85lebaront2 Posted June 13, 2023 Share Posted June 13, 2023 Hi Bill, first at all: Thanks for the lengthy post! I like your deep explanations and the reviews in history of engines and their development over time. I understand what you mean, but the shaking wasn't there before, if i remember correctly. And I've installed the stroker kit fr9m SCAT and the harmonic balancer for the 351W, that's according to the crankshaft, same for the flex plate. Stroker kit Balancer Flex plate And yes, it's only at low rpm. It's different when setting the transmission to parking or to neutral. Do you have some recommendations about my other points? First of all about the steering column? About the whistling and tut-tut sound: You don't have another fitting plenum with according throttle body in your stock for sale? I've seen there are much aftermarket products from different brands... Ok, so it is a little bit shorter stroke, 3.4" vs 3.5" for a 351, but uses a 4.030" bore to make it up. The Scat kit says it is set up for the 28 ounce imbalance which your flex plate has. What I don't see is the information on the balancer as far as imbalance, however, looking at the enlarged rear view, it is visible. Do you have a tachometer on the Bronco? If so is it a steady reading at idle or is it "hunting"? If it goes away in gear, then it could be a weak cylinder. Are you still using the original firing order, or the 351 firing order? Original is 15426378, 351 is 13726548. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReneH Posted June 14, 2023 Author Share Posted June 14, 2023 Ok, so it is a little bit shorter stroke, 3.4" vs 3.5" for a 351, but uses a 4.030" bore to make it up. The Scat kit says it is set up for the 28 ounce imbalance which your flex plate has. What I don't see is the information on the balancer as far as imbalance, however, looking at the enlarged rear view, it is visible. Do you have a tachometer on the Bronco? If so is it a steady reading at idle or is it "hunting"? If it goes away in gear, then it could be a weak cylinder. Are you still using the original firing order, or the 351 firing order? Original is 15426378, 351 is 13726548. The balancer from SKP is only specified for the 351W, so it should have also 28 ounce. You see the tachometer in my video, it's steady. No hunting. I use the 351W firing order cause of the cam. I don't know that the 302 order is possible with the 351W cam... I will change the plugs, maybe one of them hasn't the correct gap anymore, cause of the four times of unmount and remount... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReneH Posted June 14, 2023 Author Share Posted June 14, 2023 So, so I'll do it this way. I have recorded some videos what I've noticed while driving today: First how the engine sounds after 42 miles: Anyone hearing something suspicious? Here I have filmed the steering column. In my opinion it's the gearbox for sure. I also have heard a sound like "tut, tut" when driving and accelerating...I think it's the same source like the whistling sound that I hear coming from the throttle body. This sound is also still there...a bit more silent, in my opinion. But this "tut, tut" is new to me It sounds like blowing over bottleneck...very silent in this video. The squiking you hear coms from the loose door panels. At least I have tried to record the shaking: Have someone had already time to view the videos? I need to know if you also think the steering gear is the problem, cause ot will take some time to get a new one... Also some replies about the engine sounds after 42 miles were interesting for me, as not wanting to have installed a ticking bomb... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted June 14, 2023 Share Posted June 14, 2023 So, so I'll do it this way. I have recorded some videos what I've noticed while driving today: First how the engine sounds after 42 miles: Anyone hearing something suspicious? Here I have filmed the steering column. In my opinion it's the gearbox for sure. I also have heard a sound like "tut, tut" when driving and accelerating...I think it's the same source like the whistling sound that I hear coming from the throttle body. This sound is also still there...a bit more silent, in my opinion. But this "tut, tut" is new to me It sounds like blowing over bottleneck...very silent in this video. The squiking you hear coms from the loose door panels. At least I have tried to record the shaking: I hadn't watched the videos but now have: Engine: I think the engine sounds good. Don't hear anything untoward. Steering Box: Hard to see in the first video but in the second it is easy to see that you have play. However, what we can't see is if there is movement elsewhere in the steering linkage. The best test is for you to lay under the front of the vehicle, and with the engine off have someone turn the wheel like you did in the 2nd video. Just take up the slack. And you watch to see if the output of the steering box is moving with the input. If all or most of the slop is in the box then it is the culprit. Sound: I don't hear a "tut tut" but do hear a fairly high-pitched noise that might be a rattle. Something loose? Shake: Yes, I do see the shake on the steering wheel. It is very consistent. Can you tell if the engine is moving up/down or side/side? Can you tell if it is the front or rear of the engine? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
85lebaront2 Posted June 14, 2023 Share Posted June 14, 2023 The balancer from SKP is only specified for the 351W, so it should have also 28 ounce. You see the tachometer in my video, it's steady. No hunting. I use the 351W firing order cause of the cam. I don't know that the 302 order is possible with the 351W cam... I will change the plugs, maybe one of them hasn't the correct gap anymore, cause of the four times of unmount and remount... You have to use the cam firing order, it won't run right if at all wired for the 302 firing order. If the engine is bobbing up and down at the front, then that is probably caused by the weights on the balancer and flex plate, they are 180° apart and at lower rpm (idle) make the engine rock in it's mounts. Steering, I agree with Gary, you need to determine what is loose and not moving things when the wheel is turned. If it is in the steering box, they can be adjusted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted June 14, 2023 Share Posted June 14, 2023 You have to use the cam firing order, it won't run right if at all wired for the 302 firing order. If the engine is bobbing up and down at the front, then that is probably caused by the weights on the balancer and flex plate, they are 180° apart and at lower rpm (idle) make the engine rock in it's mounts. Steering, I agree with Gary, you need to determine what is loose and not moving things when the wheel is turned. If it is in the steering box, they can be adjusted. Bill - While I agree that a steering box can be adjusted it is my belief that they should not be adjusted. In my experience you can take slop out of the box, but that also takes the "feel" out of it. But, since it doesn't cost anything I suggest that Rene give it a try if he determines that the box is the problem. Mark where the adjusting screw's slot is now, break the lock nut loose, give it maybe 1/16th of a turn, lock it down with the lock nut, and give it a drive. I think it'll take some slop out but also make the steering "numb". And in any case I wouldn't go past 1/4 of a turn. At some point you are going to cause things to bind and potentially crack the box or hurt the internals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
81-F150-Explorer Posted June 14, 2023 Share Posted June 14, 2023 Bill - While I agree that a steering box can be adjusted it is my belief that they should not be adjusted. In my experience you can take slop out of the box, but that also takes the "feel" out of it. But, since it doesn't cost anything I suggest that Rene give it a try if he determines that the box is the problem. Mark where the adjusting screw's slot is now, break the lock nut loose, give it maybe 1/16th of a turn, lock it down with the lock nut, and give it a drive. I think it'll take some slop out but also make the steering "numb". And in any case I wouldn't go past 1/4 of a turn. At some point you are going to cause things to bind and potentially crack the box or hurt the internals. Some information about these steering gear boxes. The gear that adjusts with the screw is like a v shaped cone. What happens is the bottom of that gear that you adjust wears over time at the bottom, and when you try to adjust the lash, the top of the gear isn't worn so therefore it adjusts too tight immediately. There is no adjusting the steering gear properly once it's worn to the point of slop. -------------------------- I've heard (take with a grain of salt) you can remove that gear from the gear box, and either replace it, or grind the old gear true again making it into a proper v cone shape again. Then it can be adjusted to the proper lash again. Never tried it before though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReneH Posted June 18, 2023 Author Share Posted June 18, 2023 I hadn't watched the videos but now have: Engine: I think the engine sounds good. Don't hear anything untoward. Steering Box: Hard to see in the first video but in the second it is easy to see that you have play. However, what we can't see is if there is movement elsewhere in the steering linkage. The best test is for you to lay under the front of the vehicle, and with the engine off have someone turn the wheel like you did in the 2nd video. Just take up the slack. And you watch to see if the output of the steering box is moving with the input. If all or most of the slop is in the box then it is the culprit. Sound: I don't hear a "tut tut" but do hear a fairly high-pitched noise that might be a rattle. Something loose? Shake: Yes, I do see the shake on the steering wheel. It is very consistent. Can you tell if the engine is moving up/down or side/side? Can you tell if it is the front or rear of the engine? Good evening! I'm back from my first longer trip today. Everything seems to work like it should. Here you can hear the engine after 132 miles. I can't hear anything abnormal: So but there are still some things to solve: The engine runs still shaky in P and lower rpm range, close to idle. I haven't changed the plugs up to now. I still can't isolate in which direction the engine moves while running shaky. Ot also seems that the tachometer is moving up and down slightly white the gearbox is set to P. In neutral it's better I also noticed a deep sound while driving that comes up while driving...nearly feels like the tires are flat from standing too long with low pressure. But I think they aren't. I have put grease in the cross joints of the propeller shafts today without any change of one of my noticed noises. The quik, quick, quick sound comes from the front breaks. It feels like the disc's are not plain anymore...but they seem relatively new to me. Maybe only cylinder is stuckig. The whole doors and door panels making loud noises while driving...I have to fix this to better hear the engine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted June 19, 2023 Share Posted June 19, 2023 Good evening! I'm back from my first longer trip today. Everything seems to work like it should. Here you can hear the engine after 132 miles. I can't hear anything abnormal: So but there are still some things to solve: The engine runs still shaky in P and lower rpm range, close to idle. I haven't changed the plugs up to now. I still can't isolate in which direction the engine moves while running shaky. Ot also seems that the tachometer is moving up and down slightly white the gearbox is set to P. In neutral it's better I also noticed a deep sound while driving that comes up while driving...nearly feels like the tires are flat from standing too long with low pressure. But I think they aren't. I have put grease in the cross joints of the propeller shafts today without any change of one of my noticed noises. The quik, quick, quick sound comes from the front breaks. It feels like the disc's are not plain anymore...but they seem relatively new to me. Maybe only cylinder is stuckig. The whole doors and door panels making loud noises while driving...I have to fix this to better hear the engine. The engine sounds good. But I'm guessing that you are straining your ears to hear ANYTHING that might be wrong, so you are probably hearing things that aren't there. Or have been there but you didn't notice them. On the engine movement, can you put a pointer or straightedge on a body part and get it close to the engine to see the movement? As for the brakes, don't baby them as you need to get the new pads to mate with the rotors. If you baby them you can get waves in the rotors that you can't get rid of. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReneH Posted June 19, 2023 Author Share Posted June 19, 2023 The engine sounds good. But I'm guessing that you are straining your ears to hear ANYTHING that might be wrong, so you are probably hearing things that aren't there. Or have been there but you didn't notice them. On the engine movement, can you put a pointer or straightedge on a body part and get it close to the engine to see the movement? As for the brakes, don't baby them as you need to get the new pads to mate with the rotors. If you baby them you can get waves in the rotors that you can't get rid of. Hi Gary, you might be right...as grown from the last experiences, I may handle the engine with kid gloves...as for my last rides I don't exceed 2,500 rpm (about 60 mph). Ok for about 5 minutes I've took the truck up to 3,000 rpm (about 70 mph), yesterday. Only with warn engine, for sure. What I find very interesting is, that I haven't pushed the pedal more that a quarter of it's whole way down to the floor...it feels like the speedometer will end before reaching the maximum speed... About the movement: I'll check this after changing the plugs within this week. In this case: what do you think about starting the engine only for testing purposes (like the new plugs and engine movement), cause of the short time it will run for such a test? Or should I wait for such tests after reaching the 500 miles? About the breaks: they have been changed by the former owner or the importer of the car. So I don't know how the new pads were treated... As I still have to check the play in the steering column and I will need some spare parts, I'll may order also new rotors and pads... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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