The Mad Scientist Crossflow

[ando76 4,354]

Well the engine that came with my new shop ute has a munched cam bearing (number 2) so it is time to finally put together the 'Mad scientist' crossflow.  This engine will be pieced together from left over crossflow bits from my speedway career and general hunting and gathering.

 

Here is quick run down;

 

Yella Terra street terra bolt on adjustables on a D head with moderate porting and a multi angle seat cut.  Not really sure on the head flow figures but the engine it was on made 270rwhp on fuel so good enough.

 

Bottom end will be a 78DA block, .030 that I picked up locally for $20.  It is honed and fitted with new cam bearings and the crank is unbalanced.  Slugs will be ACL 8.5cc (now 10cc thanks to inlet reliefs) 200 rod pistons on balanced 200 rods with ARP rods bolts.

 

Camshaft is a very old CROW 619 Hydraulic.  Not ideal but it is what I have and I want to finally use it.  I have a new set of Clevite anti pump up lifters so they will go in with a one season old Rollmaster Double Row Timing chain.  Pushrods will be a set of tapered XC factory units (they are strong little buggers).

 

The Shop ute cam with off the shelf Lukey extractors and I have fitted a press bent 2.5" exhaust with a singe muffler (no resonator) that I had lying around. Compression should end up at 10.3:1 and I will be running an Aussiespeed 2 barrel manifold with a Keith Dorton 350 Holley initially.

 

The plan is to build and run the engine like this and once it is 'run in', I will dyno it and see what we end up with.  Then I will change to a reco 500 Holley and see what happens on the dyno. 

 

I have a dirty old CAIN four barrel manifold here and a 600DP so that will also make it's way on in the future and if I can con a new Aussiespeed 4 barrel out of Mark I will test them back to back to show how superior the Aussiespeed unit is. 

 

Whole object of this engine is to show people what can be achieved with careful parts hunting and scavenging.  It wont be an all time horsepower king, but it will be fun.  I will update this thread with results so stay tuned.

[slydog 7,873]

A budget engine combo thread that will happen in the same car...that will be a first LOL

[ando76 4,354]

It has to happen or I will be walking to work.  lol.  we all know that is never going to happen. 

[gerg 10,871]

This is exactly what we need Ando, and glad you have the time and patience to put it all together just because. Great thread and great idea!

[ando76 4,354]

Thanks Gerg.  I'm really lucky that the dyno is literally 300 metres from my workshop and the dyno owner and I are great mates.  It is a great place to have a workshop, listening to cars on the dyno all day whilst you whittle away on something. 

 

This engine was always going to go together and the plan was for it to end up in something and fate has dealt me a hand with the new shop ute so all is good. 

 

Should be really interesting to see the differences little changes make and I have all the stuff here so why not.  Saturday arvo's are usually dyno muck around time so fun times ahead.  I will start cleaning everything on Friday and begin assembly on Saturday. 

[LJDB 103]

the engine specs are almost identical to mine so il be watching very closely. i havent had mine on a dyno but goes pretty strong in a corty. What ignition will u be running?

[wagoon 2,429]

good to see the 350 is finally getting used. Can tell the crossflow tragic's around here.

[ando76 4,354]

At first it will be stock ignition and possibly even an XE dizzy just to show how shit they are.  Then locked with EST on standard ignition.  If I get my 6AL2 back from Slydog, I'll run it to show just how good they are.  Or I could squeeze in the MSD 6Plus with locked timing before the programmable. 

 

Yes Ryan the big Keith Dorton will get used - but I don't think for long.  I'm thinking this thing is going to want a big carb.  I'd love to find an old 465 four barrel as well to try before the DP 600.  One will come up - I'm sure.

[wagoon 2,429]

Will be very interesting to see the results from the carby changes. Would be good to compare the 2 barrel 500 to the 465 4 barrel with this size cam. Would the aussiespeed 4 barrel manifold possibly be to big as they only make 1 size now? Could you use one of aussiespeeds plenum pigs to help?

[LJDB 103]

Mine started with a 350 on 2 barrel redline manifold, then 500 on same manifold, now 570 street avenger on redline 4 barrel manifold. What I found is it made the power stronger and higher in the rev range. I drove around with the 500 for awhile and was pretty good all round, revs a lot better with the 4 barrel. This was all with seat of pants tuning so they could have been out except the 4 barrel which was/is being done with the O2 gauge. It will be good to see the difference in the aussiespeed manifold and with a DP. By the way I cant wait for this thread to take off and will be watching very closely. Good work Ando

[wagoon 2,429]

LJDB just curious when you say revs better with the 4 barrel how did it? Did the car change down low with the 4 barrel? Guessing that it was better up higher in the rev range just curious to know if it changed much down under 3500rpm.

[ando76 4,354]

Just remembered I have a 650 2 barrel I can test as well before I go to four barrel.  Mark is going to send up a plenum big for my two barrel as it is the old AS0015 and needs the pig.  Interesting times ahead.  The much needed rain from this cyclone means no panel work so I will be starting on the engine a bit earlier than planned.

[SLO247 1,713]

What's it going into?

[ando76 4,354]

My new shop ute - 1988 Monza red XF ute.  T5 and LSD old style V8 disc brake diff, currently 2.92 ratio but that will be changed out to a 3.23 at first then probs a 3.5 or 3.89.  Just want to see how she pulls first. 

[SLO247 1,713]

Cool. Any pics?

[ando76 4,354]

Um Yeah I do have some pics but its not that pretty - yet.  Sort of a work in progress.

 

 

[SLO247 1,713]

Keen to see more. About to paint a ute myself.

[ando76 4,354]

The day I picked her up. Yes it's low at the front - no springs or shocks will do that - previous owner needed standard height springs to get his XG ute registered so he robbed the ones out of this ute.

 

 

Happy to see no rust at all in here or on the ends of the plenum - no leaks onto the floor at all - winning.

 

 

Had to repair the inner section of the scuttle panel so I put a couple of holes in the lowest section of the scuttle - front and rear - something Ford should have done.

 

 

All ready to be zipped up

 

 

 

Painting is the easy bit - getting all the rust out and then straightening the old girl out - well that just plain sucks but it has to be done.

 

The weather has turned to shit up here with Cyclone Nathan so no more panel work for awhile. Just means more time for the mechanicals.

 

I took the crank and camshaft to my mates lathe today and linished up all the bearing journals. Put some LOW springs into the front and ordered some degreaser and carby cleaner so that I can start cleaning everything tomorrow ready for assembly on Saturday. It is seriously raining and windy here at the moment so no better time to be in the shed and assembling this little throw together.

[Ando81 2,949]

I didn't see a high volume oil pump in the engine parts list mate, surely a high volume oil pump will make it go heaps better lol

[gerg 10,871]

Needs more cow-pump

[slydog 7,873]

  If I get my 6AL2 back from Slydog, 

 

I'll pack it up today and send if I remember bruz... 

[ando76 4,354]

Only if you are finished with it my friend - if you want to still try things with it keep it as I am a way off needing it.

 

gerg - cow pump???

 

Ando81 - Good one - you nearly had me off onto my usual rant....

 

Man I think I am going to have to turn on the heat lights in the shed to keep the moisture off the parts - It is seriously f..ken wet here ATM.

[wagoon 2,429]

Is the cyclone due stay around much longer? I havent seen the storm path but guessing your on the southern side of this one to be getting this much rain for this long. Stay dry and safe dude and hope you guys come out of it all smiles. Just think of the lovely humidity your going have afterwards

[gerg 10,871]

Sorry... Thought I'd try and be funny. The joke is actually "needs more cowbell". Had to be there i spose

[ando76 4,354]

Still humid as with all the rain mate - all good - just means panel work stops and engine work commences full on.  

 

Had a good day on the engine today.  Did all the boring - non glamorous side of engine building today.  Die ground all the oil returns out and then ran a tap through ALL the threads.  Degreased the engine twice, petrol cleaned twice - especially the oil galleries (petrol moves metal fragments better than anything else) then detergent and oiled it all up ready for a final clean tomorrow.

 

Plan for tomorrow is to have the bottom end done.  Measured, checked, cam dialled in and mod a STD volume oil pump and install it.  Checked my pile of gasket kits and it appears I have enough to get it together without buying anything. 

 

If it continues to rain tomorrow I will be taking a break from engine building to cut a few laps around the bloke in the boys buggy - it chucks great donuts on the bitumen in the wet - much like a Holden.  I need to sort the jetting out on the buggy as it is lean as with the new intake and exhaust...

 

Fun times ahead.