Building an engine run stand.

[Power Hungry]

Originally Posted by cleatus12r

I spent some time today getting parts ready for the machine shop. Pistons are on the way along with headers and a cam.

Suppose .017" of ring gap might be not-quite-enough? Like most things I have here, if it was a good runner, it wouldn't be in the shed for my entertainment pleasure.

What did you end up running for Ring End Gap? Normally on a 4.360" bore with factory pistons and rings, I'd use about .025" - 0.028" for compression rings (maybe 0.028" - 0.030" on the 2nd ring) and .018" - 0.020" for oil ring.

For aftermarket stuff I just use whatever they recommend, especially for hypereutectic pistons. The expansion rate on those are slightly different then regular aluminum slugs.

*Technically", some specs only call for 0.004" per bore inch, so in those cases a 0.017" end gap would be considered acceptable. At the end of the day, I'd rather be a tad larger gap than too small. As someone mentioned:

If the gap is too big, only you will know. If the gap is too large, EVERYONE will know!

[cleatus12r]

Originally Posted by Power Hungry

What did you end up running for Ring End Gap? Normally on a 4.360" bore with factory pistons and rings, I'd use about .025" - 0.028" for compression rings (maybe 0.028" - 0.030" on the 2nd ring) and .018" - 0.020" for oil ring.

For aftermarket stuff I just use whatever they recommend, especially for hypereutectic pistons. The expansion rate on those are slightly different then regular aluminum slugs.

*Technically", some specs only call for 0.004" per bore inch, so in those cases a 0.017" end gap would be considered acceptable. At the end of the day, I'd rather be a tad larger gap than too small. As someone mentioned:

If the gap is too big, only you will know. If the gap is too large, EVERYONE will know!

I'll be running .029" due to the 4.442" bore and the formula of .0065"/in. on run of the mill "rebuilder" cast pistons.

Better safe than sorry.

[cleatus12r]

Everything is heading off to the balancer's shop on Monday afternoon. Here's a bit of trivia for you, too. I was a bit worried about what I was going to do about a flywheel. I've seen a few and done one with a 360/390 flywheel and FE starter but don't really want a Frankenstein just in case I ever sell it since it's not fair to the next guy.

Ford didn't put a manual in the F-Series/460 combo until '83-ish and by that time (since '79), all 460s were externally balanced. The harmonic dampers are all the same from '68-'97 so the crank spacers are where the difference lies. No problems there. The early flywheels (429 manual) are not the right size to use with the ZF 5-speed bellhousing so what's a guy to do? Buy the correct '89 460 flywheel and machine the cast-in counterweight off!

I bought a Pioneer flywheel from Scummit and while it is new-in-the-box, somebody must have gotten a little ways into a similar project and returned it...the counterweight had already been milled off.....I would have used a lathe, but hey, it saved a few bucks! I let a Scummit rep know that their returns department needs to be a little more particular since somebody with an ACTUAL '79-later rotating assembly may have gotten it and installed it....then chased a vibration afterward.

[cleatus12r]

Headers are supposed to be here today!

I'll have this thing running this afternoon....fingers crossed! So long as the cam survives break-in, I am SOOOOO excited to hear this thing run. Cam specs are pretty wild.

[Power Hungry]

Originally Posted by cleatus12r

Headers are supposed to be here today!

I'll have this thing running this afternoon....fingers crossed! So long as the cam survives break-in, I am SOOOOO excited to hear this thing run. Cam specs are pretty wild.

Always irritated me having to put a bellhousing on the engines to start them.

That aside, very exciting! Let us know how it goes.

[cleatus12r]

First startup.

https://rumble.com/v1blpnp-breaking-...er-paint..html


After running a while.

https://rumble.com/v1blrxx-after-bre...-quality..html

[Power Hungry]

Originally Posted by cleatus12r

First startup.

https://rumble.com/v1blpnp-breaking-...er-paint..html


After running a while.

https://rumble.com/v1blrxx-after-bre...-quality..html

Sounds lumpy! Gonna be great in that buggy.