Sooo if you guys have been wondering why I'm not doing much on my build-off tractor, here is why. I bought this car with a seized motor for 1000 a few months ago.
stock engine bay.
Seized motor, snapped the crankshaft and broke the block.
pulled the motor out of the LTD II.
painted it up, new water pump, converted to SEFI.
installed in the car with the AOD trans behind it.
Now I just need a serpentine belt and 13 quarts of ATF and I need to put on the upper intake manifold and mass air meter. And I could hook up the mufflers I guess.
1997 Murray Veteran Member
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Age : 26 Join date : 2013-11-13 Points : 5447 Posts : 1311 Location : NW USA
I got her running today. Wow this car is fast. just with stock components it's amazing, I guess I'm not used to small cars with big engines. I would probably loose to anyone I go up against, but it's plenty fast for me.
1997 Murray Veteran Member
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Age : 26 Join date : 2013-11-13 Points : 5447 Posts : 1311 Location : NW USA
Yeah the blocks are basically the same, I had to do some mods to fit the roller cam and lifters, the only difference is the old block has a two piece main seal, and there is 15lbs more material around the mains in the block, so it's stronger. The intake is from the old motor.
1997 Murray Veteran Member
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Age : 26 Join date : 2013-11-13 Points : 5447 Posts : 1311 Location : NW USA
yeah, I almost crashed today coming home from work, back end got away from me on the highway and I actually went off the road into a gravel parking lot which happened to be there, and I recovered and got back on. Here is a better vid of the car running.
mr.modified Veteran Member
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Age : 34 Join date : 2013-11-02 Points : 7170 Posts : 2910 Location : New Jersey USA
Thanks guys! I am having some issues with the thermostat not wanting to open, it will heat up to 270 degrees and then stay there for 5 min and then it will suddenly drop to around 230. (maybe my factory gauge is inaccurate, I wouldn't be surprised) SO I'm going to look into that. Also, my heater core burst so I bypassed it. At least now my carpet won't freeze, since it has been marinating in coolant.
Cool car you got. 89, should be considered a classic by now, it being over 25 years old. Those cars was always quick just because they are light, around 2500 lbs or so, the weight should be on the driver door jam on the sticker. In my day everybody wanted the 5 speed GT's, just so they can chirp the tires changing gears, LOL. The 302's was always a nice little motor, but when they came out with the SFI (sequential fuel injection) with the tunnel ram intake, which is what you got on top, really made the difference. Have fun!!
1997 Murray Veteran Member
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Age : 26 Join date : 2013-11-13 Points : 5447 Posts : 1311 Location : NW USA
So I guess I didn't update this, but I broke the oil pump driveshaft. And screwed the motor over. I got a short block from a 1990 stang, and put a ford motorsport z303 cam in it. New lifters and pushrods, new melling oil pump and driveshaft. Got it back together and driving, runs good, but my fuel economy dropped a bit... but the exhaust sounds nice.
mr.modified Veteran Member
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Age : 34 Join date : 2013-11-02 Points : 7170 Posts : 2910 Location : New Jersey USA