Frankenstein T-5 Waggin' Chronicle (vast doesnt do it)

[Freshmeat]

I don't know the specs off hand, but the Mustang cam is significantly more aggressive and with our cars, the Explorer cam makes so much less torque it's embarassing.

At least, that's what I was told by the guys who know.

[Roach III]

Better to stay within the computer specs anyways, right? What are you runnin', D9S?

[Freshmeat]

I can't remember the computer's specification, to be honest with you. I'll take a look when I get home. It's from a 1990ish Mark Series.

Oh- and I'll get pictures tonight. Found my camera (long story).

[mrltd]

the explorer cam is pretty small and runs out of power around 4500, the HO is a bit larger and can pull a few more RPM.

[Freshmeat]

Speaking of GMGT, anyone hear from him lately?
I'd never swapped a cam before- I was surprised by how easy it was, once I sat there and stared at everything to see how it fit together.

Tonight's goals:
1) Get the heads cleaned up, painted, and prepped for install.
2) Strip old motor down to heads to retrieve wiring, fuel rails, and head bolts.
3) Clean the decks in preparation of head install.

Lots to do, but I think I can manage.

[gadget73]

head bolts? you're recycling the used OEM ones from your lopo?


And I was under the impression that the Explorer cam makes good torque, just at a lower RPM than the standard HO cam, and because of this it also runs out of steam sooner.

[Grand Marquis GT]

Speaking of GMGT, anyone hear from him lately?

[Freshmeat]

head bolts? you're recycling the used OEM ones from your lopo?

Yes- I was told by the guy who runs the Mustang shop (and has been a great person to know for the past eight years) that the lopo head bolts aren't TTY, so I can use them again.

[Freshmeat]

Okay- got the heads all cleaned and ready for paint... scraped all gasket surfaces with a razor blade three times. Scraped the deck clean for times. Cleaned the piston tops and cylinder walls. Painting the heads tonight and as soon as I can touch them, I'm going to swap the valve stem seals, since the kit came with new ones.

I'll HOPEFULLY get the heads installed tonight, but no promises. My goal is to have everything assembled and mounted in the engine bay by Sunday night, including pressure washing the engine bay. Transmission installation will come after the engine is installed and everything is checked out five times. I was going to take pictures, but I was too tired.

[gadget73]

you can re-use them but I'm not sure that I would. I've seen several cases of them snapping for no reason at all. I re-used mine but at the time I didn't know they might be an issue. xxx's Towncar needs a motor because one of those head bolts had the head just pop right off of it for no reason at all. We found the head laying on the exhaust manifold.

[Freshmeat]

Unless someone wants to buy me a set, I don't have a choice. I'm literally beyond broke.

[Mercracer]

92 and earlier bolts are find to reuse. I believe that TTY bolts came into use with the hypereutectic pistons in 93. TTY bolts look different. Standard bolts are of a uniform size from the head to the threads unlike TTY bolts.

[Freshmeat]

Awesome. Thanks for affirming that, Mercracer.

I got the heads painted, but couldn't do much else, yet- my son is definitely a handful when he has a cold!
I was about to go back out there and see how much I can strip off the old motor in preparation for assembly tomorrow, but I think I'd be best to have things where I can pull off the old motor and put on the new motor fairly quickly, so I don't lose/mix bolts. It was Hell finding all the bolts for my water pump...
Oh- and this time, I taped before painting. Well- I taped the intake gasket mating surface. For the lifters, I put old valve covers in place. I plugged the exhaust ports with paper towels... should I scrape the gasket surfaces before assembly? I don't imagine it'd cause exhaust leaks, but I also haven't done this in two years...

[Freshmeat]

I was up until after midnight last night because I was doing minor things in preparation for everything I'm doing on it tonight. I might have also sat there staring at the heads and short block for about twenty minutes...
I'll post up pictures as soon as possible. Here's a verbal teaser of the paint scheme:

Ford Blue:
Block
Oil pan
Timing cover
Heads
Thermostat housing
Oil dipstick tube

Natural Aluminum (not paint):
Valve covers
Water pump
Upper intake
Lower intake

All I have for contrast at the moment is the water pump and it's looking GOOD.
:banana:

[grandpaslincoln]

Can't wait to see it mang :banana: