Engine - Pt 6

One little thing you mustn't forget is the oil pump drive shaft. Really important to have the small pressed on collar to stop it being lifted out and dropped into the sump when the distributor is removed but more important is to fit it in the first place!!!

So.... off with the sump and the oil pump and in with the drive shaft!

This is the offending part. Such a small part but such an important job!

I've had a little more time than expected recently so I've been able to press on with my engine build. It's now time to fit the heads, roller lifters along with the ARP head stud kit and Felpro head gaskets.

AFR Cylinder Heads

Lunati lifters

Everything was very thoroughly cleaned in preparation for inserting the head studs. The threads were cleaned out and studs test fitted in each to make sure they all fitted correctly before final installation. I've opted to go for the ARP 12 point studs for the cylinder heads. As directed I applied ARP thread sealer to the studs that break through into the water jacket and then screwd them in to hand tight. The outer studs had a little ARP thread lube to aid screwing them in as well, again hand tight. Then I dropped on the head gasket carefully.

Studs all in and hand tightened

Head gasket in position ready for lifters and head

Next the first four lifters are assembled. These have graphogen on the roller and diameter of the body. Also liberally coated with oil too.

Then the head was carefully lowered onto the studs and two head dowels and the washer caps were assembled into their counterbores. Several of these were a little tight so a bit of very careful manipulation of stud and head was needed to make them slide home properly.

First head on finger tight

Lifters assembled

Now it is a process of 'the same again' with the other cylinder head. All went pretty smoothly. When both heads were on it was a matter of torquing the heads up in the sequence specified but in 3 equal settings upto the 80ft/lbs recommended by ARP. This was then double checked later just to check that all is OK. I'm using the excellent book "How to Rebuild Small-Block Ford Engines" by Tom Monroe. This has a wealth of knowledge and has been really helpful.

Heads on, all torqued up and double checked

Water pump trial fitted

State of build so far shown in the left picture and in the right the water pump loosely fitted as I was checking the bolt lengths from the stainless bolt kit I bought for the engine. Sadly three of the bolts are too short so these have to be relpaced. Now waiting for them to arrive.

There was a bit of a story with the water pump. I bought this just over a year ago from Summit and very pleased with it I was! When I came to fit it last week I realised that the flange shape of the pump did not match up with the timing cover. After much irritation and mixing and matching of gaskets I came to the belief that the pump was the wrong one for my engine. So up it went for sale and I started looking for a new pump, this thie I started looking at electric ones.

I put this up for sale on the UK Cobra Forum and quite quickly got a reply which was actually a question. It said "do you have the metal back-plate?". At that point the penny dropped and I realised that what I had assumed was a 'delivery/protection cover' was actually the backplate. Now all fits great and although I felt pretty stupid the situation is resolved. My wife was particularly pleased as she didn't know I make mistakes!!!

So, all's good in the end.

Just got the new bolts so all I need now is time to fully fit the water pump.