Head and Cam install update - ITS ALIVE!!! - I still have a couple questions.

[red94fiveo]

Ok, so I worked for a while last night and got everything put back together. Got the pil pressure primed. Then I turned the key and prayed....IT STARTED!! Started right up on the first try. Header gaskets smoked for a while, but I didn't even die once. The idle mover around for maybe about 10 seconds and then smoothed right out. It idles as well as it ever did before the cam (Thanks Ed!). I just let it idle for a couple minutes and then shut it off. My dad had to get ready for work and it doesn't have a hood on yet so we didn't drive it at all. I think I'll run it for about 30 mintues tomorrow, change the oil again, and then take it out for a spin.
Here are some issues/questions I still have:

1. After idling for about a minute, something that sounded like one of the pump started to make some noise, kinda like a whine. Any ideas?

2. Something in my valvetrain (sounds like lifters) is very noisy. Makes a clicking sound. Is this going to be a problem?

3. I still have no fuel pressure gauge since I forgot to pick one up, so I still need to get one of those and see what my FP is at and what it needs to be (Aeromotive AFPR). My Autometer A/F (useless, I know) was pegged at rich for about the first minute and then started to bounce. Can this worthless gauge tell me anything?

Here are some pics of my engine. I know, I gotta lose the blue radiator hoses, does anyone sell a quality set of black hoses for our cars? I am really impressed with how well it idled right away, and just glad that it started. I also think my engine bay turned out pretty good. I still gotta paint the power steering reservior and and the brake fluid res. Let me know what you think.

Thanks to everyone for answering my string of questions, I don't want to even think about doing this without everyone here and Ed's help.

Engine bay from the front:

Engine bay side:

 

[Killercanary]

Looks good, and congrats. Its always an uneasy feeling when you first start up the car after having it all apart.

As for the lifter noise, as long as the preload is right and the geometry was checked and correct, don't worry about it. All of Ed's cams I have heard make a bit more of valvetrain noise than others... its the nature of the beast. I thought mine was too loud so I took the car to an NMRA race and let Ed listen to it. He stuck his head under the hood, looked at me and asked me if I ever heard a cammed car before and laughed it off. I've never questioned it since.

As for the idle... mine was perfect for about 2 weeks, but as soon as I started running it at the track to tune it I developed the surge and die syndrome.

 

[yellow1995Cobra]

Looks good man, nice job.

About the autometer air/fuel gauge. I noticed that when the guage pegs to the rich side,my car runs like crap, and when it bounces back and forth it runs perfect. Yet the gauge isnt supposed to mean anything, so who knows.

 

[VibrantRedGT]

That's a lot of black. Why a blue hose?

Congrats on doing it yourself.

 

[red94fiveo]

Like I said, the blue hoses have to go, I just need to find a good black set first.

 

[94DreamGT]

Congrats...I know that has to be a good feeling.

How does the cam sound? Pretty lopey???

 

[red94fiveo]

The cam has a very slight lope to it. I can hear it, but its not really that noticable.

 

[zenboy99]

Congratulations on everything! Thats a nice looking engine bay, very original.

 

[HoofnIt]

Congrats, you never really know what you are capable of until you actually get your feet wet and do it! I will be doing the same thing this June. I can hardly wait.

 

[RIO5.0]

Good job....

That cam may not sound like much at idle, but wait til you drive it and she hits around 2800 or so....your gonna love it then... I'm sure its gonna be and entirely different animal...

Those lifters may very well quiet down some with just some driving time....give it a bit....and also some ECC learning time comes into play here, not with the lifters, just all around stuff...

As Paul mentioned...mine started the dying trick after a while....i re-located the MAF inside the fenderwell, it was in the engine bay like your...seems fan wash and the hot air was causing my probs....put it in the fender, and all was cool...just a thought...you may not even have a problem....cams will show some minor issues here and there...nothing that isn't worth it though...

 

[red94fiveo]

Does anyone have an idea about my mystery niose? My dad said it sounded like a bearing of some sort squealing. Does this shed anymore light on the issue?

 

[final5-0]

Good job!!!

As for the vt noise, if it sounds like just one or two and they are not making a great deal more noise than the others, I would put a few miles on it, keeping the rpm's way down and see it they settle down.

After a few break in miles and the final adjustment mine made less noise.

The pump whine might be air trapped in the system or low fluid level.

Later
Grady

 

[Joes95GT]

Like Paul said, cammed cars make a little bit of noise. It's a rachetty, racey type of sound. It's hard to explain. Aftermarket rockers are going to contribute a little bit more to the noise than the stockers. The noise you are hearing may be 100 different things, but something to think of - did you check all the lifters before reinstalling them? One may have oiling problems or may be shot. Just a thought (hopefully that's not true).

Joe

 

[Touring23]

red94fiveo, I was just browsing the forum when I came acrossed this thread. I have a real moral delimna, should I speak up or keep on going? I reckon I'll try to help out a fellow stanger. Hope this helps.

Did you measure the valve lash (a.k.a. lifter preload ) after assembly? Tom Wilson's book How to Build & Modify Ford F.I. 5.0L V-8 Engines has a great section on the topic starting on page 144. The procedure can also be found in the Ford shop manual, although that procedure is for the stock valvetrain. We did this when we installed my 6037's, the procedure is a PITA because each piston must be at TDC to check it.
Might be worth looking into, maybe someone can contribute the lash for aluminum heads, or perhaps a chat with your cam grinder? Hope this helps. Good luck.

 

[red94fiveo]

red94fiveo, I was just browsing the forum when I came acrossed this thread. I have a real moral delimna, should I speak up or keep on going? I reckon I'll try to help out a fellow stanger. Hope this helps.

Did you measure the valve lash (a.k.a. lifter preload ) after assembly? Tom Wilson's book How to Build & Modify Ford F.I. 5.0L V-8 Engines has a great section on the topic starting on page 144. The procedure can also be found in the Ford shop manual, although that procedure is for the stock valvetrain. We did this when we installed my 6037's, the procedure is a PITA because each piston must be at TDC to check it.
Might be worth looking into, maybe someone can contribute the lash for aluminum heads, or perhaps a chat with your cam grinder? Hope this helps. Good luck.

Thanks for the tip, I didn't do this, I just went a half turn past zero lash when I installed the rockers. I may have to pick up that book ,it sounds like a good one. Thanks again for the tip, I appreciate it! I'm still having some other problems, but hopefully I can get them resolved.

 

[Rootus]

I get some valvetrain noise as well, I no longer worry about it. It seems to be the curse of the 5.0 that there's always one lifter or rocker that has to be noisy . My noisy one is on #5.

Dave

 

[Killercanary]

Mine too Dave!

 

[red94fiveo]

No 4 and 5 seems to be my noisy ones.