Hotrodbob
07-02-2013, 05:42 PM
Well the other day I had #429 all ready to run as a go kart for the first time and when we got ready to turn the motor over all we heard was a starter motor turning.
In working out why there are lots of lessons that I learned.
My logic in the build (being the first one I ever tried ) was to use a simple small block Ford stroked to 347 and a C4 trans.To me nothing could be more simple.
Everyone tells me I should of opted for a Chev small block but to me her origins mimmic a Ford so I feel that I should use a Ford motor.
I had never build a V8 and I wanted to build one simply to know what they are about and how they run.
It was only when I got to fitting the front pulleys I began to learn lots of hard and sometime quite expensive lessons.There are a variety of timing covers and water pumps and AC positions.This problem took a lot of back and forth as the pulley kit supplier could not assist me in getting all of the pulleys to line up.Eventually this was resolved .I learned that engines manufactured before 1969 and those manufactured afterwards are different in several areas.
There are also several Oil Pans that do not work with the Hotrod if you are running power steering.
When it came to the Flex plate and the Torque Converter I learned that there were two types of C4s which have different ways of joining up with the Bell Housing.There are also two types of bell housing One uses a 13.2 inch Flex Plate and the other uses a 14.2 Flex Plate.Also that the Torque Converter is not interchangeable between the two Flex Plate sizes.There is a small Bell Housing and a bigger Bell Housing a that the Bell Housings are also not interchangeable as the join up with the transmission in different ways.
It is all resolved now but it cost me a new Flex Plate and new Torque Converter which was less costly if we sourced a smaller Bell Housing and matching Transmission.
Hopefully we will start her up soon.
When I reflect on it I should have simply gone to Jegs or Summit and had them supply a crate motor with a matching pulleys and a C4 Trans.It would have cost a bit more up front but it would have saved me money,time and frustration later.
In working out why there are lots of lessons that I learned.
My logic in the build (being the first one I ever tried ) was to use a simple small block Ford stroked to 347 and a C4 trans.To me nothing could be more simple.
Everyone tells me I should of opted for a Chev small block but to me her origins mimmic a Ford so I feel that I should use a Ford motor.
I had never build a V8 and I wanted to build one simply to know what they are about and how they run.
It was only when I got to fitting the front pulleys I began to learn lots of hard and sometime quite expensive lessons.There are a variety of timing covers and water pumps and AC positions.This problem took a lot of back and forth as the pulley kit supplier could not assist me in getting all of the pulleys to line up.Eventually this was resolved .I learned that engines manufactured before 1969 and those manufactured afterwards are different in several areas.
There are also several Oil Pans that do not work with the Hotrod if you are running power steering.
When it came to the Flex plate and the Torque Converter I learned that there were two types of C4s which have different ways of joining up with the Bell Housing.There are also two types of bell housing One uses a 13.2 inch Flex Plate and the other uses a 14.2 Flex Plate.Also that the Torque Converter is not interchangeable between the two Flex Plate sizes.There is a small Bell Housing and a bigger Bell Housing a that the Bell Housings are also not interchangeable as the join up with the transmission in different ways.
It is all resolved now but it cost me a new Flex Plate and new Torque Converter which was less costly if we sourced a smaller Bell Housing and matching Transmission.
Hopefully we will start her up soon.
When I reflect on it I should have simply gone to Jegs or Summit and had them supply a crate motor with a matching pulleys and a C4 Trans.It would have cost a bit more up front but it would have saved me money,time and frustration later.