Winter project in the works.

[cleatus12r]

20170313_200903.jpgThe body lift is on. I'll have the bumpers on tonight. Surprisingly, it looks better to me like this than stock height.....must be my pickup-favoring DNA.

I'll have plenty of room for some LT225/70-16 tires. These modern car tires are junk; I might have 25K miles on these and they're bald. This car has no power so they didn't burn off. I don't think the 15" aluminum wheels will hold the weight either.

[cleatus12r]

Just about time to park it in the shop for a heart transplant....

Then comes new paint. Ugh.

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[cleatus12r]

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Holy cow. More than a year late starting this again. I drove it all summer with the lift and it turns out that I really like it this way.

I finally put it in the shop and started ripping and tearing last night for about an hour. I'm engine mounts and exhaust pipes away from yanking the engine and transmission out. 256,000 miles and still runs like a champ.

[JackandJanet]

I've been wondering where you were on this! Lookin' good, sir!

- Jack

[cleatus12r]

The first year of marriage took a toll on "me-time" and since the shop is now technically a "heated shop" as of October, I will be able to blast through work at home.

[cleatus12r]

I made a little progress this weekend.

Engine sitting there supported on the frame and by a jack under the rear of the pan (to keep it from tipping backward only).
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Plenty of room for turbocharger turbine inlet pipes and discharge pipe.
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This engine wouldn't physically fit without a body lift. No way, no how....unless I wanted to use hydroboost and not have an airbox. However, it's a nice surprise to see that the valve covers can be removed pretty easily in this position. The rear elevation may have to be changed a little once the transmission is in (since measuring only gets you so far) and is setting on a crossmember.

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[RacinJasonWV]

You're nuts! Interesting build. I'm anxious to see how it turns out.

[cleatus12r]

Getting closer.

Here's a short video showing progress up to yesterday.
https://youtu.be/HF02zX2ay00

[cleatus12r]

I am waiting on installing some steering shaft parts that should be here tomorrow before pulling the engine out for the last time. I have probably gone in and out with it 12-15 times. The steering shaft is no longer a straight shot from the base of the column to the steering box since there is now an exhaust manifold in the way and I want to get that rectified before pulling the engine out again.

I did, however, get the transmission crossmember installed. Who would have thought that ALL of the original Crown Vic transmission mounting parts would work on a 4R100? I just had to make two angle iron frame mounts with one hole drilled in each and weld them 8.5" rearward of the originals.

Most progress will be on hold until next weekend.

[cleatus12r]

20180129_202619.jpgGot steering?

[cleatus12r]

I tore down the current donor engine today. It sucks that it only has 154K and a broken #8 top ring.....but that's how I ended up with it for a trade on labor costs for a replacement 6 years ago.

Seven holes to hone, one to sleeve, new rings and bearings (to replace the ones that look new anyway), one new (good used) piston and away it goes.

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[RacinJasonWV]

How could you tell the ring was broken?
Obviously it was down on compression but wondering what the symptoms were.

[cleatus12r]

Miss and white smoke at an idle and low load. Ran fine under boost when there was enough dynamic compression to ignite the fuel. Tons of blowby into the crankcase (diesel fuel smell to the "puffs" coming from the oil fill) and uneven cranking speed.

I have four 7.3L engines here with one broken ring and perfect remaining cylinders. Seems to be somewhat common.

Unfortunately when the ring (top compression ring) breaks, the broken chunk wears a groove in the cylinder wall and the longer it's run, the worse it gets. In this case, the other 7 cylinders are pristene and I don't want to (or don't need to) buy a new set of oversized pistons so instead of boring them all (since .030" would clean up the damage), I will pay for a sleeve and save $800 on new pistons. I have a full set of ultra-low mileage ones that I can steal one from.

[RacinJasonWV]

Thank you for the insight.
I’d been worried the previous owner had hurt my engine since it was chipped with no gauges and I found a warped manifold. I’ve posted about higher than I think are normal EGTs, blah blah blah, a damaged ring with lower compression was one of my suspected culprits but now I’m thinking maybe it’s just normal. I don’t have any of the symptoms you listed, well I haven’t checked the blowby but it idles and runs smooth.
Thanks again. Good luck with your project.

[cleatus12r]

Going to the machine shop tomorrow.

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[cleatus12r]

A bit of time has gone by. Progress has been made.

The engine needed two sleeves (should have sent off a different block since it was big $$$$ but too late now ). I painted it gold and purple and got it bolted in last night. I installed all new front suspension bushings, ball joints, and steering parts. I also used 98-02 taxi springs (710 lbs. per inch vs. 420) and it brought the loaded ride height up two inches over the worn out stock springs.

Here it sits until wiring, fuel, and accessories are done.

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[RacinJasonWV]

Looking good!

[cleatus12r]

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Getting closer. Downpipe is done, power steering is done, wiring is 90% done.........

Driveshaft, transmission cooler lines, battery cables, and water pump away from running. Not quite DRIVING yet, but running.

[cleatus12r]

Four months later...

I drive it every day and it currently has 2250 miles. Although I still don't have air conditioning, rolling the windows down works fine. It has, over 6 tanks of fuel, been consistently between 24.98 and 26.44 MPG.

Paint and A/C hoses next.

[cleatus12r]

It's officially parked for the winter.

4980 miles logged since the maiden voyage without one failure....except the NAPA radiator that had to be replaced under warranty in September due to an external transmission fluid leak from the cooler fittings.

I put some Explorer 16" wheels on it to replace the ugly steel wheels and have done nothing but fuel fill-ups and oil changes.

Same mileage, runs and drives like a dream, and is still ugly. Winter projections are still only A/C and paint.