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Falcor

Iron Head Crossflow, Carby and Extractor setup, can I get more grunt + better note?

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Hi, I'm currently weighing up what I should do to my crossflow,

 

Its got a cast iron head which is cracked and possibly causing low compression, the engine isn't idling very well, it also had overheating issues which a new radiator cap seemed to have fixed. 

I saw an old set of extractors out back that might fit, can I add them and a larger carby in place of cracked head? I'll take a photo of extractors so you can tell me if they'll fit for a start, I'm also open to new extractors. I gather there will be other parts and pieces I'll need...

I'm also trying to do this without mods as I'd like to be able to keep it as original as possible for now.

The engine was rebuilt 10,000km ago to stock specs.

 

Is a 350 Holley suitable? 

Advice on a simple upgrade that might give more grunt and a better note...

Can I upgrade my head to an alloy or something more modern?

 

 

Thanks for your time,

Wayne

 

 

 

 

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in My opinion i wouldn't fit extractors to a stock engine, make no difference and just causes issues. dual bolt pattern means they should fit either alloy or iron head. providing they are from a falcon(assume so seeing there's a cat fitted) they'll fit the XC

 

what's cracked? got a photo of what's cracked? 

 

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if you just want it to sound better fit a glass pack sports muffler and 2 and 1/2 tail pipe.

 

it should go good enough with the reco engine, what fuel is it running on/tuned to?  get it tuned for 95/98 fuel and it will go better than the rubbish 91 fuel. 

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I'm running it on unleaded, I used to use the additive most times when filling up before the rebuild. It's probably meant to run 98 lol

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1 minute ago, Falcor said:

The cracks under the heat plate

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cracked exhaust manifold?  under the heat riser to the air cleaner snorkel. yeah they do that.. 

personally i'd try find a non cracked one or have it welded. 

 

extractors in My experience on stock engines make no difference to power,  burn the accel cable, and cook the starter motor and also crack and rust  

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1 minute ago, Falcor said:

I'm running it on unleaded, I used to use the additive most times when filling up before the rebuild. It's probably meant to run 98 lol

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if it's on 91 unleaded and it's not pinging(rattling noise) then you'll definitely pick up more power advancing the ignition timing and running 95 or 98.. usually you'll get better fuel economy on 95/98 and the cost saving to 91 isn't worth the difference

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Ok, so sounds like I'll just try find another Iron head, hopefully there's one around.
Are there any alloy manifolds that would fit, could this change how engine runs?
To be honest I don't think engine has run 100% since rebuild, something wasn't right, just felt sluggish and sometimes had a flat spot...
I need to troubleshoot as its probably something simple

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I'm gonna run it on some 98 tomorrow, hopefully this makes some difference, only has a pissy stock Stromberg carby, I had a kit installed so it should be working fine, not sure if it's tuned properly though

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3 minutes ago, Falcor said:

Ok, so sounds like I'll just try find another Iron head, hopefully there's one around.
Are there any alloy manifolds that would fit, could this change how engine runs?
To be honest I don't think engine has run 100% since rebuild, something wasn't right, just felt sluggish and sometimes had a flat spot...
I need to troubleshoot as its probably something simple

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it's not the iron head that's cracked, it's just an exhaust manifold for an iron head engine(XC and XD early) 

the alloy head has different exhaust manifold due to bolt patterns. (XD late, to XF  same ) won't fit your current engine

 

flat spot could just be due to sitting ages, sometimes they come good, sometimes you'll need a kit in the carby again, it's likely just the accelerator pump part of the carby(need someone who knows what they are doing)

if you can find a mechanic that isn't scared of working on old cars.. i'd just be saying, can you bump up the ignition timing a bit to suit premium 95 fuel and fix the flat spot.. shouldn't be overly expensive. .
get the crack in the exhaust welded possibly by a GOOD exhaust shop

 

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1 minute ago, Falcor said:

I'm gonna run it on some 98 tomorrow, hopefully this makes some difference, only has a pissy stock Stromberg carby, I had a kit installed so it should be working fine, not sure if it's tuned properly though

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those carbys are fine, they go good with them still. i've had a couple

98 or 95 will only go better if the timing is set for them, so depends where it was tuned/set to 

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Ha! i forgot I had one of these in a 302 for a little while about 27 years ago.. was too rusty for Me back then so i sold it only a few weeks after getting it. (briefly considered using the running gear for My XE S pack, but it was too slow) (brothers XB fairmont just to the side) 

 

VrPjJB8.jpg

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1 minute ago, Falcor said:

Yeah, that's awesome, sweet looking cruiser!! Love the picemoji869.png

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about 2 yrs later i bought a 6cyl one BRUSH PAINTED grey (XC fairmont) for $250 just for the 250 crossflow/c4 auto to put in My XD ghia after i took out a 351 for My XE.. had trouble giving it away and i don't think it was that rusty.  times are a bit different now

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