"New" engine, many questions.

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"New" engine, many questions.

Reply #15 – January 10, 2011, 02:04:32 AM

I looked everywhere, high and low. The number simply isn't on there. Looks like I will have to remove the intake to find out what heads are on it. Not worth the trouble for me at this point. I don't plan any aggressive upgrades, but it would have been nice to know whether or not I got my money's worth...

While searching for numbers, I did discover an interesting gap where the intake meets the head on the driver's side. Should this be a concern?

"New" engine, many questions.

Reply #16 – January 10, 2011, 02:27:54 AM

The gap I am talking about looks like it might be this hole on the attached sample image. What exactly is this and does it matter if it isn't sealed off?

"New" engine, many questions.

Reply #17 – January 10, 2011, 08:37:53 AM

not sure, it is over top the egr port though. appears to have a freeze plug in your example.

"New" engine, many questions.

Reply #18 – January 11, 2011, 04:50:58 AM

I just considered another possible issue. I plan on using a mechanical fuel pump, and there is a plate bolted on where the pump would go. I assume I can just remove the plate and install a pump, BUT if it is in fact equipped with a roller cam, will it have a lobe to actuate the fuel pump? Also, will the pump installed in my 255 swap over neatly since the fuel demands of a 4 barrel and 2 barrel are different? I normally wouldn't care, but the pump in the 255 is nearly new and If i can use it, I will.

"New" engine, many questions.

Reply #19 – January 11, 2011, 07:11:53 AM

The fuel pump eccentric bolts to the end of the cam. My 88 had one even though the timing cover wasn't drilled for it. It should be there but double check anyway.

"New" engine, many questions.

Reply #20 – January 11, 2011, 02:41:26 PM

If not, you can find the fuel pump eccentrics everywhere, I even have several here from old engines. If you can't find one, I'll mail you one of mine. No worries.

"New" engine, many questions.

Reply #21 – January 12, 2011, 01:45:25 AM

remove the cover and feel look for the lobe.
my blue racer cam has a spining Bell instead of a lobe but either get the same job done.

the 3.8L is even provisioned for this but case molded to block off the option even though all of thier cams are provisioned to drive an external pump.

"New" engine, many questions.

Reply #22 – January 12, 2011, 03:56:28 AM

So on the v8's it isn't driven specifically by the cam, but by a bolt-on part. I can deal with that. Is there a huge difference in fuel pumps between vehicles equipped with 2 and 4 barrel carburetors? Like I said, ideally I would like to reuse the near new pump from the boat anchor of an engine currently installed in the car.

I would also like some input on my recent purchase - a carburetor on ebay for 30 bucks. It is basically the same carb that came OEM on the mustang engine (Holley 4180c, motorcraft branded). Mustangs in 83 did not come equipped with AOD transmissions, so the one I bought is from a van that was. I am hoping that the studs will match up seamlessly with my TV rod for the AOD I am going to use. It should work, correct? For 30 bucks, it is obviously going to need to be rebuilt, and that is no big deal for me. I just need to know what kit to buy. Is the kit going to be the same regardless of what vehicle the carb came from?

Thanks to everyone who has shared their input thus far. I really appreciate it :D

"New" engine, many questions.

Reply #23 – January 12, 2011, 04:40:49 AM

The fuel pump won't care whether it's feeding 2 holes or four. :-)
If it gets to the point where you'd need more fuel volume, you could go to an inline electric pump and dial it down as needed with an adjustable regulator, but even for a mildly built engine, that wouldn't be needed.

"New" engine, many questions.

Reply #24 – January 12, 2011, 05:02:54 AM

Quote from: ThunderbirdSport302;349411

The fuel pump won't care whether it's feeding 2 holes or four. :-)
If it gets to the point where you'd need more fuel volume, you could go to an inline electric pump and dial it down as needed with an adjustable regulator, but even for a mildly built engine, that wouldn't be needed.

Yes, I was concerned about volume and wasn't sure if the pump could keep up. It will be a very mild build (for now). The aod and rear are not built up enough for high performance. I just want to be able to pass on the highway at more than a leisurely pace.

"New" engine, many questions.

Reply #25 – January 12, 2011, 10:11:34 PM

i kinda disagree, you can try out your existing pump to get it running but the high volume pumps are worth it in carb applications.

not sure what you mean by a bolt on part of the lobe that drives the fuel pump. on the cam,, there will be a circle directly in line of the fuel pump opening. thats where the arm of the mechanical fuel pump rides.

you can take off the valve covers and remove spark plug 1.
get your harmonic on zero TDC and verify number one piston is up top,,and,,, both rocker arms on number 1 are loose.

follow your firing order based on rocker arm movement to figure out if its an ho or so firing order.
just use the exahust valve moment as your reference as they will be the items that will move in order of the firing.
just thought id toss that out there since you asked earlier how to tell if its an ho or so cam.

"New" engine, many questions.

Reply #26 – January 13, 2011, 01:20:55 AM

Quote from: jcassity;349501

i kinda disagree, you can try out your existing pump to get it running but the high volume pumps are worth it in carb applications.

not sure what you mean by a bolt on part of the lobe that drives the fuel pump. on the cam,, there will be a circle directly in line of the fuel pump opening. thats where the arm of the mechanical fuel pump rides.

you can take off the valve covers and remove spark plug 1.
get your harmonic on zero TDC and verify number one piston is up top,,and,,, both rocker arms on number 1 are loose.

follow your firing order based on rocker arm movement to figure out if its an ho or so firing order.
just use the exahust valve moment as your reference as they will be the items that will move in order of the firing.
just thought id toss that out there since you asked earlier how to tell if its an ho or so cam.

Okay, makes sense now, thanks. I will try to figure out the firing order when it isn't so cold outside. The more I research I do, the more issues I uncover... I suppose this goes with the territory of being my first engine swap.

In doing some prep work today, I noticed that a couple of teeth are chipped on the flywheel. I have read that these engines are balanced externally and the balancer and flywheel are matched to the crank. Is that correct? Will I be able to reuse the flywheel from the 255 since it isn't damaged, or will that throw off the balance? If I can't use that flywheel, would I be able to get one from a salvage yard that will roughly match what I need?

"New" engine, many questions.

Reply #27 – January 25, 2011, 04:47:03 AM

Out with the old!

I did a decent amount of research on flexplates/flywheels and I found some good information to pass along if anyone else runs across the same issues. Correct me if I am mistaken...

-Pre-1981 302's and all 351w use a 28 oz balance

-The 255 has a balance offset of 50 oz, the same as 81 and later 302's.

-In my case, the AOD torque converter requires the use of a 164 tooth flexplate. NOT the 157 tooth that my engine came with (attached c4 used this size).

Hopefully next week I will have everything in and ready to fire up. The next issue will be figuring out how to get the carburetor that I rebuilt to cooperate with the AOD tv rod. It appears as though there is a provision on the linkage for a kickdown cable of some sort and I don't know if that will be compatible with the tv rod. The stud is positioned differently than the original so I don't know if it will work.

"New" engine, many questions.

Reply #28 – January 25, 2011, 04:32:56 PM

You can get alittle bit of money out of that 255 crank in the right circles. It is the same setup as a 302, but is much lighter. The factory stock motored guys really like those cranks.

"New" engine, many questions.

Reply #29 – January 25, 2011, 04:48:54 PM

If it's wired now non ho, I doubt someone would change the firing order to mess with your head. You say it's rebuilt, that could mean anything. might have some good parts in it. I would be real surprised if it was a roller block. I see it had headers on it, what carb was on it? 2-4 stock or ?