Automatically replace all plugs, cap, rotor, wires and all that plus your valve cover and oil pan gaskets, hoses, and flush the bajeezus out of the blocks water jackets, then fire it up and look for leaks, MOST likely you will have to rebuild the carb and rubber fuel lines.
You are cleaning JUST the water galleries! Actually, you will use a big garden bug sprayer, long 'gunbarrel' brushes and a power washer. Spray the inside of the block with CLR and keep it wet. Then use your long skinny gunbarrel brushes and loosen the scale. The use the powerwasher to flush it allll out. You will run cooler, waste less power on water pump loss, and keep your radiator healthy.
Thats a great decision there buddy. I picked up this red beauty for 600$ as well. its a 289 w/ 3 on the tree. just turned over 100,000 miles. RUNNING STRONG!!!!!!!!!!!!! !
Finally got the 77 T-Bird disc brakes installed. Everything bolted right up. Used Tie Rod Ends from a 70 Lincoln Mark III to keep from having to modify any parts. I left all the Bushing Bolts loose because I read somewhere that the full weight of the car should be on the wheels before anything is torqued. They said that if you don't it'll cause premature bushing failure. Can anyone confirm this? Anyone know the torque for the upper and lower control arms and the strut rods (both ends)? I have to order a new
I got the 289 installed in place of the waterlogged 390FE. I swapped out the FMX transmission with an AOD. Everything bolted up perfectly except the Bell housing Inspection Cover and the mount. I'll have to get the AOD cover and yoke from the Salvage Yard. The FMX mount needed the hole elongated a little and the crossmember needed flipped left to right. I think it may need a spacer on the tranny mount because the tail shaft looks angled downward a little. I'm ordering the TV Cable and universal shift linkage from Lokar and coolant lines from an 88 Cougar should fit with minor adjustment.
Yes, you want to tighten the control arm bushing bolts after the car is sitting on its wheels with the intended vehicle weight. If you torque those bolts without any load on the suspension, the bushings will be under severe torque loads whne the vehicle is at rest. That could contribute to ride height problems, premature bushing failure and quirky suspension behavior. Nice job; don't you love it when a plan comes together so nicely?
Progress is slow but steady. I finished straightening the LH rear fender but its still in primer. I rebuilt the Autolite 2100 2 barrel carb. I need to get cooler lines for the AOD and splice into the old ones. Will a later model radiator (80's 5.0 Crown Vic) bolt up? That'd save me from having to modify the lines! I cleaned up the Core Support, wire wheeled/ brushed, shot it with Rust Converter, and Primer. I'm having trouble deciding whether I should paint it all tan to match the inner fenders and fire wall. Will the tan show through the grill and look stupid??? Should I mask everything off and paint the front side flat black/ semi-gloss? Also does anyone know the torque for the Upper Control Arm bushings? It's not listed in my service manual, everything else is though.
I would paint the rad support black the way the factory did. It blends in better. I'm not sure of the control arm bolts, though. About that AOD. The cars that were factory equipped with a carburetor and an AOD did not use a cable for the kick down. It was a solid rod from the carb linkage to the transmission. The rod from the original engine/transmission will likely work with a bit of adjustment. The big advantage to this is that it will never stretch, causing wear issues down the road.
I don't know when they switched, but at least the 90/91 351W cars used a cable for the AOD TV control.
Well we've had several additions to our family since our last posting. We're up to five kids now! I bought a 15 passenger van off a government auction for $600. The paint was jacked up where decals were scraped off, so I felt free to lay down some pretty awesome blue flames. Work on the wagon has been at a standstill due to family, work, and life in general just happening.
A while back, I got the AOD bolted up, got a Lokar shift linkage kit to connect to the column shift. The shaft that goes into the engine fit way too tight and I never could get the linkage rod bent around to be happy with. Threw in the towel and got a T5 from a low mile 02 Mustang with a V6. shares the same bolt pattern as the SBF and has the same guts as the V8 ones, unlike the old V6 T5's. Got the proper flywheel, pilot bearing, and clutch bolted up. Haven't mated it all up yet. Might need a slightly shorter Drive shaft. Not sure if I'll cobble up a JY clutch solution or go aftermarket. While out at the junkyard last week I scores a real nice set of American Eagle 221 series 17" rims off a late model Mustang. There's a little curb rash on one and they're pretty filthy but definitely good for a 20 footer and for $35 a piece, can't beat it. There was also a 5.0 Explorer that I was getting the GT40 Intake, and GT40P Heads from. I didn't have my Torx bits with me, so had to leave it for later. Came back today and it had just been crushed!!! There were at least a dozen other Explorers but all with the stupid V6. Sooo ticked off! I want to put the GT40P heads on the 351W roller block, Explorer upper intake on a Lightning lower. Basically, a Lightning Engine Clone. Thinking about selling the 289/ FMX to help fund things. Also had the thought of trying to resurrect the 390FE. Drained all the nasty water and oil out, dismantled as far as I could but the Pistons just won't budge!!! The crank is free but I can't get to several of the rod bolts to get it out. The guys on the crankshaft coalition recommended mixing gas and ATF, pouring into the cylinders (heads off) and lighting it up. The heat should cause the block to expand and the ATF to leach into reach the rings. Still no luck. Figured I'd let it set and marinade a while. The cost of building it up isn't too much more than any other engine BUT I'd need an aftermarket transmission to bolt up behind it in order to have OD. Figured I could at least sell the 390FE if it wasn't froze up. Hate the thought of it being scrapped!
Where are you sourcing your Lightning lower? I gave up looking for one for a decent price a few years ago. I know the marine 351W EFI engine used a cast iron version of the same manifold, but I've never seen one for sale and there aren't any boat junkyards around here although everyone else talks about them like they are falling out of trees. I don't think lighting gas and ATF on fire in the cylinder could do much of anything other than make cool flames. I don't think you could generate enough heat in the block to expand it enough that way. I would just let it soak with your favorite penetrating fluid in the cylinders. Could take some time to free it up.
