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Messages - Tommy-T

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1
FE Technical Forum / Re: Cooling system that works in traffic
« on: February 13, 2026, 08:04:10 PM »
19X31 aluminum crossflow 2 core radiator (at least 1" core width), two SPAL electric fans, both pullers or one pusher and one puller, depending on fitment issues, 160 degree thermostat with four 1/8" holes around the periphery, and a CVR 55 gpm water pump.  Cools my big SOHC in the race car on Drag Week, never see over 180 unless I'm leaking coolant without knowing it.

First of all, no car is too nice to cut.
The motor in my Comet is a D4TE bored .080 and hard blocked to the water pump holes. It has an Eagle 3.980 crank and zero deck flat top pistons. 11.5:1 compression. I live in the high desert above Los Angeles and summertime temps are around 100* sometimes more.
My cooling set-up mimics Jays pretty well, Ebay 19x31 aluminum radiator, Spal dual 11"paddle fans (very noisy but pull a ton of air) 185* & 195* fan sensors, 160* engine thermostat with 2 1/8" bleed holes drilled. The fan that runs on the 195* sensor rarely comes on.
I have a PRW aluminum mechanical water pump and a Volvo 740 Turbo water pump pulley that's 4 3/4" in diameter. 7" crank pulley.
The car does have an engine oil cooler 11"x13" with it's own fan. I was told that a filled block on the street needed one. Installed a oil temp sender in the sump of the oil pan. Highest oil temp I've seen is 210*.
I beat the silly motor like a red haired step child and drive it to car events that are 100+ mile round trips. Run California cat piss 91 octane gasolene,
This thing runs cool and doesn't do anything weird. It amazes me that a motor I put together with parts I had on my junk pile works well. I was sure that it would be a cronic heater.

2
Member Projects / Re: fe powered 58 rambler american gasser
« on: February 07, 2026, 03:09:04 PM »
Only 2 carburetors?
I hope that the a/c compressor is tucked WAAAY under.

3
FE Technical Forum / Re: BBM heads
« on: November 12, 2025, 12:57:42 PM »
A little off topic to this thread but not totally.
The original or older BBM head is a high quality very nice cylinder head. I'm am absolutely sure that Blair's makeover of that head is an improvement.
My particular heads were the early versions with SI valves, a good valve job, and bowl blending about an inch in. No other port work.
The results were 305@.600 lift. Pretty impressive for valve 'n bowl work.
The work was preformed by Scott Foxwell.

4
FE Technical Forum / Re: Subframe connectors
« on: November 05, 2025, 12:51:29 PM »
Late to the party but I'll add my bit.
It seems a bit silly to add subframe connectors to a Ford unibody without welding them the entire length of floor from one end to the other. The amount of stiffness added compared to just welding, or God forbid, bolting tubing to each end of the subframes is huge.
I usually cut the floor open the entire length of the connector and weld the tubing the entire length and around the front and rear stubs, and reinforce the factory welds and stubs as necessary. If you're going to do it, make it work. I you're worried about cutting your precious car, well...

In 1997, I built a 1964 Falcon Sprint for a daily driver/commuter car. My daily commute included 37 miles of twisty mountain roads through a National Forest. While I had the 2 strips of floor cut out and was fitting the tubing for the connectors, I had a couple of friends stop by and tell me this was WAY overkill for a "driver". Probably so, or so I thought.
About 6 months after I started driving the car I was sitting at a traffic signal and was hit by a raised Ford F250 travelling about 70mph. The car was demolished but the floor never buckled at all. After a lengthy hospital stay and then an inspection of the car I am confident that I'm typing this post at least partially because the entire floor was reinforced.

5
Agree completely...and I'd expect on a relatively plastic piston it is even worse than a low RPM cast.

Damn the torpedos!   Knurl everything, check cranks with Plastigauge and set timing by ear!

I'm sure there's a reason that this process won't work, but I'm not sure what it is.
No money for good parts and desperately wanting to make a scheduled "street encounter" will force you to learn "techniques".

6
Non-FE Discussion Forum / Re: Engine gets too hot at idle
« on: September 12, 2025, 12:00:28 PM »
I ass-u-me that you have a 385 series motor. They tend to run a little warmer than FE's, but they can really make big power.

A couple of things I've found that really work.
1) I try to run a 5" water pump pulley and a 7" crank pulley. Folks talk about water pump cavitation. It's talk, nothing more.
2) I run 2 11" Spal paddle fans with shrouds. They come as a kit. The paddle fans are noisy but flow a ton of air.

These 2 things along with a 19"X31" aluminum Ebay radiator keep my D4TE 390 block that's been bored to 4.130 and Hardblocked to the water pump holes nice and cool. Plenty of cruising miles at above 100* this past summer.

7
FE Technical Forum / Re: Holley 80496-1 carb
« on: August 18, 2025, 12:08:23 PM »
I ran a 950HP list 80496 on the 454 inch Hi Riser that was in my Mustang. It was a very early version that didn't have screw in air bleeds. The car was very streetable with what I'd call a mild camshaft but rather high compression. Ran 10.90's and drove all around the Los Angeles area.
Later, when I built another 454 inch FE with an 8-71 blower, I bought another 80496 and ran 2 of them on that motor.
By far the sweetest carb I've ever run as far as street manners along with top end power.

8
FE Technical Forum / Re: Detroit Lockers
« on: June 16, 2025, 10:14:11 AM »
2 Things I hate about spools...you cannot push a car with a spool. Once you turn the steering wheel even just a little, the car just stops and it takes 3 guys to get it to move. Secondly, in a parking lot the rear tires will screech loudly when you pull into and out of a parking space.

All of this said, my Jeep and my Comet both have 9" rears with Ebay NASCAR Detroit Lockers. They are cranky to drive and very loud around corners. Both get driven pretty long distances. They are embarrassing pulling into gas stations and such and I have had a few folks ask me what's wrong with my vehicle.

My track diff with 4.88 gears has a spool.

Tommy, just curious, what axle spline count do you run with your spools on the street? I don't have experience with spools, but always wondered how a 31 spline would handle the twisting with big tires. It's just a guess, but I think I would want 35 or bigger with that scenario. I wouldn't even attempt a 28 spline, even an aftermarket. I've wondered if my Strange 31 splines could hold up under a spool on the street.

Also, I've run several Detroit lockers, and none of them behaved like you've described. I've certainly heard the horror stories like you relate, just never experienced it. Are they old lockers? They have changed over the years.

I run the NASCAR takeout Detroit Lockers that are very inexpensive on Ebay. They're tough but cranky.
I've run a spool against Moser and Currie 31 spline axles with no trouble. I'm talking about cars that drive less than a thousand miles annually.

9
FE Technical Forum / Re: Detroit Lockers
« on: June 15, 2025, 05:48:41 PM »
If it's a drag race only car you want a spool anyway.
If it's a drive 10 miles maybe car you still want a spool.
If it's on slicks all of the time, even still you want a spool.

If you're going to drive on Drag Week or Power Tour, go with the Detroit.

I personally like street driving with a spool better than a Detroit Locker. A spool is completely predictable in all driving conditions.
2 Things I hate about spools...you cannot push a car with a spool. Once you turn the steering wheel even just a little, the car just stops and it takes 3 guys to get it to move. Secondly, in a parking lot the rear tires will screech loudly when you pull into and out of a parking space.

All of this said, my Jeep and my Comet both have 9" rears with Ebay NASCAR Detroit Lockers. They are cranky to drive and very loud around corners. Both get driven pretty long distances. They are embarrassing pulling into gas stations and such and I have had a few folks ask me what's wrong with my vehicle.

My track diff with 4.88 gears has a spool.

10
I run the Holley in tank module that mounts in most fuel cells in direct replacement of the fuel cell fill. Simple installation and a 340gph pump. Works fine with my carbureted return pressure regulator and is supposed to work with efi if an appropriate  regulator is used.
It comes with #10an outlet and #8 return but I have it stepped down to #8 with #6 return. Pressures are rock solid.

Quite frankly, the old Holley blue pump has powered many 10 second hot rods reliably with a dead head blue regulator. Yes, it is noisy and it sounds like it's eating itself but I bet a lot of old farts here have run them with no trouble. I do suggest a return regulator.

11
FE Technical Forum / Re: Carb Tuning Question
« on: May 21, 2025, 10:55:40 AM »
I have used the QFT metering plate kit with good results. Just be sure that the jets don't slightly touch the float as it will on rare occasions. Once installed turn the carb upside down and you should be able to hear if the float moves freely in the float bowl. If you're cheap like me you can drill and tap the Holley metering plate with I believe 8-32 brass set screw and drill them for whatever jet size you need.
I have used the Holley quick change secondary spring kit with good results as well. Much cheaper than the QFT pods. There is a boss in the cover that you can drill to install a tube into so you can retain your balance hose between the carburetors.
I have had dyno work done at WesTec. They are a top notch shop and I'm sure that you would be happy with their work.

12
FE Technical Forum / Re: Suspension questions
« on: April 21, 2025, 03:02:16 PM »
My Comet has similar suspension to your Maverick with the except that I have a 4 link on the rear instead of ladder bars.
I have Posies Super Slide leaf springs with 9 2" wide leaf springs on the front. They are quite heavy and I thought they would be much too stiff. After putting a couple hundred miles on the car it turned out they ride quite nice just as the salesman from Posies said they would. I tried to pull the bottom 3 springs off the pack and they were much too soft. You are fortunate that your front springs are long as that makes them ride nicer. Mine are 35" long and go from the chassis kick-up at the firewall to the front of the chassis. Try what you have with a running, driving car before you try to adjust them. There is a place on your end of the country that makes composite (plastic) mono springs. I may try that sometime soon.
Try to make your tie rod and your drag link parallel to each other and as long as possible. A bunch of positive caster helps too, I have 11* in mine.
The 1" off center of your pinion is probably negligible, but if you're building motor mounts anyway you can certainly square things up. Room for headers is more important.

13
FE Technical Forum / Re: Cammer powered Pinto
« on: March 22, 2025, 02:54:12 PM »
There's a 1971 Pinto on Yellow Bullet that has a 4-71 blown 292 Y Block.

Yes, the imagination is a powerful thing!

14
Member Projects / Re: 1964 Comet Blown injected Cammer
« on: February 07, 2025, 01:34:25 PM »
I'm sure Leny has some pics from the Roadster Show to share, but I took some too.
Mrs.-T and myself had fun at the show and also enjoyed chatting with Leny and his wife.

15
Non-FE Discussion Forum / Re: Ford bellhousings
« on: December 25, 2024, 03:53:48 PM »
I have cussed Henry Ford for that very thing MANY times.
Especially the time I pulled the 4 speed out of Mrs.-T's '33 Ford.
Pulled the transmission on the 289 to find it was a 5 bolt Windsor.
Thought it would be really hard to find a 5 bolt C4 bell.
It was only medium hard...um...difficult.
Stupid
But then, didn't Ford make 3 different Y Blocks?
Still love my FE's!

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