'79 Zephyr ES Build

[ZephyrEFI]

As for your transmission install . . . Do you have the motor mount nuts installed and tightened? If so, loosen the nuts all the way until the head of the nut is flush with the end of the stud. That should allow the engine to tilt back, but still be secure.

Next go pick up (4) 7/16" bolts, at least 6 inches long. Cut the head off the bolt, hand thread a bolt into the top two holes at the back of the block and then one on either side. These will be guide pins for installing the bellhousing and transmission. This allows you to set the bellhousing onto the bolts and align with the block with only having to support the back of the combo. Slide the assembly into place as you rotate the tail shaft to align the input shaft splines to the clutch disc (transmission in 2nd or 3rd gear). If the transmission won't seat flush to the back of the block, install a pair of bellhousing bolts in the remain bolt holes then wiggle the transmission until it sits flush. Snug up the two bolts then remove the guide pin bolts and install the remaining bellhousing bolts.

If there just isn't enough clearance with shifter base installed, you may just have to pull it off and install it thru the transmission opening after everything is bolted back up. One of the reasons I generally install the engine and transmission as a single unit when possible. Good luck!

Thanks that's a good idea! The transmission is installed now, but it was a whole lot of trouble. I just didn't want to forget that for next time, like I so often do. I did loosen the engine mount nuts as part of the install. But I made the mistake of installing a whole bunch of stuff on the engine before I attempted the trans install. But even without all that stuff, there's only so far it can lean back because the driver's side valve cover hits the firewall.

When removing, I left the bellhousing on the engine and pulled the trans off it. I did have to remove the shifter that time, or it would not have come at all. I thought I might have more flexibility with the bellhousing on, but not really. Next time I need to remove the engine (i hope I never do), I will definitely remove them as a unit.

But anyway, there must've been enough give in the pressure plate fingers to allow the input shaft to move up into its hole. Because every time I tried to see if they were lined up, they were a good inch or more off. I went to the back of the trans and just started wiggling, and it found its home. I turned things over at the crank, and all seems good, no weird binding.

[gr79]

Tough call on the xhaust. Almost have to do it both ways, temp open and closed.
Open headers allow quick catch of any leaks and odd smoking.
Happened to my brother, newly built 468 Chevy big block. Pinhole chamber leak. Lots of water blew out. Welded it up. Ran 10's , many passes.
Quieter exhaust allows hearing abnormal engine noises much better. Ticks, knocks, squeals, etc. Plenty goes on at the first start. Sky high anxiety.
Checking oil pressure, external leaks, critical start of break in, overall assessments. No panic allowed. Helps having extra eyes and ears present.
Taking time for a final factory style quality check off list of everything beforehand insures max success to make those shows.
Even then, one can miss something simple like i did. Reversed engine oil cooler lines. Fresh total rebuild. Heard lifter tick. Engine is ok.

[ZephyrEFI]

Well, I'm alive. I missed those two shows I was trying to get ready for. Stymeesmont and I went ahead with startup day on Saturday. Everything was going well, and we were about to set the RPMs to break in the cam, when the stupid thing overheated and sprayed coolant all over the damn garage out of my radiator fill funnel. We had stopped paying attention to the temp gauge just long enough for that to happen. At that point, it was dinner time, and I was well beyond DONE.

So, the fan never came on. When I was working on re-assembly I kind of squished the sensor wire for the radiator probe for the fan controller between a pulley and the serp belt. I did some testing of things today. The thermostat does open when its supposed to, although I don't think the coolant level dropped as much as it should have. Don't know what's going on there. The fan does come on when it sees the A/C come on, and the controller has power. It never came on because of temp though. I had it set for around 188, and I finally shut the engine off at 200 degrees. I don't need a repeat performance of last week. I emailed DCC and they gave me an ohms reading to look for from the sensor. It was close to that, but a bit off. I emailed them again today with what I found, so we'll see what they say.

I spent some time putting the exhaust back together too, which wasn't done on startup day. I've got my new tailpipe hanging brackets all finished and in. Much better than a bent bolt. When I go to put the new h-pipe setup in, I'll need to change things so that the catbacks sit about 1/2" forward of were they are now, or I'l have contact between the tailpipes and gas tank. Not good.



I also went to put console and stereo bezel back together too, but I need to find a creative way to get the lower shifter boot in without having to completely remove the damned console. I think maybe I'll drop the crossmember and see if that gets me enough clearance. Stupid thing.

[Flyin'Montdude]

Hey Brad, just an FYI, roller cams don't need any break in. So one less thing to worry about while trying to sort out everything on a new startup.

[ZephyrEFI]

That's good to know. I guess the instructions that came with the cam ARE for lots of different types...

DCC doesn't think it's the sensor. I'm going to try and get the air out of the system next.

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[ZephyrEFI]

Still at it...

The Air Lift thingy likes for the cooling system to be empty. So, that bugs me, but I guess I'll do it anyway.

I was able to get the lower shift boot in without removing the console, but it was still a pain in the a$$. I hate removing that console though. You have to take the entire interior apart to do it.

I tried bringing the engine up to temp a couple of times again. I'm pretty certain there is air in the system. The level doesn't drop at all when the thermostat opens. My thermostat was made in the USA, so that improves the chances it works, but we're not at 100% certainty yet. The upper hose does get hot though after it opens. The fan never came on again this time too, except when I turned on the A/C. It comes on right away when you do that at 50% power.

The next time, I tried dropping the temp for when the fan was supposed to come on down to 180. It still never came on, despite letting the engine run at well over that for several minutes. I'm so paranoid about it overheating now though, I probably shut it off before I should.

You know, I'm not entirely certain this controller ever worked right from just temp. The fact that my old engine ran unusually cool doesn't help matters either. I put hardly any miles on the old engine with that fan setup on there. The car was always torn apart.

The DCC guy suggested I try boiling water in the microwave and then putting the sensor in that and seeing what happens. I guess I'll try that after I do the Air Lift.

[ZephyrEFI]

Okay, I figured out why the stupid fan didn't come on. I was doing the boiling water test, and the fan still was not coming on. The meat thermometer said the water was at 200 degrees, so something was up. So, then I was re-tracing my steps, going back and familiarizing myself with the whole story since I've had this fan and controller. I was actually doing that so I could relay it to the DCC guy and see if he know what was going on. Anyway, I sort of chronicle my build through pictures. I found the picture of when I first installed the controller, and noticed something. I had plugged the sensor in at the wrong spot. Stupid mistake, right? Well, not really. Take a look at this thing.



See all the pins on the left? There's a BUNCH that aren't used. The connector fits on any two that are available. And the directions don't make it very clear which ones you use for the sensor. I don't know how i figured it out last time! Anyway, a pretty easy mistake to make during re-assembly!

I retested, and we're all good. Next problem!

[NAVYCAT]

it looks alittle over engineered lol.... but glad ya got it going....I mean working

[mcb82gt]

What pins did you use? Looks like they are all open, why the hell so many?! Seems dumb to have so many open and unused. Will water/gunk get in there and mess it up?

[ZephyrEFI]

What pins did you use? Looks like they are all open, why the hell so many?! Seems dumb to have so many open and unused. Will water/gunk get in there and mess it up?

Pins 1 and 2 are for the sensor. The rest of the pins you use are all at the bottom, 10 through 14. Silly me, I thought maybe all the connectors go together, but not so. I don't know why so many. Maybe so they don't have to redesign it to expand its capabilities or something. I have mine mounted under the MAF, so that should keep it pretty safe.

[ZephyrEFI]

Went out to put the hood on just now, anticipating a test drive tomorrow. I looked under the car, and saw that it decided to spew all of it oil all over the floor. Can't imagine why it did that. I am not happy.

[xctasy]

Other dip stick hole needs a 1/8 NPT brass plug if it wasnt born a 5.0 Fox block. Other "or" is the gallery plug from the camshaft.

[xctasy]

Or the 3/8" freeze plug NAPA # 3812185....

[ZephyrEFI]

I'm using my same SEFI-style front cover without the dipstick hole, so it's not that... And I didn't notice any differences between this block and my old 1990 one. Doesn't mean I didn't miss something though.

But, why would it wait to dump the oil until after I shut it off? I had run this engine probably a good 5-6 times now and haven't had a problem. It kind of seems like it has to just be one of the (brand new) gaskets, but it's just so weird that it waited to let go. It's possible the engine is sitting at a slightly different angle now than it was when it was on stands, but would that really do it? SO weird.

At least it didn't happen while the engine was running (I don't think). I had just run it about 1/2 hour prior though. And it didn't shut off suddenly on its own like as if it had thrown a rod or something. I turned it off with the key. I looked underneath a bit yesterday, and nothing jumped out at me except the separator plate was pretty wet. I was pretty overwhelmed at that point though.

All I did yesterday was do the Air Lift thing, reinstall the sensor to the radiator, run the engine to test the fan coming on. It warmed up to like 210 before anything happened. I decided to take the directions' indication of what the temp setting is with a grain of salt, and turn it down 10 degrees to what they say is 180. Then it came on, but it was acting a little weird, I'm guessing because the battery still wasn't fully charged and that fan takes a ton of current. It was bringing the temp down though.

While I was running the engine, I put the car down on its wheels for the first time since like MAY. Could've been a big moment if circumstances were different. Ugh. As I was doing that, I pulled out the piece of cardboard I'd put under the transmission area for when I lost some fluid while installing it. I did notice that it was a bit wetter than I expected it to be, but I did lose a significant amount of tranny fluid during that operation, and then I'd been getting coolant all over the place, so I didn't think anything of it. Threw the cardboard away and went on with my day.

Anyway, since the cardboard was wetter than I expected, it's possible it had been leaking oil previously, but not like I found when I went back out later. 1/2 hour later or so, the wife and I came back out to put the hood on and that's when I saw all the oil on the floor.

I haven't been back out there, but my mind is not in a good place. I sure hope it's something simple like that.

[ZephyrEFI]

Other dip stick hole needs a 1/8 NPT brass plug if it wasnt born a 5.0 Fox block. Other "or" is the gallery plug from the camshaft.

Seems to be coming from the rear of the engine inside the bellhousing. Any of those things you mention inside there? I'm about to start removing things so I can see better in there.

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[xctasy]

see below

[xctasy]

Relax and take it slow. Knowing its not a rolled dollop of RTV is important, so check the leak lines.


Nine times out of ten, the main problem is that the remanufactured RHO's have two (2) Front lifter gallery core plugs that are 1/2 cup plugs on the later blocks and will adversely affect oil pressure and can pop out and fall into the pan if they weren't installed correctly and staked. Replacment plugs are often too big, and drop out is common.


The back end of the originally "Windsor" plant SBF has only three screw in Allen plugs, plus one large Cam core plug. If not sealed, they can leak.


The part of concern may be the Rear cam core plug, or its three screw in satelities.

In the Windsor made 221-255-260-289-302 smallies....



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GaXqp1Il_AI


the 351 W biggies on ETCG's ahem, boosted 363 Dart block 'Mont, with extra core plugs for coolant passage sand removal at the casting plant.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOpm6WpVavk

[ZephyrEFI]

Thanks. Will post what I find. I just hope once I get in there, the problem is obvious. Nothing worse than taking a bunch of stuff apart and still finding no evidence of what went wrong.

[droopie85gt]

What was the oil pressure when it ran? If there's no obvious leaks outside the bellhousing, then you could have a galley plug missing...just strange it would leak after you turned it off. If one is out, you will NOT have oil pressure when it is running.

[ZephyrEFI]

What was the oil pressure when it ran? If there's no obvious leaks outside the bellhousing, then you could have a galley plug missing...just strange it would leak after you turned it off. If one is out, you will NOT have oil pressure when it is running.

All the times I looked at the oil pressure gauge while running it all those times, there was good oil pressure. I didn't happen to look at it towards the end of the very last time I ran it, I was paying attention to the temp. I do actually know I can watch more than one gauge at a time, believe it or not. I ran it for a good 10-20 minutes.

[ZephyrEFI]

Damn it Rockauto! Aren't you based out of Wisconsin?! Why do all my parts come from CALIFORNIA, TEXAS, and MARYLAND?!

[Tigger]

LOL.... I seem to have the opposite problem. All my parts seem to come from New York.

[ZephyrEFI]

LOL.... I seem to have the opposite problem. All my parts seem to come from New York.

how do they always pick the worst warehouse?

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[ZephyrEFI]

Bit of a tangent. I was watching Wheeler Dealers the other day, and they were working on a '92-96 Bronco. The mechanic guy who's not Edd was working on fixing an oil leak on the engine. It was coming from the front of the intake. As he was removing the lower intake bolts, he managed to break THREE of them. It brought me right back to this incident with my old E7 heads.



His broke JUST like that too, apparently is a thing with SBF intake coolant passage bolts. I thought this should be interesting, I wonder how he's going to fix it. First he talked about how when the bolts rust from being in the coolant passage, they expand and cause the bolt heads to move upward, creating a gap at the front intake gasket. I didn't quite get that part, but it sort of makes sense. Anyway, what he did to fix it was to tig weld globs onto the tops of the bolts so he had something he could grab onto with a tool to turn the bolts out. Cool stuff. Ah, welding. Is there anything it CAN'T do?

Still thinking about getting an affordable welder to put my exhaust together, anyway. I wonder if the cheapies would do okay with that. It would also be nice to be able to weld some seat brackets to my SFCs...

[Walking-Tall]

Those threaded end head/intake bolt holes in SBF cylinder heads are through holes, so the threads and the tail ends of the bolts are exposed to atmosphere/moisture... hence the common problem of bolts snapping off. Any time is good really, but when you're there and everything is clean and clear and torqued down etc, it's not a bad idea to put four blobs of grease up into those end holes from the bottom. There's a very particularly stubborn (somebody already went drilling at some point, and a good hard piece of a drill bit is stuck in it) one of those snapped off bolts in one of the '69 351W heads I have here.