DOHC 4.6L V8 build

[2000StreetRod]

I haven't accomplished anything the past 7 days due to what I thought was a heart attack but was actually an atrial fibrillation episode. I seem to be doing fine on blood thinner and heart rate medication so today I installed a newly purchased water pump.

It was part of a cooling kit from Auto Zone that includes a new fan clutch. I also started working on the fuel supply system. There are interference issues with the Aviator fuel pressure temperature sensor (FPTS) being installed on the Mach 1 intake manifold/billet fuel rails.

The body of the FPTS is wider than the space available. I was hoping to connect the FPTS pressure signal to a pulse width modulator (PWM) fuel pump controller to control the pressure of a high flow pump like I did on my 2000 Sport for the supercharger. Utilizing the available 90 degree adapter would probably result in the FPTS interfering with the valve cover.

I'll try cutting off the excess of the FPTS mounting plate next to the manifold and adding a spacer between the manifold and the fuel rail. Hopefully that would not impact the alignment of the injectors between the rail and the manifold enough for the injectors to leak. I've decided it will be too crowded in the front for a fuel hose there connecting the two rails.

 

[Tech By Trade]

Glad to hear your alright. You take care of that, I would be pissed if this thread came to an abrupt end without seeing the end results

 

[dgr6853]

I haven't accomplished anything the past 7 days due to what I thought was a heart attack but was actually an atrial fibrillation episode. I seem to be doing fine on blood thinner and heart rate medication so today I installed a newly purchased water pump.
View attachment 95782
It was part of a cooling kit from Auto Zone that includes a new fan clutch. I also started working on the fuel supply system. There are interference issues with the Aviator fuel pressure temperature sensor (FPTS) being installed on the Mach 1 intake manifold/billet fuel rails.
View attachment 95783
The body of the FPTS is wider than the space available. I was hoping to connect the FPTS pressure signal to a pulse width modulator (PWM) fuel pump controller to control the pressure of a high flow pump like I did on my 2000 Sport for the supercharger. Utilizing the available 90 degree adapter would probably result in the FPTS interfering with the valve cover.
View attachment 95784
I'll try cutting off the excess of the FPTS mounting plate next to the manifold and adding a spacer between the manifold and the fuel rail. Hopefully that would not impact the alignment of the injectors between the rail and the manifold enough for the injectors to leak. I've decided it will be too crowded in the front for a fuel hose there connecting the two rails.

I had a case of A-fib when I was 22. My cardiologist couldn't explain it so he said it was cause I drank heavily the night before....he called it Holiday heart. I was fine after but it still scares me. Glad your well and hope to see your beast in action soon.

 

[2000StreetRod]

It looks like there is plenty of room to use the 90 degree adapter after all so I ordered one.

The Centennial fuel supply fitting is the standard Ford 1/2 inch diameter quick connect.

The supply tube is flexible back to where the bend starts near the firewall.

I may be able to twist and bend downward the supply tube to gain enough room for an 8AN to quick connect adapter to a straight, 45 degree or 90 degree female coupler to an 8AN Tee fitting.

 

[2000StreetRod]

There are bushings that prevent the valve cover fasteners from crushing the grommets. The Victor Reinz valve cover gasket set includes replacement grommets. It took a while to push out the old grommet assemblies, replace the old grommets, and then get them seated in the valve covers.

Unfortunately, when I purchased the valve covers from the salvage yard I didn't notice that one of the grommet assemblies was missing. It will probably be challenging to purchase just one bushing. Although not even mentioned in my Aviator shop manual the large cup seals are essential to keeping oil out of the spark plug wells.

The peripheral gaskets encase the sealing ridge with an oval that in my opinion eliminates the need for the application of sealant where the head and the timing cover meet.

The MK VIII valve cover fastener set I purchased only includes 4 stud bolts while the Aviator shop manual shows the utilization of 9. I installed them at the front to position the passenger side wiring harness that goes to the A/C clutch solenoid, crankshaft position sensor and the driver side wiring harness that goes to the camshaft position sensor, oil pressure switch. I'll probably need to purchase a few more.

I installed the COPs and boots purchased used from a MK VIII. I painted the Aviator COP covers with aluminum colored engine paint. I won't torque the valve cover bolts until the fuel rail configuration is completed.

 

[2000StreetRod]

I had to use one of the valve cover stud bolts to secure the Aviator oil dipstick tube so now I'm one short.

I purchased some flange bolts from Auto Zone and installed the oil filter/coolant adapter with a new gasket. I used medium strength thread lock on the new exhaust manifold studs.

I painted the exhaust manifolds with aluminum header paint and installed the left one with new gaskets.

The new exhaust manifold nuts are self locking. Hopefully, once the thread lock dries it will be strong enough to retain the studs if the nuts are removed in the future. I also painted the heat shields with aluminum header paint.

One of the heat shield mounting bolts on the passenger side exhaust manifold broke when I tried to remove it. I'll have to drill and extract the bolt if I can find an extractor for an M6 bolt.

 

[2000StreetRod]

The 90 degree FPTS adapter arrived so I test fit it and learned that a ridge on the plenum interfered with it.

So I removed the plenum and filed off the ridge and gained several thousandths of clearance. The fuel port on the FPTS is offset from the mounting holes so it can only be mounted with the vacuum port down.

You can't tell from the photo but there is about 1 inch of clearance between the end of the port and the valve cover. That should be enough room for a vacuum elbow. I'm reconsidering my decision to connect the left and right fuel rails across the rear instead of the front. A Tee on the left rail limits the possible angles for connecting the supply adapter to the left rail. Using a 90 degree fitting allows more freedom. Also, the plumbing associated with the cooling mod, the EGR tube and wiring harnesses all have to fit between the firewall and the rear of the engine. Its pretty crowded on the Centennial which doesn't have the coolant mod plumbing.

 

[2000StreetRod]

Today I test fit the new aftermarket Aviator crossover tube and was thoroughly disappointed. The tubes that mate with the crossover ports are at different angles than the ports and not the correct length to align the main tube with the front of the block.

Also, the heater outlet tube is directly above the valve cover retaining stud bolt as shown above and in the blurry photo below.

If the outlet tubes were actually seated in the ports the crossover tube would be almost touching the top of the stub bolt. Also, there's no room room for the fuel rail crossover to be in front.

I found a photo of my fuel rails mounted on a Mach 1 and the fuel crossover is at the rear.

So I guess that's what I'll have to do.

 

[2000StreetRod]

I found a metal 5/8 inch diameter Tee and a heater hose with a 90 degree bend to incorporate in my head cooling modification.

I still have to determine what fitting (straight, 45 or 90 degrees) to use on the second port of the adapter to connect to the heater return hose. For the front I'm learning about the crossover delete modification that's used on Cobras and Mach 1s to make room for a centrifugal blower.

 

[jd4242]

I found a metal 5/8 inch diameter Tee and a heater hose with a 90 degree bend to incorporate in my head cooling modification.
View attachment 95992
I still have to determine what fitting (straight, 45 or 90 degrees) to use on the second port of the adapter to connect to the heater return hose. For the front I'm learning about the crossover delete modification that's used on Cobras and Mach 1s to make room for a centrifugal blower.

Vortech makes a kit for the crossover

 

[2000StreetRod]

I've decided not to use the Aviator crossover pipe assembly because I want to implement a hot temperature thermostat configuration instead of a cold temperature thermostat configuration. I'll use the stock Explorer coolant/oil filter mount adapter (shown below) instead of the Aviator one.

I've found several inline thermostat housings but only one with an integrated Y combiner.

So I ordered a two sensor kit from On3 Performance. The kit I ordered contains two of the driver side adapters and no passenger side adapter. I'll use the temp sensor port on the driver side for the heater hose supply. The stock Explorer relies on the cylinder head temperature sensor and doesn't have an engine coolant temperature sensor so I'll plug the driver side adapter sensor port for now. I may install a sensor in the future to activate an electric motor driven radiator fan or to monitor actual engine coolant temperature. The intended routing for the thermostat and feed lines from the heads is shown below.

 

[2000StreetRod]

The 180 degree push lock fitting with hose will interfere with the fuel pressure/temperature sensor.

I thought about trying to bend it upward some but instead ordered a 150 degree fitting.

 

[2000StreetRod]

It looks like the 150 degree fitting will work.

 

[4pointslow]

Looks perfect!
Let me know how you like those push lock fittings, I was always wondering if they were any good and how easy or hard they are to install.
I would like to know how you insert the fitting into the hose when you get to that point.
Whats next on this build?

 

[CDW6212R]

The push-lok fittings are very good. I've only used them for two transmission coolers, the lines going to them and one external filter. I used clamps on the first that I put in, but I've had to remove two hoses, and they don't let go. The hoses need lubrication to go on, but the barbs are deeper and sharper than typical barbed fittings. They bite much better.

I do like that that fitting doesn't have a yellow identification collar, I always hated that color and thought of cutting them off.

 

[2000StreetRod]

I used push lock fittings on my engine oil thermostat. As Don stated you lubricate the fitting and the hose before mating the two. It takes a considerable pushing while twisting force to get the hose end to seat within the cup. According to instructions using a bench mounted vice to hold the fitting makes it easier but I've never done it that way.

I have two 90 degree fittings and -8 AN hose to connect the fuel rails at the rear as soon as I mount the passenger side fuel rail. I finally drilled and tapped the broken bolt that attaches the passenger side heat shield to the exhaust manifold. So now I can install the assembly and start working on EGR. Thanks to boominXplorer I have an Aviator EGR tube to connect between the exhaust manifold and the ESM. Hopefully the EGR tube will be well clear of the fuel crossover hose.

Replacing the driver side O2 sensor on the Centennial has cleared all of my DTCs and the engine is running fine so as soon as I finish mounting the preluber and remote oil filter I should be ready to start pulling the engine. I need to purchase a bottle of fuel stabilizer, add it to the remaining fuel in the tank and then run the engine long enough for the treated fuel to reach the injectors. Initially I plan to use the Centennial injectors instead of the higher flow rate Mach 1 injectors that I haven't tested. That will eliminate one unknown for the DOHC engine start and avoid tuning. I have most of the parts needed to implement the front coolant crossover delete modification.

 

[damarble]

Subbed. I think the DOHC V8s are fantastic engines and I'd like to put one in something.

 

[boominXplorer]

Looking like it's getting close to be ready for install! I'm definitely curious to see how the revised cooling setup turns out. I've also got a set or two of stock aviator injectors, let me know if you want to try them.

Also I've tried to remove the hose from one of those push lock fittings when I upgraded the fuel feed line on my f250 diesel, it was impossible without cutting it.

 

[CDW6212R]

Yeah, the push lok fittings don't let go. You'd have to rip the hose apart to get it off by pulling on it. I used a razor blade carefully to get the old rubber trans hose off. No clamps required is believable.

 

[2000StreetRod]

While in the process of preparing to pull the Centennial engine I remembered I was told that the power steering pump for the 2 valve is not compatible with the 4 valve engine. Today I purchased a 2004 Aviator power steering pump with mounting bolts and fluid reservoir with mounting bracket on eBay.

I'm hoping that the Explorer high pressure tube/hose will fit the Aviator pump.