Little 390 update

[chilly460]

I found a decent deal for a set of BBMs and a hydraulic roller that a guy hadn't installed and was selling as project had taken another direction.  Heads were prepped by Brent, and the roller was spec'd from Barry so it was nice getting parts from folks we all know.   Shortblock was rebuilt around 2000-2001 then sat around, has maybe 1500mi on it after I got the car back on the road four years ago.  Good runner but could use a little more power, and I wanted to get rid of the Ford Red paint and all the leaks.  I know everyone is going stroker but figured I'd throw a few more modern parts on the combo for now and see how it does.   Figured I'd get PostImage working and document the work. 



I wasn't kidding when I said it was scuzzy, I'd started just keeping the hood closed. 


Checking TDC.  This Fowler mag base is pretty flimsy so I ordered a Noga that works better, but this was OK for this purpose.  I'm just a hobbyist so didn't spring for high end machinist stuff


Picked up the big 18" Moroso wheel and practiced degreeing the existing cam since it was "known".  Turns out it was 8* advanced




Did my best not to chowder the cam screws but I'm going to need new ones, they were pretty torn up before I started


Pulling the Comp 270H

[My427stang]

Chilly, good stuff, and great that you are taking the time to do it nicely.  It will pay off

Next time, I recommend you use use a piston stop for TDC instead of the dial indicator, doesn't even have to be fancy.  A bent piece of steel bolted to a head bolt, turn the motor one way until it hits, note what the wheel says, then the other way, 1/2 the distance between those points is TDC.

Takes the piston rock and dial indicator location variables out and is real quick.  Repeat with the balancer and timing cover on to verify the timing marks as well.

Since I am talking without you asking, may as well add more, save that long cam pin in case you need it for the new cam.  I still get a short one now and again and that looks like a good long one.  Also make sure you Loctite the cam bolt and the cam retainer bolts.  I actually bought a Posidrive socket from Snap-on for those cam retainer bolts and it allows me to torque them, works pretty slick

[wowens]

That is how a true hobbyist  does it. Looks good and looking at removed cam you must keep it served well.

[blykins]

Hex head bolts are readily available for the thrust plate.   It skips having to deal with those hateful Phillips heads.

[chilly460]

Ross, good point on the piston stop.  I will make one up, this was the "practice run" with the old cam so wasn't as concerned with it being dead nuts perfect.  Good eye, the pin is long, the cam bolt washer was actually ground a bit because the pin was standing proud of the gear.  I'll hold on to it for sure.

Brent, I kind of got short sighted and assumed they ran the panheads for clearance but never checked.  Are the hex heads "shallower" on the ones you're referring to? 

[chilly460]

That is how a true hobbyist  does it. Looks good and looking at removed cam you must keep it served well.

Lol, thanks, but I think the engine leaking from every crevice and needing fresh oil topoffs had as much to do with it!  Serious note, I run Brad Penn in it, and the cam and lifters looked perfect so no complaints.

[chilly460]

Few more, tedious day but got the paint work knocked out after hitting the sporting clays course.  It's a little shiny in pics as paint is still wet, will be nice semi gloss. 

I scrubbed the thing for hours but still didn't trust painting on cast iron so I sprayed some high heat primer








I remembered I actually had some chasing "taps" so used them on the head bolts holes

[chilly460]

Got a bit done tonight. 

Got the backwards cam plug out, cam definitely didn't play nice with it but I guess the cast cam was harder than the stamped plug.  Definitely took some material off the plug, the rear surface of the cam was fine though.  I'll pull a couple caps off to see if the metal got into any bearings, but engine has 70psi at 2500rpm and has been fine for 1500mi so I'm thinking it'll be OK.  But, goes to show how little screwups can have repercussions.


Got the correct Dorman plug, it went in a bit easier than I'd have liked so I dimpled it to snug it.  Installed with Ultra Grey on the plug then put a shmear around the perimeter


Cam retainer Phillips head bolts were hashed so made some shorties out of Grade 8s I had laying around, look a little ugly but I chased the threads and they went in smooth so they're going in.  The cam gear does not touch them with no lock washers, don't see a need for washers since i'm using red loctite on them for final assembly.


224/230 .563/.563 Hydraulic Roller going in after good rinse with lacquer thinner.  Spent entirely too much time pondering lubrication for this, all sorts of theories on what to do with rollers.  I used Redline assembly lube on the journals and lobes.  Wild temp and humidity swings lately and parts are rusting bad in the garage even running AC to knock down humidity, so I used a thin smear on the lobes, if anyone thinks this will be an issue with not letting the rollers roll, let me know


Endplay came in at .0055", right on the money.  This cam used 7/16-20 thread so I had to cut and tap a Grade 2 bubblegum bolt I had laying around so I didn't really torque it to full spec, just wanted a ballpark.  I assume a "good" (not Home Depot crap) Grade 8 bolt is sufficient so going to pick one up tomorrow (do have a good thick hardened washer that covers the dowel).
 

[chilly460]

One question on the cam dowel.  The one supplied with the cam was a slip fit, almost didn't need to be tapped in to install in the cam, is that a problem?  Read up, mixed ideas whether it's just a locator, or if it's a "drive" dowel.  I'd be more comfortable if it was snug.  I'm going to throw a quick measure on the one in the old cam to see if it's larger, it's definitely a press fit into the 270H which is why I just didn't take it out to try in the new cam. 

[blykins]

Good work.

I don't use washers on the cam thrust plate bolts either.  Loctite and torque them up.  Done. 

The cam dowel will usually slip right in.  It's used as a locator.  The torque of the cam bolt keeps everything together.  If you want it to be a little more snug, put a little green Loctite on it.  A Grade 8 bolt on the cam bolt will be fine.  As you mentioned, you just want a really good hardened washer that won't deform when you torque it.  If it mushrooms any at all, you will lose your fastener stretch.

You may want to look again at your cam plug.  The dimple may actually cause it to contact the camshaft.  The cam plug bottoms out against the step in the block and sometimes the cam will run a little further aft than that.  You can take a pair of calipers and measure your dimple, then compare that to a new plug.  I try to not dimple the plugs at all when I drive them in. 

I just use oil on roller cam stuff, but you won't have any issues with what you're doing and I can understand your logic with moisture.

Sporting clays..........nice.    Used to do it myself, along with trap and skeet......USPSA matches.....benchrest.....whole nine yards. 

[machoneman]

I think, after seeing the wear on the cam plug, I'd pull more than a few of the main/rod caps to check for possible wear from the dust. Start at the front since oiling will occur there first. 

[chilly460]

Brent, thanks for the advice.  I'll double check the plug, I bought a couple extras because I figured I may have a repeat 

Yeah love to shoot sporting clays, kind of ebb in and out of tournaments and such depending on what else is going on in life.  I took it more seriously and backed off a bit now so it's more "fun". 

Mach, I hear what you're saying, easy enough to pull some rod caps just to see what's going on.  Honestly my fear is I'll find just enough to spur the "while you're at it" voice and put a 445 kit in this thing, which I've been trying to avoid this whole time    Just, for once, I wanted to do the quick/easy way.