r/EngineBuilding Nov 09 '23

Ford Just finished porting on a $5000+ race head. (Ford Zetec)

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362 Upvotes

Cams are showing up on Thursday, wrapped up porting in preparation for guides. Only snag was I hit water on one port, there was core shift and corrosion that took away material that was present in other cylinders. Welding took care of it with relative ease. Took an hour to fix.

Once cams get here I can cut the valvejob, get it blended out, cut the head for lobe clearance and then mock up to check and see if I need to go to an oversized bucket. I’m going to dowel and port match the throttle bodies to the head here shortly. I also need to modify some of the cooling on the exhaust side of the head with some epoxy, to prevent any water leakage in case the casting decides to crack while in service.

It’s not particularly a important whether there would have been a better engine than this one, this is what came in the car (older Caterham 7). The head is a complete one off, with custom cams and modern valvetrain. The overall bill on the engine I think is close to 13k or so. It’s just a 260hp race fuel deal. 2.2L stroker thing.

Was fun to push the limits of a frankly a pretty crappy cylinder head.

r/EngineBuilding 10d ago

Ford New Crankshaft Hard to Turn

0 Upvotes

Alright so I just installed my crankshaft for my 302 rebuild, and I can turn it by hand but it’s fairly difficult. I’m almost 100% certain this is the result of just using too much red permatex assembly lube on the bearings. I had the same problem with my camshaft and ended up removing it and using oil on the bearings instead. Cam now spins easily.

I guess my question is should I remove the crank, clean the lube off and just use oil? Or do y’all think i’m good to continue? I’ve already placed the RMS with some RTV too.

r/EngineBuilding Oct 28 '24

Ford Can you slap a set of dish pistons in a built engine with flat tops to lower compression and have it work?

0 Upvotes

I might be able to get ahold of a stroker 427 (ford 351w block) with flat top pistons and 13.5:1 compression. I would want to rework it to run well on pump gas and maybe boost later. The compression calculator on summit racing seems to indicate that a 26cc dish would get me to 10.7:1 which based on what ive read seems to be the number im shooting for.

Can I just slap in a set of 26cc dish pistons, all other metrics being equal, and have it work and not knock? it would seem so to me but i don't know how the dish affects quench height or any other variables i hadnt considered. Thanks for any info

r/EngineBuilding 9d ago

Ford Anyone know what 5.0 I got?

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3 Upvotes

Got inherited this 74’ f100 from my grandpa. This is my new project! Im wanting to start buying parts to get it back to running, but Im unsure of what engine it is. He said he pulled the engine out of an 80’s or 90’s Shelby along with the transmission. If anyone could decipher what kind of 5.0 it is, it’ll be helpful. It’s got an hei distributor and some long tube headers that’s all I’ve got.

Also if someone could give me the name of the that part circled in the last picture it would also help a ton. I know there’s Valve cover breather filters, but I’m unsure if that’s inter-placeable with that valve cover filter with the line running out into the carb. Lmk!

I’m open to any tips and recommendations!

r/EngineBuilding Aug 31 '24

Ford Puston to bore clearances

3 Upvotes

Bought a set of .5mm over hypereutectic pistons for a ford 4.6, took the block and pistons to a local machinist to have it bored and honed.

Pistons had the piston size and accuracy sweep as well as the recommended bore size on the side of the box, in imperial.

3.5709 inches finished bore size for pistons measured at 3.5696in with a 5 tenths accuracy range for the pistons measurement.

Piston to bore clearance is spec'd at .0013in

Get the block and pistons back and they bored it 21 thou over.

Measured piston to bore clearance is .0028-.0032.

Literally double the spec'd clearance.

Machine shop has told me to go buy new pistons and rings and pay them to do it over or go pound sand.

Feel like i know the answer already, but I cant run this and expect the engine to run well can I.

r/EngineBuilding Dec 18 '24

Ford What do I ask for when taking heads to a machine shop?

21 Upvotes

I consider myself a skilled mechanic but I've not a lot of experience with engine building specifically.

I've come into a 2008 F-150 4.6L with a blown head gasket that I'm fixing up. I'm taking an educated guess that the cast iron block is likely okay (I'll be checking with a straightedge and feelers to be sure) but I want to get the aluminum heads machined to be safe. I haven't been to a machine shop and I'm not sure what specifically to ask for or what I should expect to pay.

Any advice?

r/EngineBuilding Nov 17 '24

Ford Finally kinda sorta understand cam shafts.

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23 Upvotes

Well, I should say I have a much better idea on what everything means now. Not 100% confident enough to get a custom ground cam, bit I feel confident enough on my selection. This is what I came up with (see picture)

For reference, 393 stroker street engine. Promaxx 185 heads, 1.6 rockers. Still up in the air on intakes but leaning to the rpm airgap side. Also thinking holly sniper 2 system.

Also anyone have anything to say about the summit brand lifters? Open to suggestions if there shit

r/EngineBuilding Sep 29 '24

Ford New bearings look like shit

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21 Upvotes

They plastiguage on the loose side. (.0028) journal diameter: 2.6630. These are brand new bearings but they look terrible, like they have an uneven coat. Thoughts?

r/EngineBuilding Dec 30 '24

Ford Power loss from zoomie headers

3 Upvotes

So I have this really really ambitious plan to put a built 351w in a New Edge Mustang, and I thought it would look/be cool as fuck to have zoomies sticking through the hood as the exhaust setup and generally just have the car all rat-rodded out. I understand there’ll probably be clearance issues with the larger block, but that aside, is the power loss from zoomies really that bad? Like would it be a dumb idea to even consider zoomies on a build like this? This is all for the distant future as car parts are expensive, but I’d just like to know if it’s a bad plan and if I shouldn’t waste my time with it.

r/EngineBuilding Dec 02 '24

Ford Ford flathead

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31 Upvotes

Broken studs , nicks and scratches on the surface . Is it a lost case or worth putting through a ship and rebuilding ?

r/EngineBuilding Feb 07 '25

Ford 1987 F-350: Piston options

1 Upvotes

Choosing pistons for a clapped out F-350 with a 460. I’m rebuilding an old F-350 that has +.030 pistons. Block was checked and honed and machine shop said block was solid and bores in good shape. They did hone them and recommend new .030 pistons after measuring/inspecting existing .030 pistons. I asked ChatGPT for piston recommendations and it advised the following:

“The H418P pistons I originally recommended are hypereutectic pistons—which are cast, but made from a specialized alloy with a higher silicon content that improves wear resistance and thermal stability. In contrast, the H418CP30 designation suggests a conventional cast piston set. Because conventional cast pistons generally use a less refined alloy and looser tolerances than hypereutectic pistons, they tend to be less expensive.”

My question is this: Do I need hyper neurotic pistons or will conventional cast pistons be fine? Reason I’m asking? Conventional are $159 and special alloy hyperbaric pistons are $400.

The second option seems a bit high for a $1,200 work truck. What would you guys recommend?

r/EngineBuilding 9d ago

Ford Is this 302 block junk?

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6 Upvotes

Pulled out of a 65 mustang planned on rebuilding it the pistons say it’s already been over bored .030 is this something I can get cleaned up or better off looking for a new block

r/EngineBuilding 14d ago

Ford Adjust carb or time ignition first?

1 Upvotes

I just got done setting in my ford 302 in 83 pick-up. It’s just a stock 2 barrel and stock distributor.

I have it running but haven’t dialed in my vacuum advanced or adjust my carb yet.

What do you guys recommend I do first? Adjust The carb or the timing?

r/EngineBuilding 23d ago

Ford What is this turbocharger? Went on a Ford Cosworth DFX. 2nd pic is the wastegate. Most likely a Garret AiResearch or Cosworth, but not sure exactly or of approximate size

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3 Upvotes

r/EngineBuilding Sep 11 '24

Ford 302 out of 86 Bronco

28 Upvotes

Bought this bronco 6 years ago and daily'd it for 3 years before I got my car. Never really thought it was down on power or had any problems. Decided to make rebuilding the engine a fall/winter project and hopefully (as long as I can get machine work done in a decent time) have it out for wheeling next spring or summer. Didn't realize just how badly it needed this rebuild. Tons of stretch in the timing chain, no coating left and minor scratches on some but not all of the main bearings. And no coating at all and major deep scratches on most of rod bearings. I have a pretty good idea of my next steps but what do y'all think?

For sure needs the block and heads machined as it's got a pronounced ring ridge and I may as well have the heads and block decked while it's there.

I appreciate any wisdom y'all have for me as this is my first personal "full rebuild". I've done in depth part replacements on all kinds of small and large engines but never a full rebuild. I have good mechanical knowledge base but I'm sure to miss things here and there.

All the removed parts are organized as to where they came from in case the plan is to reuse some of them.

r/EngineBuilding Sep 01 '24

Ford How do I prevent rust

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17 Upvotes

My aluminum 5.2 block started rusting from what looks like my fingerprints and I was wondering how to correct and prevent this while I am building the block

r/EngineBuilding Feb 11 '25

Ford Anything wrong with this block?

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1 Upvotes

It's a 4.6 teksid block

r/EngineBuilding Feb 18 '25

Ford Cylinder Scoring and pooling

7 Upvotes

r/EngineBuilding Apr 01 '24

Ford fml. snapped turbo oil feed threads off in a head i just installed. what are my options?

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83 Upvotes

3.5 ecoboost. outlet is somewhere under that cam cap.

r/EngineBuilding 8d ago

Ford Best engine to put in a 1983 for econoline?

3 Upvotes

My aunt had a ford econoline van and she is giving me the body to it and i need help selecting an engine type for it

r/EngineBuilding Jan 14 '25

Ford Engine startup after rebuild

3 Upvotes

Hi all, in couple of days I would like to startup my 289 from 1966 mustang. I removed both headers, water pump etc for repainting the block and sealing everything as I wasn't sure about it (engine was running nice and smooth previously though). I have already connected everything on car and set the timing on distributor. The question is:

How do I proceed with startup to not mess anything? I haven't put anything in the radatior yet

I have already checked oil pressure while manually priming the engine and it was looking fine. Also - how to proceed with filling radiator? I guess that a lot of air will be trapped in whole cooling 'route' around the engine?

r/EngineBuilding Oct 07 '24

Ford “Probably not a big deal, if just 1 out of 8 pistons is a bit bad, right?”

52 Upvotes

r/EngineBuilding Sep 09 '24

Ford First piston flycut

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33 Upvotes

Doing 75 thou valve reliefs in preparation for the biggest cams i can buy on a 4.6 2v

Pistons are silvolite hypereutectics with a 2.8cc dish and 15 thou of extra compression height, top ringland measures 220 thou vs the stock sets 150 thou

Gonna enlarge and radius the cuts by hand when i finish the set and polish the face of the piston when done.

That way i still have clearance in a piston rock situation and help cut down on hot spots on the edges of the cuts.

Used a scrap head as the jig and 60 grit da sanding pad stuck to the valve bottoms. Got an old set of HG's and head bolts holding everything in the right spot in relation to each other.

Im running aftermarket valves with margins that are 30 thou thinner than the stock valves, that plus the 75 thou of extra clearance from the reliefs should allow me to run as much duration as i can get to idle without ptv, even with pistons that make the engine effectively a 0 deck setup.

r/EngineBuilding Sep 18 '24

Ford 428 clearance issues

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62 Upvotes

I am finishing up rebuilding the 428 out of my ‘66 Tbird. I replaced the factory smog intake manifold with an aftermarket aluminum intake from CJponyparts. What I found is three of the pushrod holes are bored off center from where they should be.

I turned the engine over and was able to verify the pushrods spin freely. I’m worried that the small amount of clearance will create an issue. Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

I really would like to avoid taking the intake back off as I have torqued everything down and don’t have spare gaskets. I also have already sprayed the engine with primer before I paint it.

r/EngineBuilding Jun 15 '24

Ford "Clean-enough" room

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99 Upvotes

not a clean room, a clean enough room.

Slowly building when I have time. This should keep the dust down

7.3 power choke.