KW's 1979 Ford LTD Landau

[WagonMan]

KW, are you running the original brass radiator? WagonMan

[Kodachrome Wolf]

KW, are you running the original brass radiator? WagonMan

For as long as it’ll hold, I plan to.

[WagonMan]

Nice. I have 2 brass radiators that look to be in excellent shape. I just don't have the heart to scrap them. WagonMan

[Kodachrome Wolf]

Two steps forwards, one step back.

Yesterday I got the old camshaft out and new camshaft in. Removing the old lifters burned a good bit of time as they all had varnish ridges that had to be worked away for them to come up out of the bores. Had to clean some sludge buildup from the valley. I suspect just years of short trips took its toll there.

Today got the rest of the front accessory setup re-installed. Swapped to a clutch fan instead of the factory flex fan. Hit the largest snafu which just stopped everything as it stood. Nick suggested we pressure test the cooling system to check integrity. Once he got some pressure in the system, it started puking coolant out the rear of the driver's intake corner and dribbling from the driver's front. It was already evening at this point, and tearing stuff down again would take a little while, so I cut my losses and he was kind enough to loan me a vehicle to get home.

I'm wondering if my white box special intake is not milled right, or if there's a sealing issue at that corner. I did use those cork china walls with a skim of RTV to keep them centered and sealed. I did not notice any of those walk, but I wonder if they're not allowing the intake down far enough to seal against the heads properly, or its something I'm just looking plainly through. I have taken note that most of the aftermarket intakes don't have accessory bracket retaining mount points in the correct spots for things like the air conditioner and alternator adjuster, so I'm not super thrilled about it.

I also noted my Carter AFB has Ford linkages, but the throttle cable with cruise cannot pass between the kickdown linkage...


I know after Carter went away Edelbrock took over the design, but every Edelbrock I've seen has the kickdown set towards the inboard of the linkage system, not outboard like shown.


I genuinely would like to just get the car running to get the cam broken in and make it operational. I'm wondering if I should shelve the 4BBL swap for the interim period due to fitment issues. While I'd gladly enjoy the extra power available from a 4BBL system, I can also just appreciate a properly running and driving car.

[Brown_Muscle]

I'd throw away the cork gaskets and just use some Ultra Black RTV on the ends, you'll have much better luck even if there are imperfections

[gadget73]

Cork gaskets are bad, but I don't really like RTV either. The rubber gaskets have always worked well for me, but those have nothing to do with water sealing. Thats usually a case of crap on the heads, corrosion around the water ports, or the intake is just very badly made. A straight edge should give a clue, but worst case you can ink the head and see how the intake fits relative to it. No gasket, so it won't contact on both sides but it will tell you if the two surfaces have any chance of sealing. If both are good you'll get decent ink transfer between the head and intake, if there are high spots you'll see only ink on the high points. I'm just going to assume the heads aren't the problem since they have managed to work for the last 45 years.

honestly if its the intake off enough to leak at the corners I'd think a straight edge laid across it should reveal a hump in the middle that would prevent the corners from sealing against the head.

[DerekTheGreat]

That's funny. My one old school buddy hates rubber gaskets and loves cork.

[gadget73]

GM likes them so much that if you buy an intake gasket set from them for a 350, you get two gaskets and a tube of RTV. The gap between block and intake is smaller on a Chevy though. GM also quit using cork valve cover gaskets in the 80s when they went to the center bolt valve covers.

The factory intake on my original Towncar engine puked oil from new, when I took it apart half of the cork gasket was inside the block. I've never had any luck keeping those things in position. The RTV seems prone to pushing out and doing the same thing after a while, but the cork ones that go over the end wall and can't be moved just work. Also helps if you use guide pins to drop the intake on. Just takes some long 5/16 bolts with the heads lopped off. One in each corner to keep the gaskets in and guide the intake on does wonders. Can't do that on a Chevy, stupid angled bolts.

[DerekTheGreat]

I did an intake manifold job ONCE. Was on my Fireturd, which was eventually redone when I had Trick Flow cylinder heads put on it. This would've been in 2005ish, I have no idea what the sealing material was, probably cork. That old school buddy of mine had me take a punch and hammer on it along the china walls, a notch every inch or so. I used a thin bead of RTV along the side of the gasket which sealed against the engine block, maybe both sides, don't remember. Also put a bunch in the corners. Don't remember it leaking, but it was only about five years later when the cylinder heads were done. Whatever that shop did doesn't leak. But yes, stupid angled bolts. I remember my buddy saying I had one shot to drop the manifold on straight, otherwise I'd get to reset the gaskets.

[gadget73]

Yup, its crap. Far harder with an iron intake too just because of the weight. I have no idea how the hell people do FE intake manifolds. Not sure if you've ever seen one but the entire upper rail of the valve cover actually sits on the intake. They are stupidly wide, and the bolts run at an angle so no cheating allowed.

[DerekTheGreat]

Fortunately, both the factory intake and the Edelbrock one I put on it are aluminum. Would not have wanted to futz with iron, but I did expect the original to be iron. Ah, that's on the FE? I have seen those, haven't seen one which wasn't leaking. Brilliant design.

[Tiggie]

I use a cherry picker on the FE intakes, removal and installation! And yes they are great at leaking.

[gadget73]

The gap between the head and intake under the valve cover gasket was a real bit of brilliance. Always a little gap there, and oil is always leaking through it.

[Kodachrome Wolf]

Popped the aftermarket intake off today. Determined, visually, it was not machined properly and kinda curves towards the thin side of life at the top and never even sealed fully against the gasket. Oops.

Anyway, cleaned up the 2BBL intake and slapped it back on along with another 2150 clone, but with proper gaskets from FelPro. Performed camshaft break in using conventional 10W-40 and Lucas ZDDP additive. After break in, changed oil again with the same 10W-40 conventional and half a bottle of ZDDP.

However, there’s a tapping noise on the passenger bank. It goes away if you increase RPM above 1500, but on decrease it’ll come back. Mind, the old lifter/cam combo would click/rattle while coming down if you revved the car, however I’m not 100% it didn’t click at idle because the old flex fan was very loud.

You can hear it towards the end of the video.

I have verified all the push rods are turning, no one is stuck/stationary. I’m not suspecting a lifter just going flat, however I’m wondering if one’s not staying pumped up. All the rockers are torqued to 20 ft-lbs and none seem loose.

Engine seems to run fine, just gotta get a little final adjustment done with the carb. It finally does idle decently in gear.

[gadget73]

if you futz with the distributor to make the advance come in a little sooner that will probably help wake it up too