5.0L Install With Pics

[74.5 347Z]

Josh,

 

I am also concerned with the oil pan being lower than the crossmember. I will be using a set of MSA springs about 1 to 1.5" lower and have considered altering the oil pan if needed. But before that I do have 2 hoods with louvers and one hood without. Have you heard about anyone else using the GT-40 intake? The thought of this makes the steering shaft seem like a minor issue.

 

How much higher is your oil pan than the crossmember?

 

Mark

[Guest buschj]

Josh:

Q- Where does you gear shift lever come through in the transmission tunnel? Did you have to trim back sheet metal?

A- Actually the picture of the back of my motor is deceiving. I don’t have the transmission yet, only the bell housing is attached. I am trying to get the smaller things before I have to layout $1100 for a Motorsports T5. With 3.90 rear gears in my R200, I think the 2.95 first will hold me over until I can find an LSD with a better gear ratio.

 

Mark:

Q- I am assuming that your intake clears the hood. if so you must have your engine further back than josh.

A – The 95’ intake is a lower profile and there are no hood clearance problems in any position. The motor is actually ¾’†farther back since the pictures were taken. I decided that having the motor back farther was worth having to move the motor to get the bell housing bolts out.

Q- How much higher is your oil pan than the cross member?

A- My rear oil pan plug is about 1†below the Z cross member. If you need an exact measurement let me know.

 

Clearance issues:

The steering rod must be changed with Al’s mount. He built the mount around a Mustang rack that was farther out. The steering rod concerns me, because in a worst case scenario something could break and cause steering problems. I broke a tie rod at high speed and it wasn’t fun. Just imagine your steering giving out on a winding road at high speed. Something can go wrong on any car, but I trust the automaker’s engineers more than my notebook paper designs.

 

Headers: I want to make sure that the header down pipe clears the strut rods before I drill the holes and bolt it in.

 

It’s great to exchange information! I hope the Ford forum continues to grow.

 

John

[JoshB 240Z]

I finished my steering rod last night and figured I would share the picture. The bend around the headers is still a tight fit but will work just fine.

 

 

As for header clearance I have at least 1/4" all of the way around the collectors on both sides.

 

Here's a picture of the engine in the car at this time. It was taken at a funny angle but it shows that the crank pulley sits behind the swap bar.

 

[74_5.0L_Z]

I assume that you are putting the extra constraint (rod end) on the upper half of the steering linkage. Mine is on the lower half so I had to slide it on before welding the u-joint.

 

My harmonic balancer is about 1" above rack, but about in same front to rear position(maybe a little further back). I moved the drain plug for the front sump from the front to the bottom to gain clearance on crossmember.

[JoshB 240Z]

I do have the rod end but chose to place it on the slined side of the joint immediately before the U-joint. This made it a little easier to install the rod end where I had some clearance for it. Plus, if maintance or replacement is ever necessary I can seperate the two parts. I don't see this as being an issue, though.

 

Josh

[74.5 347Z]

What angle is your engine set at? Mine is almost level.

 

 

I need 1-1/2" to close the hood and the problem is that my oil pump is 3/4" above the crossmember.

 

 

So if I counter sink screws on bottom of oil pump=1/4", lower the engine mount=3/4", counter sink screws on TPS=1/8", I will still need 1/2".

 

Anyone have any ideas about where to get that last 1/2"? I am thinking about cutting into the front crossmember.

 

Any ideas will be greatly appreciated.

 

Mark

[74_5.0L_Z]

Move the motor back until the front sump will just drop behind the crossmember. That is how I solved the problem. I also moved the drain plug in the front sump from the front to the bottom. My harmonic balancer is centered above the steering rack and is about 1" above the rack. The engine is mounted at 2.5 degrees nose up, and the differential has been adjusted to match.

 

Another option is to do as Terry(blueovalZ) did, and move the cross member forward, but you will need adjustable T/C rods if you do. I wouldn't move the crossmember more than an inch, or you'll have too much caster.

 

Here are two images showing the current installation, and one showing the pre-accident install. The engine location hasn't changed, only the mounting method.

 

[Guest buschj]

Mark,

Al’s mount limits the engine placement to how much the motor mounts will flex. If you put the engine in a “nose up†angle, you have more room in front (adds stress on the motor mounts before the motor starts to torque). Don’t bolt the mount in place until you have the transmission, headers, driveshaft, and steering rod installed. My frame rails don’t have a drop of paint left because I have moved my mount a thousand times. I wish I had some magic answers for you, but it’s a game of patience. Take your time and don’t be afraid to tear it all apart and make changes. There is nothing worse than drivetrain vibration!

 

 

74_5.0L_Z,

Your Chassis is awesome! I have been drawing plans for a new chassis to attach my Z’s body parts. Even though I replaced all of the rusted areas of my Z, time and stress will take its toll over the next few years. Here is a picture of what I have in mind:

 

[JoshB 240Z]

Mark,

 

Where is your clearance issue? Is it the area around the throttle body and TPS sensor where the hood line drops down?

 

Josh

[74.5 347Z]

Yes, at the throttle body where the hood curves down. Today I pushed the engine as far back as it will go until the mount hits the tension rod mounts and coincidentally the bellhousing hit the trans tunnel.

 

Now I am down to about an inch from closing and the intake plenum is touching at the same time as the TPS, just a little more forward. The oil pump is still not clearing the crossmember.

 

Can you believe all of this is just to use a stock hood with vents? If I wasn't so dead set against a cowl induction this problem would already be solved.

 

I will post more pictures tomorrow.

 

Thanks

Mark

[74_5.0L_Z]

You'll find that the bellhousing fits nicely into the driveshaft tunnel when the motor is lowered down. I have to tilt the motor back to install four of the bellhousing bolts. I used steel plates of my own design when the motor was still rubber mounted.

 

With the Alsil style crossmember, you might be able to lower the motor, and move it back if you went to a thinner style rubber mount like the ones used in a '64 comet. The rubber mounts from the Comet have a single stud that protrudes vertically from the rubber. Perhaps a flat plate could be welded on top of your crossmember that extends back to a new mounting point. You might be able to mount the motor lower and further back but still use the same crossmember.

[74.5 347Z]

I finally got the engine low enough to clear the hood with about 1" of clearance. The only problem I see is that the balancer is only 1/2" above the rack. I ended up making a mount using Al's as a template and changing the side tubes to 1-1/2" X 2". The trans fits well and the header flanges barely touch the TC mounts, I will grind some off the flange to get clearance.

 

Now the problem is the steering shaft clearing the headers. I have read so many post about cutting and using the u-joint for the steering shaft. When I called borgenson, they said they have 9/16 and 3/4 u-joints but by my measurements it is slightly larger than 9/16".

 

What brand and size of u-joint and carrier bearing are you using?

[74_5.0L_Z]

I am using a 5/8" to 5/8" smooth bore universal joint from Sweet Mfg.

 

To install the u-joint and support, I cut the original shaft, slid the rod end support over the shaft, and welded the u-joint in place. When you install the u-joint be certain that the new u-joint is phased with the old one or it will bind. Also, be careful not to overheat the u-joint or you'll burn the covers on the bearing caps.

 

Here is a picture showing my installation.

 

[JoshB 240Z]

I purchased my U-Joint from Coleman Racing online. The bore size was 5/8" and had a little play when the shaft was installed. I then had the shaft welded in place. Here's the like to the catalog page.

 

http://www.colemanracing.com/section/index.htp?id=27

 

Can you explain more on how you modified the engine mounts to lower the engine enough to clear the hood? Mine is about 1/2" too tall still.

 

Josh

[74.5 347Z]

When you say "in phase" you mean the u-joint is opposite of the original one, as if the "ears" are in line from the two u-joints or opposite? But both of you used the 5/8" bore and also a 5/8" carrier bearing? Thanks for the link, I will contact them soon.

 

Originally when I cut Al's mount I just wanted to lower the center section 1-1/2" and welded it back together. I cut it 1" inward from where it would mount to the frame. The part that was lowered then hit the TC rod mount. I bought 2x2 tubing and welded another mount just like the original, then I cut the "perch" where the motor mount bolt went and tried to lower it that way. I got close but no cigar! By that time I had chopped the mount up so bad that it was useless.

 

With a cardboard template, the top of the mount to the bottom was like 8-1/2", that makes it level with the oil pan. Center section was 12" and the two 1-1/2" side pieces are cut at 45 degree angles. The one I have in the car now works but the right side of the motor is a hair higher than the left and there is about 1/4" space causing the sides not to sit flush against the sides of the frame rails. I may try to perfect it one more time, not sure yet. If you only need 1/2 to 1" it will be better if you just cut the "perch" and that will lower the mounting point and put your oil pan lower than the bottom of the mount.

 

I never did take pictures before I put the motor in but I will take some when I pull the motor back out, for the twenty-third time.

[74_5.0L_Z]

By "in phase", I mean that the u-joint caps are in the same plane.

 

I clamped the u-joints to a flat surface so that the cups from each u-joint were flat and parallel to assure correct alignment before welding.

 

There will be a little slop because the shaft is slightly smaller than 5/8". To alleviate this, I ground the welded edge of the new u-joint into a smooth radius, and positioned the rod end to butt against the weld. By doing this the shaft is positively centered within the rod end.

[73BOTIZ]

Hi all,

I am the person who fabricates the 'Alsil' mount. Since my Z doesn't have a Ford motor in it, I depend on the Ford guys for input. Any suggestions and/or sketches that would make this mount work better would be appreciated. If anyone needs me to alter their mount in any way, just send it back to me with instructions and I will take care of it. When Al and I first created this mount, keeping the oil pan above the crossmember was what we wanted to do, since Al's car was lowered a little and street driven.

Take care,

Mike D.

[74.5 347Z]

I ordered the support bearing and u-joint from Coleman Racing today. Did both of you use the 5/8" bore support bearing as well as the 5/8" u-joint? I am just wondering if there is too much space in the support bearing that it will need some sort of bushing.

 

As far as my shifter, it thru the tunnel at the front part of the stock location. I cut the forward part of the hole. It seems that the shifter sets off to the left of the tailshaft. So it hits a little on the side of the hole. I will trim this piece later when I make sure everything is in line with the rear diff.

 

Mike, I will take measurements of the mount when I take the motor out. The only thing I can tell you for sure is that the sides were 1-1/2" instead of the 2" and they were cut at a 45 degree angle on both ends. Just something to keep in mind if someone has as much clearance problem when using the GT-40 intake.

[74.5 347Z]

BTW, with the reverse rotation water pump on the later 5.0 is the water pump inlet on the driver side or the pass side? Any ideas on a good brand with a good price?

 

I need to order a radiator and I can't find my water pump.

[74_5.0L_Z]

The Inlet is on the drivers side. I am using the stock water pump from NAPA, and a Griffen Aluminum radiator (24x19 Ford universal). It runs very cool. The radiator was $189.95 from Summit.