and the transformation begins. I am so excited!

I have to finish hooking up my battery box and get my dash put back together after the white face gauge install, but other than that it's all engine work. I have the cam in so I just have to check my piston to valve clearence and install the heads if that looks ok (keeping my fingers crossed cause it's gonna be close) then the intake and all the other little stuff. Anyone have any tips for putting an engine back together that may be of importance like putting black rtv around the intake ports? Any little tidbits of shade tree mechanic type info I should know? I have waited over 3 weeks now to make sure everything goes back together right and I don't want to miss anything. I'm kinda new at this engine building stuff. Thanks.

Oh yeah, all you engine buffs go hang in the Mustang Works chat room today so I can get some tech assistance when I run into problems

------------------
ICQ# 42269241
Indiana Stangers Association
Buy your parts here

Rick 91GT · 04-08-2001, 08:24 AM

Just wondering how things were going Kevin?

------------------
Check Out My Site 91GT,Holley SysteMAX II Kit-Heads 2.02" x 1.60" port matched to a 1262,Anderson N-61,24#,76mm C&L,Full MAC exhaust 1-5/8" Long tubes,2-1/2" O.R H-Pipe,2 1/2" cat back, No A/C or PS or emissions, 12" K&N Filter,RNH PERFORMANCE Ram Air,Ron Davis Radiator,Full Suspension,S&W 8pt "X" brace,JAZ seats,3:73's,Welds..etc,4:30's and 31 splines coming very soon!

2FastLX · 04-08-2001, 09:55 AM

Not too bad other than the usual missing bolts and such. My valve covers are hitting the rockers too so my brother is grinding on them now so they will clear. It's hitting on the metal reinforcment rib in the corners of the covers and on the baffle mounting location.

Here's the pics...

This one is just a mock up with the upper to see how it is going to look =)

------------------
ICQ# 42269241
Indiana Stangers Association
Buy your parts here

Rick 91GT · 04-09-2001, 07:23 AM

Kevin, It looks good your on your way to making tha race this weekend

I like the heads painted the same color as the body makes them stand out. I finshed painting the cage this weekend, I'm working on port matching the heads now, man what a lot of work! I hope to have the rest of the interior together this week and I plan on having the heads done so I can start re assembling it all. I plan on dropping the motor in next week and then the only thinbg I have to do id rebuild the tranny, but I am tossing it around of going to a C4 it would be better in the long run at the trck with thr 4:30 gears, but right now I didn't plan on spending that much more, so I haven't decieded yet. So are you all together now, it's Monday morning?

------------------
Check Out My Site 91GT,Holley SysteMAX II Kit-Heads 2.02" x 1.60" port matched to a 1262,Anderson N-61,24#,76mm C&L,Full MAC exhaust 1-5/8" Long tubes,2-1/2" O.R H-Pipe,2 1/2" cat back, No A/C or PS or emissions, 12" K&N Filter,RNH PERFORMANCE Ram Air,Ron Davis Radiator,Full Suspension,S&W 8pt "X" brace,JAZ seats,3:73's,Welds..etc,4:30's and 31 splines coming very soon!

spinemup · 04-09-2001, 08:16 AM

thread sealant on the lower head bolts... rtv will expand and its no good for the threads. plenty of assembly lube!!!

Mike 88GT · 04-09-2001, 10:08 AM

2FastLX,
I can't give you any advice beings I don't know a thing about motor rebuilds. But it really looks great from here. Hope everything works out for ya. And thanks for all yoru help on my questions. I will be needing more when your not busy.

2FastLX · 04-09-2001, 02:35 PM

Well, I should be out there putting the finishing touches on it but it's so d@mn hot I had to come soak up some A/C for a few. All I have left to do is the plug wires, a few grounds, hook up the positive lug on the solenoid, and she's ready to fire up. We ran into so many little problems this weekend it's not funny. 4 or 5 trips to the parts stores (20-30 mile trips) and a few missing bolts and such

I'm getting so nervous I can't stand it!

Oh yeah, here's the latest pic:

------------------
ICQ# 42269241
Indiana Stangers Association
Buy your parts here

[This message has been edited by 2FastLX (edited 04-09-2001).]

Rick 91GT · 04-09-2001, 04:26 PM

So How's it Run?

302crew · 04-09-2001, 04:48 PM

hey i have a ? for you do you have a diffrent water pump on there then the stock one because in my car i have a stock on and the water pump spins the opposite direction yours does just wondering.

2FastLX · 04-09-2001, 09:41 PM

After a few cranks without the coil wire on to get her lubed up I reinstalled the coil and just barely bumped the key and she fired right up! But, alas, I have some pretty bad problems...

The water pump has a leak near the bottom so I guess I must not have got the gasket sealed. I don't see how though because I used permatex and had a nice even coat all the way around

Also, as if that and the other problems I've had this weekend haven't been enough to send me over the edge I have to pull the upper back off and adjust the rockers because they are tapping

I don't have the money to take it to a shop and have them adjusted by a pro and I guess I have no idea how to do it correctly since I follwed the directions Jeff Chambers gave me which were more than likely accurate, so I guess I'm pretty well screwed.

------------------
ICQ# 42269241
Indiana Stangers Association
Buy your parts here

Rick 91GT · 04-10-2001, 06:44 AM

Kevin, it could have been much worse don't worry about it. I had to pull my intake off to re-adjust my stud mount rockers because I had them too tight. It'a a PIA but not bad. As for the water pump, I just used a Fel-Pro gasket no Permatex and it sealed fine no leaks. Let us know how it runs after you get all the bug worked out.

302crew- It is a Stewart Componets Hi-Flow water pump, and turns the same as a stock water-pump does. What year is your car?

------------------
Check Out My Site 91GT,Holley SysteMAX II Kit-Heads 2.02" x 1.60" port matched to a 1262,Anderson N-61,24#,76mm C&L,Full MAC exhaust 1-5/8" Long tubes,2-1/2" O.R H-Pipe,2 1/2" cat back, No A/C or PS or emissions, 12" K&N Filter,RNH PERFORMANCE Ram Air,Ron Davis Radiator,Full Suspension,S&W 8pt "X" brace,JAZ seats,3:73's,Welds..etc,4:30's and 31 splines coming very soon!

2FastLX · 04-10-2001, 09:29 AM

The water pump was supposed to come with two backing plates because Ford used two different covers during this year I guess. I bought this pump from a friend so he must have either gave me the wrong plate or only got one when he bought it.

Getting ready fopr another test fire..... wish me luck.

------------------
ICQ# 42269241
Indiana Stangers Association
Buy your parts here

2FastLX · 04-10-2001, 10:06 AM

WOW! I fired it up and she sounds soooo wicked!!!

I love this F cam. I still have yet to take her for a spin. It's raining out anyway so I can't really see what she's got after the mods, but at least that will force me to be gentle for the first couple days.

I still have what sounds to be one or two lifters tapping slightly on the passenger side. Will this cause a problem? Or should I leave her sit until I get it fixed?

I forgot to mention that when I first fired it back up a UPS driver showed up just as I was getting back out of the car and he said "Jesus! That thing sounds like a race car! What's it got in it?"
Needless to say I was tickled to death. I showed him the engine and he said it looked really nice and wanted to go for a ride

------------------
ICQ# 42269241
Indiana Stangers Association
Buy your parts here

[This message has been edited by 2FastLX (edited 04-10-2001).]

2FastLX · 04-10-2001, 10:24 AM

Sorry to make multiple posts without replies, but I just took her for a drive and had a smile on my face the whole time. What an improvement!

------------------
ICQ# 42269241
Indiana Stangers Association
Buy your parts here

Rick 91GT · 04-10-2001, 11:47 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by 2FastLX:
Sorry to make multiple posts without replies, but I just took her for a drive and had a smile on my face the whole time. What an improvement!

No Problem, glad to see you got everything back together. When I got my Stewart it only came with 1 backing plate

, I can't wait till I fire mine up for the first time it has been a long time, 10 weeks, 4 days 12 hours and 37 mins.....

I have never heard a car with pedastal rockers not make a little noise, you could pop that cover off to see if you can adjust them or shim them a little more.

------------------
Check Out My Site 91GT,Holley SysteMAX II Kit-Heads 2.02" x 1.60" port matched to a 1262,Anderson N-61,24#,76mm C&L,Full MAC exhaust 1-5/8" Long tubes,2-1/2" O.R H-Pipe,2 1/2" cat back, No A/C or PS or emissions, 12" K&N Filter,RNH PERFORMANCE Ram Air,Ron Davis Radiator,Full Suspension,S&W 8pt "X" brace,JAZ seats,3:73's,Welds..etc,4:30's and 31 splines coming very soon!

2FastLX · 04-10-2001, 11:58 AM

Well, it's smoking a little so I am getting a little worried. I was just told the same thing by musmondo in the chat room about pedastal rockers being noisy so that's probably all that is. Now to find out why it's smoking =(

------------------
ICQ# 42269241
Indiana Stangers Association
Buy your parts here

mustang17 · 04-10-2001, 12:34 PM

I hope it's not burning oil! Maybe running a bit rich? Good luck with the rest of the project.

------------------
1995 GT Black- Edelbrock 6037's,Intake,Edelbrock cam,70mm TB,75mm pro-m,Taylor wires, pulleys,Equal length headers,K&N filter
Flowmaster,3.73's, Eibach pro rate springs
lower control arms Centerforce clutch
New motor in the works!

2FastLX · 04-10-2001, 01:23 PM

I just took it for a 10 mile drive and it seemed to do fine except for a check engine light coming on every time I let off the gas.

It was still puffing a little white smoke when I got home but not as bad as what it was. A friend told me that the valve seals may need a little break in time. Either that or maybe it's just coolant in the exhaust system from when I poulled the heads and it dripped in there. We'll see.

It also has a bit of a surge going down the road like the timing may not be just right. We forgot to put the timing mark back on the engine and now I can't find what we did with it so I can get the timing adjusted =P Always something lol.

------------------
ICQ# 42269241
Indiana Stangers Association
Buy your parts here

StreetRacin89Stang · 04-11-2001, 01:48 AM

Engine Looks very clean, Im jealous. I have a quick question, i was wondering if you could elaborate on the pedstal rockers and the noise thing. I just replaced the lifters in my 89 for what i thought to be a noisy lifter but i still have a ticking comming from the 8 cylinder.

Now i have two new rocker arms sitting here and i was just gonna replace the cylinder's rockers (stock heads and rockers) and hope the noise goes away. Could you tell me about the "shimming" of the rockers you described or any possible way to diagnose my noise/problem because its beginning to piss me off. Thanks for any input.

------------------
89 5.0 GT White w/Blue Racing Stripes
K&N, 73mm Mass Air, Ported and Polished Stock Heads, E303 Cam, MAC equal Length Headers, Off Road H-Pipe, Borla Mufflers, Sway Bars, Strut Tower Brace, Subframe Connectors, Eibach Springs, Koni Adjustables/Reds, Pony 5 Stars, 1000 Watt JL Audio System, No P/S , No Smog Pump

spinemup · 04-11-2001, 08:11 AM

smimming makes up for any variance in pushrod length and cylinder head thickness. usually if you mill your heads .030 youll use .030 shims under your rockers to make up the difference.but just shimming one rocker doesnt sound right...maybe you have a pushrod that is a little bent. the shim goes between the pedistal and the cylinder head btw.

04-07-2001, 07:03 AM	#1
2FastLX The Photoshop Guru Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Mecca, Indiana Posts: 1,419	My car goes back together today!! Oh Joy!! Today is the day. I finally got my heads back from the shop and the transformation begins. I am so excited! I have to finish hooking up my battery box and get my dash put back together after the white face gauge install, but other than that it's all engine work. I have the cam in so I just have to check my piston to valve clearence and install the heads if that looks ok (keeping my fingers crossed cause it's gonna be close) then the intake and all the other little stuff. Anyone have any tips for putting an engine back together that may be of importance like putting black rtv around the intake ports? Any little tidbits of shade tree mechanic type info I should know? I have waited over 3 weeks now to make sure everything goes back together right and I don't want to miss anything. I'm kinda new at this engine building stuff. Thanks. Oh yeah, all you engine buffs go hang in the Mustang Works chat room today so I can get some tech assistance when I run into problems ------------------ ICQ# 42269241 Indiana Stangers Association Buy your parts here

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04-08-2001, 08:24 AM	#2
Rick 91GT Procharged! Join Date: May 1999 Location: Hanover, PA Posts: 1,539	Just wondering how things were going Kevin? ------------------ Check Out My Site 91GT,Holley SysteMAX II Kit-Heads 2.02" x 1.60" port matched to a 1262,Anderson N-61,24#,76mm C&L,Full MAC exhaust 1-5/8" Long tubes,2-1/2" O.R H-Pipe,2 1/2" cat back, No A/C or PS or emissions, 12" K&N Filter,RNH PERFORMANCE Ram Air,Ron Davis Radiator,Full Suspension,S&W 8pt "X" brace,JAZ seats,3:73's,Welds..etc,4:30's and 31 splines coming very soon!

04-08-2001, 09:55 AM	#3
2FastLX The Photoshop Guru Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Mecca, Indiana Posts: 1,419	Not too bad other than the usual missing bolts and such. My valve covers are hitting the rockers too so my brother is grinding on them now so they will clear. It's hitting on the metal reinforcment rib in the corners of the covers and on the baffle mounting location. Here's the pics... This one is just a mock up with the upper to see how it is going to look =) ------------------ ICQ# 42269241 Indiana Stangers Association Buy your parts here

04-09-2001, 07:23 AM	#4
Rick 91GT Procharged! Join Date: May 1999 Location: Hanover, PA Posts: 1,539	Kevin, It looks good your on your way to making tha race this weekend I like the heads painted the same color as the body makes them stand out. I finshed painting the cage this weekend, I'm working on port matching the heads now, man what a lot of work! I hope to have the rest of the interior together this week and I plan on having the heads done so I can start re assembling it all. I plan on dropping the motor in next week and then the only thinbg I have to do id rebuild the tranny, but I am tossing it around of going to a C4 it would be better in the long run at the trck with thr 4:30 gears, but right now I didn't plan on spending that much more, so I haven't decieded yet. So are you all together now, it's Monday morning? ------------------ Check Out My Site 91GT,Holley SysteMAX II Kit-Heads 2.02" x 1.60" port matched to a 1262,Anderson N-61,24#,76mm C&L,Full MAC exhaust 1-5/8" Long tubes,2-1/2" O.R H-Pipe,2 1/2" cat back, No A/C or PS or emissions, 12" K&N Filter,RNH PERFORMANCE Ram Air,Ron Davis Radiator,Full Suspension,S&W 8pt "X" brace,JAZ seats,3:73's,Welds..etc,4:30's and 31 splines coming very soon!

04-09-2001, 08:16 AM	#5
spinemup Registered Member Join Date: May 2000 Location: middleboro,ma, usa Posts: 734	thread sealant on the lower head bolts... rtv will expand and its no good for the threads. plenty of assembly lube!!!

04-09-2001, 10:08 AM	#6
Mike 88GT Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Hutchinson, MN Posts: 36	2FastLX, I can't give you any advice beings I don't know a thing about motor rebuilds. But it really looks great from here. Hope everything works out for ya. And thanks for all yoru help on my questions. I will be needing more when your not busy.

04-09-2001, 02:35 PM	#7
2FastLX The Photoshop Guru Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Mecca, Indiana Posts: 1,419	Well, I should be out there putting the finishing touches on it but it's so d@mn hot I had to come soak up some A/C for a few. All I have left to do is the plug wires, a few grounds, hook up the positive lug on the solenoid, and she's ready to fire up. We ran into so many little problems this weekend it's not funny. 4 or 5 trips to the parts stores (20-30 mile trips) and a few missing bolts and such I'm getting so nervous I can't stand it! Oh yeah, here's the latest pic: ------------------ ICQ# 42269241 Indiana Stangers Association Buy your parts here [This message has been edited by 2FastLX (edited 04-09-2001).]

04-09-2001, 04:26 PM	#8
Rick 91GT Procharged! Join Date: May 1999 Location: Hanover, PA Posts: 1,539	*So How's it Run?*

04-09-2001, 04:48 PM	#9
302crew Registered Member Join Date: May 1999 Location: sloatsburg Posts: 261	hey i have a ? for you do you have a diffrent water pump on there then the stock one because in my car i have a stock on and the water pump spins the opposite direction yours does just wondering.

04-09-2001, 09:41 PM	#10
2FastLX The Photoshop Guru Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Mecca, Indiana Posts: 1,419	After a few cranks without the coil wire on to get her lubed up I reinstalled the coil and just barely bumped the key and she fired right up! But, alas, I have some pretty bad problems... The water pump has a leak near the bottom so I guess I must not have got the gasket sealed. I don't see how though because I used permatex and had a nice even coat all the way around Also, as if that and the other problems I've had this weekend haven't been enough to send me over the edge I have to pull the upper back off and adjust the rockers because they are tapping I don't have the money to take it to a shop and have them adjusted by a pro and I guess I have no idea how to do it correctly since I follwed the directions Jeff Chambers gave me which were more than likely accurate, so I guess I'm pretty well screwed. ------------------ ICQ# 42269241 Indiana Stangers Association Buy your parts here

04-10-2001, 06:44 AM	#11
Rick 91GT Procharged! Join Date: May 1999 Location: Hanover, PA Posts: 1,539	Kevin, it could have been much worse don't worry about it. I had to pull my intake off to re-adjust my stud mount rockers because I had them too tight. It'a a PIA but not bad. As for the water pump, I just used a Fel-Pro gasket no Permatex and it sealed fine no leaks. Let us know how it runs after you get all the bug worked out. 302crew- It is a Stewart Componets Hi-Flow water pump, and turns the same as a stock water-pump does. What year is your car? ------------------ Check Out My Site 91GT,Holley SysteMAX II Kit-Heads 2.02" x 1.60" port matched to a 1262,Anderson N-61,24#,76mm C&L,Full MAC exhaust 1-5/8" Long tubes,2-1/2" O.R H-Pipe,2 1/2" cat back, No A/C or PS or emissions, 12" K&N Filter,RNH PERFORMANCE Ram Air,Ron Davis Radiator,Full Suspension,S&W 8pt "X" brace,JAZ seats,3:73's,Welds..etc,4:30's and 31 splines coming very soon!

04-10-2001, 09:29 AM	#12
2FastLX The Photoshop Guru Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Mecca, Indiana Posts: 1,419	The water pump was supposed to come with two backing plates because Ford used two different covers during this year I guess. I bought this pump from a friend so he must have either gave me the wrong plate or only got one when he bought it. Getting ready fopr another test fire..... wish me luck. ------------------ ICQ# 42269241 Indiana Stangers Association Buy your parts here

04-10-2001, 10:06 AM	#13
2FastLX The Photoshop Guru Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Mecca, Indiana Posts: 1,419	WOW! I fired it up and she sounds soooo wicked!!! I love this F cam. I still have yet to take her for a spin. It's raining out anyway so I can't really see what she's got after the mods, but at least that will force me to be gentle for the first couple days. I still have what sounds to be one or two lifters tapping slightly on the passenger side. Will this cause a problem? Or should I leave her sit until I get it fixed? I forgot to mention that when I first fired it back up a UPS driver showed up just as I was getting back out of the car and he said "Jesus! That thing sounds like a race car! What's it got in it?" Needless to say I was tickled to death. I showed him the engine and he said it looked really nice and wanted to go for a ride ------------------ ICQ# 42269241 Indiana Stangers Association Buy your parts here [This message has been edited by 2FastLX (edited 04-10-2001).]

04-10-2001, 10:24 AM	#14
2FastLX The Photoshop Guru Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Mecca, Indiana Posts: 1,419	Sorry to make multiple posts without replies, but I just took her for a drive and had a smile on my face the whole time. What an improvement! ------------------ ICQ# 42269241 Indiana Stangers Association Buy your parts here

04-10-2001, 11:58 AM	#16
2FastLX The Photoshop Guru Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Mecca, Indiana Posts: 1,419	Well, it's smoking a little so I am getting a little worried. I was just told the same thing by musmondo in the chat room about pedastal rockers being noisy so that's probably all that is. Now to find out why it's smoking =( ------------------ ICQ# 42269241 Indiana Stangers Association Buy your parts here

04-10-2001, 12:34 PM	#17
mustang17 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Concord, MA, USA Posts: 264	I hope it's not burning oil! Maybe running a bit rich? Good luck with the rest of the project. ------------------ 1995 GT Black- Edelbrock 6037's,Intake,Edelbrock cam,70mm TB,75mm pro-m,Taylor wires, pulleys,Equal length headers,K&N filter Flowmaster,3.73's, Eibach pro rate springs lower control arms Centerforce clutch New motor in the works!

04-10-2001, 01:23 PM	#18
2FastLX The Photoshop Guru Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Mecca, Indiana Posts: 1,419	I just took it for a 10 mile drive and it seemed to do fine except for a check engine light coming on every time I let off the gas. It was still puffing a little white smoke when I got home but not as bad as what it was. A friend told me that the valve seals may need a little break in time. Either that or maybe it's just coolant in the exhaust system from when I poulled the heads and it dripped in there. We'll see. It also has a bit of a surge going down the road like the timing may not be just right. We forgot to put the timing mark back on the engine and now I can't find what we did with it so I can get the timing adjusted =P Always something lol. ------------------ ICQ# 42269241 Indiana Stangers Association Buy your parts here

04-11-2001, 01:48 AM	#19
StreetRacin89Stang Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Bay Area, California Posts: 63	Engine Looks very clean, Im jealous. I have a quick question, i was wondering if you could elaborate on the pedstal rockers and the noise thing. I just replaced the lifters in my 89 for what i thought to be a noisy lifter but i still have a ticking comming from the 8 cylinder. Now i have two new rocker arms sitting here and i was just gonna replace the cylinder's rockers (stock heads and rockers) and hope the noise goes away. Could you tell me about the "shimming" of the rockers you described or any possible way to diagnose my noise/problem because its beginning to piss me off. Thanks for any input. ------------------ 89 5.0 GT White w/Blue Racing Stripes K&N, 73mm Mass Air, Ported and Polished Stock Heads, E303 Cam, MAC equal Length Headers, Off Road H-Pipe, Borla Mufflers, Sway Bars, Strut Tower Brace, Subframe Connectors, Eibach Springs, Koni Adjustables/Reds, Pony 5 Stars, 1000 Watt JL Audio System, No P/S , No Smog Pump

04-11-2001, 08:11 AM	#20
spinemup Registered Member Join Date: May 2000 Location: middleboro,ma, usa Posts: 734	smimming makes up for any variance in pushrod length and cylinder head thickness. usually if you mill your heads .030 youll use .030 shims under your rockers to make up the difference.but just shimming one rocker doesnt sound right...maybe you have a pushrod that is a little bent. the shim goes between the pedistal and the cylinder head btw.