Hey guys--

Recently I changed the timing gears on my 300, due to knocking. I have installed the front cover a few times, and knew that I should of used the v. dampener to center the cover to prevent leaks, but chose to make three reference marks from cover to block instead. I reinstalled with with marks dead on, but, or course, it leaked at the seal. (It just would of been too difficult for Ford to have built in two stinking dowels for alignment!!)

Anyway, I pulled the v.dampener again and just siliconed around the seal. No more leak there. But I just drove 40 miles and lost 1/2 qt of oil. The dampener is clean, but the majority of the oil went to passenger side, yep, the direction of rotation, but there were no drops or residue on the v.p.

The front of the pan is leaking. Is there a way to replace of seal up the front of the pan w/o pulling the t. cover? I'd hate to lower the pan because of leak issues there.

Thanks.

 

Sometimes quick, simple ,and easy will bite you right in the gasket. You know what you need to do. Try the easy way (loosen, squirt goo, tighten, etc., hope, pray, maybe get lucky (I hope),or pull it down, timing cover, maybe pan, new gskts. I hope you get lucky. OBCB

 

Dang! OBCB!

You mean there's not a bottle of "Fix-a-gasket" that I can just pour into the oil that will solve all my problems?

You're no fun. But you're right. I knew it, but hoped there was an easy way out. This engine is kicking my .... I am so fricking tired of working on it.

 

There is snake oil available, allegedly claimed, to fix anything...but usually only fix an overweight pocket book. The only "mouse milk" remedy I have ever found that works is the Aluma Powder to stop small to slightly moderate leaks in the radiator.

 

Yeah, now that I've pulled it apart enough to squirt everything with silicone, and found that that didn't create a miracle, I have to tear it apart for the third time in 5 days. I'm getting real good at it.

At least we know that a good 'snake oil' powder has a good chance on the market place due to lack of compitition.

 

It's all about marketing

 

Sorry man , did'nt mean to spoil things. Any way with all you have gone through and done with this engine, I just figured you cuddled up with it at night. You know .... first name basis kind of thing.
All kidding aside, I've had my share of gasket kicking. Finaly adopted the attitude of any step forward is good. Your perseverance is a lesson to us all. Thank you for sharing, it has answered questions for many, and I appreciate it. OBCB

 

Obcb--

The article in True Blue Trucks should be out in a couple of weeks, and it pretty well sums up my feelings regarding the build and the engine.

Yes, the project just about took over my life. Working on the engine, researching, ordering parts, researching parts, wandering the littered paths of the Wilmington junkyards, for a while it took over. I don't know how many nights I dreamed of p.rods, cams, etc.! And sometimes it was difficult to post regarding my screw-ups.

But it is winding down now. I think I'll put the 1.7 rockers on ebay, and go with the Harland S. 1.6's, and fix the oil leak problem tomorrow, and then I hope to have many years of dependable driving from my labor.

Your sarcastic humor is always a kick. I will most likely be ordering p.rods from a concern in your neck of the woods, Smith Bros. p.rods, in Bend, OR. That's God's country, isn't it?

Cheers.





As just about everyone on this site knows, all it takes to get from one to the other is lots of hard work, knowledge, research, money, and more hard work.

 

Morning F-250 restorer. I'm a little further north and east in LaGrande, but you're right about it being gods country, at least I like it. Thanks for the heads up on the article. I'll have to look for it.I know how these things can consume a person, I've always been that way about being a mechanic and mechanical things. Probably why I'm so sarcastic/dry with my humor (poor people skills). Have thoroughly enjoyed our banter and look forward to more. Whats the next project?............Ha ha ha. OBCB

 

I thought I would try something really different and just drive it for a couple of months, provided the oil stays in the engine on not on my undercarriage.

Good luck to ya

 

I look forward to seeing that article too. I have a feeling my wife will be wanting me to do something along the same lines to what used to be my truck (she stole it hahaha).

And the transformation is really quite something. If I didn't know any better, I'd say it wasn't the same truck or engine.

 

OBCB--

Okay, I can't stop. Next? Disc brake conversion in the rear. I have a Dana 60, and I've been doing research about it. If I find a set of calipers from a '76--78 cadi el dorado in the Ghetto junk yard, It should be pretty cheap to do...with e. brake too.

I'll keep you posted.

 

It is an addiction. Don't you just love it? A worthy endeavor, the disc conversion. About that wreaking yard,...... its name, or a politicaly incorrect something?
Not judging, just busting your chops. lol.....tee hee..... oh well, poor joke. I'll try to do better.
Ok, time for a new thread. "How I made so much power with my 300-6 that I had to retro-fit disc brakes just to control it". YES, works for me. OBCB

 

I want to do the disc conversion because it is a more dependable brake system, and offers an incredible amount of stopping power, compared to drums. The brackets are easy to install and cheap ($70) to come by. All I need are the calipers, some lines, etc., and presto! there it is.

It's a good addiction.

 

I learned a trick from Dustybumpers, a forum member, that helped a lot. My '75 front cover does not have the positioning dowel pins to align the crank in the seal, so either you have the nearly non-existent tool, or you use the v. dampener to center the cover before bolting it up. Remember also, you have to squish down the pan gasket to get the seal to center. From under the truck, with limited space, working with the v. dampener and trying to align all 10 bolts, it is a major pain in the hemoroids. Also, while moving the cover around, it is super easy for the pan gasket to slide out of postition.

Solution for the pan gasket? clean surfaces and put it on with 3m weatherstrip adhesive. It worked great. On top of that I applied red silicone.

Pull cover forward toward radiator, insert v. dampener into seal, tap v. dampener on a bit, and slowly put in the bolts, tightening dampener into place a few turns at a time, continuing with the tightening of the bolts.