My experiment "The Tractor Motor"

[rcodecj]

Mario, this is great information, my 428 will need one new sleeve and one replaced, so I am very thankful for your great information post.
What is with these smileys!? LOL
 

[Mario428]

Moving under its own power. The first raceday in 2 weeks will tell the story.

[jayb]

Looking good, Mario.  Good luck at the track - Jay

[Mario428]

An update on the Cometic gaskets, the VC gasket has a steel core. Might be something to think about with a vacumn pump motor or VC's with no retaining flange (sheet metal?)
No leaks so far.

[Mario428]

Well things did not start out so good, blew a head gasket on the first pass. Leaking between 2 & 3 and into the cooling system.
Wrong choice in head gasket it looks like. The cometic has a 4.3 bore, better than the 4.4 felpros but the embossed sealing ring on the cometic is at 4.5 which put it as the edge of the sleeve. I hemmed and hawed about this but figured the embossed bead was a better way than the felpro. Looks like the manufacturing tolerances on the cometics and my work went against me. The sealing ring was off the edge of the sleeve too much and could not handle it. Every other cylinder is fine but 2 & 3.
Trying to find the smallest round bore head gasket I can but looks like 4.4 is the only choice. Only went 9.94 but I do not know how much the head gasket leaking was hurting me, plugs in 2 & 3 looked fine and there is some tuning to do.

[rcodecj]

Sorry to hear that Mario, but 9's on a leaking motor is awesome.
I hope you get the gasket situation worked out.
Interesting thread.

[machoneman]

Nice write-up and pics too Mario. But, what puzzles me is the grand you've got into this project versus the early-on statement that you're low on bucks. I can see saving a gennie 427 block with eight sleeves but wouldn't it be much cheaper to get another 428 block at/near std. bore? Still, would like to hear more as your season progresses and best of luck!

[Mario428]

Nice write-up and pics too Mario. But, what puzzles me is the grand you've got into this project versus the early-on statement that you're low on bucks. I can see saving a gennie 427 block with eight sleeves but wouldn't it be much cheaper to get another 428 block at/near std. bore? Still, would like to hear more as your season progresses and best of luck!

"Low on bucks" is different for everyone, for me it means I cannot swing a Genesis or Pond block. 428's are also as very rare here and seem to go for good $'s everywhere. Hard to find one for less than 1K on the FE forum classifieds. This block also have my cross-bolt main conversion done to it so I have a fair amount of work and money tied up in it already.

[Mario428]

Sorry to hear that Mario, but 9's on a leaking motor is awesome.
I hope you get the gasket situation worked out.
Interesting thread.

Same setup except for carb (950 Hp to an 830) went 9.7's last year but I have another carb to get setup right now.
Just talked to SCE, they have the gasket I want but 3 weeks to make it, then shipping and I really do not want to wait that long.
A set of the Ford felpros on the way so they will likely go in.

[jayb]

I think the Fel-Pro's should solve the problem, assuming that the problem is the Cometic seal ring sitting on the edge of the sleeve junction.  Good luck Mario!

[Mario428]

Turns out the Fel-pro's have a stupid little cutout in them at 7:30 looking at the block. Just that one small part will not sit on the sleeve so not usable.
John Savage in Mo responded to my ROL gasket post on the FE Forum and I bought a set of ROL's from him. Going by what he measured they should work for me.
Will get me going for the next points meet here.
Will be well supplied with gaskets for a while with new Fel-pro's here, SCE's and ROL's on the way. LOL Also cometics with only 2 runs on them, the leaking did not appear to damge them, a fresh block and they would be usable with lots of copper spray.

[jayb]

You know, if its not one thing its another; I figured those Fel-Pros would work.  Same kind of thing just happened to me; today my long awaited Centerline wheels came.  They were supposed to be counterbored around the lug nut holes so that the spacers used with 11/16" wheel studs would fit up against the wheels.  I've had these things on order since April, and sure enough, they showed up without the counterbore.  So, here I am at 11:00 PM, running the CNC machine to counterbore the wheels for the spacers.  Should be done by midnight.  At least I'll be able to get the tires mounted tomorrow...

[Mario428]

Well the struggles continue. 
Have not updated here in a while.
Got the ROL gaskets and they have the same stupid cutouts in one corner so that part of it just barely hangs onto the sleeve by .06 or so. The bore on the ROL's was smaller so I chanced them because the rest of the fire ring was clamped much better than the Fel-Pro's.
Put about 65 passes on them with the only issue being the engine drinking about 2 cups of water every pass. Temperature control was fine until last weekend. Won on Sat but was using more water every pass, very little more but more every pass. Won first round on Sun but was 210+ back at my pit and took a bunch more water. Engine cooled down fine but was 220+ back at the pits. Probably just as well I lost because I would have figured out a way to run it if I was still racing.   
The SCE copper gaskets showed up a week or so ago and look very good. Bore size is 4.25 +/- .015 or so, will sit very well on the top of my sleeves.
The thrash is on to be ready to go for Fri because I race a 3 hour tow away and would like to be there Fri evening if I can.
Deck of the motor is getting beat up so may go with some better sealer than a coat of copper gasket spray. ROL gaskets had the old type graphite coating on them so I have a few hours of cleanup to do before I can put the copper gaskets on. SCE insists on a retorque so I have thru evening lined up for that. Keeping my fingers crossed it goes well.
Did find a burnt pushrod, did not have a chance to check it out but first valvetrain problem in a long time, oiling hole in rocker arm may be plugged with something.

[Mario428]

Just an update, the SCE gaskets with some sealer and some radseal are not leaking a drop.
Started out with a leak but the radseal gradually stopped them.
The ROL gasket had given up on cyl #6, manufacturing tolerances I guess.
100+ passes on the motor this year and the sleeves seem to be holding fine, no traces of water in the oil at all. 4 races to go before it is all over so 40-60 more passes to go, 60 if things go well and I go some rounds. GRIN
Labour day weekend on Sat I was entered in 2 classes and had no heating issues. Runner up in one class and 3rd round of the other so I was going hot and heavy at one point.
Best of 10.79 @ 139.4, waiting for the good air to come back.

[machoneman]

That is great news. Keep us updated through the end of your season...o.k?