Same, But Not The Same

Motor out, motor in.  Looks the same but now there is a new overdrive transmission sitting behind the motor with many upgrades.  I have put details in the picture captions to show you all the good work.  Unfortunately, auto mechanics is like golf (which I never play), if you don't practice, you suck at it.  20 years of being away is showing up.   After finding the big booger in the oil pan yesterday, I chalked it up to issues that would blame it on other people. The reality is that it took a neighbor who has been practicing his common sense to ask "is it water?".  For the last 24 hours I have been mentally kicking myself in the a$$ for not spending the effort to realize what I was looking at.  Lots of work and sweat went in to the project after the point of which I should have said "Stop".  

So now here we are with a engine that could potentially turn to crap a week after I get it going.  As in the move the "Incredibles", not happy Bob, NOT HAPPY.  So what to do now?  

The reason for the water was found and can be read about here:  351 Windsor Intake Lesson

Frost King comes through again!

New flexplate.

The source of much grief.  Limited space.

Block and inspection plate scored from junk yard

Attemped dent repair.  Not so fixed

Bolt Debacle

During my 30 minute run today I realized that this had boiled down to the bolts.  I had a water pump bolt snapped off in the block, all of my transmission bolts wouldn't fit, the water pump bolts that weren't broken needed to be replaced, the timing cover bolts had to be sorted out and cleaned, and lets not forget the "better Idea from Ford" to use metric head bolts with standard treads for all the brackets I raped of the 1990 F150.  Damn bolts.

Not to slander the previous owner, but the "fresh" 351w is about as "fresh" as the bottom of a 500 barrel oil field tank in West Texas.  To quote David Freiburger on his Roadkill series, "this thing is clapped".  Maybe not so much.  It runs and I pretty much expected a larger amount of wear and tear than was stated.  It runs too, right though your fingers like bad gojo.  The booger in the bottom of the oil pan was sure signs of some one pouring after market engine crap in it.  It was always my intention to set it up get it running for a while and then after the kinks were gone put a real 351w in it.

So after booger removal and a good de-greasing and clean up, we (Alaina and I) got the timing cover and oil pan installed.  Then the new balancer from Summit Racing showed up JIT.  The old one looked like an 8th grade potter had sculpted the yoke.  The likely hood of it sealing was slim to none and age old silicon smeared on the outside of the timing cover was a indication of an amateur stop leak prevention method.  I detest leakage.

Per the instructions the balancer was boiled for 15 minutes and presto!  The thing slid right on!  The install kit I got from O'Reily's only took a half of a turn the stopped dead.  I torqued the bolt to 90#'s and done.  Since I am upgrading to a serp belt system, I found this water pump and it made all the measurement requirement and will probably work with a stock timing cover due it's configuration.  It can be purchased at American Muscle for $44.99 no shipping!  

The paint degreaser did a number on the the clean up!

This was covered in grease and gravel

The dent you see here almost shuts off a cylinder

Most pose with a muffin pan

Jegs timing cover

Full rubber gasket installed well

The booger

The water pump configuration

Backer plate with round holes.

Bolts prevented  me doing any more than this

Road Trip to Phoenix

Now I ain't one to brag, (yes I am) but my trip to Phoenix Transmissions in Weatherford, TX was pretty awesome.  I called about 15 days ago (after a phone and face to face interview) and ordered a Ford AOD transmission.  They asked for my engine size, aspiration method, gear ratio, and tire size and I received a call yesterday that it was ready.  

Gregg Ducato helped me understand everything that I would need to replace the FMX with the AOD which made my trip to the salvage yard very successful.  Scott Jackson handles the rebuild and asked that I bring all of salvage yard items to the shop to make sure that they matched correctly.

Wednesday night I pulled the engine and removed the flex plate which I found to be not in the best of shape and many teeth were missing.  Major disappointment here because I would have ordered one had I known it was bad.  I gathered it, the block plate, the yoke and road tripped to Phoenix Thursday morning.  

The trans was wrapped and ready to transport.  The converter was boxed up, all Lokar connections, TV cable and dipstick tube was ready to go.  Scott thoroughly checked the parts I brought.  He inspected the flex plate  and I said "if you have one of those, I will buy it too".  After checking, and matching some numbers, they had the right one for me!  Whew!

Scott patiently reviewed everything with me for the install and reminded me that I if I was uncomfortable with TV cable set up, they would gladly set it up.  Afterwards, I asked for the nickle tour.

The difference with Phoenix?  When you order a custom transmission, everything right down to the plating on the bolts is re-manufactured.  The torque converter is cut open and set to match the needs of the transmission and vehicle.  The whole thing is put together and placed on a dyno and tested.  

In a nut shell, the likely hood of being left on the side of the road due to transmission problems is extremely low and my ride should drive smooth as silk.  I will be updating this post when it is running to include how it runs down the road. 

   

Sprayed Water, Sand, and Paint

First AM I was Spraying water at the car wash.  The parts I got yesterday were beyond what I wanted in my yard.  I then brought it all home and sprayed it with sand then with paint.

After reviewing the receipt for the junk yard yesterday I realized they didn't even charge me for the parts I needed the most.  The AOD Block Plate and the transmission yoke.  BUT they did make it up on all the other stuff that I didn't necessarily need.

The AOD cross member is about 2 inches too long which is perfect for me to cut down to work on the '67.

Next I will be looking for a new crank pulley and trying to figure out how to make a reverse flow water pump work on an older 351w.

This was all the stuff I was looking for.

Spent most of the day cleaning an painting.

This jewel would have set me back $50.  Cost $0

Nothing water, sand, and paint can't fix.

After cleaning I realize the crank pulley had a huge dent in it. 

This stuff wasn't necessary but cost me $75.  Maybe I can sell it on Ebay

Testing some plastic paint for the sun visors.

Got this in the mail for the oil drain that pours on to the cross member.

The next saga will be solving the revers flow water pump on a forward flow timing cover.

Pillage and Plunder

Most of today was spent at the junk yard.  Out of all the 1987 to 1991 F150 and 250's we only found one with a 351 windsor in it.  That's 5.8 liter for you metric folks.  Thank goodness Doug attended the event because I ended finding just about everything I was looking for:

AOD Block and Inspection Plate.

AOD Yoke

AOD Cross Member

A serpentine drive system with pulley's, brackets and all the do dad's.

Clutch fan to match

It took us about 2.5 hours to get it all to the counter and after a long debate over a broken power steering pump I wasn't going to pay for, we spent another 45 minutes checking out.  

Earlier in the week I managed to get the fire wall cover permanently mounted and secured the dash pad with its 13 nuts.

To secure the fire wall cover I used elevator bolts I found at Lowes

The washer nut came from Lowes as well and a little silicone waterproofed the hole.

Long Day, All Day.

I have been running for 30 minutes with a neighbor at 4:45 am three days a week.  Sounds insane BUT when you get back to the house at 5:15, cool off and get some coffee, things start happening.  This morning before work I got the brake lines double checked and the fire wall cover secured.  Went to work did a dandy job there to come home an find my wife ready to hang out in the garage because it was cool out.  So the driver side interior vent was installed and we bled the brakes.  One connection it being difficult but the brakes do work. Not bad for a Tuesday.

Ready to Receive

This was a big day.  The morning was spent putting in the brake lines from the master cylinder to the connections at the frame.  A cool front had apparently come through the night before 'cause the temperature was only 104 at 1:00, in the garage shaded by a tree.  Yesterday it hit 108.

About 2:30 Doug came over and we started disconnecting the donor trucks motor.  I was really concerned about how the engine perches were going to fit.  The previous owner had the motor sitting in kind of sideways and had drilled some holes that weren't factory.  The whole motor and tranny was torqued to the passenger side.  My guess was that they had done this for the headers to clear the bendix style power steering box on the drivers side. 

We pulled the front end off (thank goodness) and wrestled the 351w out of it's nest.  The engine perches were removed and installed in the '67.  The 351w not only slipped right in, it fit great and looks like a factory install.  Time from start to finish, 3 hours.

Getting the front end off was a big help.

Sharky keeping his eyes on invading squirrels 

Break time.  It was damn hot!

Yea, I picked that engine up and moved it.

Brake lines were the morning project.

The passenger side of the headers gets in to the frame.

Doesn't look like much clearance, but there is plenty of room.