Well, I finally got the Mav on the road...seems like it took forever. I finished by installing a set of Trick Flow Track heat alum heads and wow....what a difference. I have one problem to overcome. Once the car warms up it starts to smoke. It smells like antifreeze so I am hoping the intake just didnt seal well. I will find out tonight. I had a hard time finding a set of intake gaskets that would fit well. The recommended gaskets from trick flow fit like crap so I didnt use them. I will have to put them on tonight....I really doubt they will work either. I need to get this done by Friday, we are having a car show and race this weekend and I want it screaming!! It will be a SCCA race so I wont have any times to post and the car is not set up for autocross so I cant hope for much except a lot of fun. Wish me luck. I will post some pictures this weekend.
Great to hear. You might try Fel-Pro printoseal (with the silicone rings around each port) or Mr. Gasket Ultra Seals. Even then, you might have to line 'em up and slightly grind/cut 'em to fit better. Keep us posted on how things go.
Even after you fix the problem it will take some time to burn the coolant out of the exhaust, so when you fire it up again don't get discouraged. It may just be burning what's left in your pipes and mufflers. Looking good, Jim!
Also on small block Fords watch out for the intake gaskets with the large or small water jackets. If it's the small water jacket (earlier) that you should be using and happen to put the larger ones in you will likely get a coolant leak out from the head. One 302 caused me great grief on this as I had an earlier block with a later intake. Fought with this one for hours one night and finally got it sealed by getting the gaskets in just the right spot.
I tried the felpro print seals with the blue stripe....no good. I have had this intake off so many times it is driving me crazy. This time the gasket slipped down just a hair and the engine was sucking oil out of the valley. I think I have it this time. I am letting the sealer dry and I will find out tomorrow. I am amazed at how quick this car is and how hard it pulls, now I want to try it with no smoke coming out of the exhaust!! Anyone have any suggestions on sealing the front and rear windshields? Anyway, thanks everyone. This should be a fun weekend....hope everyone has a good one. JP
I am assumimg you already used bed glazing as the second seal for your windshield and back window. It is a thick sealer that never hardens all the way to allow for flexing of the chassis?????? Past that Im not sure of anything else to seal windows besides the gaskets
Autocrossing is also my ultimate goal for my Comet, I want the car to look as stock as possible, but handle well and I plan to keep the 250 under the hood, but build it up. A buddy of mine autocrossed an Escort GT ( the Mazda derivitive, 16 valve screamer) I actually owned an escort gt He asked me to drive it once so I let him, we pulled out onto a main street, turns to me and say's " wanna see what your car can do" I said ok.. He hits it... shifts to 2nd and doesn't shift again until we hit 60 in 2nd gear, that car was pulling strong when he shifted it. A guy slid his pick up ( Chevy) down the side of it on ice, and dented the entire passenger side bumper to bumper. I did get the car paid off with ins and bought it back from them for $700 completetely drivable. My mother needed a car so I gave it to her, 180k later still drives like a banshee. very underestimated and over looked car.. hmm sound familiar?
