Classic Mustangs List Archive

This read-only message was archived from a public mail list.
Mail From: (email redacted) (Ben Witso)

Hi all

First the starter question- there was a thread a few weeks ago about
starters wearing out and ppl using hi-torque starters instead. My
(stock) cleveland goes through a standard rebuilt starter every year,
and it is getting old. Where can I get one of the hi-torque starters
for a cleveland? I see Ford Racing brand in Mustangs Unlimited for 159
or 199- are those the ones, or are there others? (less expensive?)

OK- now the rebuild. As you old-timers will remember I have a cooling
problem with my 351-2v and I have tried absolutely everything to fix
it. The only thing left is the motor itself. The motor in there is a
'71 and if it matched the tranny that was in the car when I bought it
it was from a truck. (The FMX has since been replaced with a correct
and rebuilt model) I have found a 351-2v that was pulled from a 70
Mustang that is original and has it's share of miles on it but hasn't
been bored or otherwise rebuilt. I'm led to believe the miles are under
100,000 and maybe quite a bit less. It is a complete motor.

The current motor in my car was supposed to have been rebuilt before I
bought the car but when I got it home I found the heads hadn't been
touched. We pulled them and rebuilt them with hardened seats and put
back on the motor. The cylinders looked to have been redone not too
long before, but in hind site it looks like they were bored too big
hence causing my overheating.

So now- I have a mechanic friend who wants to build me an engine in the
400+ HP range but he is talking several thousand dollars. I've been
seeing some of you ppl building strokers even as high as 600HP for
around that too. While I'd love to have that kind of power I am on a
strict budget. I would like to bore the block (I'm told it will need a
little but not .030) and do what I need to but build just a stock, or
low cost motor to stop my overheating problem. Quite honestly I
couldn't afford the tickets a big HP motor would give me right now
What can I do to build a solid motor now, but still be able to go back
and "add to it" in a few years to beef it up to a bigger HP 4v? What
would I do to build a reasonable short block and re-use my known decent
shape 2v heads for now? Any other ideas? Or does anyone have a known
good 2v cleveland with a few miles left on it sitting around that they
would unload cheap?

TIA for any help - I need some advice.

Ben in Minnesota
70 Mach 1 (looking for a better motor and starter)
65 Convert (questions coming soon)
66 Convert (sitting and waiting and waiting)

This read-only message was archived from a public mail list.
Mail From: (email redacted) (Jay Manley)

Ben --

Hi. This is Jay in Fargo, ND. Not too far from you.

First, on the starter. I use a Tildon (Tilton?) starter on my 351C-CJ
(4V). I had the same issue as you, plus issues of it not starting when the
starter got hot. I've had no issues since the rebuild and it's running
*MUCH* hotter now. I'd strongly suggest that.

As for what to do now, I'd suggest flat-top pistons to get you around 9.5
to 10:1 compression. I'm running 10.4:1 compression, which works but I'm
also at 460+ hp. Next, I'd make sure you have the right cam. As you
probably have heard before, that's the heart of your engine and needs to be
proper per your application.

From there, I'd *strongly* suggest both the "Port Plates" for the intake
and exhaust to handle the low-RPM issues.

If you're looking for a great Cleveland engine builder, and are willing to
go to Grand Forks, ND, I'd strongly recommend Adams Automotive there as
he's done wonders with my motor.

Let me know if you have any questions.

Jay

At 09:44 PM 4/17/2003 -0500, you wrote:
>Hi all
>
>First the starter question- there was a thread a few weeks ago about
>starters wearing out and ppl using hi-torque starters instead. My (stock)
>cleveland goes through a standard rebuilt starter every year, and it is
>getting old. Where can I get one of the hi-torque starters for a
>cleveland? I see Ford Racing brand in Mustangs Unlimited for 159 or 199-
>are those the ones, or are there others? (less expensive?)
>
>OK- now the rebuild. As you old-timers will remember I have a cooling
>problem with my 351-2v and I have tried absolutely everything to fix it.
>The only thing left is the motor itself. The motor in there is a '71 and
>if it matched the tranny that was in the car when I bought it it was from
>a truck. (The FMX has since been replaced with a correct and rebuilt
>model) I have found a 351-2v that was pulled from a 70 Mustang that is
>original and has it's share of miles on it but hasn't been bored or
>otherwise rebuilt. I'm led to believe the miles are under 100,000 and
>maybe quite a bit less. It is a complete motor.
>
>The current motor in my car was supposed to have been rebuilt before I
>bought the car but when I got it home I found the heads hadn't been
>touched. We pulled them and rebuilt them with hardened seats and put back
>on the motor. The cylinders looked to have been redone not too long
>before, but in hind site it looks like they were bored too big hence
>causing my overheating.
>
>So now- I have a mechanic friend who wants to build me an engine in the
>400+ HP range but he is talking several thousand dollars. I've been seeing
>some of you ppl building strokers even as high as 600HP for around that
>too. While I'd love to have that kind of power I am on a strict budget. I
>would like to bore the block (I'm told it will need a little but not .030)
>and do what I need to but build just a stock, or low cost motor to stop my
>overheating problem. Quite honestly I couldn't afford the tickets a big HP
>motor would give me right now
>What can I do to build a solid motor now, but still be able to go back and
>"add to it" in a few years to beef it up to a bigger HP 4v? What would I
>do to build a reasonable short block and re-use my known decent shape 2v
>heads for now? Any other ideas? Or does anyone have a known good 2v
>cleveland with a few miles left on it sitting around that they would
>unload cheap?
>
>TIA for any help - I need some advice.
>
>Ben in Minnesota
>70 Mach 1 (looking for a better motor and starter)
>65 Convert (questions coming soon)
>66 Convert (sitting and waiting and waiting)
>
>_______________________________________________
>Classic-mustangs mailing list
>(email redacted)
>mix.twistedpair.ca/mailman/listinfo/classic-mustangs

This read-only message was archived from a public mail list.
Mail From: (email redacted) (Chris Kelly)

I've had a gear reduction for many years without trouble. It sits very
near big header tubes so it gets very hot. It was well worth the $170.

Spend your $$ on the shortblock. A good C shortblock will handle about
anything you put on top. Balance the parts, install forged or good quality
hyper pistons, shot peen/mag/resize the rods, use main studs, windage tray,
etc. Have it lightly decked or work with your machinist to shoot for the
9.5 range, depending on your head chamber cc's. Zero deck is usually where
you end up if you have 74-76cc chambers. Concentrate on sealing issues at
the head - cut them lightly too, use head studs and clean the s*** out of
the deck and head before applying a FelPro blue gasket. Most of the
heating problems I've had could be traced directly to the head gasket seal.
You can get 330-350HP our of a mild 2V engine with just a little bowl
porting and exhaust work and a 214/224 size hydro cam. More if you work at
it. Also, run stainless valves - running the current stock replacements
can cost you an engine. Ask Me How I Know. FINALLY - don't get too hot on
finding 4V heads. There is resonable evidence that Edlebrock may finally
produce an aluminum head for the 351C, possibly by year end. Even if if
was a simple copy of the 2V head, it would be a good street/strip head with
more upside.

========The Kelly's==============
Chris - (email redacted)
Debbie - (email redacted)
users.abilene.com/~dkelly
Merkel, Texas
=================================