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Tips before install & 1st Start

1) Any tips before I drop the engine into the bay? (The block is a recon, never been started)  I was going to check compression, anything else? 

2) Any last tips before I turn the key? I'm going to ohm/voltage check all sensors & actuators.  Any good way before starting it to make sure the engine is oiled up good? I did buy an oil pressure gauge & was going to hook it up.

Its been a long time coming and a lot of learning for me, but the V8 is about to go into the space where the V6 was: :)


V6->V8HO 88 LS
5.0L V8 87 XR7

Re: Tips before install & 1st Start

Reply #1
Pull the distributor and get a long hex shaft the same size and shape as the oil pump drive shaft. Put that shaft into a power drill and stick it into the distributor hole, making sure it engages with the oil pump. Spin it until you start to see oil coming through the pushrod holes (you'll have to pull a valve cover). This will ensure that the engine is pre-oiled and all of the oil galleys are full. This will minimize any wear from cranking it for the first time.
2015 Mustang GT Premium - 5.0, 6-speed, Guard Green - too much awesome for one car

1988 5.0 Thunderbird :birdsmily: SOLD SEPT 11 2010: TC front clip/hood ♣ Body & paint completed Oct 2007 ♣ 3.55 TC rear end and front brakes ♣ TC interior ♣ CHE rear control arms (adjustable lowers) ♣ 2001 Bullitt springs ♣ Energy suspension poly busings ♣ Kenne Brown subframe connectors ♣ CWE engine mounts ♣ Thundercat sequential turn signals ♣ Explorer overhead console (temp/compass display) ♣ 2.25" off-road dual exhaust ♣ T-5 transmission swap completed Jan 2009 ♣

Re: Tips before install & 1st Start

Reply #2
Whoops - didn't notice the valve covers and distributor are already off. This'll only make it easier :D
2015 Mustang GT Premium - 5.0, 6-speed, Guard Green - too much awesome for one car

1988 5.0 Thunderbird :birdsmily: SOLD SEPT 11 2010: TC front clip/hood ♣ Body & paint completed Oct 2007 ♣ 3.55 TC rear end and front brakes ♣ TC interior ♣ CHE rear control arms (adjustable lowers) ♣ 2001 Bullitt springs ♣ Energy suspension poly busings ♣ Kenne Brown subframe connectors ♣ CWE engine mounts ♣ Thundercat sequential turn signals ♣ Explorer overhead console (temp/compass display) ♣ 2.25" off-road dual exhaust ♣ T-5 transmission swap completed Jan 2009 ♣

Re: Tips before install & 1st Start

Reply #3
make sure you have it set to about 2k rpm and run it there for about 20 minutes. check for leaks right away and have an extra fan to blow air through the rad, your not moving and new engines build alot of heat. if you have a fire extinguisher(sp?) keep it handy in case of a gas leak. i'd also check the torque on the headbolts if they were on the engine when you got it, better safe than sorry.
86 thunderbird elan

86 mustang coupe

Re: Tips before install & 1st Start

Reply #4
So, this thread's a few days old. Did you put it in and run it yet, Bondo?

Re: Tips before install & 1st Start

Reply #5
yeah, really,  a little late for me here but anyway

run the engine at about 2krpm for about 10min to break in the cam.
as the engine spins with the high rpms, the cam lobes will temper with the new found friction and heat. If you baby it , the cam lobes are soft and will wear down easy on first startup before finding that sweet spot and finally breaking in.  if its an old cam, dont bother.

Re: Tips before install & 1st Start

Reply #6
It's in but not ready to run yet:







"lol.. because not too many people care for that style of car"
[size=-2]Click on paw print \/[/size]



Re: Tips before install & 1st Start

Reply #8
I think the oil pump spins in reverse so the drill should be run backwards to pre-oil-prime the motor (won't hurt if I'm wrong, you'll get lots of oil on the spinning shaft if you are spinning it the correct way). Seeing that you have a roller cam that has hardened lobes and roller lifters, cam break-in isn't really a big issue. Double check that the distributor is installed correctly - I can't tell you how many times I thought I had it in correctly only to find out it was wrongly installed.
11.96 @ 118 MPH old 306 KB; 428W coming soon.

Re: Tips before install & 1st Start

Reply #9
Quote from: jcassity
who's the team there?


That's Joe and I under the car, with Karl (Cougars 2 Go) taking a break behind the camera (that's his white Cougar in the distance). The third picture is Joe (bondocougar) with a hammer  :sawzall: - i'm on the other side providing moral support. :cheers:

I'll let Joe go into the details, but I think we made pretty good progress that day. Watch out for those valve covers!  :brick:
1984 Cougar Convertible
1988 Cougar XR-7

Re: Tips before install & 1st Start

Reply #10
Thanks for all the hints as well as my installation team, it would have never happened without help!  :bowdown:

The distrib definitely is counterclockwise as opposed to the clockwise rotation of the harmonic balancer.  I found you can lift up the distributor slightly, enough to disengage the cam and just allow the oil pump to spin.  Saw the oil coming over the lifters!

That distributor initial location is what worries me most.  I sent for a $8 Top Dead Center spark plug looking thing from Jegs to put in the #1 hole to help, although I'm worried it could damage the piston if I rotate the camshaft to strongly.  :dunno:


V6->V8HO 88 LS
5.0L V8 87 XR7

Re: Tips before install & 1st Start

Reply #11
dont worry about TDC.
remove valve cover
watch the rockers on number 1
spin crank by hand
let number 1 I valve open and start to close,
when this happens start watching your harmonic
place a screw driver in number one hole
the piston will push up on the screw driver
as the piston reaches the highest point, look at the harmonic again
as you keep slowly turning, harmonic will be on ZERO DEG TDC
stop here
install dizzy / rotor / cap
tweek which tooth the dizzy is on so it agrees with the cap
done.


it is impossible to argue anything other than than perfect when you align the concept of TDC if its done like this.  theres no if ands or buts about it.

the only possible explanation for if its gonna still be out of time is if the cam and crank dont agree when the timing chain was put on and that aint gonna be your fault.

you can be off a tooth or two on the dizzy and it can still be brought up and running by advance of the base with no serious issues.

you can not be off a tooth on the cam to crank and get away with a good start,

Re: Tips before install & 1st Start

Reply #12
Darn :brick: I just gasket sealed the valve covers on.

You think I can get close enough by just watching the screwdriver in the #1 for its peak?

I got other troubles anyway:

1) The 87 XR7 V8 harness I put in has a connector that does not mate with the 88 V6 EFI LS body harness.  There are two connectors by the brake master cylinder where the ECU harness interconnects with the body harness.  Only one mates.  Looks like I'll have to do some wire tracing.  :wtf: I thought you had to do this only if you used a Mustang ECU harness! 

2) The tranny column shift is very tough to move for some reason


V6->V8HO 88 LS
5.0L V8 87 XR7

Re: Tips before install & 1st Start

Reply #13
Quote
1) The 87 XR7 V8 harness I put in has a connector that does not mate with the 88 V6 EFI LS body harness. There are two connectors by the brake master cylinder where the ECU harness interconnects with the body harness. Only one mates. Looks like I'll have to do some wire tracing.  I thought you had to do this only if you used a Mustang ECU harness!


Oh oh, had the same problem when I rewired the 88, I guess Ford in thier infinite wisdom changed connectors between 87-88. Maybe one of our wiring experts can help. :ies:
95 Ranger Splash 2.3
88 Tbird Sport :ies::ies:
5.0 SO, stainless shorty headers, w/ Magnaflow lers. KYB struts, KYB shocks. 5lug conversion from sn95 Mustang, subframe connectors, drilled and slotted rotors, 03 Mach 1 wheels. sequential taillights.140 speedo

Re: Tips before install & 1st Start

Reply #14
Quote from: bondocougar
Darn :brick: I just gasket sealed the valve covers on.

You think I can get close enough by just watching the screwdriver in the #1 for its peak?


yes and no......there are 3 instances where the piston is on tdc and you gotta pick one of them as correct.

intake stroke - where piston starts from the top moving down sucking fuel / air in.  Intake valve opens and stays open until piston reaches bottom.

compression stroke- this picks up directly after the intake stroke. intake valve just now closed, exhaust valve is closed. fuel and air gets compressed. piston continues to move up until its at the top then plug gets fire and kabooom happens piston moves down because of the explosion, continues till it reaches the bottom.

exhaust stroke- directly after combustion/compression stoke.  exhaust valve opens up, piston moves up and pushes waste out to the world. piston reaches top and the exhaust valve closes and guess what? the intake valve opens and it repeats this process again.

your camshaft is the boss and tells everyone what to do, the crank just simply spins around with all of its journals 180 deg out of phase with eachother.



turn the crank by hand while you hold your thumb over the empty spark plug hole 
Gotta be kind of agressive when you rotate it because as you do so you will feel and hear air pushing from around your thumb. 
this means your on compression stroke whichi is just prior to when the sparkplug gets spark. 
when you hear this air,,remove your thumb and rotate the crank till your crank pully / pointer agree on zero tdc.
use a srewdriver if you want
set dizzy / rotor / cap to agree with number 1 spark plug post on the cap.

done.

as for th wiring,, get the colors for us.  i dont have this memorized but someone else may already know exactly which conn your talking about.