My new block

[sport71]

Well, today the re-built short block was taken apart at Thompsons Engine Builders. The boars were .05 too small, and was hard to turn the crank. When they showed me the pistons, they told me that the pin clips were off of the original pistons, and that they would not work for the forged pistons. The same thing would happen they would break or come out. I was told it needed some spiral clips for those pistons.
That's not all, the crank was turned by hand, and the berings were already marked. That just goes to show that they are BAD at what they do. Never again...
I think that people who don't know what they are doing should not be giving services at all. I will not give a good word for that shop named South Texas Engines in Roma, Texas.

[sport71]

Should I go with the Ford light blue for the block this time around, or keep it the same Ford dark blue?

[TexMex67]

I was always partial to the light blue. That's just my .
I've been to Roma recently (My fiance's dad lives in Miguel Aleman) and I would have never
imagined they even had a machine shop!!

[DuckRyder]

I am a Dark (or at least medium) Ford Blue guy.

or Black.

[LANCE65]

CHEVY ORANGE!









just kidding. Any of the FORD blue colors look good.

[Hawkrod]

Just a minor point, it is physically impossible for a bore to be .05 too small, the piston could not possibly be installed. I think you should double check that spec before spreading it around as anybody who has any experience will wonder what your smokin'. Hawkrod

[sport71]

I was always partial to the light blue. That's just my .
I've been to Roma recently (My fiance's dad lives in Miguel Aleman) and I would have never
imagined they even had a machine shop!!

TexMex67,
I’m sticking to the darker blue, because the trans is that blue along with the drive shaft.
A good 4hr. drive. Roma is small, and not a good place to raise a family these days if you’ve heard. Your father in law knows my in-laws, they own Panaderia La Nacional.

I am a Dark (or at least medium) Ford Blue guy.

or Black.

DuckRyder,
I also like the darker blue.

CHEVY ORANGE!

just kidding. Any of the FORD blue colors look good.

LANCE65,
LOL

Just a minor point, it is physically impossible for a bore to be .05 too small, the piston could not possibly be installed. I think you should double check that spec before spreading it around as anybody who has any experience will wonder what your smokin'. Hawkrod

Hawkrod,
OOPPS, maybe I was a couple of .000’s off.
Thompson’s Engine shop has been in business since 1964, and has far more experience than me o.k. Tony the owner tells me that the pistons were to tight, by God I’m going to believe him. After the work that was previously done ha.
Today, I was shown how the 7 pins on 7 piston heads were stuck, and that they need to polish the piston pin hole so it will slip and slide the way they are meant to. The rods were also trued, what ever that means.
As for the heads, even though I paid a good $$$ for them, they are going to be better than any Edelbrock heads out there. The port work I did was very professional, I was also told. (If they are lying it doesn’t matter. I feel good that they are giving me reassurance, and peace of mind. As for smoking, I don’t.)

[Dragon]

That is good that you got someone good. I was helping out a friend get her 396 El Camino done before I left state. We bought NAPA rings so we did not have to play with the end gap and I got the block back and it took 200 ft lbs to turn the engine over. At first I thought the rings were binding. Turns out the machine shop had bored the block less than .004 bigger than the pistons. What a mess.

Edelbrock heads out of the box are barely better than stock 428 I heads anyway.

[sport71]

That is good that you got someone good. I was helping out a friend get her 396 El Camino done before I left state. We bought NAPA rings so we did not have to play with the end gap and I got the block back and it took 200 ft lbs to turn the engine over. At first I thought the rings were binding. Turns out the machine shop had bored the block less than .004 bigger than the pistons. What a mess.

200 ft lbs is crazy for a motor to turn, it would burn up in no time. Eventually that’s what would have happened to mine.

Today I went to Thompsons Engines, and the block tech showed me the new fit with a foot long .004 feeler gauge, and how the pistons should fit. He said that each bore was a different size when they got it. Now they are all the same thank God.

I went out back where they were washing out the block and noticed this:








Over 10,000 cranks, yup that's over 10,000 I think Tony knows what he is doing..

[bb429power]

Those are just all the ones he screwed up. Thats amazing though, and I've been trying really hard to get a stock crank for my 460. Just have to sandblast and cut them and they should be fine.

[robroy]

Good evening Ruben!

I'm glad you photographed that spectacle! 10,000 crankshafts--they look insane there (in a great way)! Wow.

Robroy

[DuckRyder]

That is crazy...

[ToughOldFord]

Point to one at the bottom and say "I want that one."

[Dragon]

I spotted some 240/300 cranks and several diesel cranks in those pictures. If I ever get a monitor for my Mac I have a picture of over 1000 new cranks at Crower all standing in blocks with streets between them like a city of skyscrapers.

[robroy]

Point to one at the bottom and say "I want that one."

HAA!!! Great one ToughOldFord.