When you’re building an engine, it’s nice to be armed with the facts necessary to do it successfully. Much of engine building is about math – machining dimensions, compression and rod ratios, bore sizes, stroke, journal diameters, carburetors, port sizes, dynamic balancing, and all the rest of it. Without math, you cannot successfully build an […]

Startup I highly recommend a pre-start-up checklist to avoid potentially costly oversights. Your list should include fluids(oil, fuel, and coolant), electrical and hose connections, belts, etc. Ensuring that you have ample oil supply and pressure prior to startup is a must, and I demonstrate two easy methods to achieve this in this chapter. And although it […]

After many hours of difficult, dirty work and hard-earned dollars spent, you’ve almost reached the point where you can reap the rewards. The average manufacturer’s shop manual reads, “Reassemble in reverse order of disassembly,” or words to that effect. Well I’m here to tell you that it isn’t quite that simple. But with proper planning and […]

While this chapter isn’t intended to cover a step-by-step rebuild of the 351-ci Cleveland, or 351C, I hope to provide some interesting insight into the history and unique features of this successful engine series. The engine featured here was undergoing a highperformance rebuild at Jordan Automotive Machine and belongs to Lee Lundberg of Mount Laurel, […]

Ford introduced the FE (Ford- Edsel) engine series, which had been developed in the mid 1950s, in 1958. While the new engine differed greatly from its predecessor, the 239- to 312-ci Y-Block, the FE featured a similar style deep-skirted cylinder block. In fact, the FE block extends 25⁄8-inches below the crankshaft centerline. This added rigidity […]

Step-1: Use Gasket Sealer I prefer to use a coating of gasket sealer around the water passages in the cylinder heads before installing the intake manifold gaskets. This helps avoid possible leaks.     This Tech Tip is From the Full Book, HOW TO REBUILD BIG-BLOCK FORD ENGINES. For a comprehensive guide on this entire […]

Timing Chain and Gears Step by Step Step-1: Smooth it Out Smooth the snout of the crank with emery cloth and run a tap down the threads before installing the crankshaft gear. This will ensure smooth assembly and an accurate torque reading.   This Tech Tip is From the Full Book, HOW TO REBUILD BIG-BLOCK […]

Piston Rings   Step-1: Inspect New Rings When you open your piston ring box, note that it’s compartmentalized and marked as to which are the top and second groove rings. In this case, the top rings are Chrome-Moly and have a bright finish on their faces, while the second rings are iron and dull in […]

Step-1: Lubricate Camshaft and Accessories First and foremost, make sure that the camshaft and cam bearings are clean and free of any burrs. If you’re using an aftermarket camshaft as we are here, lubricate the camshaft journals, distributor drive gear, and lobes liberally with the break-in lube provided by the manufacturer. If you intend to […]

At this point, all the cleaning, inspection, machining, parts choosing, and painting are out of the way. It’s time to get down to the nuts and bolts (please pardon the pun) of your engine rebuild. Since this portion of your project is the one that will determine its success or failure, it makes perfect sense […]