Here is my 408C

7173Mustangs.com

Help Support 7173Mustangs.com:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
So it looks like since he did not completely assemble the engine he did not break in on dyno or stand. For sure you need to have everything ready to fire it set timing and keep the engine rpm up to the recommended speed to break in the engine. Roller cam not and issue but rings need to be broke in.

Someone mentioned putting in hard seats. I do not feel that is needed. That just ads more places for a failure to take place. For what you will be driving use ethanol free. We can actually still get leaded gas here up to 105 octane. You can mix it with the ethanol free that I think is 90 or 95 and you could not buy enough fuel to beat up the seats.

The paint on the surfaces I would not worry about.

Be sure to get the correct style thermostat for the cleveland. They still have them at the Advance stores here. They are not extinct as some think. Some styles of them are but each mfg had their own design for patent reasons. As long as the thermostat is tall enough and has a plunger or hat to go into the plate in the block there will be no issue.

You guys make me want to get my Q vert going.

 
So it looks like since he did not completely assemble the engine he did not break in on dyno or stand. For sure you need to have everything ready to fire it set timing and keep the engine rpm up to the recommended speed to break in the engine. Roller cam not and issue but rings need to be broke in.

Someone mentioned putting in hard seats. I do not feel that is needed. That just ads more places for a failure to take place. For what you will be driving use ethanol free. We can actually still get leaded gas here up to 105 octane. You can mix it with the ethanol free that I think is 90 or 95 and you could not buy enough fuel to beat up the seats.

The paint on the surfaces I would not worry about.

Be sure to get the correct style thermostat for the cleveland. They still have them at the Advance stores here. They are not extinct as some think. Some styles of them are but each mfg had their own design for patent reasons. As long as the thermostat is tall enough and has a plunger or hat to go into the plate in the block there will be no issue.

You guys make me want to get my Q vert going.
DO IT! Get that vert moving. I currently have a 195 stat with plate in my cart from TMEYER. Does this seem like the way to go? I don't know of any non ethanol gas in my area. There is a Sunoco that has 100+ still not to far from me.

 
Regarding one-piece rear main seals, it can be a little difficult to find an automotive machine shop that can mill Cleveland blocks for a one-piece rear main seal. They typically use their cylinder boring machine, which requires standing the block up on the front end. Because the Cleveland block has the timing chain housing extension on the front of the block the block is too long to fit into many cylinder boring machines.

 
So it looks like since he did not completely assemble the engine he did not break in on dyno or stand. For sure you need to have everything ready to fire it set timing and keep the engine rpm up to the recommended speed to break in the engine. Roller cam not and issue but rings need to be broke in.

Someone mentioned putting in hard seats. I do not feel that is needed. That just ads more places for a failure to take place. For what you will be driving use ethanol free. We can actually still get leaded gas here up to 105 octane. You can mix it with the ethanol free that I think is 90 or 95 and you could not buy enough fuel to beat up the seats.

The paint on the surfaces I would not worry about.

Be sure to get the correct style thermostat for the cleveland. They still have them at the Advance stores here. They are not extinct as some think. Some styles of them are but each mfg had their own design for patent reasons. As long as the thermostat is tall enough and has a plunger or hat to go into the plate in the block there will be no issue.

You guys make me want to get my Q vert going.
From what i was told in my case with roller valvetrain is to break the engine by getting it to operating temperature then driving in 4th gear up to about 4k rpm and then let it coast down to 2k rpm. Repeat this 10 times and then do a high rpm run. After that change the oil. I was told to minimize idling. I forgot if it was 4th or 3rd gear though.
PS: that engine will have monster power. Enjoy it.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

 
Regarding one-piece rear main seals, it can be a little difficult to find an automotive machine shop that can mill Cleveland blocks for a one-piece rear main seal. They typically use their cylinder boring machine, which requires standing the block up on the front end. Because the Cleveland block has the timing chain housing extension on the front of the block the block is too long to fit into many cylinder boring machines.
Understood. I actually printed out a document I found on 351C.net which had some markups on the dimensions needed to machine it. He said he understood the printout but had never performed that procedure and would like to do it on a bad block which we obviously didn't have with the lack of Cleveland work he does. He feels confident it shouldn't leak but that might be the lack of history with them. I have to say though everything else with this build looks pretty good. He chose the parts himself which prove good.

 
So it looks like since he did not completely assemble the engine he did not break in on dyno or stand. For sure you need to have everything ready to fire it set timing and keep the engine rpm up to the recommended speed to break in the engine. Roller cam not and issue but rings need to be broke in.

Someone mentioned putting in hard seats. I do not feel that is needed. That just ads more places for a failure to take place. For what you will be driving use ethanol free. We can actually still get leaded gas here up to 105 octane. You can mix it with the ethanol free that I think is 90 or 95 and you could not buy enough fuel to beat up the seats.

The paint on the surfaces I would not worry about.

Be sure to get the correct style thermostat for the cleveland. They still have them at the Advance stores here. They are not extinct as some think. Some styles of them are but each mfg had their own design for patent reasons. As long as the thermostat is tall enough and has a plunger or hat to go into the plate in the block there will be no issue.

You guys make me want to get my Q vert going.
From what i was told in my case with roller valvetrain is to break the engine by getting it to operating temperature then driving in 4th gear up to about 4k rpm and then let it coast down to 2k rpm. Repeat this 10 times and then do a high rpm run. After that change the oil. I was told to minimize idling. I forgot if it was 4th or 3rd gear though.

PS: that engine will have monster power. Enjoy it.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk
Thanks man. Looking forward to getting it all together.

 
A local machinist I talked to 3 or 4 months ago said they have done them with 2-piece seals and never had any leaks, didn't know why they should leak, unless not installed properly. They are also a Scat dealer.

 
Had a 392 Windsor stroker built several years ago with a Scat crank by a knowledgeable race-type shop. They put in a 1 piece rear seal.  Got it installed an running and sure enough had a rear main seal leak. Took it back and builder disassembled everything and double checked it. Said there were no problems that he could find. He agreed to put it on the dyno to make sure before I took it back and sure enough, after a few runs, small drops of oil on the floor. Could find no issues with machining or assembly. I just happened to be checking out another nationally recognized custom engine builder that specialized in Ford FE engines and noticed that in his quote he would not guarantee no rear main leaks using Scat cranks. Don't have any reason why. Someone here mentioned the drilling on the flange, but I have no Idea. Motor was strong and reliable but I had to just learn to live with a little oil leak. Not a Cleveland, but maybe similar experience to others with stroker engines and Scat cranks in a Ford.

 
Had a 392 Windsor stroker built several years ago with a Scat crank by a knowledgeable race-type shop. They put in a 1 piece rear seal.  Got it installed an running and sure enough had a rear main seal leak. Took it back and builder disassembled everything and double checked it. Said there were no problems that he could find. He agreed to put it on the dyno to make sure before I took it back and sure enough, after a few runs, small drops of oil on the floor. Could find no issues with machining or assembly. I just happened to be checking out another nationally recognized custom engine builder that specialized in Ford FE engines and noticed that in his quote he would not guarantee no rear main leaks using Scat cranks. Don't have any reason why. Someone here mentioned the drilling on the flange, but I have no Idea. Motor was strong and reliable but I had to just learn to live with a little oil leak. Not a Cleveland, but maybe similar experience to others with stroker engines and Scat cranks in a Ford.
Wonder if it's more common with the old cranks? I'm also curious about what another member was saying about it coming through the flywheel bolt holes?

 
Had a 392 Windsor stroker built several years ago with a Scat crank by a knowledgeable race-type shop. They put in a 1 piece rear seal.  Got it installed an running and sure enough had a rear main seal leak. Took it back and builder disassembled everything and double checked it. Said there were no problems that he could find. He agreed to put it on the dyno to make sure before I took it back and sure enough, after a few runs, small drops of oil on the floor. Could find no issues with machining or assembly. I just happened to be checking out another nationally recognized custom engine builder that specialized in Ford FE engines and noticed that in his quote he would not guarantee no rear main leaks using Scat cranks. Don't have any reason why. Someone here mentioned the drilling on the flange, but I have no Idea. Motor was strong and reliable but I had to just learn to live with a little oil leak. Not a Cleveland, but maybe similar experience to others with stroker engines and Scat cranks in a Ford.
Wonder if it's more common with the old cranks? I'm also curious about what another member was saying about it coming through the flywheel bolt holes?
The bolt holes go all the way through so the oil in the pan gets slung onto the holes and since the thread to thread seal is not perfect, oil makes its way to the front side of the flywheel/flexplate and down. If it makes it alll the way to the backside of the flywheel it will ruin the clutch. It usually put 1-2 drops on the ground every time you park it after driving it. Some say just use a boat load of lock-tite and it won't leak. It didn't work for me on the 408C. I still need to pull the transmission to seal it up. What did work on the Boss 347 build was a thin coat of Grey Stuff on the crank to flywheel mating surface, lock-tite on the flywheel bolt threads, and Grey Stuff under the heads of the flywheel bolts. The threads need to be clean and dry. Who knows, perhaps your luck is better than mine. P.S. The B347 crank was a Molnar, also through drilled. Chuck

 
Had a 392 Windsor stroker built several years ago with a Scat crank by a knowledgeable race-type shop. They put in a 1 piece rear seal.  Got it installed an running and sure enough had a rear main seal leak. Took it back and builder disassembled everything and double checked it. Said there were no problems that he could find. He agreed to put it on the dyno to make sure before I took it back and sure enough, after a few runs, small drops of oil on the floor. Could find no issues with machining or assembly. I just happened to be checking out another nationally recognized custom engine builder that specialized in Ford FE engines and noticed that in his quote he would not guarantee no rear main leaks using Scat cranks. Don't have any reason why. Someone here mentioned the drilling on the flange, but I have no Idea. Motor was strong and reliable but I had to just learn to live with a little oil leak. Not a Cleveland, but maybe similar experience to others with stroker engines and Scat cranks in a Ford.
Wonder if it's more common with the old cranks? I'm also curious about what another member was saying about it coming through the flywheel bolt holes?
The bolt holes go all the way through so the oil in the pan gets slung onto the holes and since the thread to thread seal is not perfect, oil makes its way to the front side of the flywheel/flexplate and down. If it makes it alll the way to the backside of the flywheel it will ruin the clutch. It usually put 1-2 drops on the ground every time you park it after driving it. Some say just use a boat load of lock-tite and it won't leak. It didn't work for me on the 408C. I still need to pull the transmission to seal it up. What did work on the Boss 347 build was a thin coat of Grey Stuff on the crank to flywheel mating surface, lock-tite on the flywheel bolt threads, and Grey Stuff under the heads of the flywheel bolts. The threads need to be clean and dry. Who knows, perhaps your luck is better than mine. P.S. The B347 crank was a Molnar, also through drilled. Chuck
Just want to add that I'm in no way bashing Scat cranks. This was about 15 years ago and there's no telling how many stroker cranks they have sold since then with no problems. Just my personal experience.

By the way, for once in my life I was dealing with a shop that did all they could to solve the problem. I had installed a Tremec 3550 at the same time as the motor so I wasn't sure if the leak was from trans or motor. When trans came in, the input shaft was sticking out of the shipping crate. Suspecting that it had been damaged, I contacted the seller ( can't remember who) about the leaking and they paid for shipping for me to send it back for them to check it out. Found no problems with trans and also paid shipping to send it back to me.  The motor was in the car when I took it back to the engine builder. He kept the car for a weekend, driving it and confirming the leak. He pulled the engine out of the car, tore it down, re-assembled, dyno tested, and re-installed everything back in the car at no cost to me.

 
Chris, your build is essentially pretty similar to mine. I have the Robbmcperformance pump on stock lines to my Quick fuel 750 and it runs great. You don't want to over carb a street machine. You have blue thunder intake, I have Air Gap. I do have the Trick Flow heads and I have slightly more cam lift/duration but just slightly. If you told me your builder wanted a practice cleveland block for the rms, I would have let you take the spare I have in my shop. Use the 195° stat and the plate you got from TMeyer, they're important.

Here's the set-up my Quick Fuel carb is set to...these settings should be a great place to start with yours...mine was dyno tuned...



You should be lookin at about 400±hp to the rear wheels!!! Last spring I put some Mickey Thompson ET Street 295/55r15's at the rear because BFG radials were a joke. I can still light 'em up when I want to but they have much more stick.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Chris, your build is essentially pretty similar to mine. I have the Robbmcperformance pump on stock lines to my Quick fuel 750 and it runs great. You don't want to over carb a street machine. You have blue thunder intake, I have Air Gap. I do have the Trick Flow heads and I have slightly more cam lift/duration but just slightly. If you told me your builder wanted a practice cleveland block for the rms, I would have let you take the spare I have in my shop.  Use the 195° stat and the plate you got from TMeyer, they're important.

Here's the set-up my Quick Fuel carb is set to...these settings should be a great place to start with yours...mine was dyno tuned...



You should be lookin at about 400±hp to the rear wheels!!!  Last spring I put some Mickey Thompson ET Street 295/55r15's at the rear because BFG radials were a joke. I can still light 'em up when I want to but they have much more stick.
Hey Eric, sorry I missed your call dude. 430AM comes quick for me during the week and I shut down early. Thanks for the offer with the block but whats done is done. Hopefully with everything else my builder did that seems correct applies to the RMS also.

Nice to know that I should be around 400RWHP being that that was my goal. Should make for a nice street cruiser. I'm looking into DR's but need to decide on a wheel size first. With regards to the carb settings...I'll have to find out the difference between the carb you have and the quickfuel slayer that I have. I know both are 750CFM but I'm sure there are some differences. Seems like a good starting point though. Thanks

 
Chris, your build is essentially pretty similar to mine. I have the Robbmcperformance pump on stock lines to my Quick fuel 750 and it runs great. You don't want to over carb a street machine. You have blue thunder intake, I have Air Gap. I do have the Trick Flow heads and I have slightly more cam lift/duration but just slightly. If you told me your builder wanted a practice cleveland block for the rms, I would have let you take the spare I have in my shop.  Use the 195° stat and the plate you got from TMeyer, they're important.

Here's the set-up my Quick Fuel carb is set to...these settings should be a great place to start with yours...mine was dyno tuned...



You should be lookin at about 400±hp to the rear wheels!!!  Last spring I put some Mickey Thompson ET Street 295/55r15's at the rear because BFG radials were a joke. I can still light 'em up when I want to but they have much more stick.
Hey Eric, sorry I missed your call dude. 430AM comes quick for me during the week and I shut down early. Thanks for the offer with the block but whats done is done. Hopefully with everything else my builder did that seems correct applies to the RMS also.

Nice to know that I should be around 400RWHP being that that was my goal. Should make for a nice street cruiser. I'm looking into DR's but need to decide on a wheel size first. With regards to the carb settings...I'll have to find out the difference between the carb you have and the quickfuel slayer that I have. I know both are 750CFM but I'm sure there are some differences. Seems like a good starting point though. Thanks
Here's a link to the Quick Fuel carb I have, if it helps for your comparison...

https://www.holley.com/products/fuel_systems/carburetors/quick_fuel/super_street_series/parts/BD-750

 

Latest posts

Back
Top