32 Ford "tweaks" and a few mods - Lateral-g Forums

**syborg tt** · #1 07-07-2011, 11:39 AM

okay so next time where are you going to take you cars

So far the Rings, Roadster Shop, Steilow, DSE, Ride Tech/Precison Coach Works, RPM Hot Rods, Speed Tech & Kenny Davis actually build cars and then go out and beat the snot out of them. I know there are a few others sorry if i missed you.

ps I am going to keep adding names as i think of them.

**GregWeld** · #2 07-07-2011, 09:12 PM

It's funny because people are getting the wrong impression of this build... trust me when I tell you - the quality of the overall build is TOP TOP NOTCH.... it's just the little mechanical details where the shop really bites it. I know plenty of guys that can't seal a simple SBC intake... they blame their lack of skills on "SBC's always leak - they leaked from the factory".... etc. This was worse than that because there was not even a semblance of an attempt to do it right.

Either way -- it's no big deal to pull the intake off - clean her all up nice - and do a PROPER job. Trust me when I tell you -- SBC's do not always leak... from the top or the bottom! I have a couple of them and there's not one itty bitty tiny leak ANYWHERE. Now that the '32 is sealed up - it doesn't leak either!

I can tell you that the drivability - and the EZ EFI - is certainly a lot happier! It's tough for EFI to deal with uncontrolled intake air! And there is no more blue oil smoke out the exhaust either! I took it out for a nice long drive this afternoon and it's 500% better. I'll pull the driver side exhaust next week and do the same re-fit / bolt grinding exercise with it - just to be happy with the over all job.

With this fix - there are no more funky things left. Now it's a nice little hot rod!

I will say that the "vented tube" they made for the rear end is dang near a work of art... all hard lined - with brackets welded on to keep it still - and a nice little K&N filter on top the 1/2" tube..... it amazes me that they can build such wonderful little details - but can't change a f'n spark plug without messing it up. The work Tim Bruning did on the exhaust should be on display at the Smithsonian...

I also changed oil - I use only the cleanable reusable screen style billet oil filters (from Pure Power)... this allows me to peer into the motor a bit via the crud in the filter if any. I'm happy to report there was ZERO crud. There's only 1000 miles on the motor now - but regardless - I've been on pins and needles since the idiots ran it without oil pressure. SO FAR - SO GOOD. The valve train got a thorough inspection during the intake reseal job - and it's sterling as well. As long as all the plugs were out - I did a cylinder pressure test -- and a leak down test. Both were perfect.

Here's the cylinder pressure.....

And here's the leakdown - with 100 psi - only air to be heard was past the rings (that's the CORRECT place to hear the air!)....

BBC71Nova · #3 07-07-2011, 09:23 PM

As stated by others... more patience than me I think. Glad you got it ironed out.

By chance is there an empty lot near you? Having your "shed" as a neighbor, and you of course

, would be ridiculous. Just from the backgrounds of some of your pictures I can only imagine...

**GregWeld** · #4 07-07-2011, 09:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BBC71Nova

As stated by others... more patience than me I think. Glad you got it ironed out.

By chance is there an empty lot near you? Having your "shed" as a neighbor, and you of course

, would be ridiculous. Just from the backgrounds of some of your pictures I can only imagine...

Oh I ran out of patience with the shop right after they ran my motor without oil pressure.... and Frisbee and his foreman are sportin' enlarged orifices where the sun don't shine.

And YES -- I wish you'd make an offer on the house right behind me! That old coot has lived there since the '50's and is a bonafide car hater... I've had to shoo him off a couple of times. Sadly - homes where I live are north of the high side of ridiculous. I live in the Beverly Hills of the northwest... Bellevue - or as I like to call it - BLAHview... and they don't much like hot rods 'round here. They're all noisy and didn't come from a dealership!

I'm waiting for him to croak and then I'll buy the dump and split my shed driveway and put a nice "clean shed" (like Charley has - one to build in and one to polish in!) over there. Unfortunately my wife will never let me waste that much on a 'shed'. Maybe we could make a trade??

70rs · #5 07-07-2011, 10:16 PM

That lot would make a really nice spot for SHED 2.0!

Maybe after I get my car on the road I can do a 3 am drive by that guys house.....on open headers. "on my way to the muffler shop" of course.

Think that might help him decide to sell?

**camcojb** · #6 07-07-2011, 10:25 PM

I dunno, I always considered 15% leakdown high, as in needs to be rebuilt. Just did Charleys Ford Cammer and all were under 3.5%. Hope all is good.

**GregWeld** · #7 07-08-2011, 05:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by camcojb

I dunno, I always considered 15% leakdown high, as in needs to be rebuilt. Just did Charleys Ford Cammer and all were under 3.5%. Hope all is good.

Everyone wants to have a hero engine, but don't believe all the hype you hear about 2 percent leakage engines. No cylinder seals perfectly, especially if the engine is nitroused, supercharged, or turbocharged where the top and second rings are set with wide ring endgaps. Even for normally aspirated engines, respectable leakage numbers would be anywhere from 8 to 12 percent with a variation between cylinders of 4 to 5 percent, but it's possible the variation could be as high as 10 percent.

So if you test an engine and see leakage numbers even in the 15 to 20 percent range, this is not cause for alarm

Read more: http://www.carcraft.com/techarticles...#ixzz1RW3bDAVS

**GregWeld** · #8 07-08-2011, 05:53 AM

Jody - I'd add to this that since I have aluminum heads - I don't like to pull the plugs with the motors at temp... so this quicky test was done on a cold motor that had been running pig fat.. and no rocking the rings or any other trick to make sure everything is just right. My guess is that if I tested this motor at operating temps - rocked the rings etc - that those numbers would be noticeably lower.

Regardless of that... this was a $3800 (net cost) crate motor... so I wouldn't expect the same results on a max effort build. If it makes it through the summer cruising season - I'll be happy! Seriously! I've already been working out what motor SHOULD be in there. And once that happens - around here (my house) - that's as good as DONE.

**DOOM** · #9 07-08-2011, 06:23 AM

Greg..... It takes alot to hurt a small block. $3800.00 I agree when its done ,on to the next

**camcojb** · #10 07-08-2011, 07:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GregWeld

Everyone wants to have a hero engine, but don't believe all the hype you hear about 2 percent leakage engines. No cylinder seals perfectly, especially if the engine is nitroused, supercharged, or turbocharged where the top and second rings are set with wide ring endgaps. Even for normally aspirated engines, respectable leakage numbers would be anywhere from 8 to 12 percent with a variation between cylinders of 4 to 5 percent, but it's possible the variation could be as high as 10 percent.

So if you test an engine and see leakage numbers even in the 15 to 20 percent range, this is not cause for alarm

Read more: http://www.carcraft.com/techarticles...#ixzz1RW3bDAVS

I was just quoting my personal experience; never had an engine I built with those kind of leakdowns, even when new and un-fired. If you're not worried about it that's all that matters.