Started with the search function and get a lot of the same stuff, some do some dont yada yada.. Now with an engine I don't intend to race, however I know the little kid inside and the thing will eventually see 6500 LOL it's just a no brainer to do some of these I think. However one of the posts (#7) on the link here https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/6...ling-mods.html brings up a lot of good stuff. I am a little on the bench with some of the arguments and figured hey lets hear some fresh input, lots of new folks here and some old timers who will likely shed some light on things hopefully. So far I have only opened up the pump to adapter inlet. No enlarging the galley there yet. I saw several post saying .5" and then Wes has the PoorMan's 427 showing a 7/16 which is spec'd as a blueprint # in this post by Dino so.. you see where the bench comes in.. Only want to do this once. Lastly trying to do these mods with a hand drill ? Forget it ? or I don't have a drill press or anything and no access to real equipment.

Lets hear it... TIA
Try as I may I cannot find this link to the article in the FAQ mentioned in another thread.

 

I've seen a number of recommended diameters, but have done the 0.5" hole for the pump to adapter. Can make the block a bit thin near the pump end...not much room for error. Next time, I will do 7/16. LOL....anything must be an improvement over the original hole!!! Anyway, I used a hand drill. Cast iron is soft, and the hole from the adapter to the pump is easier than you would think. The drill bit follows the existing hole very well. The hole at the pump side is a bit more tricky....the bit tends to grab. I've always used a bit, but a die ginder would work as it's only a short distance.

For the flares, I used a hardware store cone shaped rotary file. A bit slow, but it doesn't do damage like a carbide cutter will (if it slips, jumps, grabs, etc.) I flare the oil passages under the adapter and any of the oil passages in the main bearing saddles that arn't centered with their respective bearing hole.

I use threaded plugs everywhere. Don't like those press-in plugs. If there's a problem with oil pressure, popped press-in plugs is just something I don't have to consider when troubleshooting. Oh.....when I plug off hyd lifter galleries, I use threaded plugs. I see one guy here has put holes in those plugs to provide some pressurized lubrication, but I don't do it.

For head restrictors, I first made aluminum rod about an inch long with the 0.09" hole down the center. Now I run an allen-plug with a hole in the middle. For the drop-in type, you really don't need a hole at all if the dowels are loose. Oil will come up around the dowels just fine without need for a hole (unless it's a press-fit, which I doubt is necessary).

One thing I could never figure out is the mention of a restriction cast into the center oil gallery near the rear of the block. I could never find one. I forget the hole size, but a drill bit that fit in the front of the block, also fit in the back of the block as far as I could push it. Maybe I don't know wht I am looking for, as I've checked 4 or 5 blocks and never noticed any kind of restriction.

Nothing earth-shattering with this post, I am sure....but as you asked......

 

Ok.........just pullin' your lariat..............

What he said, actually. Like usual, CRS has settled in and I don't recall the specifics of what I did 8 yrs ago(last time I did a fresh build). I know we used a long drill bit to do the mains and oil pump mount/filter mount. A grinding stone(on airmotor or drill) will blend the edges. I really channeled out the oil filter housing area as so the oil didn't have to make a right turn to get thru it and since it's such a large area underneath anyway. Use a gasket, dykem blue it and then blend out to your hearts content.

I gasket matched the oil pump area, since the gasket is usually HUGE and the passages are small. I saw a stock 427 block and I think the oil passage was barely 5/16" . Gee, wonder why they blew these thing up constantly?

Cylinder heads I usually put a set screw in the oil passage and drill it. A simple slip in plug would work also, but if you have the equipment to do it fancy, then do it. My '67 has Holley jet in it(since it's still original).

 

Thanks for the feedback fellas!! I went ahead with the mods to the oil pump/adapter gallery. Decided to go with .4375 drill bit as it matched the gallery headed from the filter to the cam bearing trails. Went alot smoother than I had anticipated, Argess you were correct quite easily done. Had a couple of tini rolls from getting out of parallel at the start but it got back on track and those tidied up with a tootsie roll in seconds. Took the notes from Wes's write up over yonder on that there other site we are condemned to speak of . Squared off the base circles of the lifter returns and opened the front and rear vertical returns, and dropped the opening above the cam level with the gallery run. We'll post up some picts on the thread for the motor.

So I get to the mains and start scribing the bearing alignment, when I notice the #1 main is only a .25" hole where the other 4 are all .3125" and had to stop and ask myself if that looked normal. Is it ? I looked through some links but didn't see an image of the entire row of mains to reference to. Edit, decided to look at the 64 block and yes it seems to be normal). Guess we'll get to the final leg of this and get some picts up.

 

Your original post got me trying to remember, so I looked through some old books last night. All I could find for the oil adapter to pump hole was the 0.5" reference. I did find the 7/16" reference, but that was for re-drilling the main gallery. 5/16 was referenced for cam to main galleries. For the record, I only ever enlarged the adpater to pump gallery. The other galleries didn't seem so bad to me, plus as I was blocking the hyd galleries, it would help oil get to all the main bearings.

 

I open up the ppump to block passage to the gasket with a die grinder, treating it like a baby cylinder head port as it makes the 90 degree turn. After that I just deburr and clean any gross wierdness for the rest of the block - no drilling at all.

On a hydraulic lifter combo in an old block I will restrict the lifter feeds to .120. On a new Genesis iron I will not restrict them at all (my concern is lifter - to lifter bore clearances - old motors can get pretty loose and lose oil there - desired is .0015-.0020).
On solids I will try to restrict to .060 - I like a little oil there if the block will let me. I do not restrict aluminum blocks - scared of cold scuffs.

I often restrict cylinder head oiling at the deck, using a set screw drilled to .090. this just means I don't need to remember to put them in while swapping heads on engines. Putting them in the normal spot is fine - I have used a 1/8" pop rivet head (the part left when you remove the pin) as a restrictor and it works great on Edelbrock heads. Almost embarrassingly well - just flatten out one edge so the rocker stand does not bind against it and you get a push in .093 restrictor that has a positive stop for easy removal - and costs almost nothing.

So far no oil relaed troubles and many engines built - several over 700HP.

 

Can you expand on this one Barry ? First I have read about this so far, not quite sure what I'm reading really. Like to get the oiling mods wrapped up this weekend. Almost done really, I think lol.. thats when it gets off the beaten path, when I start to think HAHA

Also my kit came with the expansion plugs for the oil galleries, I'd like to use the pipe plugs on ths thing like when doing the 352. Only I cannot recall the # and size/thread count that came with the kit. Anyone know this off the top of their head ?

 

The two passages that "V" off of the center oil passage in the intake valley can be tapped to 3/8 - just go far enough to get the set screw to clear below the center passage. About an inch is plenty deep. Use a 3/8 set screw with a hole driled in it's center and just zip it in. I prefer stainless set screws from lowes or Home Depot 'cuz they are easy to drill....

Use a 1/4 NPT (aka pipe thread) plug for the oil passages. You may need to drill the opening on the passages out a bit to get the plug threaded deep enough - try the recommended 7/16, then go to the 1/2 when that does not work. Be gentle - you are working with cast iron and it is brittle. And don't get too concerned - if its a thin area just use the press in plug and some epoxy - how many have you really seen come out?

 

Got this stuff wrapped up minus a .5" pipe plug for the top/rear gallery. After tapping it for a 7/16 plug the threads were next to none there like 1.5 maybe, decided to use one of 4 plugs in the bag with the freeze plugs. After tapping the hole for a .5" x 20 plug I noticed the plug didnt want to go in and it screwed the threads up, hmmm tried another same thing...hm,mm decide to look at the plug against the tap.. oh so thats it a metric plug in a kit for a 65 Ford.. thats good ****!! LOL

Following Barry's advice on the pipe plugs I picked up a handful of 7/16 x 20 and 6 stainless 3/8 x 14?. Used a piece of scrap mahogany as a chock for the stainless plugs to be drilled out. Drilled a 5/16 hole .75" deep into it, then tapped it about .25" deep with a 3/8 tap. Screwed the plug in deep enough to get a good bite and drilled the .125" hole for the restriction requirements. Don't have a .120" bit handy sorry LOL.. I must say the .125" hole looks seriously small compared to the original 3/8 hole and it scares the crap out of me. Hopefully this is going to be ok, it looks down right tiny. Took some picts and uploaded to the album of the engines rehabilitation recordings LOL

GrumpyBobby/65 Merc FE 390 - Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

Many thanks again, this place is the bomb!

 

Ahh...those pics! Makes me want to build up another FE!!! I have enough parts to make another 428 or a 410 (have pistons already for the 410). But with nothing to put it in, it would just sit and eventually rust/seize. Might as well leave the parts alone, and get them machined prior to a build-up. So much for the fun you're having.......sigh............

 

Say that again? What do you mean?

 

see post # 3 Likely just me and my know nothing *** not being able to figure it out LOL..
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/7...rovements.html

 

I am glad you are going through this Redman Bob, I have just begun my Information quest for re-building my 410 and have been following you mis-adventures rather closely. Thank you all, I have learned a lot. Now I know that I have to buy Steve Christ's book.

 

OH! Ok...

I'll look into that.