Well, that was a disappointment... January 22, 2009, 12:39:37 PM I decided that since it's a bit milder out (near freezing) I would take the 5.0HO apart and see what I needed for my junkyard rebuild (IE, whether I needed standard size rings, etc).This engine came from an '87 Mustang, and was basically a "freebie" that came with my T5 swap stuff. When I had originally posted pics of it somebody mentioned that the pulley arrangement almost looked like a CFI car. That stuck in my head, and I was almost dreading taking this engine apart.First thing I did once the engine was on the stand was grab hold of the crank pulley and move it back and forth. There are several degrees of slop, and I can actually hear the timing chain clicking inside the front cover. Timing chain is definitely worn. I then pulled & pushed on the pulley to check for thrust wear. Definitely plenty of endplay. OK, I thought - I'm rebuilding it anyway, so no big deal.So I pop the upper intake plate off. There it is, "HO" cast into the uper intake. Off to a good start. Then the upper comes off, and there they are, tan-top injectors. OK, we've got an HO upper and tan top injectors. So far so good.Then it was off with the heads. As soon as I pulled one off I saw what I was dreading: Flat top pistons! I flipped the head over and there was my confirmation: Instead of the E7TE I was hoping for, I saw E6SE. It got even worse: The cylinders are very worn, with a prounounced ridge. No simple hone & re-ring job here, this is gonna require boring and new pistons. Looks like I've got a bunch of s iron.My theory: The engine is an '86, not an '87 as I was told. I can't fault the guy I got it from, as he removed it from an '87 GT he bought for parts. I figure the original owner (or some person before the guy I got it from) blew the engine, so he swapped an '86 in and reused his intakes....Either that or it's an SO engine with an HO intake on it. There were no plug wires on it so I can't verify by firing order, although I suppose I could turn the cam and watch the lifters to see which order they open in. Either way, there's no point in going any further with this engine, since it's no better than the one I've got in the car (in fact, since it's so worn, it's actually worse).New plan: I'm gonna find a pair of E7 heads and an HO cam, and upgrade my existing 65k mile 5.0 to HO spec. I know flat top pistons will limit me to stock HO cam, but I can live with that, since rebuilding the engine I thought was an HO to stock spec was my original plan anyway. Quote Selected
Well, that was a disappointment... Reply #1 – January 22, 2009, 12:49:56 PM It's probably a 86 HO engine. Quote Selected
Well, that was a disappointment... Reply #2 – January 22, 2009, 01:33:43 PM Ordering aftermarket or stock replacement HO pistons not an option? Quote Selected
Well, that was a disappointment... Reply #3 – January 22, 2009, 01:50:31 PM Stock forged pistons for the H.O are on Ebay for super cheap quite often. Quote Selected
Well, that was a disappointment... Reply #4 – January 22, 2009, 03:03:57 PM If you were to come in my neck of the woods I'd give you the stock HO cam and the heads for free. Quote Selected
Well, that was a disappointment... Reply #5 – January 22, 2009, 03:09:16 PM I'm trying to do this on the cheap, with a budget of ~$400-$500 including engine rebuild kit and headers. I had it all figured out with what I thought was the HO engine: Rings, bearings, a gasket kit, and a set of Summit headers. Pistons weren't an option before, and now that I need heads & cam too, they certainly aren't now (in fact I will be foregoing the rings & bearings, but I don't mind because I know my car's bottom end is sound).I was just out in the garage piling this engine up in the corner and noticed that the upper intake has E7ZE stamped into it. Or something like that - I do know it says "E7". This leads me to believe that the engine is a conversion, either from a CFI engine (as the pulley arrangement would suggest) or an SO engine with an HO upgrade, since I assume an '86 HO would have an E6 manifold. I did figure out the firing order, and it is an HO cam, but from what year I don't have any idea. Anyone know how to tell an '86 HO cam from a newer one? If this is from the same '87 that intake is from it'll save me having to buy a cam.I'll probably hang onto the short block and rebuild it proper (have it bored, buy forged pistons, and maybe even get some decent heads such as GT40 or aluminum) at a later, more financially stable date, but for now it's gonna have to be an HO upgrade for my SO. Quote Selected
Well, that was a disappointment... Reply #6 – January 22, 2009, 03:16:23 PM If the motor is out of the car...it's sure easy and inexpensive enough to take the block to a machine shop and have some reliefs fly-cut into the pistons. Quote Selected
Well, that was a disappointment... Reply #7 – January 22, 2009, 03:21:50 PM Sure sounds like someone put a 86 block in it and used the e-7's.I think all the ho cams are pretty close to being the same it may be hard to tell the difference. I got some spec sheats I can check but I don't think it will help. Quote Selected
Well, that was a disappointment... Reply #8 – January 22, 2009, 03:23:02 PM Quote from: EricCoolCats;253019If the motor is out of the car...it's sure easy and inexpensive enough to take the block to a machine shop and have some reliefs fly-cut into the pistons. But the motor needs boring. Quote Selected
Well, that was a disappointment... Reply #9 – January 22, 2009, 03:25:11 PM Sorry Eric missed the part about the other block.that is a option. Quote Selected
Well, that was a disappointment... Reply #10 – January 22, 2009, 03:41:39 PM If you were planning to stay with a ho cam you don't need to worry about fly cutting. you will even gain a little higher comp. ratio. Quote Selected
Well, that was a disappointment... Reply #11 – January 22, 2009, 03:54:35 PM What a mess,i wouldn't trust that you have an HO cam thier either.The injectors should be orange top for stock HO(i have a set of 8 that i took out of my HO) tans are stock SO.You've got an SO that someone played around with,is it even a roller block???If it is it's .I have a 91 HO cam and a set of orange tops i can let ya have for 60.00cdn shipped if your interested(They came out of the 91 HO i put in my TC). Quote Selected
Well, that was a disappointment... Reply #12 – January 22, 2009, 04:27:08 PM Quote from: Thunder Chicken;253017I did figure out the firing order, and it is an HO cam, but from what year I don't have any idea. Anyone know how to tell an '86 HO cam from a newer one? If this is from the same '87 that intake is from it'll save me having to buy a cam.You could measure the lobe lift. 1985-1988 H.O. cams were .278" on intake and exhaust.1986-1990 non-H.O. cams were .237" on the intake, .247" exhaust.1989-1995 H.O. cams were also .278" lift, but the duration & lobe center was changed. Quote Selected
Well, that was a disappointment... Reply #13 – January 22, 2009, 04:38:13 PM The 86 cams were supposed to have a more aggressive profile. Quote Selected
Well, that was a disappointment... Reply #14 – January 22, 2009, 04:47:16 PM Quote from: BCA;253032You could measure the lobe lift. 1985-1988 H.O. cams were .278" on intake and exhaust.1986-1990 non-H.O. cams were .237" on the intake, .247" exhaust. 1989-1995 H.O. cams were also .278" lift, but the duration & lobe center was changed. Thats some of the specs, I was goin to look for. It might not be a ho, someone might of changed the firing order to run.You do got some mixed up "stuff", If you need something just ask,Got stuff That know one wants, Can stick it on a pallet goin to ic, It's closer, I would doubt he would mine. But I did not ask. Quote Selected
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