On Tuesday 14th I started tearing my engine apart. By Thursday 16th I had it back together and Friday I started it back up. There is a problem. I'm hoping you all can help.
To preface: I have never taken apart a motor before. I did help my Dad with his 356's 1600 once. I've nearly taken every nut and bolt on this car out at one time or another(slightly exaggerating) but nothing in the engine bay except a battery, alternator and a CAI. I am very mechanically inclined so I did buttloads of research before tackling this project so I knew what to expect.
Here's what I've got. Car: 1995 Mustang GT Convertible I bought in 1999. Engine: Bone stock 1995 5.0 which has never been taken apart until last week. Ran like a scalded dog before but I wanted faster. Everything else: far from stock.
To which I added: 3 bar GT40 heads and stock stamped steel rockers (from 97 explorer),Trick Flow valve spring kit, Steeda #19 cam, 1993 Cobra U/L intake, Edelbrock 70mm TB, Summit shorty headers, Summit valve covers(cheap junk replacing asap) New Lifters stock style. Ford Racing Head/Valve Cover Gaskets/Felpro everything else
And Deleted: smog equipment (running a short belt)
Problem: The valvetrain is unusually noisy. Sounds like a sewing machine or my dads 356 porsche.
Lets break the potential valve train culprits down one by one.
GT40 Heads are off an explorer. Never been machined as far as i know. The guy I bought them from said they're right off an engine and have only been media blasted. Doubt they are the culprit.
Rockers are original explorer. Compared them to 1995 takeoffs and they look the same. Both sets have the number 5 stamped on them. I could have used my takeoffs but I didn't. Should I have? If they ARE different I sure couldn't tell and that could cause enough slack to make noise. It they are the same, Doubtful. If the Rocker the Fulcrum or even the U-Shaped bracket ARE different, Very Possible.
Valve springs are Trick flow for small-block Fords. I know little about them except I've seen them recommended on Stangnet and other places. I used the little metal bar that checks spring install height and it was spot on everytime. I installed them right I'm sure of it. Doubtful.
Valve Covers. I have taken the valve covers off and there was contact with the baffle so i ripped them out. Started it back up with no change in sound. I think there's more noise heard then if I had thicker/high quality covers. Doubtful
Lifters. Put new ones in. Thought they might be the culprit they weren't so I put the old ones back. Not the best idea but the originals had NO scoring on them and made me wonder why I even bought new ones in the first place(I was talked into it by a guy who knows Fords, 60's fords) Doubtful.
Steeda Cam. I am almost positive this has to be it. I've read one(!!) forum post that mentions the Steeda cam has a smaller base circle than stock cams. If so, why would Steeda sell it without mentioning that? Why wouldn't this be common knowledge? I've read MANY people say they installed the #19 with stock pushrods(like me) with NO problems at all. I called Steeda today they were absolutely NO HELP WHATSOEVER. I got the blow off and was told "We tell all our customers to check proper pushrod length when installing our cams" Bull****, it never says it in any of the papers receipts cam card I was sent and its nowhere on the website. The "Technician" I was speaking to said he really doesn't know much about 5.0's and that it's been a long time since he worked on one so I asked to speak to someone who does. Put on hold only to be told there's no one available. I really like Steeda and have the full G-Trac Suspension so when choosing a cam I thought, Hey, they know their **** what could go wrong? Well a lot apparently. I called to ask if they know if I need longer pushrods and if so what size. I couldn't even get that out of them.
I actually think there was play in some of the pushrods after I torqued down the rockers. I didn't know that was wrong I thought oil pressure would pump them up. I've never done this before though I had a lot of printed out instructions but little things like this I wouldn't know without experience.
After setting the TPS cleaning the IAC, fixing vacuum leaks, and setting the idle it idles right at 600 rpm. Yes I have driven it. Gutless from idle to 3000 then BOOM! Really powerful. Except for the low RPM power(lack of) it actually drives alright. But its noisy and I'm sure that's not normal.
So what do I need to do?
To preface: I have never taken apart a motor before. I did help my Dad with his 356's 1600 once. I've nearly taken every nut and bolt on this car out at one time or another(slightly exaggerating) but nothing in the engine bay except a battery, alternator and a CAI. I am very mechanically inclined so I did buttloads of research before tackling this project so I knew what to expect.
Here's what I've got. Car: 1995 Mustang GT Convertible I bought in 1999. Engine: Bone stock 1995 5.0 which has never been taken apart until last week. Ran like a scalded dog before but I wanted faster. Everything else: far from stock.
To which I added: 3 bar GT40 heads and stock stamped steel rockers (from 97 explorer),Trick Flow valve spring kit, Steeda #19 cam, 1993 Cobra U/L intake, Edelbrock 70mm TB, Summit shorty headers, Summit valve covers(cheap junk replacing asap) New Lifters stock style. Ford Racing Head/Valve Cover Gaskets/Felpro everything else
And Deleted: smog equipment (running a short belt)
Problem: The valvetrain is unusually noisy. Sounds like a sewing machine or my dads 356 porsche.
Lets break the potential valve train culprits down one by one.
GT40 Heads are off an explorer. Never been machined as far as i know. The guy I bought them from said they're right off an engine and have only been media blasted. Doubt they are the culprit.
Rockers are original explorer. Compared them to 1995 takeoffs and they look the same. Both sets have the number 5 stamped on them. I could have used my takeoffs but I didn't. Should I have? If they ARE different I sure couldn't tell and that could cause enough slack to make noise. It they are the same, Doubtful. If the Rocker the Fulcrum or even the U-Shaped bracket ARE different, Very Possible.
Valve springs are Trick flow for small-block Fords. I know little about them except I've seen them recommended on Stangnet and other places. I used the little metal bar that checks spring install height and it was spot on everytime. I installed them right I'm sure of it. Doubtful.
Valve Covers. I have taken the valve covers off and there was contact with the baffle so i ripped them out. Started it back up with no change in sound. I think there's more noise heard then if I had thicker/high quality covers. Doubtful
Lifters. Put new ones in. Thought they might be the culprit they weren't so I put the old ones back. Not the best idea but the originals had NO scoring on them and made me wonder why I even bought new ones in the first place(I was talked into it by a guy who knows Fords, 60's fords) Doubtful.
Steeda Cam. I am almost positive this has to be it. I've read one(!!) forum post that mentions the Steeda cam has a smaller base circle than stock cams. If so, why would Steeda sell it without mentioning that? Why wouldn't this be common knowledge? I've read MANY people say they installed the #19 with stock pushrods(like me) with NO problems at all. I called Steeda today they were absolutely NO HELP WHATSOEVER. I got the blow off and was told "We tell all our customers to check proper pushrod length when installing our cams" Bull****, it never says it in any of the papers receipts cam card I was sent and its nowhere on the website. The "Technician" I was speaking to said he really doesn't know much about 5.0's and that it's been a long time since he worked on one so I asked to speak to someone who does. Put on hold only to be told there's no one available. I really like Steeda and have the full G-Trac Suspension so when choosing a cam I thought, Hey, they know their **** what could go wrong? Well a lot apparently. I called to ask if they know if I need longer pushrods and if so what size. I couldn't even get that out of them.
I actually think there was play in some of the pushrods after I torqued down the rockers. I didn't know that was wrong I thought oil pressure would pump them up. I've never done this before though I had a lot of printed out instructions but little things like this I wouldn't know without experience.
After setting the TPS cleaning the IAC, fixing vacuum leaks, and setting the idle it idles right at 600 rpm. Yes I have driven it. Gutless from idle to 3000 then BOOM! Really powerful. Except for the low RPM power(lack of) it actually drives alright. But its noisy and I'm sure that's not normal.
So what do I need to do?