engine ticking

[whitetoast11]

ok here goes one of my first posts. I am very new to having a ford 5.0, I recently just finished my big project to put the monster engine into my 1987 jeep wrangler. In my engine bay is a 5.0 cobra motor, edlebrock heads, kenne belle low psi blower, headers, in other words it is decked out to go fast. although my 4.11 gears and 32 inch tires do seem to give it a relatively slow start for what I feel it should be at. I bought the engine used and still have its original spark plugs, its time to change them out,,, I need reccomendations, i've always loved Denso spark plugs, yet i'm very unsure how cold or hot to get them for this particular engine.

Also i've been having heat issues all year as the engine produces a ton of heat, just yesterday I overheated on the freeway and now there is an audible ticking coming from the passenger side at idle speeds, although right before the overheating i did hear a much louder similiar noise,,, I had the top down though so I was very unsure as to wether it was an engine noise or just the seatbelt flapping the role cage. I pulled over in time well enough for no oil/radiator fluid to be spotted on the ground so at least thats good.

Basically i'm looking for advice, it ran like a charm in the winter, but not as well in the summer, and as I mentioned before, seems as if it should have more kick for the power its got.

I'm especially at a loss of which plugs to go with as well as the cooling issue, any help is apreciated.

~Jason

 

[1fast94svt]

Either a head gasket is bad, or you have a header gasket leak, or where the headers meet the rest of the exhaust. most likeley header or head gasket.

 

[k12]

Ive got an 89 wrangler and have been thinking of doing a 5.0 swap. Tell about how it was to do it and what was swapped in!

I dont know about the plugs, but I would start at the simple, i.e. what he said about the exhaust leak, and then work your way into the more complex/serious issues. As for overheating. The two most likely culprets are either a worn clutch fan (if used) or thermostat stuck partially/mostly closed. If not either of those, then radiator may need flushed.

Let me know about the swap and what the prob ends up being!

K12