[Michael Yount]

New to the list guys (and women/gals/ladies/etc.) Just got through building or rebuilding my first 5.0L. Took it for the first drive today (8/13) and I was able to get back home under my own power and there are no fluids underneath. I suppose that's a plus! I've got a 92 HO stock bottom end and I added Ford Y alum. heads, GT40/Explorer lower/upper, 65 mm T/B, 75 mm ProM maf, 24# injectors, E Ford Racing cam, 1.7 rollers. I would love to be able to hook up with some of you local to Knoxville so that I can get to know some other folks interested in Ford small blocks, and to educate myself on the setup/tune of this combo. It fired on the first try. I think I've got a small exhaust manifold leak - have to pop another new gasket in and retorque - see if that cures it. I set timing at 14, bumped the idle up to about 850, set fuel pressure at just under 40, and tps set at .97. Exhaust smell seems to indicate it's rich at idle. Maybe drop the fuel pressure a bit and see what happens?

Would appreciate it if I could get someone to drop me an email if a group gets together at 411 or some other place in the next few weeks. Thanks - Michael Yount [email protected]

 

[Michael Yount]

To YGBSM (is it Chase?) - thanks for the invite - if it happens, I'll take you up on it. I'm traveling on business to Charlotte Thurs/Fri - so I just need to know where exactly and when. And I'm assuming you mean Saturday Aug. 17. My wife is a fitness instructor (among other careers) and has a certification class all day Sat. so I've got one to myself. I'll try and bring the car out. It's in the process of being restored/rebuilt/etc., so sometimes it's driveable and sometimes it's not. I look forward to it. For directions/times etc. you can reach me directly at [email protected] or 602-3580. Thanks - Michael Yount

 

[Michael Yount]

Sounds like it might happen this weekend - so just let me know where and when to show up, and what to bring (food/beverage-wise) and I'll try and make it. Thanks - Michael Yount

 

[Michael Yount]

I'll be there Chase - you're right around the corner from me. We used to live in Sequoyah on Dellwood (rt. off of Scenic); moved to Westwood last year. Y'all remind me to tell you the story of "accidental" tire spin in the covered parking garage at West Town mall. Amazing what you can get away with in a 5.0L powered Volvo.

 

[Michael Yount]

REally enjoyed meeting you guys today - Chase, thanks for the hospitality, Jeff thanks for the burgers. It'll take me a bit to keep the names straight - Jerry (I think) sorry I didn't get to look at your RX-7 or your car Don. Next time. Sorry for the early departure - my wife's event got done much sooner than she thought, and since I dropped her off, she was stranded. Look forward to the next get together maybe at the track. Anybody planning on going to Bristol Sept. 7 for the First Regional Mustang Club Thunder Valley Mustang and Ford Show and Drags? I'm trying to have mine all done in time for that. I figure that since it's 5.0 powered, and Ford owns Volvo that they'll let me sign up. Might need 3 or 4 of you in front of me and behind me in line to help twist their arms. Take care guys and drive safe - Michael Yount

 

[Michael Yount]

Where is 411 speedway? I know hwy. 411 - more detail. How long does it take to get there from downtown K'ville? What time are the races and what time do you guys show up? (Sat. night right?) Any particular place or means of finding each other? Michael Yount

 

[Michael Yount]

goodson - pit offer always good -- must let me know when and I'll do my best to be there. If Scott and I keep making progress on the "FJORD", I may be there at the track day driving too!! We'll all get to witness 'brick' aerodynamics.

Apparently most of you know Mr. Noe already (thanks for the kind words Scott), and now I do too - thankfully. We had a fine time with the first pass on the chip - and it's working the car much better. We'll try pass number 2 sometime in Dec. Turns out Scott's Mopars all have Dana 60 rearends in them, and since he's familiar with those, he and I may try the limited slip install on the Dana 30 in my Volvo. Happy holidays all - Michael

PS - Chase are you out there? I thought I saw you at the downtown Y the other day, but couldn't put the face with the name until after you had walked by (the rest of you will hit that age someday!).

 

[Michael Yount]

Brian - sounds like the motor is coming along nicely. Goodson - come back and let me know if it looks like anything's gonna happen this weekend - I may be able to make it for a short time depending on the timing. Your place - what part of town?

On another note, in my quest to achieve factory levels of look and drivability/mileage, I've decided to open up the FJORD engine, and ditch the E cam. I'm going with something even milder - I must be getting old - I want my idle back!! Probably going with the CompCams XE 258 or XE 264. So, I'll have a 1000 mile E cam on the market along with 24# Ford Racing injectors (also 1000 miles), and I may have a set of Ford Racing 1.7 rollers pedestal mount, depending on the cam choice I make. If you're interested, let me know -- I'll have to come up with some idea of price if I post them in the classifieds, but I'd prefer to just talk it through with you. A local deal is preferred - no shipping, you can look at the parts, etc. You can reach me at [email protected] or at 602-3580.

 

[Michael Yount]

Appreciate the offer Brian, but I'm going even milder than the E or 2031. Wuss. Probably the CompCams XE 258 or 264. Duration's are 206/212 and 212/218 respectively. Bigger lift, but duration and overlap impact idle the most, and both of these are quite a bit milder than the E. I've learned the hard way but the only way. Many coached me that the E idle was fine - compared to say the B or the F. But it's just too rough for me. Not building a ground pounder as you've seen; just a nice street rod with more umph than it had stock. It was plenty quick enough for me stock, and I wanted the alum. heads mainly for the weight reduction off the front end. In retrospect, I should've just stuck with the stock cam - but I've already sold it, and with everything else being new, I want to put new components back in it. Good luck on the motor - sounds like it's gonna be just right!!

 

[Michael Yount]

January sounds good - I'll chip in $20 or $30 towards the pizza fee to help the financial situation, so you can plan on that.

I'd like to chat further about the stock cam - I told others I wish I hadn't sold my stocker cause I'd put it back in!! Can you email me offline at [email protected], or better yet just call me at 602-3580? Thanks! Michael

 

[Michael Yount]

Mr. Goodson - I'd like to take you up on the offer of the stock cam if it's still available. I'd at least like to buy you lunch/dinner in return for the trouble. You can buzz me at 602-3580 or email me at [email protected]. Oh, anyone else (Brian maybe?) need a set of stock steel 1.6 rockers I've got a set that someone can have if they need them. Brand new - came off the crate motor heads I bought for mine. They've got about 4 miles on them. I installed them briefly to see how much difference there was between them and the 1.7's. Michael Yount

 

[Michael Yount]

Bob G - I've misplaced your phone number - I could pick it up today WED - give me a buzz at 602-3580. Thanks - Michael Y.

 

[Michael Yount]

Bob - turns out the stock cam's not going to work out. I cleaned it up - hand polished the journals and lobes. Once cleaned up I could feel a slight depression in the flat part of each lobe - in other words the "ramps" were all slightly concave - but enough to feel with your finger. I took it to my machinist, and he said the corroded areas that I cleaned up were not a problem, but he recommended not putting it in an otherwise new engine unless there was no other alternative due to the depressions in the ramps. It's likely that either the billet was a little soft or the cam has a bunch of miles on it - probably the latter. Let me know if you want it back. His recommendation was that it be used only as a doorstop or to swat softballs with<grin>, but I'll let you make the call. It does have nicely polished lobes and journals now. From 4 feet away it looks brand new!! Thanks again -- Michael

 

[Michael Yount]

Bob G. - no prob - just give me a ring (602-3580)when you want to get the cam and I can bring it back or you can stop by. I've put a straight edge on it and I don't think the depressions are anything to worry about. There is some pitting (result of the rust spots) on a few of the lobes, but it may be fine. Buddy Rawls is going to make me one for the car. I just picked up the Ford Motorsport oil cooler for mine, so if you're thinking about coolers and want to get a look at that piece let me know. Michael Yount

 

[Michael Yount]

Hey Scott - well, I'm probably not your average customer. My philosophy is to find someone that I trust, and then just pay them what it takes to get them to do the work. I know -- if only they were all like that you're thinking. I'm in the middle of a cam swap on mine - as you know. It took me about 3 hours to get the old one out, and I was working pretty leisurely. With a lift and proper equipement for dealing with the various fluids (and if I'd cranked up the compressor and used the air tools )it would have been a bit quicker. Same time going back in (what I don't spend chasing fluids will be spent degreeing the setup). So to me paying for 4-5 hours for a cam swap doesn't seem unreasonable. Hourly rate - I don't know - most shops seem to charge anywhere from $40 to $75 an hour for jobs timed by the book. With that info, you can do the math and come up with some guesses at what I think is reasonable for headers, gears, heads, etc. The only thing I know for sure is that I've gotten REAL familiar with the top end of this motor. I only wish on the Volvo there were a way to pull the cam without dis-charging the A/C!!! Take care - Michael

 

[Michael Yount]

Hey Bob - glad the car handled the trip in one piece. I can make it the 25th, and I'll chip into the food fund. I'll bring the cam back over then. Hopefully my custom will be in by then and I can bring the Volvo over. Later - Michael Yount

 

[Michael Yount]

Part of the beauty of welding the connectors in is the resulting undercoating and carpet/padding fires that ultimately reduce the weight of the vehicle.

 

[Michael Yount]

I'm on for the 25th - is it ok to just come hang around at Air Cooled on a dyno day? I assumed some folks were rather proprietary about the outcomes. Where is Air Cooled located?

 

[Michael Yount]

North on Lovell or south?

 

[Michael Yount]

This is offered up as encouragement for those times when we run into a snag working on the car, and we just don't think what we're trying can be done. I still can't believe what I'm looking at. Be sure to scroll all the way down and read the verbage at the bottom - especially the piece about the width of the front wheels being modified because at full lock they hit the VALVE COVERS!

http://www.ntahc.org/modifiedhealeys/Photos/126Marian/Marian.htm