Saving Granddad's Falcon

[dhbfaster]

Sounds good guys and really appreciate it. Tentatively Saturday morning NEXT week then...and we'll firm it up via PM as we get closer.

[dhbfaster]

Got the floor sound deadener in...you guys all probably know this but this stuff sticks a lot better when you warm it up before you stick it on.

[dhbfaster]

Guys, one thing i have put off is the oil pump installation. I didn't take the old one off before I sent the engine to s&j so i have no memory of the installation...and when I got the renewed engine back, the new oil pump came separately in a box. Doesn't seem to be much in the manual or on the forum about it. The little shaft with the new one seems to be shorter than the old one too. As you can see I'm completely clueless on this!

Roger/Gene is this actually so easy we can do it real quick before we put the engine in?

Or anyone does have a good instruction on this to refer me to so I can have it done before the weekend?

[Luva65wagon]

It's generally easy to do. The shaft gets sandwiched between the pump and block to make sure it stays put if you have to ever pull the distributor. It might have a push-on washer that goes toward the distributor opening (away from the pump).

When you say the new one is shorter, by how much is it shorter?

It's going to add maybe 30 minutes to the day to do this and then button up the pan. If you are uncertain, leave it and we'll do it with you.

Just to be clear... is the transmission going in at the same time or later, laying on your back?

[dhbfaster]

Pic of the shafts attached. (In plastic is new).
I think I see what's going on now...the short side of the shaft goes in the pump, the pump bolts onto the block, then the distributor (gear) just slides over the other end of the shaft. Then just bolt on the oil pickup tube. Is it that simple?

If so, I can take care of that.

I was planning to take your advice and put the tranny on after the block is in.
If afterwards you can spend a few minutes and let me walk through how everything goes back on... That would be great.

Speaking of stuff back on...other than the water pump and timing cover (and maybe oil pan) I was planning to bolt the other stuff back on after the block is back in. Am I thinking right there?

[Luva65wagon]

I was planning to take your advice and put the tranny on after the block is in.

Is my evil twin posting again! 'This' Roger would be putting the transmission and everything in at the same time. Can be done either way, but I prefer having everything out in the open and easy access - opposed to laying on my back. Otherwise you'll have to balance the motor on the mounts while the transmission is out. You may want the tranny dry if we do so, though, and fill it with gear oil after everything is installed. Less messy that way.

That is odd RE the shaft lengths. I thought all 144/170/200 shafts were the same length, but I think some of the early models had a smaller diameter shaft. These shafts seem to be the same diameter as best I can tell from the pics. I think I've only used short shafts.

You may want to look closely at this before assembly - or just wait until we get there.

The key concern is not having the shaft fall out of place if you pull out the distributor. The shaft goes into the pump (should engage correctly) and the retaining washer (pressed onto the shaft) allows the shaft to float between the pump and block. No binding. If it is too long the pump will not go on. If too short, the shaft will not be "captured" between the pump and block. Your old shaft would seem to indicate the pump-to-block spacing was 1.5" further way - if that was the shaft you had installed prior. Not sure you have the old oil pump or not, but this has me scratching my head at the moment.

As long as you have all the parts there, and everything is ready to install, we can put a lot on the motor that day. Generally I install only the tranny/clutch and motor mounts when dropping in the motor. Pan and timing cover should, of course, be done with motor out of car. I leave the water pump and balancer off to allow that extra 4" of clearance when lowering the motor in.

[SmithKid]

Sure hope that shaft is long enough. It'd be way better to have the bottom end buttoned up for installation.

[dhbfaster]

Roger,

My wife says to me all the time when I have said she said something "You must be thinking of your other wife" and I always say, either that or my GF.

I would definitely rather put the tranny on first and go all in at once.(..if that's what Roger recommends on Saturday.) I'll have everything related lined up and ready to go. I'm pretty sure the tranny has no oil yet as none seems to leak out...
That said, I do have the water pump mounted and all nicely painted. I hope we can do it without having to take it off...but if we have to we have to.

I have a bunch of extra foam from the seats....should I have it on standby to line the engine compartment??

I do not have the old oil pump. For some reason they just sent back the old shaft. I do have a pic and it looks about the same but can't really tell from it. I'll wait until you can take a look. Notice how the old one is only warn on the last 3/4" or so? Is it the short side that goes to the oil pump side? Working a few really long days this week and didn't get a chance to look again.
Gene, it seems like the old one has to be long enough.

Really looking forward to Saturday.

[dhbfaster]

A great morning putting the 144 back into Granddad's Falcon. Huge thanks to Roger and Gene.

[Jeff W]

Awesome! Those guys are golden. you are sure close to getting it on the road.

[BadBird]

Looking very good. I wish I could have helped. I could have brought more blankets and towels too. I hope to help with the next step/steps when Carol and I get back from Tucson in November. Not staying for the winter. Just going down to visit my brother and his wife for a few weeks and get some golf in. Larry

[ew1usnr]

Yaaaaaay!!

Great job guys!

Woohoo!

[dhbfaster]

Larry, you can never have enough protection...

Still a lot of work to do, but at some point there will be a "start up" day...it would be great if you could make the trip down for that Larry.

Thanks for the support everyone. Got quite a few things done today, emptied several boxes of parts...but always a little slower than I expect...those little things...but my garage has a LOT more room.

A couple questions...mainly for Roger, but anyone please feel free to jump in:

..is the gasket that goes under the carb spacer (between the spacer and the block) the same as the gasket that goes between the spacer and the carb? and are those just used completely dry (no permatex or sealer?)

Roger & Gene...we were talking about how to make oil pump primer tool...this one on eBay is about the cost of buying one socket...will this do the trick? ($8)
http://www.ebay.com/itm/KD-Tools-344...JoDAEKqPCmOXIw

Carpet...I laid in the new (ACC molded) carpet so it would start to relax and I could check the fit. There is extra that goes up the sides and firewall. I found your tips about using the hot pipe for the seat belt holes...but what is best used to cut the edges of carpet? and keep it from fraying there?

Also, it looks like there's plenty of carpet to go way up the firewall. Is it best to glue it up there? Also, how to handle the steering wheel? Cut, then stitch it back together up above it?

Thanks all!

[Luva65wagon]

It was great to see the impeccable work done on this car. Awe is a good word for it. There are not enough towels to cover that. I did NOT want to be the first to scratch it. This is one fine restore.

to all involved with it so far. Putting the motor in is a huge milestone, but that pales in comparison to the work exhibited elsewhere in this car.

Don, there are two different carb-related gaskets. The variety of these gaskets is such that you will generally not get them in an engine-build kit. But you should check on that. Even a carb kit will not provide the spacer to head gasket. The carb kit will have the correct gasket for it, which I assume you have from when it was rebuilt for you?

That is a perfect pump-priming tool and I may consider getting one for myself.

Carpet, where it is not bound, but cut-edged instead, is typically always hidden under something:
- under the sill plates below the doors.
- under the kick panels - pretty much about 3-4" high from the floor-board.
- under the firewall insulator by just an inch or two.
- there is a rubber bushing on the steering column (or should be) that you slide down to cover the cut edge there. There is only about 1 or 2 inches of cut above that, but it is not seen up that high.

They always give you about a foot of extra. Get the carpet pushed hard into the corners before you cut it and poke for holes for screws. If you use a good sharp pair of scissors, the fraying should not occur. Gene turned me onto some electric shears, which are awesome at cutting carpet. Not expensive at all, either. ~$30 at Lowes or Home Depot.

Burning the holes is key to keeping the screws and drill-bits from grabbing and pulling threads. Use a sharp awl-poker to locate holes for screws and if from below up into the carpet (like for seats), leave the awl in place poking upwards, and then use it as the guide to push the red-hot tubing over it. If you want to burn holes for screws, use a smaller tubing and push a heavy sharpened wire through the carpet into the screw hole. I have two sizes of tubing. 1/2" electrical conduit is perfect for the seat and seat-belt bolts. 5/16" brake tubing for holes below and behind things like the sill plates, etc. Nothing worse than pulling a carpet thread.

Can't wait the start day. I'll try to make it too!

[Jeff W]

Agreed with all Roger says - below are my hints

- Be absolutely sure you have the carpet tucked tightly against the transmission hump before cutting the sides. Any looseness will quickly steal carpet from your freshly cut edge and you will see the silver Dynamat showing along your new gap.

- I used a fresh Utility knife blade for each long cut. Leave a tiny bit extra and trim a second or third time if needed. Too short sucks.

- For the hot 1/2" conduit of copper water pipe I held with a locking pliers (Vice Grip) as that tube becomes hot quickly when heating with propane torch.

- The kick panels may need a little trim during install (thicker carpet and pad?). I also ended up using a hot air gun and reformed the top edge where they met up with the bottom of the dash. Also had to trim a bit in that area - the area where the kick panel, dash and door panel all meet. Also the "gap" along the bottom where the sill plate doesn't quite cover the gap.



Question for Roger - is the 144 pump a 5/16 hex? I thought it was 1/4 and 200ci was the 5/16" based on the ability to install the larger distributor...