Huge update

[72MustangCoupe]

First post of the new year... I'm so sorry I have been super busy with school and such. To start things off... On Christmas day I recieved a full set of 15x8 magnum 500 rims... They are now in their boxes tucked away for later. I am super excited. A few days ago I just turned 16 and I got my permit. I came home to a huge suprise... Another mustang will be in the driveway this week. (Car is in Detroit right now.) me and my dad are now taking apart the 72s engine down and cleaning it up. Started on the torque converter and it now looks brand new. Degreased it with some purple power and it looks amazing! We removed the intake and carb and cannot wait to take on such a project. Last and final thing.... All of the body panels have been painted in the shop after being gone for 6 months or so. They look amazing. The actual car will be sent off soon! For this weekend, hopefully we can get to Detroit and pick up the 2015 mustang and add it to the garage as well as work on the engine. I will post pictures! (The painted photos are without clearcoat.)

 

[123FRANK321]

Right on, congratulations.

 

[sgtbromen]

lookin good

 

[71mach1lady]

Being busy with school is nothing to be sorry about. Nice that you and your Dad can do this together, keep up the good work

 

[goodnigh]

Looks Good!

mike

 

[72MustangCoupe]

Thanks everyone. Sorry for the lack of photos.. I am having trouble uploading them from my iPad. Just came home today... My dad called Ford Friday and car is not ready to be picked up so we will not be heading to Detroit this weekend. Yesterday me and my dad got the motor all the way down to the block. Although my dad went to school for engineering and is constantly designing robots and creating ideas within ford motor company as his job, we are still beginners as it comes to red building engines. Yesterday we removed valve spring block (not sure the proper term) and got down to the cylinders (the main engine block). In the past hour we have removed the valve springs and bagged and labeled everything. Intake is off and carb and everything. We need tips... ANYTHING you all can tell us. We are doing well so far but anything helps. Here are some pictures for you all to enjoy as the disection of the 302 begins.

 

[sicndhed]

Old(er) and new will make a nice pair.

 

[Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs]

Thanks everyone. Sorry for the lack of photos.. I am having trouble uploading them from my iPad. Just came home today... My dad called Ford Friday and car is not ready to be picked up so we will not be heading to Detroit this weekend. Yesterday me and my dad got the motor all the way down to the block. Although my dad went to school for engineering and is constantly designing robots and creating ideas within ford motor company as his job, we are still beginners as it comes to red building engines. Yesterday we removed valve spring block (not sure the proper term) and got down to the cylinders (the main engine block). In the past hour we have removed the valve springs and bagged and labeled everything. Intake is off and carb and everything. We need tips... ANYTHING you all can tell us. We are doing well so far but anything helps. Here are some pictures for you all to enjoy as the disection of the 302 begins.

When you go back together with the engine be sure you get the head gaskets on the right way. on a 289, 302 you can flip them end to end and it causes water flow issues. The car will not overheat usually but when you stop the engine it will percolate and blow water out. I have found this a couple times. You can actually knock the freeze plug out of the front of the cylinder head if it is on the car and feel if the gasket is right or not. Quick way to check it without pulling the head. Most think they have a blow head gasket when it is really backwards.

Just follow the manuals and you will do fine good to hear dad and son working together.

David

 

[RacerX]

When you go back together with the engine be sure you get the head gaskets on the right way. on a 289, 302 you can flip them end to end and it causes water flow issues. The car will not overheat usually but when you stop the engine it will percolate and blow water out. I have found this a couple times. You can actually knock the freeze plug out of the front of the cylinder head if it is on the car and feel if the gasket is right or not. Quick way to check it without pulling the head. Most think they have a blow head gasket when it is really backwards.

Just follow the manuals and you will do fine good to hear dad and son working together.

David

Actually it will overheat severely. The head gasket is clearly marked FRONT on the gasket to point ot the front of the engine and there is a corner tab that sticks out at the bottom head bolt on the front of the engine to indicate the gasket is on correctly. Basically if blocks the front coolant passages up into the cylinder head, forcing coolant to flow thru the block to the back side, thru the cylinder head to the thermostat and then into the radiator to be cooled. See the silver tab sticking out to the rights of the lower head bolt in this picture.

 

[72MustangCoupe]

Thanks to everyone for the tips and tricks. My area has recieved quite a bit of snow in the past few days and we have been in the garage for quite awhile. Here are some pictures if they will finally upload. Also, here is the new 2015 mustang that I am very excited about. I will be driving it to school on nice days.

 

[72MustangCoupe]

Thanks to everyone for the tips and tricks. My area has recieved quite a bit of snow in the past few days and we have been in the garage for quite awhile. Here are some pictures if they will finally upload. Also, here is the new 2015 mustang that I am very excited about. I will be driving it to school on nice days.

Thanks to everyone for the tips and tricks. My area has recieved quite a bit of snow in the past few days and we have been in the garage for quite awhile. Here are some pictures if they will finally upload. Also, here is the new 2015 mustang that I am very excited about. I will be driving it to school on nice days.

 

[RacerX]

In the picture of the driver side of your engine, the head gasket is on backwards. The front water passages are open and should be blocked. Check the heads for warpage and also the block surface before reassembly.

 

[Butch65]

As you get to know your engine, there are quite a few quirks unique to the Cleveland. I'd suggest buying the shop manuals and look up this book by George Reid:

http://www.cjponyparts.com/cartech-book-ford-351-cleveland-engines-how-to-build-for-max-performance/p/BK351C/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=merchant&utm_campaign=shopping&gclid=Cj0KEQiAjZGnBRCOuJOUo9Xd0sUBEiQAPbicN3YgmkVDJmtyTLAg9m9IQss-NEXgJXl2NW2yT-yPAJEaApat8P8HAQ.

Also suggest investing some time reading through the engine/ performance section of the forum. Great experience lives there....

 

[72MustangCoupe]

In the picture of the driver side of your engine, the head gasket is on backwards. The front water passages are open and should be blocked. Check the heads for warpage and also the block surface before reassembly.

There is no head gasket in this picture. What gives you the indication that it is on backwards? Thank you

 

[RacerX]

Looks like the gasket is still on the block. Looks like the sealing ring around the cylinder is there and the gasket material is torn along the top edge. That sometimes happens when the gasket sticks to the head and the block. The front most water passage holes aren't covered. The gasket should cover them to force the water to the back of the block. From a phone viewing the pictures it looks like the gasket is still on the block

 

[72MustangCoupe]

Looks like the gasket is still on the block. Looks like the sealing ring around the cylinder is there and the gasket material is torn along the top edge. That sometimes happens when the gasket sticks to the head and the block. The front most water passage holes aren't covered. The gasket should cover them to force the water to the back of the block. From a phone viewing the pictures it looks like the gasket is still on the block

I completely understand you. I didn't mean to come off as rude if I did so. Thank you sir!

 

[Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs]

Looks like the gasket is still on the block. Looks like the sealing ring around the cylinder is there and the gasket material is torn along the top edge. That sometimes happens when the gasket sticks to the head and the block. The front most water passage holes aren't covered. The gasket should cover them to force the water to the back of the block. From a phone viewing the pictures it looks like the gasket is still on the block

I completely understand you. I didn't mean to come off as rude if I did so. Thank you sir!

I bet the backwards head gasket is the most common error on the Ford small block. It has probably given them a bad name just because they did not read what was on the gasket.

Ones I have encountered would not run hot that much but would blow the water out after you stopped because of the hot spots caused. If anyone every complains about an engine that blows water out when you shut it off it is almost a bet the head gasket is backwards.

David