cover plate
Thread Starter
|
Senior User
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 125
Likes: 0
cover plate
I have been trying to put my 351M engine together that I bought, it is installed in 78 f100, when I bought the truck the heads were removed and the owner told me that it had a bent pushrod because a keeper had come off of one of the roller rockers that had been installed, so preceded to start putting the engine back together, but upon closer examination I found that several of the lobes on the high lift cam had been rubbed off, so I installed a new stock camshaft today and installed the heads and rockers that I got from the junkyard, I put the timing chain on also. all was going well until I went to try and put the front plate over the timing chain and I could not get the lower seal that rests against the top of the oil pan to cooperate so can someone give me a tip on installing the seal with oil pan still installed because I am trying to avoid pulling the oil pan if possible, I tried to see if the seal was correct by placing it were it belonged on the oil pan and it seems like it is a little bit to long. I am sure it would be a lot easier with the oil pan removed, but all I want to do is have the engine running so I can move it in and out of my daddys body shop while I am doing the body work, because all I am going to do with the truck is use the body for my 4x4 chassis
thanks
thanks
Posting Guru
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 2,003
Likes: 2
From: chicago burbs
put a leverage tool through each of the water pump holes in the timing cover and into the holes in the block. push down on the leverage tools and hopefully you'll make some progress. maybe one at a time might work so you have the other hand to try to fit the cover? i use the old seal whenever possible, it's already crushed down and it's a little easier to get in. i also make sure there is no burr on the dowels to keep the cover from fitting on easy. a very slight chamfer can make your day.
almost forgot, if you trim off the pointy corners of the seal rail the cover goes in easier too. i trim and test fit without the seal until i like the way the corners are trimmed. the front cover is designed to be on before the pan so a little modification is in order. i trim the corners off the seal and replace that material with a dab of silicone. clean the hidden crevice in the block with carb clean and get a shmear of sillycone in there with your finger for insurance, i haven't had one leak yet! good luck...
almost forgot, if you trim off the pointy corners of the seal rail the cover goes in easier too. i trim and test fit without the seal until i like the way the corners are trimmed. the front cover is designed to be on before the pan so a little modification is in order. i trim the corners off the seal and replace that material with a dab of silicone. clean the hidden crevice in the block with carb clean and get a shmear of sillycone in there with your finger for insurance, i haven't had one leak yet! good luck...
Last edited by grclark351; Feb 17, 2007 at 08:49 PM.
Thread Starter
|
Senior User
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 125
Likes: 0
I got the front cover plate installed by loosening some of the pan bolts, now I have a few other issues does anyone know the length of the pushrods because the ones I got from the junkyard are about an inch longer than the ones that were in the bucket of parts that i got with the truck, so proceeded to install the old ones after ensuring that none were bent, I was looking into installing my intake and started looking at the gasket set for my engine, the intake seals that go at the front and rear of the intake are to long and the pan gasket does not drop directly into the valley the way I thought it should, I looked at the box and it is correct for my truck , am I supposed to cut the front and real seal and adjust the metal gasket to fit
thanks
thanks
Senior User
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 163
Likes: 0
From: buffalo wyoming
stock pushrods are 9.500" and as for the intake, leave out the rubber front and rear seals between the intake and block and instead use a good bead of RTV silicone. The rubber seals are a pain in the a__ to get to fit right and seal properly, whereas the RTV will seal it up the first time.
Trending Topics
Postmaster
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 4,270
Likes: 5
From: Delaware
Are you sure that you have a 351M, and not a 351C. The 351C has shorter pushrods, and smaller valley pan and seals.
FTE Stories
Ford Trucks for Ford Truck Enthusiasts
Top 10 Fords at 2026 Carlisle Ford Nationals
Joe Kucinski
3 Best / 3 Worst Parts of Modern Ford Ownership
Brett Foote
10 Amazing Upgrades That Solve Common Ford Truck Owner Headaches
Pouria Savadkouei
Every 2026 Ford Engine Explained
Brett Foote
10 Ugly Ford Trucks That We Still Kinda Love
Joe Kucinski
10 Things Every Truck Owner NEEDS (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
Rezvani's Latest Post-Apocalyptic Monster Is a Ford F-150 Raptor Underneath
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Most Expensive Ford Trucks Ever Sold on Bring a Trailer
Joe Kucinski
2027 Ford Super Duty Buyer's Guide (Every Model, Engine, & Package)
Brett Foote
Thread Starter
|
Senior User
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 125
Likes: 0
danlee you may be right, I thought that only the 351m and 400 had the water neck in the block and my chiltons book does not show a 351c, so I may have made some serious mistakes, I put the heads on that came with the truck and installed the cam for a 351m, I also have installed 351m rocker arms, I used the old pushrods because they were the ones that fit and the 351m pushrods were to long and that is when I began to become concerned but the intake gasket is really throwing up the red flag, now can I use the cam and lifters that I have already installed or do I start all over I laid the two cams side by side and they seemed to be same but then at the time I thought I was dealing with a modified not a cleveland, I installed the heads with the head gaskets for a modified and not a cleveland, please tell me some good news for what I have done so far
thanks
thanks
Postmaster
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 4,270
Likes: 5
From: Delaware
The major difference between the 351M and 351C is the height of the block. The 351M has a 1.1" taller deck. The heads, rockers, and cams are interchangeable. The pushrods, intake manifolds, and intake gaskets are not interchangeable.
You should get a valley pan for a 351C, and you should be OK.
The way to indentify a 351M is there is a high ridge behind the water neck/distributor that the intake manifold rests. On the 351C this ridge is almost flush with the area behind the water neck/dist.
You should get a valley pan for a 351C, and you should be OK.
The way to indentify a 351M is there is a high ridge behind the water neck/distributor that the intake manifold rests. On the 351C this ridge is almost flush with the area behind the water neck/dist.
Thread Starter
|
Senior User
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 125
Likes: 0
thanks for your help, I will continue on with what I have done so far, I was really gettng worried when the pushrods were not the same, now for another question when i go to the parts store and they ask me for the vehicle info what am I supposed to tell them for a year on the vehicle because they don't even list a cleveland for a 78 ford f100, I will be going there tomorrow to get another intake gasket but I will have to now a year or model that will list a cleveland of they won't have a clue what I am talking about if you know what I mean, it is a great releif knowing that I don't have to redo everything I have already done thanks
Thread Starter
|
Senior User
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 125
Likes: 0
what is the difference between the two barrell and the four barrel, because I have a four barrell holley on the intake now, would that make a difference or not, is the metal valley pan the only thing between the intake manifold and the head because I looked at the picture they show and it has a valley pan, the front and rear rubber seals and a set of gaskets that look like exhaust manifold gaskets that is the reason I ask
Postmaster
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 4,270
Likes: 5
From: Delaware
Is it a factory iron intake, or an aftermarket intake? If it is a factory intake, then it is a 4V cleveland.
The 4V cleveland has a 4 in one corner of both heads. The 2V cleveland might have a 2 in that corner.
The 4V cleveland has huge intake ports, compared to the 2V.
You should use the metal valley pan, not the paper gaskets unless you block off the exhaust crossover ports in the heads. This crossover heats the carb for fast warmup in cold weather.
The 4V cleveland has a 4 in one corner of both heads. The 2V cleveland might have a 2 in that corner.
The 4V cleveland has huge intake ports, compared to the 2V.
You should use the metal valley pan, not the paper gaskets unless you block off the exhaust crossover ports in the heads. This crossover heats the carb for fast warmup in cold weather.
Last edited by danlee; Feb 18, 2007 at 09:17 PM.
Thread Starter
|
Senior User
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 125
Likes: 0
the intake is factory and there is a 4 on each of the heads, so the picture I was looking at I could use either set of gaskets but not both, I have the old valley pan that the owner had taken off when he removed the heads but that is all there is, if I get the gasket set I will be using the metal pan but the other 2 gaskets had me wondering, I sure do appreciate your help and I hate to keep bothering you but I like to take advantage of the opportuny to benefit from somebody elses knowledge
thanks
thanks