My 427 SOHC Build..... Finally the time has come!

[cobracammer]

OK, did a little scouting mission last night.  The front springs on the Saleen are a coil over type spring.  2 bolts hold it to the spindle area and 5 bolts holt it to the top of the tower.  There will be no need for spring compression tools, so I will get started tonight.

I am curious what the weight difference is between the Modular 4.6 ford engine and the 427 SOHC.  Car already sits so low (with the Mod engine in it) that the Floor Jack jusssst makes it under.  I am sure those are fairly still springs (modified at Saleen), so I will be curious to see what the stance looks like with the Cammer under the hood.

On a side note, I have been trying to track this recent college graduate down in Wisconsin as he had made a "circuit board" for his final school project that takes 12 V square wave signals (like from the ignition box) and converts them into 5V square wave signals.  If I could just get ahold of him, My stock tach would work with the MSD ignition.....  I have the name, I have his town, I have his current employer, but its almost impossible to find out an email address (or phone number).  The journey continues

[machoneman]

See engine weight in this link.

http://www.sullivanperformance.com/yvs450/tech/tech1.htm

Jay can provide the SOHC's weight which I am sure is at least 100 lbs. heavier. JMO.

[Bolted to Floor]

I have been following your build, great thread.
You may want to rethink the defrosters.  Aren't you in Florida? The midday rains and a little heat will have everything foggy on the inside in a hurry.

On a side note, I have been trying to track this recent college graduate down in Wisconsin as he had made a "circuit board" for his final school project that takes 12 V square wave signals (like from the ignition box) and converts them into 5V square wave signals.  If I could just get ahold of him, My stock tach would work with the MSD ignition.....  I have the name, I have his town, I have his current employer, but its almost impossible to find out an email address (or phone number).  The journey continues

I know your on a mission for the answer, but this is almost stalkerish!!! Good luck and hopefully you will dodge the restraining order. 

[Jim Comet]

Have you contacted the MSD tech line to see if they have a product or sulution? Jim

[cobracammer]

Hey Jim,  i have contacted MSD and about 75 other places over the last 2 weeks. No one has anthing that will work and no one knows of anyone that does. No biggie though...least of my problems. Anyway last night i was able to button up the spark plug wires. Unfortunately MSD 8.5 superconductor wires are to girthy to fit the cammer ceramic plug boots, so i installed the wires without them.
I used the firing order of: 1,5,4,2,6,3,7,8 and the rotation of counterclockwise on the distributor. I found out that there is a little Male plug-boot that is supposed to go onto the Baster 2 coil, and then the coil plug wire can be installed.  Unfortunately, that did not come as part of the MSD plug wire kit, not did it come with the coil.  Had to order it just now and should be here in a few days.  See below for my progress with the plug wires.  I tried to make each one to its proper length, but I spent most of my time grumbling that I could not got the ceramic boots to fit over the wires.....  I bet they make it 10X easier to install the wire on the spark plug.  What a pain in the ass that turned out to be!

[cobracammer]

Just to make sure I did this correct, when I installed the distributor, I found TDC on the compression stroke of cylinder 1.  Once I did this, I installed the distributor with the cap off so that I could make sure that the point was facing the #1 cylinder.  I had to adjust it a a few time, but eventually when I slid the distributor down, the gears caught and the point ended up pointing directly to the Number 1 cylinder.  when I reinstalled the distributor cap, I marked that same #1 position on the cap.  My thought now was that the point in the distributor is pointing towards #1 cylinder on the compression stroke, so that is where I will install the #1 spark plug wire (but when I look at pictures online, it seems as though they have the # 2 plug wire going there.

On the other hand, it could just be that it doesn't matter how you have your cap positioned as long as the firing order is correct?  It could just me a matter of where you have the distributor point pointing when you install it and going from there.....  Thoughts?

[jayb]

Your firing order is correct, and it is true that it doesn't matter where the rotor is pointing when you drop in the distributor; all that matters is that on the firing stroke on #1 the rotor is pointing just a little before the distributor cap terminal that goes to the #1 plug wire.  The stock location for the rotor is pointing towards the rear of the engine, kind of pointing in the general direction of cylinder #8, when the #1 cylinder is firing.  I like to put mine with the rotor pointing directly to the front of the engine when #1 is firing.  It isn't going to matter, as long as the plug wires go to the right plugs, in the firing order, as the rotor spins counterclockwise.

[cobracammer]

Thanks Jay.  So if I understand that correctly, you want the spark to ignite the fuel at a certain timing degree After Top Dead Center?  If the engine is set to exactly TDC on cylinder 1, and the rotor is positioned slightly before the point that feeds the #1 plug wire, that means that the spark will be created ATDC right?  Wouldn't you want ignition a little BTDC? or am I not seeing this clear?

The way I have it now, I set the Engine to about 6* BTDC as per the timing marks on the Dampener.  Then I put the point with the #1 spark plug wire directly on top of the rotor pointing to #1 cylinder.  My thought was that I would have ignition at 6* BTDC and then could time the engine from that point.  I am sure I am just missing a small piece of the puzzle here.   

[jayb]

Probably not a good choice of words on my part.  The position of the rotor and cap don't determine when the spark fires, only where it goes.  With my MSD distributors I've found that the spark fires when the rotor is not perfectly aligned with the terminal in the cap.  Usually the terminal on the rotor is just starting to get lined up with the terminal in the cap when the spark fires.  You want the spark to fire BTDC as you mentioned, and positioning the rotor as I just described will get you close, based on my experience anyway...

[cobracammer]

Perfect. Thank you kindly

[cobracammer]

OK little update.  Over the last 2 nights (and remember I am doing all of this by myself !)  I have managed to remove the front wheels, remove the rotors and calipers and suspend them with bungee cords to the hood hinges through shock towers,  and remove the coil overs on both sides.  Next is to unbolt the stock K member which has 4 bolts on each side.  2 bolts on the frame rails in each wheel well, and 2 bolts at approx. where the seats are located in the car.  Let me tell you that those things are on there snug!  I took the rachet with the correct socket, and then put a socket on the end of the rachet handle and put the longest extension I had on that to make it more like a breaker bar.  I have air tools and a compressor, but my father borrowed his own quick disconnect fitting back, so I am SOL until I pick up a new one.  I placed the floor jack under the K member in the middle to support the weight and to stop it from falling once all the bolts are loosened. I have 4 of the bolts loosened, but still need to unbolt the 4 bolts in the wheel wells.  Before I do that, I need to slide under the car and unbolt the steering shaft from the rack.  It looks to be only one bolt on a clamp fitting.  I will remove the K member with the Rack still installed as I want to make sure when I reinstall the rack on the AJE tubular K member, I don't screw up the alignment..... Not sure If I will need to get it aligned anyway afterwards, but taking the precaution now.  Seems anal, but since Saleen installed these wonderfull coil overs with N2 shocks and bright red Springs, I figure I will give them a good cleaning like I did with the rear springs. 

Not going to have time to work on it this weekend as I have plans, but I love the progress so far.  Also feels great that the Cammer engine is Built and just sitting there on the stand awaiting its new home.

Also I wanted to throw another thought out there.  I was thinking about purchasing a nice set of shorty headers for the 2005 Mustang GT, and then just cutting the flange off and welding the Cammer Flange on.  Does this sound reasonable?> Or is there a reason I would need to bring the car down when finished for a custom exhaust?  I figured since they make headers for the saleen already and they were designed to fit in the engine bay.... with a little finess (extensions or shortening), I could save myself a lot of time and $$$

[jayb]

How big are the tubes on the headers you are thinking of modifying?  You'll be choking off a lot of engine horsepower if they're too small.  I wouldn't go less than 2" on that engine...

[Joe-JDC]

Not trying to confuse anyone, but if you leave your distributor timed this way, you will be WAAY off in timing.  The spark will jump to the terminal from the rotor as soon as it gets within its power range to overcome the distance.  To start you should have the balancer timing pointer at approximately 10-12* BTDC after you determined TDC on #1 by backing the piston down to the timing mark, then install the distributor with the rotor just before which ever terminal you choose for #1.  The tip of the rotor should be just coming into range of the terminal so that the engine will be timed and ready to start without having to move the distributor around after trying to turn it over with the starter.  The spark will jump the distance to the terminal as it moves in the arc and continue to spark the full sweep of that single terminal, and stop when the rotor moves too far for the spark to cross the gap, then on to the next spark wire terminal, etc.  The current in modern caps lasts longer because of the rotor having a wide rotor tip with an arc to get the most time for a complete burn in each cylinder.  All this happens very quickly, but I have tried to simplify it so you can understand the sequence.  Hope this helps start-up timing.  The light method works well, also if you have a light to connect to the points or module.  Joe-JDC.

[cobracammer]

Thanks Joe.

[cobracammer]

How big are the tubes on the headers you are thinking of modifying?  You'll be choking off a lot of engine horsepower if they're too small.  I wouldn't go less than 2" on that engine...

Hey Jay.  What is the Ideal primary tube diameter? I think I was reading 2.5" to 3".....   Unfortunately, the highest diameter I could find for the 2005 Mustang was 1 3/4" to a 2.5" collector.  Wimpy I know.  Looks like its just going to have to be custom ( got estimates of about 1,500.00 to 1,600 $$ for custom stainless exhaust..... Ouch)

If I cannot find a large diameter primary tube header for 2005 Mustang GT's in the 2.5 to 3 inch range, it will be off to the exhaust shop!  LOL  It was worth a try!