I would have like to run that windage tray but I couldn't with my oil pan choice.

I wanted to run this Canton main support because it was cheap and you can buy the windage tray that bolts on for under $35 but then I read the instructions and the windage tray won't clear the stock pan. So I saved myself $150 and just bought the Milodon windage tray.

:thumbs_up:

That's the one I have for the spare motor. Unfortunately the road race pan wont fit with a windage tray.

I started installing the pistons tonight and was having a tough time keeping the rings in my cheap adjustable ring compressor. Then it happened, while installing the third piston I broke the lip on the second compression ring. F___!!!!!! I'm usually pretty calm and wouldn't let something like this bother me but I haven't been feeling well the past couple days and this just pissed me off. My wife calmed me down and told me to just order new rings and a better ring compressor so I did. She said it must have been a sign to get different rings because I was complaining about the fit of the Mahle rings that came with the kit. I'm a lucky man.

I know total seal allows you to order just one piston ring. Call them, get a part number and see if you can modify/ refund your order.

I ordered Total Seal rings from Summit Racing already.

I know, Im saying keep them in the packaging. Call the manufacturer of the ring you broke, get a part number for one, order it for $20 and return the full set you just ordered.

Returning with summit is easy and they will even pay for shipping. They even include a return shipping label on the receipt now I think.

Or waste $200 and 7 rings if that makes you happy??

Wtf? The rings set are like $20 and its always nice to have some rings on the shelf. Being honest and accepting responsibility is good too.

I already file fit the Mahle rings so I wouldn't be able to return them anyways. The Total Seal CR rings were only $115 from Summit. I really want to gapless ring set but the only one they have with the 3mm oil rings are $300 and I'm not going to spend that much.

Holy shit, why so much? I grabbed a set from dick for cheap.

That's the same price that the Mahle rings were. The only ones for $20 were for a single cylinder.

The set I bought were $22 from dick for the sealed power ones which are the same rings

I received my adjustable timing set, new rocker arm and Summit cam degreeing kit yesterday. My new rings, ring file and ring compressor just arrived so I should be able to get a lot done this weekend.

I was able to file fit the new rings, install them on the pistons and the install the pistons in the block tonight. The new Total Seal rings show to set the top ring at .0055 x bore, the second ring at .0035 x bore and the oil ring at a minimum of .015. So I set the top rings at .023, the second rings at .016 and the oil rings were .016 out of the box.

Oil rings arent so important, mostly because of the size. Looked into mine, they were .022 and .018 BTW.

These rings are so much nicer than the Mahle ones. The Mahle rings had a starting gap anywhere between .008 up to .015 out of the box. The Total Seal rings were .007 on every top ring, .005 on every bottom ring and .016 on every oil ring out of the box.

What spec did they recommend for the brand you used? Mahle recommends a wider gap for their rings than Total Seal does.

Shawn recommended the gap since the pistons were used, they were also hastings rings, not sure if it it makes a difference.

I tried calling you back but my phone died. When I went to charge it I realized i left my charger with Vanessa. I'll talk to Dick on monday about his methods.

I pulled the cam and installed the stock Cobra one to check about the funky .002 on the intake and the stock cam stayed at 0 until the lobe started lifting it and once closed it stayed at 0. The exhaust lobe was the same. Then I installed the ACC cam and it still did the same thing. I checked the exhaust and it is also ground funky. It stays open .001 until a few degrees before TDC and then closes back to 0. I ended up installing it 2 degrees advanced for all the numbers below. This is what I came up with.

Intake Lift - .328
Exhaust Lift - .327
Intake CL - 116*
Exhaust CL - 114*
LSA 115*
IO - (-5*)
IC - 47*
EO - 43*
EC - 1*
Duration at .050 In 222* / Ex 224*

Thats odd, those are no where near the numbers on the cam. I'm going to check with Dick and Joey monday to see whats up.

Apparently the incorrect master plates (they were for an LS cam) were used which is why everything was off. The LS has a larger base circle which is why the lobe had the .002 dip. The new grind is completed and I'll pick it up tomorrow. I'm not sure what the final specs are but I'll post them after I degree it this weekend.

It was for an LT cam which has a smaller base circle, so he didn't remove enough material when he ground the cam.

You told me that but I mixed it up. Joey told me again today. So I picked the cam up and got it installed and degreed. Joey told me to install it 6* advanced and that the intake centerline should come in around 112-113. After degreeing it I came up with 112.75*. Though I still came up with different numbers than he said it should be. He told me that the lift should be around .552 which is about .325 at the cam and the duration should be 218*. I came up with .325 intake and .324 exhaust which is fine but for the duration I came up with 215* on the intake and 220* on the exhaust. It also still does the drop on the intake at about 12* only it is now .001 instead of .002. After what he said though I'm no longer worried about that. Anyways, I'm going to run it how it is.

After finishing the cam I bolted on a head with one of the old head gaskets and then check the piston to valve clearance. The intake valve had .306 clearance and the exhaust had .318. Plenty of room.

Tomorrow I'll finish up the bottom end and get the timing cover bolted on. I should also have the new head gaskets tomorrow so I'll get the heads bolted on as well.

Here are the only pictures I took from tonight.

I'm sure there's a snag in the testing procedure and the tolerance in the crank definitely isn't as tight as stock. As long as it's installed close i'm sure you're fine. Did you try installing it at 114 to see if it effected the duration numbers?

No, I just installed it 6* advanced and left it.

I received my head gaskets today and got the heads installed. I had to repair 4 stripped bolt holes (1 intake and 3 exhaust) so it took a while. I went with a .038 compressed gasket and with the 61cc combustion chamber, 14.2 dish and .015 deck that gives me a 9.24:1 compression.

The only pictures from today.

So preeettttyyyy :)

Poor lil motor has no idea the hell that awaits it beneath Rons foot.

Almost done. I should be able to finish cleaning everything up at night during this week and have it ready to drop in on Friday. I ended up porting the intake manifold more today because I didn't take enough off the bottom of the runners. They now match the heads nicely although I could get a picture of them.

Pictures from today.

I give my best regards for your block

Those rockers make my panties wet

This is my engine, not yours. Did you forget how good mine ran even with two rivets bouncing around in the block. It'll be fine.

They're just the stock Cobra rockers which were made by Crane.

I truly hope it lasts, but 45ci is a big steps up, sure, you wont be seeing 7k but you should be expecting it to happen.

That's what the extra block in the garage is for but I don't plan on needing it.

Did a little more tonight. First I took a couple pictures of the intake ports. They're not great pictures but good enough. They don't match perfectly but close enough.



Next I installed the thermostat housing and then the headers. While doing the passenger side I discovered another bolt hole that needed repair so I pulled the header back off and fixed it.

Drilled


Tapped



Insert


Completed


A couple with the headers installed. These are Bassani 1 5/8 equal length shorties.




And here is the secret to making a Ford 302 last.



You have to have something from a Chevy.

It's better to have helicoils on the heads anyhow, the big dollar race heads are completely helicoiled. I'm jealous that you're done before me.

What do you mean done before you?

The blue car won't be done until the new year. I've lost all motivation for it.

The Cobra has been down for 5 months now. Hopefully I'll have it running this weekend. You need to figure out what's going on with the blue car and get it driveable.