What's this loud tapping sound from my new engine?

[robroy]

I started reading the Christ book today and LOVE it! What a tremendous book for anybody interested in FEs!

As a future project, I would love to rebuild my worn out old 360 (the engine that I pulled from #50 in the first place). Since that's a low performance engine, I'm guessing that it would be less critical to be super experienced while rebuilding it. Of course I'd probably want to turn it in to a 390, but wouldn't be putting major dollars in to upgrade parts for it.

Thanks again for recommending this fascinating book!
Robroy

[Ranchero50]

Yellow steelies with hub caps perchance? Mine are currently black and want to do them in blue next time I spread some paint.

I think the flag effect would look cool if you could find someone to air brush it or plastic wrap it in a wavy banner effect.

Jamie

[george worley]

Robroy I probably missed this along the way but what does #50 stand for in your avatar?

[sideoilerfe]

Sounds like you learned an expensive lesson. I hope the "new" new engine works out. Since you've got nothing to loose now with Performance Unlimited, you should shoot them an email with a link to this thread. I realize that the windage tray was your fault however there is a lot of unprofessional work done on their end. Perhaps when they realize the large number of readers that have just blacklisted their company from potential future business, maybe they might be more inclined to perform more professional work to paying customers. The mixing of the grade 5 and grade 8 bolts, the spray paint, the fact that they didn't machine the exhaust side of the head is unacceptable.

Good luck with the new engine. I know you'll keep us posted!

[DuckRyder]

Yep, that is going to look cool, yellow would certainly go with that (as would black) and by all means do it the color you want!!! I was 75% joking, I didn't really expect you to change the color .

The seat is cool, I guess my "loud" color is Lime, like Kawasaki Green, I had a ZX7R we called "not afraid to be green, green".

Katherine already calls the F100 "smurf truck" and an "eyesore", probably would not go over well lime green...

[robroy]

Hey Jamie, George, SideOilerFE, and Robert, thanks for replying!

Yellow steelies with hub caps perchance? Mine are currently black and want to do them in blue next time I spread some paint.

That's a good idea! But I think I'm attached to the look of the Wimbledon White wheels with no caps. I'll bet your blue wheels will look most excellent!

I think the flag effect would look cool if you could find someone to air brush it or plastic wrap it in a wavy banner effect.

Good idea! Yeah I'm sure I'll be able to find somebody here in Salinas to do the airbrushing, since Salinas is big on custom body work and paint! You should see the odd (and beautiful) stuff I see driving around here.

Robroy I probably missed this along the way but what does #50 stand for in your avatar?

Hey George! #50 is my truck's name. My first truck had been owned years before by a school district in Texas, and had "#40" painted on the door (the fleet number, I presume). When I got my next truck (they were both Bumpsides), I just bumped the number up to 50 to build humor and keep the trend going! Later in life, I had #60, #70, #80, #90, #100, and #110. But only #60, #70, and #110 remain (but they're not all Bumpsides).

Sounds like you learned an expensive lesson.

True, it can certainly be looked at that way! It all depends what it's related to. Since it maintains my positive attitude and keeps me rolling on the project, I choose to relate it to much more expensive lessons, like ruining the whole engine or personal injury!

And learn I have! Thanks to this event, I have a whole new set of criteria with which to evaluate engines and engine builders. Not only that, but I've learned more about engine internals, and got a copy of the excellent Christ book (which I'm already enjoying).

I hope the "new" new engine works out.

Indeed, it seems like it will!

Since you've got nothing to loose now with Performance Unlimited, you should shoot them an email with a link to this thread. I realize that the windage tray was your fault however there is a lot of unprofessional work done on their end. Perhaps when they realize the large number of readers that have just blacklisted their company from potential future business, maybe they might be more inclined to perform more professional work to paying customers. The mixing of the grade 5 and grade 8 bolts, the spray paint, the fact that they didn't machine the exhaust side of the head is unacceptable.

I hear you, and appreciate that you've pointed this out! I believe that your statements are fully justified and true, and I can understand your distaste for their potential contribution to the situation I'm in. When it comes to feedback though, I prefer to generate only positive feedback, and ignore the opportunity for negative feedback. Just to explain my thinking, here are several reasons for this method:

1. Leaving mainly positive feedback, and putting aside negative experiences, keeps my mind full of positive thoughts and memories. That makes me more care free, productive, and grateful for all the excellent things that come my way (like all the outstanding advice I receive here)!
2. I mean this as no insult to the general population at all, yet I've noticed that the majority of people tend to focus on faults, shortcomings, and anything that needs improvement. There's certainly some benefit to this way of thinking! So because of this, I believe there are plenty of people more than willing to leave negative feedback, so that job is covered. I don't need to concern myself with it.
3. I believe that all sane people have a conscience, and know in their hearts whether they've done the right thing. Attempts made by me to shed light on their mistakes would probably not be constructive to them; they'd probably just arouse bitterness. This is along the same lines as, "Whatever goes around comes around." I don't need to help it "come around;" that part's automatic!

Good luck with the new engine. I know you'll keep us posted!

Thanks! And you can be certain of being kept posted, in fine detail!

Yep, that is going to look cool, yellow would certainly go with that (as would black) and by all means do it the color you want!!! I was 75% joking, I didn't really expect you to change the color .

Glad you like my design! You could have experimented by suggesting that I make it hot pink, to see how influential you are!

The seat is cool, I guess my "loud" color is Lime, like Kawasaki Green, I had a ZX7R we called "not afraid to be green, green".

I had to looks this color up! It is loud and excellent!!!

Katherine already calls the F100 "smurf truck" and an "eyesore", probably would not go over well lime green...

Yes perhaps not!

Thank you all for the superb replies! My next post will have some update photos--stay tuned!
Robroy

[robroy]

Here's the first update of the day:

Before beginning for the day:


http://www.robroygregg.com/Number50/IMG_4534.JPG

I disconnected all the wires and pulled off the right side apron:


IMG_4540.JPG IMG_4542.JPG

Then pulled the left side apron:


IMG_4544.JPG IMG_4546.JPG

The clutch linkage removed:


IMG_4544.JPG IMG_4555.JPG

Here's what I did to cap off the fuel line--I managed to only spill a little bit. I wish I'd been this thoughtful when disconnecting the radiator!


http://www.robroygregg.com/Number50/IMG_4549.JPG

Here's how I set the fuel line out of the way. Do you guys like that nice fuel filter I put there? It's from NAPA.


http://www.robroygregg.com/Number50/IMG_4553z.JPG

And for now, I left everything loaded on the aprons and set them in the bed:


http://www.robroygregg.com/Number50/IMG_4543.JPG

Thanks for reading! Now I'll get back to work!
Robroy

[Ranchero50]

Note on the filter, most pumps like to pump, not suck and you may have some fuel starvation problems at high load / rpm conditions (where you don't want to run lean) because the pump is sucking fuel through the filter.

Looks like good progress

Jamie

[robroy]

Hey Jamie, thanks for replying!

That's very interesting information--I had no idea! So if I understand you correctly, you're saying that the filter should come after the pump, not before it. True?

And I guess fuel pumps are fairly resilient to unwanted stuff in the fuel, right? As compared with carburetors?

Thanks again Jamie!
Robroy

[Fordnatic]

Hey Robroy:

I have been away for a couple days…wow!! Quite the developments. I must complement you on your fortitude and attitude. I wish I would have had more of the same. I won’t hijack your thread with the long story (without your permission)-but I lost two consecutive engines (@<1000 miles) that I built for my pickup due to faulty parts (that were supposed to be the best).
Anyway, if I would have had your fortitude and attitude my pickup would not be sitting in a friend’s cake barn 4000 miles from me-a very difficult thing to overcome. I, like you didn’t spare anything because I planned to drive it another 20 years. I wish I could be working on mine as you are yours.

Hang in there!!

[robroy]

Hey Fordnatic thanks for replying!

I have been away for a couple days…wow!! Quite the developments.

Indeed!

I must complement you on your fortitude and attitude. I wish I would have had more of the same. I won’t hijack your thread with the long story (without your permission)-but I lost two consecutive engines (@<1000 miles) that I built for my pickup due to faulty parts (that were supposed to be the best).

Yikes, that does sound like a genuine trial! I've noticed that with engines, once they're set up properly they sometimes just go and go and go forever with nary a problem. Getting them to that point can be challenging though!

And thanks for being so considerate about the potential for thread hijacking with a long story, but it will probably be OK! Unless your story is so provocative that it completely derails the thread!

Anyway, if I would have had your fortitude and attitude my pickup would not be sitting in a friend’s cake barn 4000 miles from me-a very difficult thing to overcome. I, like you didn’t spare anything because I planned to drive it another 20 years. I wish I could be working on mine as you are yours.

Thanks for the complements on sticking with it, and I hear what your saying about wishing your truck were an active project! I've also let things go in the past and regretted it later, but I'm sure not about to let this one go--I'm way past the point of no return now!

4,000 miles does seem like a long distance, but maybe some day you'll have it trucked to your place. I guess it's not always too expensive to truck a car for a long distance, like folks do when they buy cars through eBay.

Hang in there!!

Thanks Fordnatic!!! That I will do.

Robroy

[robroy]

This afternoon I emptied out the back of my work truck in preparation to haul the motor! I took this photo of the overall scenario:


http://www.robroygregg.com/Number50/IMG_4558.JPG

I started removing the headers!


http://www.robroygregg.com/Number50/IMG_4567.JPG

I got the passenger side header off.


http://www.robroygregg.com/Number50/IMG_4583.JPG

The Remflex gasket was very interesting to look at! Based on what I see, it makes me wonder if the gasket really fits the heads and headers. It's probably right--I remember measuring it pretty carefully, but it just looks like an imperfect match somehow.

Or maybe I just over-tightened the bolts. The gaskets aren't supposed to be pressed down very hard! I'll make them less tight next time.

The number in each of the photos below correspond to the engine cylinder numbers. I put them in there so I could keep track of which photo went with which cylinder, and to make it easy to match them up (so a photo of the gasket on the head could be compared to the same port on the header).

Here's an overall view of the header, just for visual orientation purposes:


http://www.robroygregg.com/Number50/IMG_4569z.JPG

And an overall view of the head, for visual orientation:


http://www.robroygregg.com/Number50/IMG_4580z.JPG

Now let's look at each port up close, on both surfaces.

The first two ports:


IMG_4574z.JPG IMG_4572z.JPG


IMG_4576z.JPG IMG_4577z.JPG

The second two ports:


IMG_4571z.JPG IMG_4570z.JPG


IMG_4578z.JPG IMG_4579z.JPG

Pulling the gasket off the head. I'd hoped to re-use it, but there was no way. It really came apart! Oh well, it served well during its long, ten minute life. The gasket's on the concrete floor on the right. I would have numbered the ports, but I lost track of which way I set it on the floor! And it's symmetrical, as far as I can see.


IMG_4581z.JPG IMG_4582.JPG

I then started pulling off the driver's side header. It wasn't as easy!


IMG_4584.JPG IMG_4585.JPG

I really needed a pickle fork to get the steering linkage out of the way (so I could remove the header from the under side), but I decided to improvise by tapping on the end of the threaded tie rod end with an extension. This worked last time! But not this time. Tomorrow I'll pick up a pickle fork to finish this off.


http://www.robroygregg.com/Number50/IMG_4586.JPG

Thanks for reading and for the truly outstanding advice!
Robroy

[fordfriend]

Sir Robroy,

I hadn't realized how much work you've done out in the garage today! The radiator holster (front sheet metal panel) was probably one of the first things you took off, but I only just noticed it gone in the pictures! Yea, #50's engine will have around 436HP, but I think you must be doing the work of at least 5 horses out there!

~Kasie

[fordman]

i like the yellow enigne it makes it stand out. plus if you are ever workign on it or around it later on. you will be able to see better than you would if it was black or factory blue.

[robroy]

Hi Kasie and Fordman, thanks for replying!

I hadn't realized how much work you've done out in the garage today!

Thanks! Yes it's going well out there. You should come check up on me more often, unless you're scared that I'll ask for help with stuff!

The radiator holster (front sheet metal panel) was probably one of the first things you took off, but I only just noticed it gone in the pictures!

"Holster" is a much better word than "support," isn't it?

Yea, #50's engine will have around 436HP, but I think you must be doing the work of at least 5 horses out there!

Thanks! I hope your horsepower prediction is close! Perhaps after being "reborn."

i like the yellow enigne it makes it stand out. plus if you are ever workign on it or around it later on. you will be able to see better than you would if it was black or factory blue.

Hey Fordman, that's right! It's a lot easier to see in the evening and at night, I suppose.

Kasie and Fordman, thanks for replying!
Robroy