351 Windsor Swap

Ok, progress! Front sump oil pan, brackets for AC, PS, alt, all obtained. Plus fistfuls of extra bolts.

Now, I have an "M88" oil pump, and an "M88 HV" (high volume?) oil pump. I think I know the answer to this, but which would y'all say is more suited for my application?

 

A high volume pump is fine for any but the high rpm engines - for those you need a high pressure pump. The high volume pump will not push any more oil through your engine than a standard pump - it will by-pass more back into the sump until there is wear that allows more oil through the engine. That is where it makes a difference.

 

I fought with header leaks through 3 mavericks. I finally have not had a leak in 40k miles. I used the 6901's (which don't have a great flange to begin with) and the header gaskets from Ford for a 94 lightning truck. A decent parts guy can find them. They are perforated steel with a metallic coating (like an EGR gasket) with stage 8 locking bolts without the locks. To this day they haven't leaked.

 

I was very satisfied with them. They came in plastic bags, sorted and marked where each bag went, water pump, oil pan, etc. I had to use the original alternator bolts, didn't have AC or PS brackets.

One other thing, if you decide to get the oil filter angle adapter, make sure you get the center piece out of the block. It's where the filter would screw on a standard arrangement, but it's threaded inside instead of outside for the filter. It screws out of the block with a large socket, 1 1/8" I think. You just screw it out, and screw the other one in.


And I'm not so sure the silicone can handle exhaust heat like a gasket can. I think it will blow out when it gets hot.

 

Cool. I may do that, or I may just see what it comes out to matching up the bolts at Lowe's. They have a cabinet full of automotive bolts I can mix and match. Only problem with a kit is I already have nice intake bolts and I don't much care how the oil pan bolts look as long as they're clean, and that's got to be a big chunk of the cost. The listing also said they'd customize a kit though, so that's worth looking into...

The copper silicone will handle an amazing amount of heat, but I will probably use the gasket Bryant suggested unless the headers turn out to be just such an incredibly tight fit that I think removing the gaskets will help. Unlikely, I hope, but I have that option.

 

More pics...


This timing cover was quite possibly the most difficult thing to clean up to that point, at least until I got to the oil pan. And I still don't know which was actually worse... But, I got it down to the metal, painted it up, and will be drilling it for a dipstick tube as soon as I verify the size of the bit I need to use.





You've seen the intake, here's another angle. Again, going for that OEM look:





This '79 Thunderbird donated its oil pan and accessory brackets. I did not originally intend to pull the engine, but I didn't see an alternative for getting that oil pan out and it was the only 351w on the lot.





Washing the car, Johnny Cash style:





And here's a brand-new 33 year old oil pan. This took quite a bit of effort. (That's how the pan is shaped; there are no runs in the paint.) And don't mind the overspray on that flywheel, that's actually part of the engine stand.

(Side note: Speaking of the engine stand, it was hand-made by the late great Larry Teter, NHRA champ '61 and '62. It's built like a battleship, and could probably support the engine from one. Lord only knows what kind of creations have been bolted to this thing... He used to have a hot rod shop up in Illinois before he retired and moved down here. His son-in-law is a good friend of mine who works with me and was kind enough to loan me the stand. Which I then got overspray on. Don't worry, I'll get that cleaned up...)

 

Lookin' good!
I see what's going on..

First you paint the kid's room, then you 'mysteriously' grenade the 302... I won't tell the wife you just wanted an excuse to paint something else.:evilsmile

 

You should have grabbed the front cover off the T-bird engine...When you drill the hole in the pan and mount the dipstick (should have done this before painting it)Be certain you dont put the hole near the oil pump (if you drill the left side of the pan) or you will never get a dipstick past the pump. Drill the right side of the pan if you must.

 

Oh, I'm not drilling the pan! Drilling the timing cover. It's already got the boss there for it, should be nothing to it as long as I can hold the drill straight.

 

If you would be so kind, don't let her know I'm capable of cleaning things to this degree, either.

 

Nice job on the engine/pan clean and detailing. Also, that was a pretty nice looking TBird that gave up it's engine, from the angle shown the body looked like a nice restore project. I suppose that yr Bird is not that desirable.
Are you going to do a shocktower mod?

 

Yeah, the T-bird wasn't in bad shape really, what there was of it. Looks to me like it was a driver that blew its head gasket, then they just scrapped it. You're right, it's not a very desirable car to most people but it probably was worth saving. I have seen many tragedies in that junkyard, stuff you wouldn't believe.

The engine is still in the car, and probably rebuildable. I only lifted it out so I could pull the oil pan. The frame was in the way otherwise.

Shock tower mod... Yes, I'm planning to do it. Will try to make it as clean as I can, but I just don't see another way to get the space I need for the headers and for spark plug changes.

 

LOL...I No cAn rEaD GoOd ToDaY. Muz BeE dUh GaS FuMzhe.

 

Probably no worse than the Easy Off and paint fumes I've been breathing. Ford Blue spraypaint will get you hacking up Smurf boogers for days.

 

Yay, Summit has more of my money! I won't have to buy any disposable razors for a long time! But I don't know what I'm going to do with all these not-really-stickers they're sending these days. Cool hats though.

Hey, what kind of drill bit does one use to enlarge a 7/16" hole in cast iron to 1/2" 20 times?