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Kirkham Motorsports

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  #21 (permalink)  
Old 08-18-2014, 10:05 AM
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OK, if there's an "O-ring" is the gasket just unnecessary or a bad idea, and, if there's an
"O-ring" wouldn't you still use some sort of gasket sealant, like the Ford gray stuff? thanx, and sorry for the incessant questions. s
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Old 08-18-2014, 10:35 AM
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If an o-ring is intact and the surfaces clean, not needed. Just don't crush it by overtightening.
If using the gasket, clean mating surfaces, apply Motorcraft thinly to the adapter side, attach gask to it and torque evenly.
Keeping the gask on the removable part makes clean-up easier.
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Old 08-18-2014, 01:27 PM
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Steve,

I have had my 427 so for about 13 years. Several rebuilds ( I tracked mine a fair amount) but here is something else you might check. Check the housing for your dipstick and remote oil filter. The only engine I ever had that didn't eventually leak was one I plugged off the dip stick. I ran that engine for over 4000 race miles and never a leak. I wish I had done that to this engine but I didn't and it does leak there. I prefer to pull the engine when replacing pan gaskets, bearings, or anything on the bottom because you can do a much better job working from an engine stand. Good luck.

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Old 08-18-2014, 01:58 PM
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According to one article on Smokey Yunick, he used to chuck about 1/2 gallon of oil in the sump after assembly and stand the motor overnight with the crank vertical to check the rear seal, before fitting to the car.
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  #25 (permalink)  
Old 08-18-2014, 02:09 PM
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thanx for the ideas. here's the deal...the engine is still on the stand, but I've already mounted the adapter, using a gasket, but can't remember if there was an O-ring or not. So, do I pull the adapter off, and check it, or will the combination of adapter + O-ring be a problem? Also, how do you plug the dipstick...just pull it out and put a cap over it, or silicone? thanx steve
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Old 08-18-2014, 02:46 PM
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Leave it since it's done already. When you run the engine, you will put dye in the oil for leak check and that will show easily if the adapter is leaking.
Why do you want to cap the dipstick-before I answer?
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  #27 (permalink)  
Old 08-18-2014, 03:10 PM
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just that another poster had suggested it to decrease leaks. thanx. s
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Old 08-18-2014, 03:15 PM
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Keep it in place. Find a medium-sized spring to go between the finger pull handle and the bracket bolted to head. The right tension will prevent oil sweat.
If oil's being pushed out there you have a bigger problem-too much crankcase pressure-doubtful.
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  #29 (permalink)  
Old 08-18-2014, 03:36 PM
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thanx and all makes sense. steve
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Old 08-19-2014, 06:32 AM
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Plugging the dipstick port:
My engine builder (Steve Carbone-Former Top Fuel Builder and Champion) that built several of my race engines did it because we always changed the oil after a meet and there was no way for oil to blow by a dipstick. In the beginning we would blow oil out of the dipstick during some aggressive driving. After we plugged the dipstick with a metal plug that leak never occurred again. We found that the adaptor for the remote oil filter and dipstick combo was leaking oil and it was migrating to the back of the engine making it appear the rear main was bad. After using some dye in the oil and a dyno run we found where most of the leak was coming from (the other leak was the back of the intake and rear of the valve covers. This engine was built to handle 7000 RPM which it did for several years until one day at Texas Motor Speedway I asked for a little more RPM which it didn't like too much.

Good Luck with your engine build.

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  #31 (permalink)  
Old 08-19-2014, 06:32 AM
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One caution on using silicone. When using it on mating surfaces of oiling system parts, use sparingly. I had a friend who used silicone on the timing cover of his 1956 Harley Panhead and consequently plugged the oil passage to the crankshaft. The engine showed oil pressure, but no oil was getting to the crank and bearings. The engine seized and split the crankcase.
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  #32 (permalink)  
Old 08-19-2014, 08:28 AM
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thanx again guys for all of the great info. s
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Old 10-15-2014, 09:42 PM
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OK, the engine is back in the car and I'm in the process of reattaching all of the peripherals. I'm kinda struggling with the distributor. When you look down through the intake and into the block you see the pin from the oil pump/camshaft. The female part of the distributor receives the pin, but the pin's off center and I can't stab it. It wobbles with a long screwdriver, but won't stay centered so I can get the distributor down. Haven't tried putting some grease on the distributor end or on the pin to center it. Any ideas here? I've done this before on this car and several times on my 'Vettes, but this wobbling pin is makin' me nuts. Thanx. steve
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Old 10-15-2014, 10:03 PM
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The easiest way I've found to center and hold the oil pump drive shaft in place is to pack the hole with grease. If the distributor doesn't drop in place, rotate the oil pump shaft just a little so it will be in alignment with the socket end of the distributor.
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  #35 (permalink)  
Old 10-15-2014, 11:49 PM
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thanx, Mike. i'll try that as it had also X'd my mind. steve
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  #36 (permalink)  
Old 11-10-2014, 12:47 PM
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OK, I got the engine back in and I'm almost done, but I'm having trouble lining up the exhaust head pipes with their respective ports on the right. The left side essentially fell into place, but there's no way these four errant pipes will behave. It looks like I'm gonna have to disassemble the four pipes from the collector. Any thoughts here? Is this a common issue? Any tips on getting the head pipes from slipping away from where they insert into the collector? Spray with lubricant, like PB Blaster? Thanx steve
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  #37 (permalink)  
Old 11-11-2014, 01:45 AM
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I suspect you fell lucky with the left side. I always need to take the headers out of the collector to get them mounted in place, but then my collector is outside the car so the headers are much longer and include the 90 degree bend.
Take the headers out of the collector and very loosely bolt them onto the engine. Slide the collector onto the headers, maybe use some copper grease and when everything is in the right place, tighten up the header bolts.
That always works for me.

Paul
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  #38 (permalink)  
Old 11-11-2014, 03:42 AM
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I came to that conclusion as well. I'm gonna need another pair of hands to help pull those pipes apart, I suspect, and then start over. thanx for your help and confirmation of the bad news. s
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Old 11-12-2014, 03:01 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by steve meltzer View Post
I came to that conclusion as well. I'm gonna need another pair of hands to help pull those pipes apart, I suspect, and then start over. thanx for your help and confirmation of the bad news. s
I noticed you also have a Kirkham, so your headers might be the same as mine:



It makes them a little more fiddly to get threaded into the car.

Paul
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  #40 (permalink)  
Old 11-12-2014, 07:53 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by steve meltzer View Post
I came to that conclusion as well. I'm gonna need another pair of hands to help pull those pipes apart, I suspect, and then start over. thanx for your help and confirmation of the bad news. s
Steve, I'm in Houston also and be glad to lend a pair of hands to get this resolved. What part of town are you in? I'm north central.

Curtis
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