Big Blue's Transformation

[Gary Lewis]

That's some real nice work there Gary!

Thanks, Rob.

[85lebaront2]

Got the other battery hold-down made and installed, and then connected the battery cables. Basically, the electrical system is DONE!

I still have to pull those parts, as well as the power steering/air conditioning compressor bracket, off and powder coat them, but I want to wait a bit to see what else needs to be powder coated so I can do it all in one go. And, because the transfer case is sitting in the powder coating booth - in the way.

So, here's my plan, after cleaning up the shop enough to have some place to put things as I work on them:

• Order carb adapter and send dizzy in to Scotty

• Headers: This will be delicate as I do NOT want to chip them. So I'll have to pad everything.

• Transfer Case: Once the headers are on the transfer case can go on

• Drive Shafts: The rear shaft should bolt right on, but I need to rebuild the front shaft

• Oil pressure switch & fittings: I need to add the tree at the back of the engine and connect up the wiring, pressure line, etc.

• Ignition system: I gave my DS-II box to someone at the show, so I need to put one back and hook the connectors up.

• Fuel System: I need to re-install the old fuel tank with pump & sender, or put in the FDM. I need to make a decision on that.

• Brakes: Add fluid and bleed them

• Steering: Connect up the power steering/hydroboost lines

• About now the carb adapter should come in and I can add the adapter and carb

• Cooling System: Install the radiator & hoses.

• Dizzy: When the dizzy comes in I can install it, new plugs, and wires.

• Fire It Up!

Looks good sir! One question, I see a Duraspark label on an aluminum box peeking out from behind the washer fluid/overflow tank, would that be the one you need to locate and install?

After your new engine is broken in, can I rent the DS-II, Carter and adapter to do the same with Darth's new engine?

[Gary Lewis]

Looks good sir! One question, I see a Duraspark label on an aluminum box peeking out from behind the washer fluid/overflow tank, would that be the one you need to locate and install?

After your new engine is broken in, can I rent the DS-II, Carter and adapter to do the same with Darth's new engine?

Thanks, Bill.

Jein on the DS-II box. I run two, stacked with connector nuts. I gave the top one and the connector nuts away thinking I was going straight to EFI, but I think I have another and more nuts so will set it back up stacked. Besides, the one on there is the one that came on Big Blue from Vernon and it doesn't have the retard feature.

And you can use the carb adapter, but you'll have to wait a bit as I am hoping to drive the truck using the Carterbrock for a while and then, maybe, go EFI over the winter. But even then, the carb is borrowed back from Brandon/Bruno2 so I can't loan it out. However, I have the Street Demon that I plan to press into service once I fire it and prove it with the AFB and you could use that.

But, you gotta light the fire with something. Wanna also use the to-be-curved dizzy.

Oh yes, you'll either have to have the injectors installed which, as you well know, requires the fuel rails to hold them in, or get brass cups to plug the holes. The adapter comes with the cups, but I suspect they'll be worse for the wear after I get them out.

[85lebaront2]

Thanks, Bill.

Jein on the DS-II box. I run two, stacked with connector nuts. I gave the top one and the connector nuts away thinking I was going straight to EFI, but I think I have another and more nuts so will set it back up stacked. Besides, the one on there is the one that came on Big Blue from Vernon and it doesn't have the retard feature.

And you can use the carb adapter, but you'll have to wait a bit as I am hoping to drive the truck using the Carterbrock for a while and then, maybe, go EFI over the winter. But even then, the carb is borrowed back from Brandon/Bruno2 so I can't loan it out. However, I have the Street Demon that I plan to press into service once I fire it and prove it with the AFB and you could use that.

But, you gotta light the fire with something. Wanna also use the to-be-curved dizzy.

Oh yes, you'll either have to have the injectors installed which, as you well know, requires the fuel rails to hold them in, or get brass cups to plug the holes. The adapter comes with the cups, but I suspect they'll be worse for the wear after I get them out.

I won't be dropping the engine in any time soon. Yes I will need the distributor also, I got rid of all of the old stuff to a Federal Marshall in Norfolk VA who needed it. I will just stick the 8 old injectors in to plug the holes. I primarily need to be able to run it 2500 rpm for 20-30 mins to break in the cam. I can use the 735 Holley I have to do it.

[ArdWrknTrk]

Jim - Thanks a bunch. So, it just clips onto the frame? Then does it go to the through bolt on the mount? If so, then there's a mate inside the cab?

That doesn't seem very secure if I have that correct. I think my idea of bonding the fenders to the cab under the hood is more likely to work reliably for a longer period.

Scott - Thanks. That's the look I had in my mind's eye, so was anxious to see how it would work out. It worked out perfectly and, at least to me, doesn't say "chunk of c-channel".

I really enjoy making things with the lathe and/or mill. And, for that matter, using the welder. So the time it has taken to make the coolant reservoir bracket as well as the battery hold-downs has been fun.

Gary, that's the floor reinforcing rib the strap is clipped to.

The other end is clipped to the gusset supporting the cab mount.

Kind of little one-way clip. It has teeth so it can't back off.

I don't know what they're made of.

The strap is newer, but the clips original!

 

[ArdWrknTrk]

Got the other battery hold-down made and installed, and then connected the battery cables. Basically, the electrical system is DONE!

I still have to pull those parts, as well as the power steering/air conditioning compressor bracket, off and powder coat them, but I want to wait a bit to see what else needs to be powder coated so I can do it all in one go. And, because the transfer case is sitting in the powder coating booth - in the way.

So, here's my plan, after cleaning up the shop enough to have some place to put things as I work on them:

• Order carb adapter and send dizzy in to Scotty

• Headers: This will be delicate as I do NOT want to chip them. So I'll have to pad everything.

• Transfer Case: Once the headers are on the transfer case can go on

• Drive Shafts: The rear shaft should bolt right on, but I need to rebuild the front shaft

• Oil pressure switch & fittings: I need to add the tree at the back of the engine and connect up the wiring, pressure line, etc.

• Ignition system: I gave my DS-II box to someone at the show, so I need to put one back and hook the connectors up.

• Fuel System: I need to re-install the old fuel tank with pump & sender, or put in the FDM. I need to make a decision on that.

• Brakes: Add fluid and bleed them

• Steering: Connect up the power steering/hydroboost lines

• About now the carb adapter should come in and I can add the adapter and carb

• Cooling System: Install the radiator & hoses.

• Dizzy: When the dizzy comes in I can install it, new plugs, and wires.

• Fire It Up!

Gary, I thought you were borrowing Scotties carb adapter?

If you're going to purchase one, the Price Motorsport one comes with injector port plugs

# CA 460-EFI

There's a genuine Motorcraft blue grommet box right in your photo.

Surely you don't need backup for the 25 minutes it'll take to break in the cam?

Given our 'forseeable future', where do you think you're going in Big Blue?

Maybe the whole "stay at home!" and "non-essential travel is banned!" isn't a thing out there in flyover country.... yet?

But those messages are on every road sign and entrance ramp.

Fines are steep here, and being doubled.

$99 became $199 for being in a public park.

Congregation of 10 or more went from $500 to $1K, each person.

 

[Gary Lewis]

Gary, I thought you were borrowing Scotties carb adapter?

If you're going to purchase one, the Price Motorsport one comes with injector port plugs

# CA 460-EFI

There's a genuine Motorcraft blue grommet box right in your photo.

Surely you don't need backup for the 25 minutes it'll take to break in the cam?

Given our 'forseeable future', where do you think you're going in Big Blue?

Maybe the whole "stay at home!" and "non-essential travel is banned!" isn't a thing out there in flyover country.... yet?

But those messages are on every road sign and entrance ramp.

Fines are steep here, and being doubled.

$99 became $199 for being in a public park.

Congregation of 10 or more went from $500 to $1K, each person.

Bill - We will just have to see what I'm doing with the adapter, dizzy, etc when you get ready to put the new engine in. Right now no one knows what the future will be like. See below...

Jim - Scott's offer to loan an adapter was for break-in. But I'm planning on running it for many months, so I need to buy one. And his comes with injector port plugs as well. But they are brass cups, which probably won't come out in a way that can be re-used.

As for how long I'll run it and where I'll go, the honest answer is "I don't know". I just want Big Blue back on the road for a while. We don't have fines here, but I don't expect to have him back on the road before the kids come in maybe 3 weeks and they have no idea how long they'll be here. I get out maybe once a week to go get groceries 'cause I'm flattening the curve seriously. So maybe COVID-19 will die down during the summer and I can go for a drive? Janey's already said that when this is over we are going places - she's getting stir crazy.

As for the "genuine Motorcraft blue grommet box", that's the one that doesn't have the retard function - for whatever reason. It was on the truck when I got it and starting hot was hard due to the kick-back. So I piggy-backed another one on top of that one and put padding around its connectors so they wouldn't make noise on bumps. And I might as well do the same with another one, which I have on the shelf.

On the grounds, I think I have those from Huck, so will look them up. But I surely messed up the teeth getting them off, so may just go with jumpers from the fenders to the cab.

[kramttocs]

As for the "genuine Motorcraft blue grommet box", that's the one that doesn't have the retard function - for whatever reason. It was on the truck when I got it and starting hot was hard due to the kick-back.

It had the white wire, correct?

So are you thinking it was just a defective unit?

Curious because I had to set my timing back a little from Scott's recommendation as it was really hard to start when hot. Haven't tried putting the timing back and trying another DSII box. I figure it's all due to the engine being new but since I had just dealt with it and you mentioned the hard start...

[Gary Lewis]

As for the "genuine Motorcraft blue grommet box", that's the one that doesn't have the retard function - for whatever reason. It was on the truck when I got it and starting hot was hard due to the kick-back.

It had the white wire, correct?

So are you thinking it was just a defective unit?

Curious because I had to set my timing back a little from Scott's recommendation as it was really hard to start when hot. Haven't tried putting the timing back and trying another DSII box. I figure it's all due to the engine being new but since I had just dealt with it and you mentioned the hard start...

It had the white wire. And it says Motorcraft. But the retard circuit doesn't work. I added the other one and swapped the connections back and forth and the bottom one would just barely let it crank hot, and the top one let it crank easily hot.

Maybe it is a Chinese clone of a Motorcraft box? If I were you, I'd try a different box.

As for Scott's instructions on timing, my dizzy is headed to him later today, so we'll see what he recommends for this engine. I really like having him set the curve 'cause he knows exactly what the engine is as well as how I'm going to use it. My note to him is as shown below, but he knows that there's gonna be no EGR as it comes in via the upper plenum on an EFI'd 460, and the carb adapter replaces the upper plenum:

Scott,

Just to document everything, I need this dizzy curved for:

· The short block you built

· E3 heads

· Manual tranny. In fact, a ZF5

· 3.55 gears

· 33” tires

· L&L long-tube headers running into either duals with Magnaflows, which is my preference, or a big single. I’d appreciate a recommendation there.

The truck, an ’85 F250, will be used for cruising, overlanding, and towing.

Also, I need the carb adapter kit for the EFI plenum, and plugs, wires, cap, and rotor.

Thanks,

Gary Lewis

[kramttocs]

It had the white wire. And it says Motorcraft. But the retard circuit doesn't work. I added the other one and swapped the connections back and forth and the bottom one would just barely let it crank hot, and the top one let it crank easily hot.

Maybe it is a Chinese clone of a Motorcraft box? If I were you, I'd try a different box.

As for Scott's instructions on timing, my dizzy is headed to him later today, so we'll see what he recommends for this engine. I really like having him set the curve 'cause he knows exactly what the engine is as well as how I'm going to use it. My note to him is as shown below, but he knows that there's gonna be no EGR as it comes in via the upper plenum on an EFI'd 460, and the carb adapter replaces the upper plenum:

Scott,

Just to document everything, I need this dizzy curved for:

· The short block you built

· E3 heads

· Manual tranny. In fact, a ZF5

· 3.55 gears

· 33” tires

· L&L long-tube headers running into either duals with Magnaflows, which is my preference, or a big single. I’d appreciate a recommendation there.

The truck, an ’85 F250, will be used for cruising, overlanding, and towing.

Also, I need the carb adapter kit for the EFI plenum, and plugs, wires, cap, and rotor.

Thanks,

Gary Lewis

Just stumbled upon this thread: https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1479261-duraspark-retarding-during-startup-3.html with your testing in it.

I will try that new box I got from Amazon. One thing I noticed in that thread was that your Motorcraft labeled box was E8PF whereas the one I got from Amazon is D9VZ. May not make a bit of difference but just pointing it out.