Ross Nicol
GT40s Supporter
Ross is back
Well I wonder if anyone missed me, haven't been around here for a while. My track exploits came to a grinding halt 2 years ago when my 2nd string motor allowed it's crank to become 2 parts instead of 1. Since then I have converted the Subaru to electric and have the Pantera restoration well advanced. Earlier this year though the licensing authority decided to allow us to drive our club permitted cars for 90 days a year on the road. Great I thought I'll get a stock 302 from a late model Falcon AU and whip it into the 40 and off we go. Well as your'e about to read the whole process turned into a debacle. Read on.
Found suitable engine on ebay for $1500 included all EFI manifold/throttle body/sensors and computer owner claiming low milage 180,000km. So one saturday afternoon off I drove 2hours north of Melbourne to pick it up.
The engine looked in pretty good condition but the owner couldn't run it as it was out of the car, didn't fill me with confidence when he disclosed the car had been stolen and trashed, however you have to have faith.
Now at this point I was hoping to fit the complete engine with stock computer/loom etc but my hopes were dashed after a trial fit in the car. There was no way that massive manifold was going to fit, and allow the the rear clip to close. Ok then rip all the intake stuff off the top. Next stage remove power steering pump, alternator and huge alloy brackets off the front of the motor. all this stuff was driven by a single flat belt and the water pump (reverse rotation) as well. Now the engine was transformed looking like a kitten that had just fallen into a bath tub, but with a look that I am used to seeing. At this stage I realized it was too hard to keep the flat belt so off with the reverse water pump in favour of my Ford Racing Vbelt model. But oh no! the pump is not compatible with the front cover ok off with the front cover and fit an older style one I just happen to have (lucky). During this process I found the rubber in the harmonic balancer/damper 1/2 way out of it's position. Found a 50oz damper I just happend to have lying around. (Aren't I lucky to have these parts from earlier blow ups). Ok fit the timing cover and damper now do a quick check of valve timing, damn where's the pointer on the cover, oh thats right the original one got mangled when the crank broke and the cover I've just replaced has one that won't fit, great!!! Ok made up a pointer and found top dead centre to make the pointer accurate. End result front dress and water pump from my blown up race motor, good should work.
Now even though my car is fitted with Motec for some reason I decided I would try a Holley so I purchased a dual plane manifold and Holley clone from ebay for $520 (seemed a bargain) except the Holley was a clone. Also purchased a dizzy for $85. I fitted the manifold and carb but wasn't happy with the cheap dizzy so invested in an MSD unit but ended up having to file the thermostat neck on the manifold for it to fit down properly
I fitted the whole lot up to my solid engine frame timed it connected fuel and tried to fire it. Well lots of flames from both ends and not sounding good. So Not having had any experience with Holleys I put the problems down to the carb.At this stage I did a compression test and there was a low cylinder. The 2nd attempt at running didn't turn out well either so I fed compressed air into the spark plug holes to check for leaks and sure enough 2 cyls leaking back through inlet. So off with the heads and to the head man for a valve job. All back together for a third attempt but now I managed to get hold of an Edelbrock efi manifold so I now fitted the engine into the car to run the Motec. Same trouble again so now I'm very suspicious of the timing so out comes the engine again and off with the front cover which showed there was no problem with the valve timing and as I was quickly approaching the end of my tether I remember the day I bought the motor I had also purchased a workshop manual which was at home. Ring Cheryl (wife) can you find the manual (yes) could you look in the ignition section please (yes) Can you read out the firing order please (yes 1-3-7 etc) @#$%%^& well if you could only have heard the bad language on my end of the phone. I had assumed the firing order to be the standard 1-5-4 etc but apparently Ford had changed the Firing order for the final five years they manufactured the Windsor 302. Needless to say the engine is running very sweet now, so watch out for Ford and their Firing order. I hope I don't get caught again.
Cheers
Ross is Back:thumbsup:
Well I wonder if anyone missed me, haven't been around here for a while. My track exploits came to a grinding halt 2 years ago when my 2nd string motor allowed it's crank to become 2 parts instead of 1. Since then I have converted the Subaru to electric and have the Pantera restoration well advanced. Earlier this year though the licensing authority decided to allow us to drive our club permitted cars for 90 days a year on the road. Great I thought I'll get a stock 302 from a late model Falcon AU and whip it into the 40 and off we go. Well as your'e about to read the whole process turned into a debacle. Read on.
Found suitable engine on ebay for $1500 included all EFI manifold/throttle body/sensors and computer owner claiming low milage 180,000km. So one saturday afternoon off I drove 2hours north of Melbourne to pick it up.
The engine looked in pretty good condition but the owner couldn't run it as it was out of the car, didn't fill me with confidence when he disclosed the car had been stolen and trashed, however you have to have faith.
Now at this point I was hoping to fit the complete engine with stock computer/loom etc but my hopes were dashed after a trial fit in the car. There was no way that massive manifold was going to fit, and allow the the rear clip to close. Ok then rip all the intake stuff off the top. Next stage remove power steering pump, alternator and huge alloy brackets off the front of the motor. all this stuff was driven by a single flat belt and the water pump (reverse rotation) as well. Now the engine was transformed looking like a kitten that had just fallen into a bath tub, but with a look that I am used to seeing. At this stage I realized it was too hard to keep the flat belt so off with the reverse water pump in favour of my Ford Racing Vbelt model. But oh no! the pump is not compatible with the front cover ok off with the front cover and fit an older style one I just happen to have (lucky). During this process I found the rubber in the harmonic balancer/damper 1/2 way out of it's position. Found a 50oz damper I just happend to have lying around. (Aren't I lucky to have these parts from earlier blow ups). Ok fit the timing cover and damper now do a quick check of valve timing, damn where's the pointer on the cover, oh thats right the original one got mangled when the crank broke and the cover I've just replaced has one that won't fit, great!!! Ok made up a pointer and found top dead centre to make the pointer accurate. End result front dress and water pump from my blown up race motor, good should work.
Now even though my car is fitted with Motec for some reason I decided I would try a Holley so I purchased a dual plane manifold and Holley clone from ebay for $520 (seemed a bargain) except the Holley was a clone. Also purchased a dizzy for $85. I fitted the manifold and carb but wasn't happy with the cheap dizzy so invested in an MSD unit but ended up having to file the thermostat neck on the manifold for it to fit down properly
I fitted the whole lot up to my solid engine frame timed it connected fuel and tried to fire it. Well lots of flames from both ends and not sounding good. So Not having had any experience with Holleys I put the problems down to the carb.At this stage I did a compression test and there was a low cylinder. The 2nd attempt at running didn't turn out well either so I fed compressed air into the spark plug holes to check for leaks and sure enough 2 cyls leaking back through inlet. So off with the heads and to the head man for a valve job. All back together for a third attempt but now I managed to get hold of an Edelbrock efi manifold so I now fitted the engine into the car to run the Motec. Same trouble again so now I'm very suspicious of the timing so out comes the engine again and off with the front cover which showed there was no problem with the valve timing and as I was quickly approaching the end of my tether I remember the day I bought the motor I had also purchased a workshop manual which was at home. Ring Cheryl (wife) can you find the manual (yes) could you look in the ignition section please (yes) Can you read out the firing order please (yes 1-3-7 etc) @#$%%^& well if you could only have heard the bad language on my end of the phone. I had assumed the firing order to be the standard 1-5-4 etc but apparently Ford had changed the Firing order for the final five years they manufactured the Windsor 302. Needless to say the engine is running very sweet now, so watch out for Ford and their Firing order. I hope I don't get caught again.
Cheers
Ross is Back:thumbsup:
