Joining the bandwagon, my 4L OHV build

im far enough in this to not turn back, so ill start this thread now.

starting with a truck that hasent been driven in 2 years before i got it. so its really dirty, ticks, needs some help.
im going for a mild top end rebuild. just a nice cleaning and new parts, upgraded performance parts. with a nice coat of paint to finish it up.
update: turned into full rebuild


parts list:

• 2643 ANCHOR - drivers motor mount (rockauto)
• 2641 ANCHOR - passenger motor mount (rockauto)
• SP432 MOTORCRAFT - spark plugs (autozone)
• WR4062 MOTORCRAFT - plug wire set (rockauto)
• KS2358 FELPRO - full gasket set (autozone)
• PR422 DNJ/ROCK ENGINE - pistion ring set (rockauto)
• m328 MELLING - high flow oil pump (summitracing)
• 432217 VISTA-PRO - ready rad radiator (summitracing)
• E71531 DAYCO - upper radiator hose (autozone)
• B71532 DAYCO - lower radiator hose (autozone)
• 200-87684 DAYCO - heater-to-thermostat hose (autozone)
• 200-87715 DAYCO - heater-to-water pump hose (autozone)
• 58390 A-1 CARDONE - reman waterpump, they sent a 97tm (rockauto)
• 300-942 DORMAN - water pump pulley (rockauto)
• 300-004 DORMAN - power steering pulley (autozone)
• 49237 GOODYEAR - belt tensioner (rockauto)
• 5968 HAYDEN AUTOMOTIVE - idler pulley (rockauto)
• 49-410-8 COMP CAMS - camshaft (summitracing)
• R1092 SEALED POWER - rocker arms (rockauto)
• VS1630 SEALED POWER - valve springs (rockauto)
• sev-2027 SI VALVES - exhaust valves (sivalves.com)
• sev-2028 SI VALVES - intake valves (sivalves.com)
• UP94172S ULTRAPOWER - timing chain kit (rockauto)
• 25053 CRANKSHAFT SUPPLY - reman crankshaft with bearings (rockauto)
• 70mm 94/95 Mustang GT Cobra 19/24lb MAF (ebay)
• ebay link - 90tm/93tm cylinder heads
• ebay link - matched set of injectors
• EF link - modded stock throttle body
• GM3115200 chevrolet HHR electric fan from EF member
• FAN-PWN-V3 SPAL fan controller from EF member
• 1633S-1 JBA - headers and y-pipe used from EF member

later upgrades: 200amp alternator, underdrive/overdrive pulleys. maybe other stuff as i get ideas

 

[Xeek]

if mine arnt cracked when i get them out, still get 95tm?

 

[jd4242]

You dont have to get 95tm or any but i wouldnt want to do all that work and have to redo later.many people crack them just by taken them off and putting them back on.especially with new cam and all the beating and drilling thats they been through.how many miles is on that motor

 

[Xeek]

i believe 260k. possibly 360, carfax shows weird crap.
when i got it at x54k the guy said it was rebuilt 30k ago, x24k.

 

[jd4242]

Wow thats alot of crudd for only 60k and nonegr motor!! Wonder what or if he really did rebuild if.you might have aftermarket heads on there if not i would get ride of them but thats just me.i would throw 95tm on there,more compression and flow better= more power!

 

[Xeek]

260k, maybe 3. not 60 lol

well my main bounderies for performance is needing the 89, 93 gas in order to even run right. id prefer 87 but 89 is fine.

im gonna upload the pics. i didnt take a pic of the cruise control delete, but the hose that goes to the inside of the truck in the firewall. i plugged that with a bolt, will that work?

 

[jd4242]

224k to 260k 36? Not 60 or am i not understanding how many miles since rebuild.95tm you need 90+ gas.you can get new 93tm also

 

[Xeek]

224k was the rebiuld supposedly. im at 260k now.
my mileage better improve if im gonna ahve to use 93 gas... i mean 11-11.5mpg should be that hard to improve from

bolt i tried drilling through

current progress

 

[jd4242]

You wont have to use 93 unless you put 95tm heads on.you cant get that saw in there? My truck should be done tomorrow, just waiting on boomins help.

 

[Xeek]

if my 90tm(?) ones that are on there are fine. cause of more expensive gas, keep those?
what would the 93tms take?

no. i tried a sawzall. its either hit the block or fall off the bolt when it moves. hacksaw cant really get in there. grinder i got it to big lol

 

[jd4242]

90&93 are the same heads and you can run reg gas.they only make new 93tm heads so if you got new heaads you would have to buy 93tm

 

[Xeek]

Ok ill get those then if I have to.

if you get yours done tomorrow, I do have Monday off. Try andget everything off except the engine mounts if possible

 

[Xeek]

yea im gonna need your help jd. no tools i have can get anything out. the exhaust is a big ####ing hurdle.
or if anyone else from the area wants to stop by, youre welcome to it.


can anyone tell me how to drain r12? im removing the ac

 

[jd4242]

Im still caught up with tryn to get these brakes off,as i only have one day a week off.just got to be patient things allways take longer.just a fact.i dont know about the r12 think you need a machine to properly drain it

 

[Anime]

The 90TM heads are super weak, the worst of the bunch, they are pretty much guaranteed to crack. If an actual rebuild was done, chances are good the heads were replaced, but you can probably tell by checking them out, or if they are 93TMs and not 90TM, obviously they were replaced. Otherwise if they are the originals...I'd spring for 93TM heads. You can of course go for 95TMs if you can find them, but since you're looking for mileage rather than higher octane performance, new aftermarket 93TMs seem like the best bet, they will be stronger, and flow more just by design, without changing compression over stock.

You can't drain R12, it has to be evacuated from the system, preferably by a professional with the correct equipment. Does the A/C work though? Most of the stock systems usually develop leaks over time, and unless it's been taken care of or at least recharged, there might not be anything in there. You can press down on the pin in the service port on the low pressure side (above the drier cylinder on the passenger side) for a half a second and see if anything comes out. If not, hold it down more and see if it's completely empty. Be careful though, maybe wear gloves and use something to press the pin down. If nothing comes out you can probably safely disassemble the system, but still, be careful and assume there is pressure or at least oil/gunk in there that will squirt out at you.

If you're not gonna recharge with R12 again, you can spend the dough and get new hoses and stuff for R134a. I got all mine at Advance Auto Parts. You'll need new upper and lower hoses, a new drier, R134a switch, and orifice tube. They have an online coupon for 40% off, so you can get $100 of parts for $60. Pretty good deal when spending that much.

 

[Xeek]

yea i have no idea if they were replaced or not. if theyre that bad, most likely. ill know when i get that far. if not, or if they were but they cracked to, then new 93tms.

i do have freon left in there, its not full as it never got icy. but i just want to get rid of ac altogether.
just wondering if there was any kind of non safe for the environment way to drain it without hurting me or not lol

 

[Xeek]

ok i almost have a valve cover off. im guessing those silver braided lines that are under the intake are fuel? can i just disconnect them? cause their in the way to take the cover off

 

[Xeek]

ok got it off by moving the ac compressor. both are off and its kinda nasty. eww.

drivers side

passenger side

inside covers, both are like this

 

[jd4242]

kindof nasty good lord!!!!that motors has never been touched that 300000 worth of crude!!look around on the head and see if you see 90tm stamped on it.ps the fuel lines should be remove at the frame or else they will be in the way the whole time and the will break.they are plastic tubes wrapped in stainless steel braiding not stainless steel lines.

 

[jd4242]

wait till you pull that pan off!!!you may top me!!

 

[Xeek]

^ wow. yea... i just may have 2" of sludge on the bottom lol. being my oil change in november only recovered 1.6 quarts of oil.... that oil was put in by a shop and i ran that for 4000miles i believe. when i drained it this time after 1k my 8qt pan is nearly full this time.

maybe it was rebuilt but the old owner ran for a longgggg time on stanky oil?
where would it be stamped at? i have to clean the whole thing off to find it if i have no idea where to look.

in the 2nd pic next to the toilet paper is the line i was trying to disconnect. no idea how it looks further down but it seems easier to do it from here