perf-list-digest Wednesday, February 24 1999 Volume 02 : Number 048



=======================================================================
Ford Truck Enthusiasts - Performance
Visit our web site: http://www.ford-trucks.com/
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
To unsubscribe, send email to:
majordomo ford-trucks.com
with the words "unsubscribe perf-list-digest" in the body of the
message.
=======================================================================
In this issue:

FTE Perf - Flames
Re: FTE Perf - 428 Cobra Jet
Re: FTE Perf - Flames
RE: FTE Perf - tranny no move
FTE Perf - Continuing tranny woes
FTE Perf - 428 CJ
FTE Perf - Elec. Ignition
Re: FTE Perf - Elec. Ignition
Re: FTE Perf - Continuing tranny woes
Re: FTE Perf - Continuing tranny woes

=======================================================================

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Fri, 19 Feb 1999 09:24:12 -0800
From: William Street
Subject: FTE Perf - Flames

>>
>> Brings back memories of my '51 Merc. I had a
sparkplug in each tailpipe
>and an
>> old "T Model" coil wired up in the trunk with a
control button under the
>dash.
>> I could throw flames around 15/20 feet out the
rear tail pipes. Just get
>up some
>> rpm's - cut the ignition off and hit the button -
raw gas through the exhaust
>> system would ignite at the sparkplugs in the
tailpipes. Awsome looking.
>>
>> Azie
>> Ardmore, Al.

As well as a great way to remove or blow a large
hole in a muffler
if you timed it just right.

Bill





== FTE: Uns*bscribe and posting info http://www.ford-trucks.com/faq.html

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 23 Feb 1999 09:08:42 -0600
From: William S Hart
Subject: Re: FTE Perf - 428 Cobra Jet

>By the way -- The is no real difference in the 428 blocks whether it is CJ
>or not they are all the same to my understanding. The only thing that makes
>a 428 CJ is the heads.
>
Check out www.wrljet.com ... seems there is some difference in the CJ block
in the main webbing area ...


I think I would have to agree with sleddog (first time for everything huh ?
:) on this one, your range of options for power and cost and transmissions
are going to be much wider with the 460. Not to mention it sounds really
cool to say you've got a 460 ... not that a 428 doesn't it just doesn't
have the aura among kids that it used to (gosh, kids these days, some have
never even SEEN a CJ!)

Anyway that's probably about a nickels worth of advice, not sure its worth
that though.


Just my 2cents

wish

Links http://www.ford-trucks.com//lc/lc.php?action=do&link=http://www.public.iastate.edu/~wish/links.html
'73 1/2 ton 4x4 Ford http://www.ford-trucks.com//lc/lc.php?action=do&link=http://www.public.iastate.edu/~wish/truck.html
'96 Mustang GT http://www.ford-trucks.com//lc/lc.php?action=do&link=http://www.public.iastate.edu/~wish/mustang.html
== FTE: Uns*bscribe and posting info http://www.ford-trucks.com/faq.html

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 23 Feb 1999 09:10:22 -0600
From: William S Hart
Subject: Re: FTE Perf - Flames

>As well as a great way to remove or blow a large
>hole in a muffler
>if you timed it just right.
>
I know a guy who intentionally loaded up the exhaust and blew the muffler
off of a truck because the company wouldn't replace it .... it was rusted
out, but it was still there so they said they didn't need to replace
it....shut the truck off (in gear rolling), pump the gas a few times, turn
the key back on .... they replaced it the next day.


Just my 2cents

wish

Links http://www.ford-trucks.com//lc/lc.php?action=do&link=http://www.public.iastate.edu/~wish/links.html
'73 1/2 ton 4x4 Ford http://www.ford-trucks.com//lc/lc.php?action=do&link=http://www.public.iastate.edu/~wish/truck.html
'96 Mustang GT http://www.ford-trucks.com//lc/lc.php?action=do&link=http://www.public.iastate.edu/~wish/mustang.html
== FTE: Uns*bscribe and posting info http://www.ford-trucks.com/faq.html

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 23 Feb 1999 11:19:12 -0500
From: Sleddog
Subject: RE: FTE Perf - tranny no move

Uh, if i let the engine run for half an hour, i'd have no more motor! it
ain't for 500 miler races...

When the problems first started it was actually opposite, as in it would
work fine at first, then after heating up would bind. then it was fine
till heated where it would not move at all, and now, no go no matter what.

i am thinking in the interest of time i may remove the tranny and swap in
my tranny from the other truck. is basically same thing but has a reverse
manual body in it. then i can fix at leasure. pulling season is coming up
real fast and i have done nothing to get ready yet!

sleddog

- ----------
From: Drew Beatty[SMTP:dcbeatty rmi.net]
Sent: Monday, February 22, 1999 9:42 PM
To: 'Performance list'
Subject: FTE Perf - tranny no move

Hey Sleddog. I got this same thing out of my C4 in my Maverick not too long
ago. The seals are getting hard, and it doesn't hole pressure until the
tranny warms up and the seals swell.

Have you tried letting it run for a half hour or so to see if it will move
then? If so, a mere cork and rubber kit might be the thing.

Just a thought,

Drew Beatty
dcbeatty rmi.net



== FTE: Uns*bscribe and posting info http://www.ford-trucks.com/faq.html

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 23 Feb 1999 11:48:08 EST
From: JUMPINFORD AOL.COM
Subject: FTE Perf - Continuing tranny woes

Well I decided to retrieve Tweety last night. Got dads 4x4, a chian, and a
few "volunteers" and went. Get this, tranny decided to work! Drove it the
rest of the way into town without a problem. Now not listening to my dad I
decided to continue with the swap anyways, figuring that the trucks desire to
completely resist rolling when in drive wasnt in my head. Talk about fun,
took me 4 hours to get it out. Items removed to get it out include the
following:Linkage, starter, speedo cable, coolant lines, 2 cross members,
exhaust, drive shafts, and a few others. Now aside from the fluid in the
tranny coming out like a beautiful Metallic Maroon like youd find on a town
car, everything seemed normal. Then I yanked on the torque converter, and the
small input shaft came with it.

Do you think my Torque Converter is ok? I used the broken input shaft as a
handle and spun everything, no wobble, no grinding or anything.

Well I had run out of daylight, but my next question is, How do I flush the
cooling side of the garbage? I used an air compressor and blew out all the
old fluid, is there anything else I should do?

Thanks
Darrell Duggan
74 F-350 "Tweety"
== FTE: Uns*bscribe and posting info http://www.ford-trucks.com/faq.html

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 23 Feb 1999 13:11:19 -0500
From: am14 daimlerchrysler.com
Subject: FTE Perf - 428 CJ

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the CJ version did not come out until mid year '68.
Not '66.
Also the rods, cam, intake and exhaust manifolds are different in 428 and 428
CJ. The pistons may or may not be the same, I can't remember, but I think they
are different also.
I would not be afraid to "build" a regular 428, but all is not the same as 428
CJ.

Azie
Ardmore, Al.


== FTE: Uns*bscribe and posting info http://www.ford-trucks.com/faq.html

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 23 Feb 1999 15:04:09 -0600
From: William S Hart
Subject: FTE Perf - Elec. Ignition

Well I cleaned the garage this weekend (everyone cheers), its almost to the
point that I can put that 390 together in it, need to sweep it out one more
time though.

Anyway the real point is that I looked at the elec. dist. that came with
the 390 and low and behold, there was an extra piece of wiring attached.
It was the part of the harness that included the C connector for the coil,
and runs back to a fairly large plug. At any rate I think its the piece I
thought I was missing...does that make any sense? I've got some printed
stuff about where to go from here, but I wanted to be sure I have
everything. Here's what I have and need :

Have: running FE to test on before installing new motor
Elec. dist. from FE (assumed okay since there's not much to go wrong,
though that sentence spells certain death I'm sure)
Wiring harness from dist to coil to box? along with other various things
(assuming oil pressure and temperature plugs)

Need: Coil (cheap one at junk yard for testing work?)
Ignition box (figure new one for testing so I know its good, then give it
to a friend of mine who has a Jeep with the same box in it, is it worth
trying with a used box if the box is free ???)
Time and decent weather to work on the truck. (this is out of my hands)

My eventual goal is to move to an MSD 6A ignition box (adapter cable can be
purchased to wire in to factory wiring) with a high powered coil (MSD makes
one that plugs into the factory wiring). The idea is to get a good
reliable system that I won't have to mess with all the time, and won't need
to carry a spare box, or can easily swap in the factory box (maybe just
keep it mounted but not plugged in) so that I don't need to worry about
being stranded somewhere. That's always been my biggest pet peeve with the
elec. ignition, points you can limp home on, once the elec. box goes out,
you're done. These are my goals for the next few months to a year.

If anyone has any suggestions on components and procedures, I'd love to
hear from you guys. Just trying to get all my info together and make
things as painless as possible.



Thanks,
wish
73ish F-1?? 4x4 360-->390 http://www.ford-trucks.com//lc/lc.php?action=do&link=http://www.public.iastate.edu/~wish/truck.html
96 Mustang GT
http://www.ford-trucks.com//lc/lc.php?action=do&link=http://www.public.iastate.edu/~wish/mustang.html

== FTE: Uns*bscribe and posting info http://www.ford-trucks.com/faq.html

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 23 Feb 1999 14:02:07 -0800
From: sdelanty sonic.net
Subject: Re: FTE Perf - Elec. Ignition

William wrote:
>Well I cleaned the garage this weekend (everyone cheers), its almost to the
>point that I can put that 390 together in it, need to sweep it out one more
>time though.


>Need: Coil (cheap one at junk yard for testing work?)

>My eventual goal is to move to an MSD 6A ignition box (adapter cable can be
>purchased to wire in to factory wiring) with a high powered coil (MSD makes
>one that plugs into the factory wiring).


>If anyone has any suggestions on components and procedures, I'd love to
>hear from you guys. Just trying to get all my info together and make
>things as painless as possible.

A good "cheap" coil is the E-core coil that came on many Fords from
the mid-80's to mid-90's. It doesn't look like a regular round coil,
it's has an exposed square metal core with a black plastic "body" in
the middle that contains the coil windings, with the HV tower sticking
out of it. They look very different than a normal coil and you'll know
one when you see it...
They are plentiful at wrecking yards. I paid $5 for the last one I bought.
This is a good cheap "high performance" coil. It works well with the
stock duraspark box, and works very well with an MSD6.
It's also a nicer design than a regular round coil, because it's more
resistant to arcing over than a round coil, and if it does arc over at
the tower it will arc to the grounded core rather than to one of the primary
terminals like a round coil almost always does. Arcing to a primary terminal
can be real rough on ign electronics...

I use a duraspark distributor with an MSD6 box on my FE390.
I used to run a MSD blaster 2 coil with it, but I had a plug wire go
bad and the coil arced thru the side of the coil tower to one of the
primary terminals. Trash that coil... thankfully it didn't injure
my MSD.

I replaced the blasted 2 with one of the E-core coils from the
wreckers and it works very well. It seems to make just as fat and
nasty of a spark as before, and it was about $35 cheaper than another
MSD coil... And I think probably more reliable.

If you want to try one, don't forget to grab the mounting bracket since
your old mounting hardware won't fit it. Most of the e-coils I find
at the yard have fender mounted brackets. You might have to fangle
something else to use it in the stock engine mounted FE location.
I mounted mine on the passenger side inner fender where it's away from
the heat and vibration of the motor. I think that's probably a good
thing. It also looks nice there and gets rid of some of the clutter
on the motor.


Steve
http://www.ford-trucks.com//lc/lc.php?action=do&link=http://www.sonic.net/~sdelanty

"There are no stupid questions... only stupid people."

== FTE: Uns*bscribe and posting info http://www.ford-trucks.com/faq.html

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 23 Feb 1999 21:36:17 -0500
From: Tim Turner
Subject: Re: FTE Perf - Continuing tranny woes

JUMPINFORD AOL.COM wrote:
>

> Do you think my Torque Converter is ok? I used the broken input shaft as a
> handle and spun everything, no wobble, no grinding or anything.

Be safe.. replace it. The $100 is WELL spent. I did not replace the
converter when I rebuilt my old Dodge 727 and 2 weeks later *BOOM*.
Back through the tranny with no fault seen and replaced the TC.

>
> Well I had run out of daylight, but my next question is, How do I flush the
> cooling side of the garbage? I used an air compressor and blew out all the
> old fluid, is there anything else I should do?

In the same vein; if the old tranny grenaded then bypass the radiator
cooler and use an add-on cooler. In the long run you'll be much better
off. Some tranny rebuilders will NOT warranty a trans unless the cooler
is REPLACED during installation.

You could TRY not replacing the converter, but be prepared to yank
Tweet's tranny again soon if you dont... To me it's worth the peace of
mind. (And I'm a broke SOB too!) ;-)

Tim Turner/Manic Mechanic
Custer Auto Repair
Wilmington NC
>
> Thanks
> Darrell Duggan
> 74 F-350 "Tweety"
> == FTE: Uns*bscribe and posting info http://www.ford-trucks.com/faq.html
== FTE: Uns*bscribe and posting info http://www.ford-trucks.com/faq.html

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 24 Feb 1999 00:52:42 -0600
From: "Robert F. Davis"
Subject: Re: FTE Perf - Continuing tranny woes

At 09:36 PM 02/23/99 -0500, you wrote:
>
>
>JUMPINFORD AOL.COM wrote:
spinning the turbine w/the input shaft is not a valid test of the
converter. you need to check the sprag inside AND the
end play with a dial indicator. But just to be on the safe side I would
replace the converter. You can install an inline filter in the oil return
line to the trans to trap any metal that might still be in the cooler. I
have several cases of transmission filters made especially by FRAM for use
as trans fluid filters. If you want 1 let me know. I want $10.00 each for
them.

"Beater" Bob Davis>>
>
>> Do you think my Torque Converter is ok? I used the broken input shaft as a
>> handle and spun everything, no wobble, no grinding or anything.
>
>Be safe.. replace it. The $100 is WELL spent. I did not replace the
>converter when I rebuilt my old Dodge 727 and 2 weeks later *BOOM*.
>Back through the tranny with no fault seen and replaced the TC.
>
>>
>> Well I had run out of daylight, but my next question is, How do I flush the
>> cooling side of the garbage? I used an air compressor and blew out all the
>> old fluid, is there anything else I should do?
>
>In the same vein; if the old tranny grenaded then bypass the radiator
>cooler and use an add-on cooler. In the long run you'll be much better
>off. Some tranny rebuilders will NOT warranty a trans unless the cooler
>is REPLACED during installation.
>
>You could TRY not replacing the converter, but be prepared to yank
>Tweet's tranny again soon if you dont... To me it's worth the peace of
>mind. (And I'm a broke SOB too!) ;-)
>
>Tim Turner/Manic Mechanic
>Custer Auto Repair
>Wilmington NC
....

---

To access the rest of this feature you must be a logged in Registered User Of Ford Truck Enthusiasts

Registration is free, easy and gives you access to more features.
If you are not registered, click here to register.
If you are already registered, you can login here.

If you are already logged in and are seeing this message, your web browser is blocking session cookies. Change your browser cookie settings to allow session cookies.