Quote:
Originally Posted by RICK LAKE
".............. if you have a "K" block
Your block has larger rod bolts, higher nickle in the block, wider main caps. The cranks where hand picked and had the Brinell treatment done on them. The valve spring have seat pressure around 300 at seat with a SOLID camshaft and lifters. intake manifold aluminum. Biggest thing for turning 7,000 rpms was the larger dampener and counterweight added. With out all these things added to the "K" motor it wouldn't last turning 7,000 rpms. Dual points where needed also. Some of the motors had better valves. timing up to 35 degrees with this motor. the others where limited to less.
There is a RUMOR that ford did try and build some small blocks of aluminum. I don't have any solid info on this. Could have been for Shelby's GT-40 cars. Looking to save weight and increase power.
Hows that for a fairy tale I don't think that Glen has a "K" motor or block laying around in his back yard or he can go down the street and get one at a Pep boys or Auto zone. Maybe you have a spare to sell him??? Last thing is if you ran your motor at 700 rpms, it would break from the bad harmonics at this rpm. Rick L.
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you describe the K code motor fairly well, with only a few corrections needed:
!)* Hi-Po Blocks are no different in metallurgy than standard 289 blocks, no highER nickel content. All 6 bolt K code blocks had a C5AE-6015-A or -E casting code. Blocks installed in plain vanilla 289's may have the same casting number as well. Other than the main caps there's nothing to distinguish a K code block from an ordinary 289 (one can more readily find the Mexican 302 blocks with the same main caps).
2) Brinnell is a test for hardness, not a treatment. Ford did NOT do special castings or special metallurgy for the Hi-Po crankshaft.* It was merely tested for a minimum hardness.
3) Aluminum intake manifolds were only standard on the Shelby Mustangs. K code Mustangs got the plain vanilla Ford cast iron 4V intake.
4) the rods were also quite a bit stronger than the std. 289 rods, but not as strong as a Boss 302 rod. Ford eventually listed the Boss 302 rod as a service replacement for the Hi-Po rod,
5) valve spring pressure was rated at 247 lbs. at 1.31" Standard valve springs were rated at 161-180 lbs.
6) ignition timing on K code's, using '66 as an example, is 12 degrees BTDC at idle and another 28 degrees from the mechanical advance for a whopping 40 degrees BTDC at full advance.
*: loosely quoted from Tony Gregory's book "The 289 High Performance Mustang" now in it's 4th or 5th edition. Gregory has long been recognized as a premier authority of all things K code related.
As one point (p.8 in the 2nd edition) early on in his book Gregory states, "... All of these differences combined is what allow the Hi-Po to turn 8000 RPM's instead of only 6000 like a standard 289. The stronger main bearing caps hold the crank in place, the thicker harmonic balancer, hatchet, and flywheel assist in balancing the engine which assures less vibration and smooth operation. In short Ford made it a team effort to keep the bottom end together at high speeds."
However, you quite succinctly state the essence of what makes the K code 289 engine special. On the bottom end it's the bigger main caps and the bigger rod bolts along with the additional balancing they require. Upstairs it's the screw in rocker studs, heavier valve springs, and cast-in valve spring pockets in the heads, etc.
Complete Hi-Po engines are usually available on ebay, etc. and usually can be had for about $7,500 , but in need of a complete going thru. Many people go the Mexican block route and just build it up.
Z.