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

[cobracammer]

It sounds a little "School Girl" but during the evenings, after work, I keep walking over to the garage door and flicking on the light....  and laughing histerically.  My wife thinks I'm crazy, but its a combination of the look (which is bad ass in my opinion) and the fact that I can see the finish line since I began in 2008-2009.

Let me also throw out my compliments to Jay.  He completed my crank pulley spacer this weekend and its on its way....  there is something about a precision milled piece of aluminum that it awesome.  Thanks again Jay.... O wizard of the FE world  LOL

[Drew Pojedinec]

think you are laughing now?
Wait till the first time out when you burn through 4 gears at half throttle.

[cobracammer]

LOL  I think my Boss just heard me squeal!

[cobracammer]

Took tonight, while the engine is still in place to get the passenger side breather tube and cap to fit.  Without the cap, it fit, but you would not be able to put the cap on due to the master fuse box that is located on the fender well area on the passenger side.  I thought about moving it, but the "bundles" of wires coming out seemed daunting.  Even though I will not be using about 75% of the wiring harness from the original engine, I want to keep it all in tact until I have the car running.  Maybe a little further down the line, I will have the car rewired to eliminate the stock harness?  definitely wont be a job I would do myself. Drivers side, however, fit just fine with the cap on.

[R-WEST]

You are truly an inspiration!! 

[cobracammer]

OK the Adapter/Spacer Jay made for me as well as the FE pulley arrived back at my home yesterday evening.  Upon speaking with Jay (and since it had been bothering me since I measured it), I pulled the engine back out last night and put it on the engine stand.  When I used the clay ball method of measuring the clearance between the bottom of the oil pan and the Pump pick up, I actually got more than 1" clearance.  It was my thought (at the time) that it was an 8Qt oil pan with all of the 8 quarts on top of the pick up (Way this Canton oil pan was designed- Page 5 on my forum has a picture).  I didn't think it was a big deal.  But I have decided to order a special ARP oil pick up stud from Jegs (Backordered until Nov. 28th it says).  I figure after talking with Jay that if I am going to do this, I might as well do it right.  Easier now than after the trans and wiring are all hooked up.  I also picked up 2 new oil pan gaskets since I am sure you cannot reuse them.

While I wait, I am going to cut and weld the alternator bracket with the spare one I have.  I want to get more swing off of it since I am using a large case alternator.  Currently I only get about 1" swing.

I am also going to install the Flywheel, Clutch, Custom Tremec bell housing spacer, and the bell housing and measure for the slave cylinder.


Picture of the Crank Pulley and spacer installed:

[thatdarncat]

Jason, just something to watch for when you get running...when I swapped to a 3G 130 amp alternator on my car I had a problem with the belt slipping with only a small diameter single groove pulley. I solved it by going with a large diameter pulley to give the belt more area to grab. Going to a dual belt pulley would have worked as well, I just didn't have one on hand that would work with the shorter shaft on the 3G alternator. My professional mechanic friend also told me they have the best luck with Napa belts, so I use them as well. I'd try what you have, but watch and listen for slippage issues.

[cobracammer]

Thanks Kevin.  Yea I have started to only use Napa now.  They seem to know what is what.  I think a larger diameter pulley would be better (If I encounter that issue) since I will have the power steering pulley to deal with on the other side. 
Thanks again!

[cobracammer]

Ok, parts from jegs for correcting the oil pickup should be here soon. I took last night to work out the Saleen to cammer sensor/ sender swap. I figured out that the temp gauge is controlled by the saleens cylinder head temp sensor, oil pressure is self explanitory, fuel wasnt touched in the swap, and volts which will work fine with the 3G to 6G harness adapter i have

Luckily enough, the saleen oil pressure sensor threaded right into the Cammer oil filter adapter- so done!

For the temp sensor, it took many calls, but i found out it has M10 x 1.5 threads. Also confirmed it would work fine submersed in coolant ( since on the saleen, it is screwed into a dry hole in the cylinder head). So today i am going to but a 3/8 brass plug that will fit in the intake on the cammer, and then drill and tap for the sensors metric threads. Then all should play nice with the saleen wiring harness

[cobracammer]

Saleen oil pressure sensor and customized alternator bracket!  Fun stuff.  I was also able (over this weekend), to make an adapter for the Saleen's Cylinder Head Temperature Sensor.  This was the Temp sensor that had the M10 X 1.5 threads that needed to go in the 1/2 " NPT hole.  So I search around for a brass pipe plug with the thick square top that you would wrench on.  I chose this style over the flat Hex head one as I needed some "Meat" to tap into for the threads.  After drilling it out and tapping for threads, I used thread sealer and screwed in the Sensor.  Once that was in snug (Not to tight as Brass seems to be a really soft metal), then I used Pipe sealer on the threads of the plug and screwed that into the extra water jacket hole on the intake manifold (Right to the right of the distributor.  Perfect!  The only other sensor I found on the Saleen that I am chosing not to install on the Cammer was an Oil temperature sensor......  On the Saleen, it was a sensor that was screwed into a Bung on the oil pan.  However, there is no gauge for it!  It seemed to just feed information to the ECU.  I am guessing it assisted with the Engine Management program, but since I only need the gauges to work (Since I have a FAST EFI ECU), it wont be used.

I am dying to sell this Saleen Engine, Trans and rear end, but I cant seem to unload it!  I am only asking $3,800.00 for Engine, trans, driveshaft and rear end.  Ill keep'a try'n!

[turbohunter]

Hey Jason
I may be an idiot (check that, I am an idiot) but I couldn't find where you got that oil filter adapter.
I just noticed what a thing of beauty it is.

[cobracammer]

Hey Marc,  its a high flow reproduction from precisionoilpumps.com

[turbohunter]

Gracias amigo

[cjshaker]

I noticed a pipe plug where the dipstick goes. So where does an SOHC dipstick go? I always thought they used the factory location, but maybe the head interferes with it there?

[cobracammer]

Hey doug.  I tapped the stock dip stick hole and installed a pipe plug. Since the saleen uses a rear sump pan, and there was a dipstick made specifically for that pan, i decided to go that route. Good catch!