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Topic: 351W (427W) w/Canton oil pan ishiznitting steering rack (Read 3485 times) previous topic - next topic

351W (427W) w/Canton oil pan ishiznitting steering rack

Just wondering if anybody who's done a 351W swap has run into this issue and how they solved it. I thought the Canton was a stock pan with the "T" welded onto the rear sump area. I'm using the Chuck mounts that I bought years ago, finally they're being put into service :hick: Looks like I could shim it with maybe 1/8" thick washers?
11.96 @ 118 MPH old 306 KB; 428W coming soon.

351W (427W) w/Canton oil pan ishiznitting steering rack

Reply #1
You could do that, or maybe some offset steering rack bushings.
It's Gumby's fault.

351W (427W) w/Canton oil pan ishiznitting steering rack

Reply #2
Quote from: Tbird232ci;462654
You could do that, or maybe some offset steering rack bushings.

Car is already lowered, so I'm not too fond of lowering the rack. I read of someone putting rubber belting between the mount and k-frame to raise it up some, I need to see how much can be gained doing that. At least hood clearance doesn't appear to be an issue with greater than 1/2" there now.
11.96 @ 118 MPH old 306 KB; 428W coming soon.

351W (427W) w/Canton oil pan ishiznitting steering rack

Reply #3
Could you just space the engine mounts away from the frame to get some clearance? I don't see why it wouldn't work.

Is the 427 going to be NA or is the KB getting bolted to it?
88 Thunderbird LX: 306, Edelbrock Performer heads, Comp 266HR cam, Edelbrock Performer RPM intake, bunch of other stuff.

351W (427W) w/Canton oil pan ishiznitting steering rack

Reply #4
Quote from: thunderjet302;462666
Could you just space the engine mounts away from the frame to get some clearance? I don't see why it wouldn't work.

Is the 427 going to be NA or is the KB getting bolted to it?


No KB, this engine should make 600 flywheel N/A.

Yeah, somebody recommended using this stuff to shim up the mount, though I could just weld on some sheet metal as well.

Today was really annoying - I hadn't been able to bolt up the driver's side mount - turns out I had to grind away some material in the middle of the mount to clear a boss on the block. I got that done, then the ed lower part ishiznitting the steering rack - geez!

X

I'll have to separate the mount cuz I'm not unbolting the top part again! More grinding tomorrow.

X

I'm so tired and there's more possible issues just waiting for me to discover them.
11.96 @ 118 MPH old 306 KB; 428W coming soon.

351W (427W) w/Canton oil pan ishiznitting steering rack

Reply #5
So I used the Maximum Motorsports rack bushings and lowered my rack due to the Canton road racing 7 quart pan hitting the rack on the 351W my Bird and my car is in the weeds.  You raise the motor and it might find the hood.

http://www.maximummotorsports.com/MM-Steering-Rack-Bushings-C86.aspx

I also have a bumpsteer kit on the car so....

83 351W TKO'd T-Bird on the bottle


93 331 Mustang Coupe - 368 rwhp

351W (427W) w/Canton oil pan ishiznitting steering rack

Reply #6
Quote from: Aerocoupe;462682
So I used the Maximum Motorsports rack bushings and lowered my rack due to the Canton road racing 7 quart pan hitting the rack on the 351W my Bird and my car is in the weeds.  You raise the motor and it might find the hood.

http://www.maximummotorsports.com/MM-Steering-Rack-Bushings-C86.aspx

I also have a bumpsteer kit on the car so....


Interesting. I'd definitely need a bumpsteer kit. Funny, at the link you posted, it highly recommends against using offset bushings on the rack.:hick:

It seems that if I stick ~1/4" PVC pieces under the mounts, it clears the rack and I still end up with 1/2" above the elbow.

Unfortunately, I'm still dealing with the inaccuracies of these mounts - drilling out holes, twisting this and that, lifting and dropping the engine, yanking it this way and that. My ribs are ridiculously sore from hanging over the fender. I've wasted 6 hours fighting with these ed mounts, knowing that there's a dozen more issues I have to deal with before I can start the engine. :mad: Can't imagine anything I'd rather be doing to mutilate my 55+ year old body. :punchballs:

X
11.96 @ 118 MPH old 306 KB; 428W coming soon.

351W (427W) w/Canton oil pan ishiznitting steering rack

Reply #7
Should have used a Fox Mustang K member and mounts at this point....
88 Thunderbird LX: 306, Edelbrock Performer heads, Comp 266HR cam, Edelbrock Performer RPM intake, bunch of other stuff.

351W (427W) w/Canton oil pan ishiznitting steering rack

Reply #8
Quote from: thunderjet302;462687
Should have used a Fox Mustang K member and mounts at this point....

What is the benefit to using a Fox Mustang K-member?
11.96 @ 118 MPH old 306 KB; 428W coming soon.

351W (427W) w/Canton oil pan ishiznitting steering rack

Reply #9
Ohhhhh DAMMMMMMNN this is basically my 5-year plan hahaha :burnout:
1987 20th Anniversary Cougar, 302 "5.0" GT-40 heads (F3ZE '93 Cobra) and TMoss Ported H.O. intake, H.O. camshaft
2.5" Duals, no cats, Flowmaster 40s, Richmond 3.73s w/ Trac-Lok, maxed out Baumann shift kit, 3000 RPM Dirty Dog non-lock TC
Aside from the Mustang crinkle headers, still looks like it's only 150 HP...
1988 Black XR7 Trick Flow top end, Tremec 3550
1988 Black XR7 Procharger P600B intercooled, Edelbrock Performer non-RPM heads, GT40 intake AOD, 13 PSI @5000 RPM. 93 octane

351W (427W) w/Canton oil pan ishiznitting steering rack

Reply #10
Quote from: Cougar5.0;462689
What is the benefit to using a Fox Mustang K-member?

From what I've read there is more clearance with the Mustang style mounts between the pan and rack when using a 351W block.

Although using a non stock pan could throw that out the window. When I had my Mark VII (it used fox Mustang style mounts) the engine sat a bit higher off the K member than my Thunderbird.
88 Thunderbird LX: 306, Edelbrock Performer heads, Comp 266HR cam, Edelbrock Performer RPM intake, bunch of other stuff.

351W (427W) w/Canton oil pan ishiznitting steering rack

Reply #11
Quote from: thunderjet302;462694
From what I've read there is more clearance with the Mustang style mounts between the pan and rack when using a 351W block.

Although using a non stock pan could throw that out the window. When I had my Mark VII (it used fox Mustang style mounts) the engine sat a bit higher off the K member than my Thunderbird.

Maybe, though most of the advice I read on how to deal with the interference with the steering rack on a 351W swap was on the Corral. The comment was "hit or miss" as far as interference goes. I dunno. I think I'll be good once I shave the shims I made down a tad.
11.96 @ 118 MPH old 306 KB; 428W coming soon.

351W (427W) w/Canton oil pan ishiznitting steering rack

Reply #12
There's something else amiss. There are LOTS of Type 6 mounts out there in service.

Those lower U-brackets are the same dimensionally as the stock lower U-brackets. You have an older set of mounts (As they're zinc plated and not powdercoated), but those brackets could be the very EARLY style, which were a little shorter and only had one location for the main vertical through bolt.  (At least that's what I remember. The last iteration had a siamesed hole to accommodate the Fox (86-88) and MN-12(89-92)  differences.

If you have a set of your stock lower U-brackets, you can modify them. A 1/2" hole in between the two smaller bushing mount holes, and a welded-in reinforcement plate will suffice. That, or you can use a large OD washer under the head of the bolt from below.

I have extra of those large OD washers if you'd like some. You can use them as spacers under the bushings as well as a combo reinforcement plate/spacer, as mentioned above.
Long live the 4-eyes!  - '83 Tbird Turbo

351W (427W) w/Canton oil pan ishiznitting steering rack

Reply #13
Quote from: Chuck W;462700
There's something else amiss. There are LOTS of Type 6 mounts out there in service.

Those lower U-brackets are the same dimensionally as the stock lower U-brackets. You have an older set of mounts (As they're zinc plated and not powdercoated), but those brackets could be the very EARLY style, which were a little shorter and only had one location for the main vertical through bolt.  (At least that's what I remember. The last iteration had a siamesed hole to accommodate the Fox (86-88) and MN-12(89-92)  differences.

If you have a set of your stock lower U-brackets, you can modify them. A 1/2" hole in between the two smaller bushing mount holes, and a welded-in reinforcement plate will suffice. That, or you can use a large OD washer under the head of the bolt from below.

I have extra of those large OD washers if you'd like some. You can use them as spacers under the bushings as well as a combo reinforcement plate/spacer, as mentioned above.

Thanks for the info. I'm guessing I jumped on these as soon as they were available, so early sounds right. There is only one hole for the vertical through bolt.

I got the driver's side on, which was the one being the real pain, I just need to somehow get the passenger side PVC piece (between the u-bracket and k-frame) the proper thickness. I wish I had run a drill through the k-frame holes like I did on the driver's side. I'm just having an issue getting the bolt to start in the nut - it's barely squeezing through the slightly misaligned pieces. Are the long bolts 3/8"-24? I've tapered the bolt to aide in getting it started, but I'm having a heck of a time getting the 3/8"-24 die to grab the original threads without getting hungry. I think I'll get it after work, just having the issue getting the far end to start, though the front allows the bolt to slide right in easily.
11.96 @ 118 MPH old 306 KB; 428W coming soon.

351W (427W) w/Canton oil pan ishiznitting steering rack

Reply #14
NM, I see it's M10. I got it in, just had to take a little more off shim
11.96 @ 118 MPH old 306 KB; 428W coming soon.