Rod bolts are the weak point that is true. but the RPM not the Hp is basically the issue. normally 7200 is max but you are correct 360- 400 is about it. But that is a lot!!
First off i have several lowers. I am the 2.3 go to guy. I worked with FORD back in the day and repaired the issues with piston scuffing on early motors. Ford took my ROD design and used it as a recall and design change. Just posting my credentials on the 2.3 . I have built tuns of 2.3 Ford engines. Now no need for studs in an engine under 400WHP and under 24Lbs of boost. The stock replacement 6 point TTY bolts are the best by far other than studs for an all out build. We use the replacement Ford TTY bolts exclusively in my shop for street engines they are the best. No need for studs but if you want to go for them be my guest. Never reuse the 12 point stock bolts. With that i have a lower if you are interested. By the way did you have the exhaust seats checked for cracks. That is where they crack. You need to install STELITE SEATS in the exhaust only. And never use the oil cooler/ Wormer they leak coolant in the engine all the time. They do nothing. Remove the cooler and install an LF1 ford motorcraft filter and use MOBIL1 oil only. If you want the skinny on how to set that engine up feel free to ask me i have built many a mean 2.3 ford
My cars and trucks get HORRIBLE MILEAGE!!!! That is why they are SO COOL. I did not build them for economy. But my 630 Wheel Hp camaro gets 22 MPG all day at highway speeds That is 75 MPH. And it is a cool car
Problem is some cam journals were cut on the low side of speck on some 302 ford engines. So the replacement bearings are a bit tighter closing up the final clearances. Whenever a machine shop installs cam bearings they always want the can to check for proper clearances. This is with every engine as one does not know what the numbers will come out to be after the bearings are installed. If in fact they are to tight and it happens more times than not you have to shave them. What i do is install and try the cam after each time one is installed for clearance. Another words pick 2 and install them and try the cam for clearance. Then install another and so on and so forth till you have installed all of them and the cam is clearances correctly This way you are not fighting to find out which one is to tight. Doing it this way can solve a lot of issues with tight cam bearings. What i meant by a novice is someone that does not do it like once a month or once a week. Some people only install bearings once in thee lives or twice . Sorry for poor choice of words. But CAM bearings either go 2 ways a breeze or a nightmare. You have to have the tool. No question about that. Also the bearings are set to specific locations in many engines make sure you follow the procedure. Good luck
The small ford does not have a timing chain issue. It has enough lubrication stock. But you can drill out one of the gallie plugs for more oil spray. use app a .060 drill. As far as cam bearings they will have to be installed with the proper tool and sometimes sized for clearance. Not something a novics should be doing. But as they say you have to start sometime. Good luck. But i would have them changed by a professional
Here is the car we did it and it wins at every show it goes to. It is beautiful. The owner regrets that he did not let me do the wiring. Thank God he caught it in time
You dont have to tell me about it. i know from many years of experience. Still want an AMMETER???? We did this car a few years ago. And the customer wired it. OOPS!!!! Almost lost the car from a shorted alternator. never eliminate fuse links!! Note the heavy ammeter wiring. Chrysler uses a shunt meter in these early cars
But the TC is wired differently??? Your print is exactly what i said and how it should be hooked up. Not like the TC print whuich is rediculous. You need top monitor all the in and out current through the shunt. Bottom line is the ammeter is useless anyway. It should work for estedics i agree with that. but as a monitoring device it sucks big time
Ok here is my take on this. The ford engineers wanted an ammeter on the 2.3 so they went cheap and dirty. The meter is in parallel with the A terminal which does not see enough accessory or vehicle load. hence it does not work or works like shiznit. Installing the meter terminals like across the alt and the feed to the ignition switch would work. This way the meter shunt will see in and out loads and charging rates. A simple set of wires from the ammeter to these locations will be my bet to get it to work much better. But you will have to experiment to how much wire you need or should i say the point of connection to engineer the shunt length. I am willing to bet alt and ignition switch has the most drop and will allow the meter to work properly. Where it is right now is useless because it does not see all the loads of the vehicle only alt reference.
Note you will have to extend only the meter coil portion of the gauge to these locations. And leave the A terminal wiring. I would bridge it at the battery side of the solenoid and or the alt big lug to see if that works and ignition switch and it will work better but you will have to try different points in the circuit to get the deflection you desire on the gauge. But the alt charges through the connection at the solenoid so that is an issue. That lead would have to be moved past the solenoid and closer to the ignition switch. Bottom line again is to forget the ammeter and install a voltmeter case closed. You need to get the meter in parallel with in and out loads and the solenoid and ignition switch feed. No need for cutting either as the meter coil is all you need and some 18gauge wire to the gauge coil just might be the best place. You will have to experiment. Maybe from the battery + side to the ignition switch. Some experimenting is needed. You can use an old dash if available with 2 leads soldered to the back of the ammeter as a test.
Bottom line an ammeter has to see in and out loads. So pick a spot and experiment. I will stick with a voltmeter and keep my headache at a minimum. I have other fish to FRY
By the way as J points out the shunt is between the ALT and starter solenoid. I will take his word for that as i never looked at the print. But if so that is a dead giveaway that the AMMETER is useless. reason being it does not monitor the full load of charge and discharge if i am thinking correctly
