Engine rebuild progress report
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Elder User
Joined: Oct 2005
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From: Citrus Heights, CA
Engine rebuild progress report
What a weekend. I finally got the short block back from the machine shop late Saturday morning. Spent the rest of the day assembling the engine and running around getting all those last minute parts. Sunday afternoon was spent stabbing in the engine (with headers) and all the other stuff that goes with it. The engine is done. All that remains is spark plugs, wires, radiator and hoses, fan, and belts. Add some oil and we'll light this candle.
This old '73 F250 is about ready to come back to life. My son wants to run it in with open headers. I'm not so sure that I want to excite my neighbors that much.
I'm beat.
This old '73 F250 is about ready to come back to life. My son wants to run it in with open headers. I'm not so sure that I want to excite my neighbors that much.
I'm beat.
Lead Driver
Joined: Sep 2003
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From: Other side of the sunrise
Great News! Open headers would surely be rather loud. There are mufflers avalilable that have some respectable sound. I dunno if I'd want straight headers??? Congradulations to your and your son. Keep us posted, Tim
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Elder User
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From: Citrus Heights, CA
Oh, he'll be running it with mufflers, he just wants to do the run-in without. I'm talking about 20 minutes or so and I think that is too much.
In any case, we'll have it fired up sometime this week. We're short a couple of things like tailpipe hangers and a pcv valve cover cap. I have no idea how we lost it in such a small garage.
In any case, we'll have it fired up sometime this week. We're short a couple of things like tailpipe hangers and a pcv valve cover cap. I have no idea how we lost it in such a small garage.
Lead Driver
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From: Other side of the sunrise
Originally Posted by AnOldDog
Oh, he'll be running it with mufflers, he just wants to do the run-in without. I'm talking about 20 minutes or so and I think that is too much.
. Just kidding, not asleep, but maybe when most folks are expected to be away. It's only 20 minutes.
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Elder User
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From: Citrus Heights, CA
OK, you convinced me. I'll let him run it in with open headers (we'll warn the neighbors). I'll try and post up a little recording session somewhere so I can be obnoxious to you too. After all, it was your idea.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 1,857
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From: Northern CA
Do you mind sharing the machine shop that you used, along with your experieice?
A good machine shop is becoming harder & harder to find these days.
gw
A good machine shop is becoming harder & harder to find these days.
gw
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Fleet Owner
Joined: Jan 2004
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From: Brentwood,CA
most machine shops also seem to be scamsters. they wanted 80.00 a cylinder out here to bore my 390 .020 over. 640.00 to bore it! yikes
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Lead Driver
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From: Other side of the sunrise
Douglas Machine in Gardenerville Nevada is where I had my stuff done. They seem to have a good reputation in the area. They're also the only gig in town though, but I haven't heard anything negative about them.
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Elder User
Joined: Oct 2005
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From: Citrus Heights, CA
Roseville Engine Machine in Roseville. They do quality work and charge reasonable prices, but they are slow as molasses. Toward the end, they were making more excuses than progress. As I checked with some local gearhead friends of mine and they told me, "that is their reputation". To be fair, it spanned the Christmas Holiday. But the short block was in their shop for almost a month.
He's very familiar with the FE block, but I question his choice of cams. He included a Melling Performance "MTF-4". Guys in the FE forum weren't impressed.
According to my friends, Bud Walmer's Automotive Machine also does very good work, but is much more accurate as to the time estimates for delivery.
He's very familiar with the FE block, but I question his choice of cams. He included a Melling Performance "MTF-4". Guys in the FE forum weren't impressed.
According to my friends, Bud Walmer's Automotive Machine also does very good work, but is much more accurate as to the time estimates for delivery.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Nov 2004
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From: Northern CA
Almost a month?? Consider yourself lucky. I found a 1-man machine shop last summer. Had a very good local reputation, so I gave him a shot. I dropped off a 390 shortblock in Livermore july 2nd and got it back mid Sept. It's hard to hurry-up somebody that you want to do a good job for you, ya know what I mean? No regrets though, this thing is coming into its own very nicely. I feel like I owe the guy a good bottle of scotch. I think he knew what I wanted better than I did.
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Elder User
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From: Citrus Heights, CA
For price comparisons.. Roseville Engine Machine said a "Master Rebuild" was about $1800 for the 360. It has been a couple of months since he said this and this should not be considered a quote. But I did say his prices were reasonable.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Nov 2004
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From: Northern CA
My 390 rebuild, including all the machining, boring, decking, rod & crank reconditioning, redoing the heads completely & balancing was $1850. The only parts that were reused was the block, rods, and crank. I'd reccommend this guy to anybody. It just took too long. Patience is something I've always had trouble with.
I've noticed that some of the guys in the FE forum giving you grief over your cam reccomendation. Rusty seems to really know his cams and compression ratio's. Wish I could help, I told Mike at the machine shop to put in an RV cam a 'tick' above stock on my 68 S code 390 that was otherwise rebuilt to stock. Let him do the rest. I know he lowered the CR so i could run 87 gas. But I still got a screamer when it was done.
Hope things work out for you...
gw
gw
I've noticed that some of the guys in the FE forum giving you grief over your cam reccomendation. Rusty seems to really know his cams and compression ratio's. Wish I could help, I told Mike at the machine shop to put in an RV cam a 'tick' above stock on my 68 S code 390 that was otherwise rebuilt to stock. Let him do the rest. I know he lowered the CR so i could run 87 gas. But I still got a screamer when it was done.
Hope things work out for you...
gw
gw
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jan 2004
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From: Brentwood,CA
''Melling Performance "MTF-4"
yeah its a ok street cam but not a lot of power to it and will run out of air at about 4500 rpms and start to fall flat. i use www.rebuilt-auto-engines.com sometimes when i don't feel like building my own , but most of the time i do build my own. i have used that place for everything from toyota 22R engines to 7.3 IH diesels all all still running strong.
yeah its a ok street cam but not a lot of power to it and will run out of air at about 4500 rpms and start to fall flat. i use www.rebuilt-auto-engines.com sometimes when i don't feel like building my own , but most of the time i do build my own. i have used that place for everything from toyota 22R engines to 7.3 IH diesels all all still running strong.
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Elder User
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From: Citrus Heights, CA
This is definately a street truck and 4500 rpm is ample. Any off-road stuff will be really limited until we find a way to convert the braking system and make darn sure that everything is toughened up. I'm not really excited about the closed knuckle front axle setup. All in all, the rig is still pretty fragile. Our next job is replacing all the u-joints. All I can say is that it runs great and is a big improvement over the condition it was in before the rebuild. Thanks for your support.
As I write this, I am finishing up rebuilding my son's '95 T-bird. The soft plugs for the water jacket rotted out from the inside and sprayed antifreeze into the timing chain cover area. What a mess. Good thing he stopped right away and we were able to get to work. I just now stopped at the point where I re-installed the serpentine belt. That 4.6 is so tight in there, I was surprised I could pull it straight out through the engine compartment. Should have it running tomorrow.
And I thought that I had reached the age where all the tools I needed to repair my vehicles fit in my wallet.
As I write this, I am finishing up rebuilding my son's '95 T-bird. The soft plugs for the water jacket rotted out from the inside and sprayed antifreeze into the timing chain cover area. What a mess. Good thing he stopped right away and we were able to get to work. I just now stopped at the point where I re-installed the serpentine belt. That 4.6 is so tight in there, I was surprised I could pull it straight out through the engine compartment. Should have it running tomorrow.
And I thought that I had reached the age where all the tools I needed to repair my vehicles fit in my wallet.
Last edited by AnOldDog; Feb 12, 2006 at 12:21 AM.
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