assembly tips needed for SBF

[jydog2]

Im finally getting around to putting a car together and since I don't have tons of experience like you guys have I would appreciate any tips on getting an engine to hold together and pitfalls to avoid. Stuff like putting rtv silicon on header bolts to keep them in place. Specifcally low buck common sense stuff and what brands and parts you have had the best experience with. I want to sift through all of the marketing bs and use parts that work! This would be for 90% street 10% track.

what head gastets to use? where to use rtv sealant and not to. can i use stock valve covers on pedistal mount afr heads? what torqe specs do you use? anything you want to contrubute is fine with me. I'm here to learn.

[Bill Wolf]

Pick yourself up a Hayne's or Chilton's manual on your year of car and follow along with that . If you say it's 90% on the street it will lead you in the right direction .

Good luck with you're project .

[Patch]

Stuff like putting rtv silicon on header bolts to keep them in place If you do this....I will personally drive down and put my thumb in your eye!

[jydog2]

Yea, I've got one of each. Im looking for the stuff they don't tell you in those books. I have some experience. I just don't do this every day. I work on computers. I currently have two projects :

306 with eagle rods DSS flatops and AFR185's with edelbrock performer intake. I have a 300 NOS plate kit for it.

2nd project is a roller 393 with 70cc vic jr heads scat internals not assembled yet. just need to get it balanced.

[jydog2]

Hmmm, wicked fairlane think i read that one from someone on this board. What do you suggest? the $60 stage 8 fastners?

[WIKDLX]

if your assembling a motor from the bottom up, you need help on the first one. if your just doing heads and intake, you can probably do it yourself.
as far as RTV on bolts go, only on the lower HEAD bolts because they go through to the water jackets.

[mike460]

Hmmm, wicked fairlane think i read that one from someone on this board. What do you suggest? the $60 stage 8 fastners?

Nope, just use good gaskets on the headers and re TORQUE them after the first time driving the car around and then letting it cool completely. Don't wail on them with a big long cheater bar thinking that tighter = better for headers, that usually makes it worse.

[mike460]

Oh and keep wherever you are doing this clean as possible.

[mike460]

And I just noticed you were in Griffin, so don't make the mistake of using Frank's Head Service over off of 16 right outside of town. Heard one too many horror stories.

[Patch]

Ditto on the RTV for lower head bolts. Header bolts, Medium strength thread locker atleast, red or blue. For the absolute best in leak free exhaust gaskets use either aluminum or copper, yes they're more but you won't have to deal with them ever and you can re-use them. Head Gaskets I would recommend Ford's M6051A50 kit, $95 comes with head bolts, too. Don't cheap out on gaskets is one recommendation from me.

[jydog2]

mike460, allready made that mistake once. Im using dixie machineshop out of mcdonough now or scotts out of fayettville. Thanks wfairlane. Thats the stuff Im looking for.

[Patch]

Well just a testimonial on those particular head gaskets, We have a 3900lb 1970 Mustang convertible, 302cid 10:1 motor with a 13lb boost pulley. Ran 13lbs for 90 second on a high speed run. Still laying drag to this day. Ford recommend them for supercharged applications so they'll hold up just fine for ya. The motor is nothing super extreme at all but I'm just using it as an example.

[Gone In 5 Seconds]

There is a square side, and a chamfered side on the connecting rods. Make sure the chamfer side of the rods are against the crank, and not each other.

[ChrisVande]

If you do use a book. Buy the one by Tom Monroe.

http://www.amazon.com/How-Rebuild-Small-Block-Ford-Engines/dp/0912656891/ref=pd_bbs_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1195238270&sr=8-1

[jydog2]

Well, there are two mistakes I might have allready made. RTV on the lower head bolts and the chamferd side of the connecting rods. I wish I would have posted this earlier. Quick50stng, I put that book on my christmass list. Wicked fairlane thanks for the gasket recommendations are these for an iron headed engine or aluminum? or does it matter?
What clutch does everyone recommend for a street strip car?

[Gone In 5 Seconds]

mike460, allready made that mistake once. Im using dixie machineshop out of mcdonough now or scotts out of fayettville. Thanks wfairlane. Thats the stuff Im looking for.I wouldn't use Scotts. Go with dixie if you aren't in a big hurry.

[jydog2]

Is dixie good for balancing?

[Gone In 5 Seconds]

Is dixie good for balancing? Yeah, they are good for everything, just don't tell them you aren't in a hurry.

[331coupered]

listen to gone in 5 scotts sucks I know of 2 or 3 motors that they have fucked up using the wrong shit, use dixie or proline

[pro306]

the best stuff for head bolts is arp molly lube or equivalent they make a tefflon based lube for bolts that penetrate water jackets. thread locker can sometimes cause problems disassembling

[BlueOvalBoy]

Heres my 2 cents and not to step on toes.

As far as bolts any bolt that goes in a water jacket( lower headbolts,and some waterpump bolts) I like ARP teflon sealer. If you are using a 300 plate kit I would go with ARP Head bolts or studs the torque specs come with all ARP bolts . Using nitrous or a blower most shops like to put another 20 ftlbs of torque on head bolts above specs. Exhaust gaskets I have had bad luck with copper(leaking and getting to plugs) I like felpro #1450 never had a problem, use good bolts on headers no RTV ARP has great bolts I think they are worth the money. Intake gaskets dont use the front and back pieces that come with the kit use gray RTV on front and back of block. Oil pan gasket use a one piece gasket and use a dab of RTV on the tits at the rearmain and front cover.

[Patch]

are these for an iron headed engine or aluminum? or does it matter?
What clutch does everyone recommend for a street strip car? Doesn't matter what material the heads are. Street strip car? Spec stage 3 or equivelant from Ram Clutches which I think is an HDX or something?

[jydog2]

Great, I just picked up a spec stage 3 today. what flywheel would you recommend for the street? I keep hearing not to run a lightned flywheel. Has anyone ever run a CAT billett flywheel? they are supposed to be SFI approved.

[coupe performance]

Yea, I've got one of each. Im looking for the stuff they don't tell you in those books. I have some experience. I just don't do this every day. I work on computers. I currently have two projects :

306 with eagle rods DSS flatops and AFR185's with edelbrock performer intake. I have a 300 NOS plate kit for it.

2nd project is a roller 393 with 70cc vic jr heads scat internals not assembled yet. just need to get it balanced.


WOW! good luck with hitting it with a single 300. Last time I bumped 175 through a 302, pieces of pistons flew out!LOL.

[BlueOvalBoy]

WOW! good luck with hitting it with a single 300. Last time I bumped 175 through a 302, pieces of pistons flew out!LOL.





Does seem a 300 to be a lot good thing he has all these building tips so he wont have to ask next time:D

although seems there was a guy Dewayne something i think was putting 250 or 275 on stock 302 short block for a good while.

[qkjuicedpony]

I tried 300 on a stock motor.......ONCE:D

[BlueOvalBoy]

I tried 300 on a stock motor.......ONCE:D



Look on the bright side you learned a lesson, most people dont!

[qkjuicedpony]

who said anything about learning???


:D

[Patch]

who said anything about learning???


:D:rofl3: Ever been accused of being intelligent?!

[jydog2]

The 300 is just because it is a wet kit for an edelbrock efi intake and a good deal not that I would try it on my 306. Scott if you blew the pistions throught one of your engines at 175 I know I wont be going anywhere near that until Im ready to get rid of that engine. If I ever get one of these engines in my mustang I'll head over to your place and rent that dyno of yours.

[jydog2]

The 306

[jydog2]

The 393. This is the one Im really asking all of the questions about the 306 is mostly together.

[SilverHemi]

Great, I just picked up a spec stage 3 today. what flywheel would you recommend for the street? I keep hearing not to run a lightned flywheel. Has anyone ever run a CAT billett flywheel? they are supposed to be SFI approved.


CAT= Chinese Automotive Technology.

They don't have to follow specs over seas...the build to meet given dimensions only. Get a GOOD billett flywheel so you don't get your legs cut off. There are plenty of good ones out there.

[BlueOvalBoy]

who said anything about learning???


:D



I was going off the (ONCE) so you just havent had the opertunity to try it again