Had to pull the carbs to get it in. She's finally home and now that my leg is out of the cast I'm about ready to start work on getting it all back together.
Last edited by ho428; 09/10/0712:15 PM.
Wanting a Custom fit in an off the rack world.
I don't have time for a job, I just need the money.
Thanks for the photos. I will be pulling my original 400 back out this weekend and mounting it semi-permanently to a wheeled engine dolly for prosperity.
The problem was that my new "universal" dolly did not have any provisions to bolt the engine to it, so your stand there showed me some excellent mounting locations/methods.
2012 Mustang Boss 302 #1918, Competition Orange. FGF replacement 2006 Mustang V6 Pony, Vista Blue. Factory ordered. 2019 BMW X3 (Titled to the wife, but I'm always driving it for her. So I'm claiming it) Old projects, gone but not forgotten: 1967 FB 400, original CA car. After 22 years of work, trashed by the guy who was supposed to paint it. I had to sell it. 1980 Turbo Trans Am 1970 Mustang fastback, 351C 4Bbl, auto 1988 Mustang GT, 5 speed 1983 F-150 4x4, built 302 1994 Chevy K2500 HD 4x4, 454 TBI
can i ask what the cost involved in that engine build was? looking into doing the engine while winter hits. that way im one step closer to getting things rolling again. with or without a front clip and interior!
Andy
due to budget cutbacks, the light at the end of the tunnel has been disconnected for non payment.
I don't have everything with me but here's the specs I recall: RA-V 4 bolt 3" main block Forged 4" Stroke Crank Eagle H beam rods 6.635" Custom BRC Pistons dished to get 9.8:1 #48 RA-III 72cc heads, Ported extensively SS Valves Comp Roller Cam Comp Hyd roller lifters Roller chain Roller 1.5:1 rockers MSD Distributor, fiber gear Melling 60 PSI oil pump Edlebrock dual quad intake Matched Carter 500 cfm carbs Mini Starter Aluminum Water pump Hays Flywheel On the test stand it winds up really quick. Very responsive for a big engine.
I already had the engine, I used my block, heads and intake. We replaced everything else. Kens Speed shop in Tampa Fl built it for me. Cost? Under 8 grand, barely.
According to the desk top dyno here's what it should do. RPM----HP----Tq 3500---358---538 4000---416---546 4500---467---545 5000---507---530 5500---519---495 6000---512---448
I love that cross over at 5000 RPM, with the M-22 and 4:11 gears, this is gonna be fun.
Wanting a Custom fit in an off the rack world.
I don't have time for a job, I just need the money.
These forged stroker cranks are sold under both Scat or Eagle names I think. They're made in China at the same foundery no matter who's name is on it though. One thing I ran into is the balance on mine was off a good bit. Ken said he's seen a few that way. Most times the diameter tolerence is spot on but I had one rod journal width that was a tad narrow so we had to re-check rod side clearance. They don't just drop in either, a slight notching of the block is required and they use BBC rods which can require custom Pistons depending on what rod length and bore you choose. I went with the 4" stroke, that gave me a Bore Stroke ratio of about 1:1 and the rod length I picked gave me a Rod length to Stroke ratio of 1.65:1 that made for a very balanced engine. Longer rods and strokes are available though.
Wanting a Custom fit in an off the rack world.
I don't have time for a job, I just need the money.
Pulled a valve cover last night, just looking things over so I took a pic. I hope I can get back to working on it soon, to much vacation residue to get caught up on right now. Then I'm going to a Skip Barber Racing session Saturday at Road Atlanta, working at the ski lake Sunday, maybe next week? Being free of that cast means I don't want to sit still very long.
Wanting a Custom fit in an off the rack world.
I don't have time for a job, I just need the money.
If you're just gonna do a head swap I'd just add the roller rockers if you want them, you can get 1.5, 1.6 or 1.65 1.5's worked better with my cam, they also make a better screw in stud instead of the tapered stock one. I forget which he said it was though. For a nice warmed over street engine I'd just use a Hyd flat tappet cam though. I wanted a roller for the torque curve but I used hydraulic roller lifters for ease of maintainence. Boy, those lifters are expensive. Jeez! You could almost buy the tappet cam, lifters and rockers for about what the Hyd roller lifters cost alone. Putting the 48's on may play hell with your compression, but sounds like you may do a new short block anyway. Butler told me I could get away with 10:1 with 93 octane, Ken said he feels better about it at 9.8:1, not that much difference but either required a dished piston. Do your 48's have the hardened seats installed?
Now, I have one more major decision to make. Headers or RA Manifolds?
Wanting a Custom fit in an off the rack world.
I don't have time for a job, I just need the money.
With today's new oil issues due to the elimination of the zinc additives, there is a new significant reason for going to a roller cam for today's engine buildups.
It was the last nail in the coffin of a flat hydraulic cam for me.
2012 Mustang Boss 302 #1918, Competition Orange. FGF replacement 2006 Mustang V6 Pony, Vista Blue. Factory ordered. 2019 BMW X3 (Titled to the wife, but I'm always driving it for her. So I'm claiming it) Old projects, gone but not forgotten: 1967 FB 400, original CA car. After 22 years of work, trashed by the guy who was supposed to paint it. I had to sell it. 1980 Turbo Trans Am 1970 Mustang fastback, 351C 4Bbl, auto 1988 Mustang GT, 5 speed 1983 F-150 4x4, built 302 1994 Chevy K2500 HD 4x4, 454 TBI
I am just about to break in my new engine and if I wipe the hydraulic cam, I'm going roller immediately. Too many horror stories as of late about doing everything right and ending up with scrap.
John
To err is human. To really foul things up takes a computer.
Make sure you put in the GM EOS oil additive that everyone keeps talking about.
2012 Mustang Boss 302 #1918, Competition Orange. FGF replacement 2006 Mustang V6 Pony, Vista Blue. Factory ordered. 2019 BMW X3 (Titled to the wife, but I'm always driving it for her. So I'm claiming it) Old projects, gone but not forgotten: 1967 FB 400, original CA car. After 22 years of work, trashed by the guy who was supposed to paint it. I had to sell it. 1980 Turbo Trans Am 1970 Mustang fastback, 351C 4Bbl, auto 1988 Mustang GT, 5 speed 1983 F-150 4x4, built 302 1994 Chevy K2500 HD 4x4, 454 TBI
I now have a # 16 and a # 62 head on my YT '69 400. The motor isn't original to the car of course, being a documented 4spd. Both these heads are 72 cc as well as the #48's. So no changes there. And it ran fine while running on Sunoco 94 oct.
The reason I'm replacing the heads is I had two exhaust manifold bolts break off on one head. And since I don't know a thing about this motor, I'd wanted to open it up and see what else is inside. Oh, yes new valves and seats were installed on these fresh #48 heads.
I was looking for the hybrid stamped steel roller rockers, but they're only making them for SB Chevy and Ford. I may just wait for roller rockers for the WT build.
Gordon, seeing your mill makes me want to get started on mine. But that's one of those long term projects.
Long term? Tell me about it. I originally built the engine using SD bottom end parts in the late 70's. Parked the car in the early 90's when life got in the way. Decided last summer it was time to build it the way I always wanted, so a complete restore/build was in order. I was hoping for a 1 year build, I'll be real lucky if it's done in 1 1/2. The goal is our big indoor show in March.
Wanting a Custom fit in an off the rack world.
I don't have time for a job, I just need the money.
Started mocking everything up Sunday, Carbs and linkage, waiting on the clutch, new motor mounts and RA manifolds and then install it. Not sure the breathers will fit under the hood, but I had them. I'll use them for testing until I figure out exactly what I want.
Wanting a Custom fit in an off the rack world.
I don't have time for a job, I just need the money.
I noticed in the Year One catalog it said the long branch manifolds needed an Oil filter adapter unless you had a RA III engine. What made them fit the III? Did the RA-III in a Firebird come with the adapter from the factory? A D port head is a D port head. I ran the angled GTO filter housing to clear my old headers, RARE told me I'd have to go with a straight housing and adapter to fit the manifolds. Any insight here? Anyone have a straight housing to part with?
Wanting a Custom fit in an off the rack world.
I don't have time for a job, I just need the money.
I noticed in the Year One catalog it said the long branch manifolds needed an Oil filter adapter unless you had a RA III engine. What made them fit the III? Did the RA-III in a Firebird come with the adapter from the factory? A D port head is a D port head. I ran the angled GTO filter housing to clear my old headers, RARE told me I'd have to go with a straight housing and adapter to fit the manifolds. Any insight here? Anyone have a straight housing to part with?
Every factory RAIII i've seen had the adapter that kicks the filter out and angled back. Even if the filter fits, i would use one do to exhaust heat.
Every factory RAIII i've seen had the adapter that kicks the filter out and angled back. Even if the filter fits, i would use one do to exhaust heat.
Thanks, that's kinda what I thought. I talked with RARE, that's what the guy said there as well, it was just confusing the way Y-O worded it. The guy at rare did say the had a 10 hp dyno loss using the Long branch over headers on a 475hp engine. I want the manifold for the looks but also to cut down on engine noise up front.
Wanting a Custom fit in an off the rack world.
I don't have time for a job, I just need the money.