Project: Iron Mullet

Discussion in 'Ranchero Pics' started by Iron Mullet, Aug 28, 2010.

  1. 1223

    1223 In Second Gear

    Messages:
    53
    72 i agree on the valvoline oil. have seen the inside of a couple jiffy lube(pennzoil) treated motors. uuugghh. i was raised on valvoline, and every time one of my fords comes apart she still looks like new on the inside. some people despise valvoline. not me. IM is looking pretty sweet with the current progress. keep up the good work and the pics.
     
  2. Iron Mullet

    Iron Mullet In Third Gear

    Messages:
    156
    Location:
    Central Florida
    The following update represents progress made during Labor Day weekend, 2010.

    Installed the timing cover and water pump:
    [​IMG]

    I had completed as much as possible before lowering the engine back into place, so I turned my attention to the oil pan. Fortunately, the engine was high enough to install the oil pump separately and still be able to slide the pan in place:
    [​IMG]

    Installing the oil pan itself was not too bad. There are a million bolts to thread in, but they were all reasonably accessible. There was, however, a big disappointment with the outcome:
    [​IMG]

    I was very careful with the torque wrench to follow the recommended spec, but it was still enough to squeeze the gasket apart and out of place. Maybe I used too much sealer and saturated the cork, or maybe my torque wrench isn't accurate at the low end of its scale. Whatever the cause, I decided to press on and hope it doesn't leak too bad.

    By the end of the day Sunday, things were starting to come together:
    [​IMG]
     
  3. Iron Mullet

    Iron Mullet In Third Gear

    Messages:
    156
    Location:
    Central Florida
    Thanks for the comments!

    I have never used Valvoline, but will check into it. My approach so far has been to pay more attention to the weight than the brand, provided it is of decent quality. I put Castrol 20W50 in it before this project, which helped the oil pressure issue a little when warm. But 76 miles later it was filthy!
     
  4. Iron Mullet

    Iron Mullet In Third Gear

    Messages:
    156
    Location:
    Central Florida
    The following update represents progress made on Labor Day, 2010

    Today should be the day!

    I got started by installing the exhaust manifolds and connecting the pipes; each bolt getting a dose of copper anti-seize:
    [​IMG]

    Things were getting pretty close to a test fire when nature took over and imposed a lunch break:
    [​IMG]

    I finally got everything together and started the engine:
    [​IMG]
    It ran, but not so great. It turned out that the timing was retarded, even with the distributor as far clockwise as space would allow. Oopsie! I must have been one spline off on the drive gear. So I played the dizzy install game trying to predict the helical gear rotor rotation while lining up with a hexagonal oil pump drive shaft until I got where I wanted it. Fired up and timed properly, I was ready for a test drive.

    I got about 6 feet before losing my nerve with the whining transmission. I lost too much tranny fluid while the cooler lines were apart, and needed to top up. With that done, I test drove about six miles with no problems.

    Wow! The thing actually runs again!

    OK, so I promised to name the engine something appropriate if it ever ran again:
    [​IMG]

    ... for the engine that could burn up at any time!

    ...fahrenheit 451 is the supposed temp at which book paper combusts, and is the name of Ray Bradbury's book about censorship in a dysfunctional society...
     
  5. Cruckin78

    Cruckin78 In Second Gear

    Messages:
    40
    Location:
    Tallahassee, FL
    Ohh man this thread is great. I am working on a 78 with a 76 Lincoln 460 in it.

    Keep up the good work and keep this thread going! I can't wait to see the finished project!
     
  6. Dan the ranchero man

    Dan the ranchero man MODERATOR Staff Member

    Messages:
    4,203
    Location:
    Mchenry , IL
    Very nicley done!!! I am sure you will be cruisin that beast for a while :). Great job.
     
  7. Iron Mullet

    Iron Mullet In Third Gear

    Messages:
    156
    Location:
    Central Florida
    Thanks, guys. It has been a real confidence booster to tear down an engine that far and get it back on the road!

    ===============================================

    While I warmed up the engine for the first time with it all back together and running smoothly, I was particularly interested in a few measurements: oil pressure and compression.

    The oil pressure figures were surprisingly good; 60 psi at startup and 25 psi at hot idle. I used Castrol 20W50, but substituted in one quart of "rebuild in a bottle", aka Lucas oil stuff. I don't know how much of the result is due to the liquid magic and how much is due to a new oil pump, but its great either way.

    I was ready for the moment of truth; it was time for a compression test to see if cylinders #2 and #4 were helped at all. They were previously well below 100 psi... Also of concern were the other cylinders; if they jump up too much then I am back where I started with uneven compression.

    1: 150 psi
    2: 145 psi
    3: 150 psi
    4: 140 psi
    5: 120 psi
    6: 150 psi
    7: 150 psi
    8: 150 psi

    woohoo!!! Everything stayed pretty much the same except the bad cylinders came closer to the average pressure. #5 is a little weird, dropping back down to a value close to its starting pressure. Now it is the weak cylinder, but is still within the 75% threshold. I'll take it!

    I also want to share the cylinder bore measurements and invite any comments:

    "Top ^" = Top of cylinder bore, perpendicular to crankshaft
    "Top>" = Top of cylinder bore, parallel to crankshaft
    "Bot^" = Bottom of cylinder bore, perpendicular to crankshaft
    "Bot>" = Bottom of cylinder bore, parallel to crankshaft
    all measurements in inches

    # - Top ^ - - Top> - - Bot^ - - Bot>
    1 - 4.0110 - 4.0150 - 4.0030 - 4.0033
    2 - 4.0085 - 4.0080 - 4.0040 - 4.0030
    3 - 4.0105 - 4.0090 - 4.0040 - 4.0035
    4 - 4.0075 - 4.0095 - 4.0035 - 4.0033
    5 - 4.0105 - 4.0130 - 4.0040 - 4.0035
    6 - 4.0070 - 4.0070 - 4.0030 - 4.0030
    7 - 4.0070 - 4.0060 - 4.0035 - 4.0035
    8 - 4.0085 - 4.0060 - 4.0040 - 4.0025

    I understand that the tops would be more worn due to less oil.
    I also see that taper is right at the wear limit, with #1 a little beyond the wear limit.
    I'm guessing a machinist cleaning up these bores would start at .020" over.

    Any thoughts?

    After the testing was complete, I wanted to install an oil pressure gauge I had laying around to monitor oil pressure on a regular basis. I tested the gauge against 2 others and it checked out consistent. Here the mount I made:
    [​IMG]

    I would like to eventually put the old electric sender back in and rig up an idiot light of some sort, but until then this will have to do:
    [​IMG]
    All the necessary fitting came in the copper line kit from the FLAPS.

    I poked a hole through this rubber grommet to pass the line into the cabin:
    [​IMG]

    The gauge mounted:
    [​IMG]

    The thread is now up to date! All future updates will now be posted in real time, aka present tense, in the now, as it happens, etc...
     
  8. Dan the ranchero man

    Dan the ranchero man MODERATOR Staff Member

    Messages:
    4,203
    Location:
    Mchenry , IL
    I would leave the mechanical gauge in the car permenetly. Much more reliable than anything ford used in that era. (JMO)
     
  9. Giska1

    Giska1 In Maximum Overdrive

    Messages:
    2,501
    Location:
    Arendal, Norway
    Absolutely very important to have yhe red warning light in there, a friend of mine did the same thing as you on his Harley and on a trip he heard bad noises from the engine, looked at the oil pressure, hmmm there were none !!!
    If he had the red light he would have seen it at once and saved him self a load of money and work, put in a "T" and use bouth.:eek:
     
  10. Iron Mullet

    Iron Mullet In Third Gear

    Messages:
    156
    Location:
    Central Florida
    I'm on board with both ideas. For now I will keep watching the mechanical gauge, but eventually I won't watch it as much and will need something that can get my attention. The hold up is space; the Ford sender is HUGE, and I have yet to search for a 'T' that will allow both and still fit. I'm thinking a small sender that is on/off at about 10 psi will do. I would like to make the red light the gauge backlight, but have to figure out how to have a backlight in normal circumstances too...
     
  11. burninbush

    burninbush In Maximum Overdrive

    Messages:
    8,512
    Location:
    near SF
    The hold up is space; the Ford sender is HUGE, and I have yet to search for a 'T' that will allow both and still fit. >IM

    +++++++++++++

    You can put the idiot-light sender anywhere -- in the cab next to the mechanical gauge would work as well as right at the motor. Just be aware the body of it has to be grounded to complete the light circuit.

    I'm a little nervous about using copper line for the mech gauge, worried that vibration will harden it after which it'll break -- most commercial gauges use plastic [nylon?] line for that job.
     
  12. 5.0 Chero

    5.0 Chero Bahumbug Staff Member

    Messages:
    14,289
    Location:
    Prunetucky California
    Refrigeration copper tubing is fine so is stainless steel both are better than the plastic/Nylon that come with the gauges. the aftermarket gauges us plastic/Nylon because it is cheeper and easier to run!
     
  13. 72GTVA

    72GTVA Administrator Staff Member

    Messages:
    9,863
    Location:
    Chesapeake, VA
    Used to be all the "high end" (such as S/W and Speeddwell) OP gauges came with the soft drawn copper line, some even had the coil to protect the line while the installer was putting in tight bends, and only the cheap ones came with nylon. Had a softdrawn copper run for my OP gauge in the ole Intergalactic Highway Cruiser (LTD wagon) that lasted 15 years without an issue and was still working fine when it went down the road as a donation.
     
  14. Iron Mullet

    Iron Mullet In Third Gear

    Messages:
    156
    Location:
    Central Florida
    Something about not seeing the forest despite the trees comes to mind... thanks for pointing it out.

    That is the solution to the space problem; plenty of space in the cabin for this.

    As for the copper, I'm with 5.0 Chero and 72GTVA on this one. I was afraid the nylon would age too quickly being right next to the exhaust manifold. I imagined the engine would twist relative to the body of the car and attempted to route the line in such a way as to spread the flexing due to vibration over a long distance. Maybe all in my mind but I feel better...
     
  15. 5.0 Chero

    5.0 Chero Bahumbug Staff Member

    Messages:
    14,289
    Location:
    Prunetucky California
    The "idiot light" sending unit is not that big?

    [​IMG]


    the gauge one is a big bulb

    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 17, 2010
  16. 1223

    1223 In Second Gear

    Messages:
    53
    my sender on my 289 had the nylon type tube. i broke it at the sender changing my oil filter. it was a few years old, but i was shocked to see how brittle it became. thank god it broke while i was changing oil and not while i was driving. could have been messy. but then again my 78 van(351w) still has that nylon tube and its holding up better than the one in the chero. i don't know why it has lasted longer. they were both put in around the same time. give or take a day.
     
  17. Iron Mullet

    Iron Mullet In Third Gear

    Messages:
    156
    Location:
    Central Florida
    That looks a lot better to me than the stock one. Something like that will get the job done, and putting it in the cabin will keep the wiring simple. Ground shouldn't be a problem; there is plenty of grounded metal in the cabin and the copper line is connected to the block. I may settle for an LED; I will have the mount, LED, and whatever resistor required (E=IR) on hand.

    I've got a couple other IM fixups in progress, but I will be sure to keep updates coming on this too. Here's a teaser: I picked up some 2 1/2" x 1/4" wall square tubing and some 1/4" plate from the surplus steel shop today...
     
  18. Iron Mullet

    Iron Mullet In Third Gear

    Messages:
    156
    Location:
    Central Florida
    The Iron Mullet has run over 200 miles since being put back together. There have been no major issues, just one reoccurring one in the fuel system. I had dropped the tank and cleaned it out with water and a chain, but it continues to deteriorate and clog the filters.

    Here is the new filter I added at the tank to take the place of the pickup tube filter:
    [​IMG]

    Yick!

    This filter did not catch all of it; smaller particles have been clogging the sock at the carburetor float seat every 30 to 50 miles. It's a big pain that won't go away on its own. Soooooo.....

    [​IMG]

    I will be giving the tank the somewhat controversial acid wash and sealer treatment. I have had success with it on other tanks, and hope to repeat with this one.

    Crazy idea #759:
    [​IMG]

    My tank refurb method takes a couple weeks, which is a little longer than I would like the car to be parked if I can prevent it. So this little stunt should keep me on the road with a clean tank until the real tank is fully cured. It's a portable plastic marine tank, and there is a custom bent hard line passing through a grommet protected hole on the tailgate apron. Works good, but not a recommended solution by any means.

    On a side note, I had an opportunity to rectify a little connector destruction I caused while making the final connections before my test firing a couple weeks ago. The distributor pickup coil connector busted into a million pieces, but before it was too far gone I labeled the wires by position and kept them from shorting with some heat shrink. In the meantime a replacement was sourced and installed this past weekend.

    [​IMG]

    More to come...
     
  19. HuevosRanchero

    HuevosRanchero In Maximum Overdrive

    Messages:
    5,805
    Location:
    Macon Georgia
    had a mustang deuce for a while that had the same clogging problem...your solution is the correct one (barring getting a new tank) I had it cleaned and lined...end of clogging problem.
     
  20. 5.0 Chero

    5.0 Chero Bahumbug Staff Member

    Messages:
    14,289
    Location:
    Prunetucky California
    easer and cheaper to replace the tank!
     

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