It`s running!

[Gadden]

Hey.

Well I know, been away for some time, family crises here in Sweden but it seems to sort out in a good way... So now I found some time to fiddle with the build, and yeah it is running! Here is a update of my blog..

http://buildingacoupe.blogspot.com/

The only thing that I have some questions of since it is my first Ford V8 build, the water pump that I got is a counterclockwise rotating one and I think, not sure, that I routed the belt wrong... Should the pump rotate counterclockwise as you are looking from the front of the engine or the other way arround? I got a hint of this since it started dropping water from the overflow cap...

And also, I have hydraulic lifters in it and how much preload should I have, I made a 1/2 turn preload on my rockers, is that enough or too much? Thought when I was running the engine there whas a sound coming from the valvetrain, not rattle but a more heavy sound... Is this normal, I can record the sound and post it here tomorrow... I remember when I built my dads 70 Cuda 383 engine, also with aluminum heads and so on that there was a bit of a rattleing sound that I couldn`t get rid of, and that was 3/4 of a turn in preload... Anyone that have any idea of this?

//Mike

[skullandbones]

Gadden,
Don't feel like you're the only one who never worked on a ford engine. My experience with Chevy does not help. It seems that Ford engineers went out of their way to do everything opposite to Chevy or vice versa. Anyway, yes to the counterclockwise waterpump so the smooth side of the serpentine will touch the pump (that's why no grooves in the pump pulley). Also, yes to the preload. What you have seems to be OK according to the literature and up to 3/4 turn. So you are right in the sweet spot. If you would like to commiserate about the other idiosyncrocies of ford engines, PM me and we can share other stories like which Windsor firing order to use. Good luck, WEK.