[HermanH]

I finished painting up the timing chain cover I was working on last month. Just to update you guy's, I actually cracked the first one! . Bought another one from the same guy in CO so the total costs of both is $70. Here's the finished product:

This is the same silver engine paint I used on some other parts. Once the water pump and HB are installed, you won't see much of this cover anyhow.

I then bought a valve spring compressor tools and began disassembling the valves from the heads. I lapped 6 valves this evening so far; here are the pics:

NOTICE the carbon on the edge of each valve...:

AFTER lapping the valves:

Should be finsihed with both cylinder heads by the end of the week.

 

[Thumber]

Looking good, so what lift/duration you running. Is there a target HP your looking for? Your running a 302 right.

 

[atomicalex]

I'm driving my Rabbit to Grand Rapids this week. oke:

Nice work on the lapping. The flow area on that head looks pretty clean - good choice. Not much polishing work to be done there, if you are going that way. What are you using for lapping compound?

I can't wait to see this built. :bow:

 

[Gurft]

Call me a newbie, but what exactly IS lapping? Just cleaning the area around the valve seats and the valves themselves, or does it include actually grinding down the area?

 

[Scuba2001]

Man Herman, looks like you are coming along pretty well. If you could fill us "n00bs" in as to what lapping is, maybe it would clear things up for us a little.

Great work as usual.

Steve

 

[HermanH]

Thumber: target is 400hp or about 350RWHP. Antying over that is gravy. The Cobra even with 315/30/17's can be made to chirp in 1/2/3rd gears!

Lapping is simply doing what it's inteded to do. Just removes the carbon build up and help the mating surfaces seal up that much better. You don't need a lot of time into it.

Typically, if I was to go do a 3-angle grind,on the heads, you would still need to lapp the surfaces for all 16 valves so they'd conform to each individual valve. Like most engine rebuilds, you want to keep the same valves in the same cylinder head location once they've broken in. Every location is just a litte different due to machining tolerances. I found that even the valve springs are not all shimmed identically, (actually, this is a good thing) so there is a lot more to this than simply bolting things up. I will still need to buy a spring measuring tool (measure it's pressure) so I can shim up the NEW springs when they come in.

The compound was something I bought from Sears automotive section but I'm sure there are other compounds as well sold at Kragens or Pep Boys. Bascially, its a form of grease with grit mixed in; sort of reminds me of mortar.

Cathy: when I cleaned up the tunnel areas, I thought the same thing too! I'm only going to do a port-match. I might try to polish the bowl area as well with everything out of the head. Overall, the tunnels are really well cast; I can see a few spots I can smooth over but basically, I'm not going to port the tunnels.

 

[Thumber]

Cool 350whp is plently for a car you plan to use. I have had cars both ways way too much HP for the street and just enough HP to keep em' guessing.

 

[HermanH]

oh, forgot: 274 deg. duration with max. lift of .555". 112 deg. between lobes. (CompCam PN: 35-518-8 ) This is a Competition Cams Xtreme Engergy "roller" cam; it's designed for computer controlled 5.0 but the guy at their 800 number at CompCam's said it'll run fine for the carb. I just ordered it on Firday from a guy in MA that gives decent prices for all Ford related parts and for Cobra guy's like me.

The cam was picked for a power range between 1800-5500 RPM. HOwever, I've increased the upper intake's lengh which is designed for power in the mid to upper RPM range ( 3,000-8000 ). This thing will probably have a rev. limit at 6,000 initially but may go up to 7,000 later on after break in.

 

[Thumber]

Dude thats a great cam for the street. That should made for a near perfect idle to turn heads when sitting at the lights. Not too mention when they wet themselves as you open er' up. Sounds like it's coming together nicely.

I'm curious. Your not making a "roller" motor are you? YYYYour just using a roller cam thats compatible, right?

You'll find you will really like having the increased intake to allow for that cam to really go to work for ya.

 

[The Swami]

Herman, you need to talk to my cousin Derrick.. He's out in San Diego at Pendleton and built a knockout 95 Mustang Cobra with an intercooled Pro-Charger Supercharger. The shop in Northern, VA did a piss poor job with the engine, so he sold it in Californiaand put in a spec'd crate motor (dropped compression), and new ignition system.

I have loads of respect for the Mustangs, especially if I hear a little whistle when you hit the throttle.. :shock:

 

[HermanH]

Dude thats a great cam for the street. That should made for a near perfect idle to turn heads when sitting at the lights. Not too mention when they wet themselves as you open er' up. Sounds like it's coming together nicely.

I'm curious. Your not making a "roller" motor are you? YYYYour just using a roller cam thats compatible, right?

You'll find you will really like having the increased intake to allow for that cam to really go to work for ya.

This is a full roller kit (CompCam 1.6 alum. roller rockers, roller lifters, steel distributor gear, custom size hardended pushrods (when I find the length). This will work out fine. The K-kit for this thing is $670 shipped.

 

[Thumber]

This is a full roller kit (CompCam 1.6 alum. roller rockers, roller lifters, steel distributor gear, custom size hardended pushrods (when I find the length). This will work out fine. The K-kit for this thing is $670 shipped.

That's not a bad price at all. Considering the performance you get out of it.

Boy oh boy thats going to be one bad mother when your done.