385-Series Ford Big-Block Build - Monster Mash, Part 2

Main caps are torqued one at a time beginning at No. 5. McAfee's belief is that you should be able to turn a crankshaft with one hand on the snout, whether you have one main cap torqued or all five. Resistance should be uniform. With moly lube on the threads, each main cap is torqued in three increments to 110 ft-lb. The studs should never be bottomed out, but instead, one-quarter to one-half turn from bottoming out. Never use a thread locker because if you ever have to remove the studs, it will be very difficult.

Because this is a drag racing engine, Ford Racing thought it appropriate that we use a double-sump, seven-quart drag racing pan for the Fox body Mustang. This pan has reliefs designed to clear the maximum amount of stroke we're using here.

There are also seven-quart front sump pans available for classic Mustangs and other vintage Fords. McAfee will tell you he's not a gambler. He safety wires the Ford Racing high-volume oil pump (PN M-600-A460) and pick-up bolts like they do in racing and aviation.

Just as important as oil supply is oil scavenging. McAfee opens up the drain backs and installs screens to keep unwanted debris from entering the crankcase and pick-up. Plus, a magnetic drain plug is also employed down under.

Earlier, we showed you acceptable resistance to crankshaft rotation. The same is true for camshafts. If it takes more than your hand to turn the camshaft sprocket, bearing clearances are too tight or bearing alignment is off.

Cam and crankshaft endplay should be checked during the mock-up phase and during final assembly. Crankshaft and camshaft endplay should be 0.004-0.008-inch.

Mahle Motorsports 4.600-inch forged pistons and low-friction rings get a bath with SAE-30-weight engine oil. The top two ring end gaps are positioned at 180-degree spacing for proper installation. Oil ring end gaps are also 180 degrees opposite at the wristpin.

In any case, always follow the manufacturer's directions for best results. McAfee had to dig out his largest ring compressor, one he hadn't used in years, because MCE doesn't build them this big that often.

These 18-bolt Ford Racing C460 race heads call for special prep work, and Manley stainless steel valves the size of cocktail tables, to control traffic through Holland Tunnel-sized intake and exhaust ports. PowerHeads of Wildomar, California, cleaned these castings up with a port match for improved flow.

However, no specialized port work was done as we wanted to know what these heads did out of the box. Installed valvespring height is 1.900-inches. Seat pressure, valves closed, should be 228 pounds at 1.900-inches. Open pressure should be 702 pounds at 1.200-inches, with spring coil bind at 1.090-inches.

MCE uses non-petroleum-based solvents in the final clean-up work. Acetone is probably your best bet and certainly safer than M.E.K. (Methyl Ethyl Ketone).

Contact surfaces are wiped down with a lint-free tack rag and Acetone. Even skin oil is bad for these surfaces because any oil disturbs sealing and acts as a lubricant making a compression or coolant leak more probable.

This is a special 18-hole Fel-Pro cylinder head gasket (PN 1092) designed specifically for the A460 block and C460 cylinder heads. It consists of a metal sandwich and self-sealing material. Fire rings must be cleaned thoroughly with Acetone or M.E.K. to remove the coating (sealer) before installation.

ARP cylinder head studs are turned until they touch bottom, then backed out one-quarter to one-half turn. High temperature anti-seize has been used on the stud threads. The center ten 1/2-inch head studs are torqued first in three increments to 100 ft-lb, then both sets of 7/16-inch outer bolts and studs to 60-65 ft-lb.