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

[cobracammer]

So disappointing update.  Jacked the car up even higher on the jackstands so I could wheel the transmission mounted on top of the Transmission Jack.  Then spent almost 2 hours on my back thinking of different angles in which I could lift, shake, shimmy, wiggle the darn transmission to get it to mount flush.  No luck.  Oddly enough, the splines on the input shaft align fine with the splines on the clutch discs, but it would seem the trouble is getting the input shaft nose to align with the pilot bushing.....  After 2 hours, I was dirty and tired, so I quit for the night.

Thinking back on it, I measured everything (clearance wise) on the trans so there is definitely no interference at all.  Plus, I can see everything through the clutch fork hole, and there is plenty of room. 

PLus I took the digital calipers and measured the input shaft.... then measured the plastic alighment tool that was used to keep everything aligned while torqueing....  and they are both the same measurement.  I am going to try unbolting the clutch one more time and using the alignment tool again to keep it all in place.  The only think I can think of is that possibly its the itty-bittiest bit out of alignment.... enough for the plastic tool to fit in, but not the metal input shaft?  I will keep at it

[XR7]

They can be a bitch to slide in sometimes... I have "stabbed" 4 speeds many times and sometimes they go in like butter and other times you fight it. I started using an old input shaft to line up the discs versus the short plastic tool. Even with steel splines and the extra length, you can still wiggle it up and down and side to side some... I try to center that up and then tighten the p/p bolts evenly.

I would give it another go before taking the bell off, re-aligning the discs, etc. If you can get a helper, it does help to have someone turn the engine over 90 or 180* while you are trying to push it in that final amount "home". If you have no help, just turn the engine 90 and/or 180* and try again.

If you have a roller bearing in the crank pilot, they can be tight to the input, if you end up lowering the trans, take a look a the end of the input shaft (pilot end). Sometimes those are "sharp" and do not have much of a taper or radius, so it has to be perfect to go in. My Toploader's always went in like butter, and when I had to fight "stabbing" the Jerico in the first couple times, I looked closer (at both) and saw the difference there on the end. I took a die grinder with a small disc and tapered the end 45* or so, maybe 1/8" or less back, and it went in much easier from then on... 

Good luck!

[ScotiaFE]

When slipping in a gear box Especially an all new setup it is going to take a really
push to get it to go.
Now this is always considered taboo but once you get a small start in the hole get a couple of
bolts in and start wiggling the box in and VERY slowly start a draw in with the bolts.
The idea is to work the box in very slowly and NOT break off an ear.
Lube up the bolts also so they turn that much easier.   

Edit: this is assuming you did a test fit before while it was hanging on a chain?

[cammerfe]

Do whatever it takes, beforehand, to be able to put the engine and trans together and then put the whole works in as a unit. I've f***ed around for hours in my younger days trying to get the engine and trans to mate after one or the other was already in the car.

Never again.

KS

[cobracammer]

GOT IT!!!!!!!  OK so I was pretty confident that everything was aligned perfectly.  the alignment tool for the Clutch discs even made a "pop" sound when you pulled it out (due to the suction being broken when it came out of the pilot bushing).  However, my buddy over there at Modern Driveline said that there has to be almost NO resistance at all.  The tool should literally push in and out like there is nothing touching it.

So Friday night, I crawled back under the car and tool off the starter, bell housing, Pressure plate and top disc.  I left the back of the clutch as well as the bottom clutch disc on the flywheel.  Then I put in the alignment took, and put the top disc back on and placed the pressure plate portion of the clutch back on (but did not tighten it down).  Then I kept doing tiny adjustments to the alignment tool (while holding the pressure plate on with the other hand to apply pressure.  When I got it so that there was almost no resistance what so ever on the tool, I put as much pressure as I could with one of my hands on the pressure plate, and started putting the nuts back on with the other hand.  Once I got all the nuts on as tight as I could by hand, I gently tested the alignment took to make sure I was still at almost no resistance.  Then I torqued them back down in the star pattern suggested in the directions to a final pressure of 35 Ft/Lbs.  After final torque, I again tested the alignment tool.... and surely enough, we were still at NO resistance!

Then I had to torque the bellhousing back on (also at a final torque of 35 ft/lbs) as well as bolt the starter back up.

Then the moment of truth....  Got the transmission up into place with the custom spacer on the front....  made sure it looked like it was centered and that the alignment dowels on the spacer lined up with the holes in the bell housing..... and within 2 minutes of pushing..... I heard the metal clap of it all mating up.!!!  I don't think I have ever been so happy!  HAHAHA

I figured while I was already down there and dirty... I might as well disconnect the stock hydraulic clutch line (which I had a plastic bag and rubber bands on the end so that it wasn't dripping hydraulic fluid on the floor)... and reattach the braided metal hydraulic line from the RAM throw out bearing.  Then I filled the reservoir up with conventional heavy duty DOT3 hydraulic fluid and asked my wife to pump the clutch while I used the bleeder line below to bleed out the air.  Within 3 pumps, I had all the air out, and asked the wife to push the petal all the way to the floor a few times so I could have a look inside the Bellhousing (where the clutch fork usually goes) to get a sense of the bearing travel.  All looked perfect.  When she let off the clutch, it released all the pressure off of the fingers, and when she pushed it to the floor, it looked like it pushed the fingers in all the way without bottoming out.!!!

Next on the list is getting the transmission reverse lock out module wired up, before I get her down off the jack stands, load her on a trailer, and get her over to get exhaust manifolds made up!

Pictured below is a picture of the T56XL Viper transmission with the custom spacer and bell housing (all mounted up), Then the clearest picture I could take inside the bell housing showing the RAM hydraulic clutch, and finally the tremec 6 speed ball and kit with the center console reinstalled......  Looks awesome.

[cobracammer]

Holy hell!!!  Custom headers are expensive.  So far $2,700.00 is the quote.  I called around to a few places that wouldn't give a price..... Most were an hour or 2 away.  Didn't get a good feeling.  Then I called Kooks headers in North Carolina.  They are a lot more respectable, but they need the car shipped up to them (which will be in addition to the $2700.00 they would charge for the headers.  Then I called a place that is literally 2 minutes from my house (Never knew it existed).  Guy gave me a price of $2,700.00 but followed it up with....  I have to charge you so that its worth it for me.  said he would need it for a week.  Wow, I am in the wring business (again).  I have been thinking that I should just buy a set of 2011 Shelby GT500 headers.  I believe the only difference in the exhaust from a 2005 Saleen (Mustang GT) and a 2011 Shelby GT500 is the primary tubes...  Shelby uses 1 7/8th Primary.....  That was as close to 2" as I could find.  Then I was thinking I would cut off the flange as well as 3-4 inches of the tubes, bolt up the SOHC flanges, and lightly tack weld the cut off headers to the flange (maybe with 1/2" square tubing?)  then I can take them back out, bring them over to the welding table, and route fresh 1 7/8" pipe from where I cut off into each exhaust port on the flange.

What is they consensus here??  Would I be better off just paying someone 2700.00 to do it custom?  Or is there any reason adapting an existing mustang header would not work?  I know the exhaust port spacing between a 4.6 modular and a 427 FE is way different (FE is spaced out way more).  Thoughts?

[jayb]

That is way, way too much money for custom headers if you ask me.  Kind of like the $10,000 paint job.  When I started getting quotes like that for getting my cars painted, I bought a paint booth ($4800) and a paint gun and some bodywork equipment (another $1000) and learned to do it myself.

Jason, you could do something similar.  If you don't have one already, get yourself a cheap bandsaw, or maybe even use a hacksaw, and the buy the mandrel bent exhaust tubing from summit, plus a couple of collectors.  If you got the bandsaw you might have a total of $600 in the project, including the tubes and collectors.  There are also outfits that make little sleeves that you can use to piece the cut tubes together.  You could cut and fit the whole set of headers together, and bring it to someone to weld up for you.  Or you could add another $700 or so in cost, buy an oxy-acetylene torch setup and bottles, and learn to weld it yourself.

I'm self-taught on everything I do, and although the results are not at a really good professional level at first, the skills you develop along the way are invaluable, and if you work hard enough at it, you will get good results from the start.  Also, I've seen a lot of "professional" results that aren't that hot, and I hate paying exorbitant prices for work like building headers, paint jobs, chassis work, whatever.

You took on building the motor yourself, which is quite an accomplishment.  Building the headers will be easier - Jay

[fastback 427]

I agree 100%. Pay yourself the 100$ an hour. Take your exhaust gasket and use it as a template for flanges. Shouldn't cost too much to get them water jetted. Buy a universal header kit with some extra bends. You obviously have patience, so I think this would be fun and worthwhile project. Also look at the member projects section here and there is a nice set of headers being built.

[cobracammer]

Thanks Jay.  I think I am almost 100 % sure I am going to buy a set of headers (I just found Kooks has plain mild steel ones with 2 1/8 primaries and 3" out.) , cut off the flange and weld on my own SOHC flange when I have the angle right.  My father has a band saw I think and I have a MIG welder (hence looking for mild steel and not stainless).  Hopefully not that big a deal.

Thanks again!

[cobracammer]

OK .... Here we go.  Rather than spending the $2,700.00 and leaving my car somewhere with strangers here in S. Florida (Capital of Auto theft).....  I did some digging.  What I ended up with is this (Pictured Below).  These are Hedman headers for a Ford 460.  Honestly I don't care that they are for a 460, because it was just the tube measurements I was looking for!  These babies have 2" primaries....and not only that, but if you look closely in the pictures, they have an "upturned" exhaust flange....  This is because these are supposed to bolt up and be routed out the fender flares.....  but for my luck (since the 427 SOHC exhause ports are upturned given the angle of the heads, I should be able to..... with a little cutting, tacking, and etc.  make these work.  They are also plain steel so I will be able to weld on them with my MIG.

In addition, since I installed an AJE front K member, I will have extra wiggle room for the install.

Then, since these are long tube headers and the headers that came off of the 4.6 Modular were shorty headers....  I can cut back the existing X pipe and weld on the Ball and socket Flange (it says it comes with).  Oddly enough, the Saleen had "4" O2 sensors!!!  2 were up where the headers met the X pipe and 2 are back beside the trans before the actual Pipes meet at the X.  I should still be able to utilize one of these for the FAST EZ EFI O2 sensor (Since I will have to cut back the stock X pipe to accept the long tube headers).

I will keep you posted!!!  They are on their way (Free Shipping@!)

[cjshaker]

Seems you would be really lucky if those headers will snake out at the right places. Still gives you a starting point I guess.
You can easily weld stainless with your mig. I do it all the time, you just need the stainless wire and some stainless wire brushes for cleaning the areas to weld. Some people use a tri-mix gas with helium, some don't, but it will weld fine either way. You do have to experiment a bit with feed and gas settings though.

$2700 for custom headers?....I'm in the wrong business. They all say it'll take them a week, and they'll have $300-$400 in pipe and flanges, max. That's a pretty darn good profit margin for a weeks work

[cobracammer]

Tell me about it!  Yea I am hoping that these headers will be a starting point (I am not expecting them to line up perfectly ).  I crawled under there last night to take a look, and with the AJE tubular cross member, I have quite a bit more space.  The only Hiccup I see would be the steering shaft.  Its kinda just "There" and in the way.  We will see whats what when they arrive, and if they are totally way off, then I will just return them.

Other wise I can cut a section out here and there and replace with bends to make them fit.

:0)

[cobracammer]

Ok. Headers arrived today and not even close!  But what we do have not is a brand new donor for custom headers  i am going to cut them both off evenly at about 8 inches above the collectors.  I will then attach the collectors to the stock x pipe, use the pieces of 2" tubing between where I cut them and the flange to start snaking my way to the SOHC flange. I think i have enough space to tack weld as I go, but not a whole lot of room in there. Hopefully this will be fun!

[My427stang]

Even a cheap 14 inch chop saw will pay for itself for this job as well as any exhaust work.  The ability to cut cleanly is worth its weight in gold.

[cjshaker]

Even a cheap 14 inch chop saw will pay for itself for this job as well as any exhaust work.  The ability to cut cleanly is worth its weight in gold.

That's exactly what I use. Sometimes it's a bit of a pain to hold the pipe just right, but like Ross said, a clean flat cut is definitely worth it for mating up and welding. I think it's much easier and faster to work with than a bandsaw.