'58 Edsel 361 Build and into '54 Ford

[Nightmist66]

I believe Frank is referring to something similar to this hollow rocker adjuster.

[frnkeore]

Yes, thank you.

[blykins]

That'll work.  Picture's worth a thousand words.

[RJP]

Thanks for the tips guy's.

RJP, how much did the timing change on the machined heads?

Brent, I wish there was a way to clean the water jackets, here locally. I do know the process you speak of, isn't available, in my area. Regarding the cam bolt, as a machinist, my idea is to drill the bolt, relieve the threads, in the passage area and then cross drill to the hole in the center. Kinda like the cam bearings journals are done.

Another question I have is, is there any reason to not restrict the oil to the heads at the block, below the heads? I can't think of one.

Frank, It has been so long since I had that combo running, so going by a very distant memory here as it was mid 80s when I ran those heads. All I remember the timing was more sensitive to changes, not near as bad as the D2VE open chamber head used on the 'one year only' 72 460. Those heads were horrible and much worse than the machined chamber FE head. The FEs has a very small quench pad that does create some turbulence unlike the D2 460 heads which are a totally open chamber, no quench at all and no turbulence.  Perhaps using a steel shim head gasket and a zero deck piston might provide the needed turbulence to suppress detonation and have a bit more leeway with total timing. Regarding your 'restrict oil to the head' question. I have always use a restrictor under the rocker stand only so that in the very rare event it should get stopped up with ?? you don't need to pull the head to clean the debris. The restrictors are instrumental in helping the head drains not get overloaded as some heads are very restricted in the drain area surrounding the head bolt. I now make grinding more "relief" in the head bolt/drain intersection as "S.O.P." when ever the heads are off an engine. 

[frnkeore]

Thanks, RJP. I was more curious about total advance, I figure to start it up at ~38 and do the cam brake in and make my first runs at that setting, also.

I got the thrust bearing surface finished today. The caps are fairly easy, indicated as I show and the fly cutter is set at 4" diameter but, the block is much more tedious, to sneak up on the finished surface. The last 5 cuts, were at .0005 each, until I could just see witness marks in the die.

In the picture of indicating the center of the mains, if you look to the right side of the picture, you can see one of the large pieces of mold slag I spoke of earlier, There are more but on the outside of the block.

I also included pictures of the way I hold the block to the table.

[RJP]

Frank, What is the date code and casting location of that block you have pictured? Just curious when they stopped casting the freeze plug bosses in the front and back of the block. Also didn't some very early heads had freeze plugs in the front and rear of the head? The 2 or 3 sets of machined combustion chamber heads I have do not have these freeze plugs.

[frnkeore]

RJP, here you go.

The oil pump mount area, seems to be much thinner than later blocks, too.

Yes, the heads have soft plug holes. I can't take pictures, right now, they are in for Ex seats.

[frnkeore]

I don't know what the clock code means but, I believe the casting date is just below the casting number (79  8 ) Aug or Sept of '57.

My someone with a knowledge of Y block castings could confirm this?

Edit:
Also, does anyone want to take a stab at what the stamping mean, near the Rt water inlet? They don't go with anything on the Vin plate.

I've ordered a '58 Edsel service manual to see if I can find out what the quirks are on the 361. Should be here around the 20th.

[thatdarncat]

Frank, here’s some documentation that should be helpful for de-coding your engine. It’s courtesy of Barry Buck.

Your casting date code of “7 9  8” is 1957 September 8th.

Your block was cast at the Cleveland Foundry, the “CF” logo is there.

I believe the one stamped number on the front of your block is the assembly date & plant. Although the document shows it on the side ear like later FE’s have, I’ve seen other early FE’s with the assembly date stamped on the front like that. It could be there were differences depending on engine plant too.

So your assembly date/plant info “1-79 U” is Cleveland engine plant #1, 1957 September 20th. That fits with the casting date.

I’ve been trying to follow & figure out some of these unique features of the early FE’s for a while now. The really early Edsel FE blocks have core plug holes on both the front & back, the front core plugs seemed to be phased out first, I’ve seen other blocks like yours with the core plug holes just on the back, then shortly after that the rear core plug holes were phased out too.

[frnkeore]

Kevin, thank you, very much. I truly appreciate it.

[68fecyclone]

.

[pbf777]

     As most aren't familiar with the early executions of this, I'd almost be tempted to bore the front block bosses for the core plugs, so that at an event with the hood up I could confuse some individuals as to what engine it was, perhaps even implying that it was one of the new Dart or World manufacture's blocks, and see how many would claim to have one too!       

     Scott.

[Heo]

Coreplugs at the ends of the block indicate English blocks..On flatheads there is

[FERoadster]

The other EDC block and heads Frank passed on.
The block is dated 7A  E and the heads 79-D. Heads are from a different purchase and don't go with the block.
The block does have the undrilled front core plug bosses.
If I read Kevin's post correctly this block would then be a Nov 1957 casting date?
Richard >>> FERoadster

[thatdarncat]

The other EDC block and heads Frank passed on.
The block is dated 7A  E and the heads 79-D. Heads are from a different purchase and don't go with the block.
The block does have the undrilled front core plug bosses.
If I read Kevin's post correctly this block would then be a Nov 1957 casting date?
Richard >>> FERoadster

Yes, 7A E would be 1957 November 5th. Is that also a Cleveland Foundry cast block? CF logo would be under the oil filter adapter pad like on Franks block. Does the 7A E block also not have the core plugs on the back? I have a 1957 October CF cast FE block, and it does not have the front or rear core plugs.

Just out of curiosity where were the heads cast, DIF or CF?