All Small Six 200 6 rebuild steps

[adobejoe]

So I have my 1968 200 six machined and ready to rebuild. New piston set, head rebuilt, new timing chain, new gaskets, freeze plugs, etc. I have never done a complete rebuild and will tackle this best I can. I have some special assembly grease, and have all the spec such as torque setting from the tech archive. I have a manual from a 62 Ford falcon which may assist.

i assume I should first check the ring gap by getting a ring by itself in a cylinder and using a piston upside down slide in an inch and measure with a feeler gauge, right? Not certain I want to do this on all cylinders as I can be accident prone and will risk snapping a new ring in my set…that would suck, royally.

Then, assembly in this order: camshaft, pistons, crank, rod bearings, caps, timing chain and sprocket….then maybe sump oil pump, then rotate crank by hand and double check torque on main bearings, leave with number one piston TDC and gear/sprocket marks in alignment.

then I suppose lifters and push rods?

distributer inserted with contact facing valve cover, should give near approx timing.

okay the I have to insert freeze plugs…do I use a lubricant….socket and hammer…drive them in…how far?

then flywheel on rear, head and miscellaneous like carburetor, starter, water pump, fan, coil, etc.

I am kind of rambling so not sure I have any readers at this point, but that is how my mind works.

I guess what I need is a shop manual of some sort..or some input. At least so I get the basics right.

I totally rebuilt my dagenham 4speed and it seems on the bench, aokay.
I will install new clutch and pilot bearing as I attach transmission.

My only real concern is I don’t make blunder.

one last question, I assume lightly oil all bolts prior to torquing. Which if any do you use threadlocker?

Andy

 

[bubba22349]

So I have my 1968 200 six machined and ready to rebuild. New piston set, head rebuilt, new timing chain, new gaskets, freeze plugs, etc. I have never done a complete rebuild and will tackle this best I can. I have some special assembly grease, and have all the spec such as torque setting from the tech archive. I have a manual from a 62 Ford falcon which may assist.

1. Very Good sounds like you should have most of what you need. These engines are fairly easy and also great for a very First time builder to learn on!

i assume I should first check the ring gap by getting a ring by itself in a cylinder and using a piston upside down slide in an inch and measure with a feeler gauge, right? Not certain I want to do this on all cylinders as I can be accident prone and will risk snapping a new ring in my set…that would suck, royally.

2. Yes this is correct.

3. After the Ring Gap check you should install all the Main Bearings in the Block saddles and the Main Caps and then check all your Main Bearing Clearances with some Plastagage.

4. Make sure all the Oil Galley Plugs have been installed into the Short Block its easy to forget the ones on the front near the Camshaft.

Then, assembly in this order: camshaft, pistons, crank, rod bearings, caps, timing chain and sprocket….then maybe sump oil pump, then rotate crank by hand and double check torque on main bearings, leave with number one piston TDC and gear/sprocket marks in alignment.

5. Not Quite, yes Lube and install Camshaft first, Next install the Rear Main Seal properly depends on the type used the Neoprene seals need to be clocked and then Lube all the Main Bearing Half's in the block and your then ready to lay in the crank, Lube and install the Main Caps then Torque them down to spec. I always use a three steps on the torque above 1/3 each.

6. Next the Timing Gear Set and the Chain should be installed and the Camshaft is Degreed or if your not doing that just be sure that you align your two timing marks up correctly as the minimum. And be sure that you have the Cam Spacer Ring installed before you put on the Block's Cam Thrust Plate on and the Cam Timing Gear this is supper important that it gets installed right with its taper going towards the front of the cam. These things need to be done first before the Rods and Pistons are ever installed or a Rod might hit the Camshaft if not very carful.

So to recap the above this is the order of assembly that's is best to follow: Clean the Bare Block, Install the Camshaft (with its Cam Spacer / Wedding Ring), Install or check that all the Oil Galley Plugs are all installed in the short block, Install the Main bearings, Check the Main Bearing Clearance, install the Rear Main Seal, Lube Main Bearings, Lay the Crankshaft in, Lube and Install the Main Bearing Caps & Torque them down, install the Timing Gear and Chain set and time them correctly, Install Rod Bearings, Rod Caps with Bearings, Check your Rod Bearing Clearance, then lube the bearings, Set / Clock the Piston Ring Gap's. Install the Piston & Rod assemblies, Torque the Rods Bolts to spec. the Oil Pump could go on now or I usually install the Front Timing Cover first then the Front Damper, after that and Oil Pump and Pickup tube are installed then the Oil Pan can be installed completing the short block assembly.

then I suppose lifters and push rods?

7. Yes the Lifters need to be Lubed up and Installed before the Head gets bolted on, after the Head is installed then your Push rods and the Rocker Arm Assembly get installed.

8. Adjust your Rocker Arms if you have an adjustable Rocker Arm Set.

9. Install the Valve Cover I will usually will Glue Down The Cork type gaskets to the Valve Cover the night before with Permatex Aviation Cement and let it set on a bench top with a little weight on it.

10. That should be the completed Long Block Assembly ready to install back in the car or truck.

distributer inserted with contact facing valve cover, should give near approx timing.

11. Set the Engines damper so that its the #1 Cylinder is on 10 Degrees BTDC on the Compression Stroke then install your distributor if its a Ford Distributor turn the body so that the Vacuum Canister is pointing at the Firewall and the Rotor's Blade is leading into the #1 Distributor cap Tower.

okay the I have to insert freeze plugs…do I use a lubricant….socket and hammer…drive them in…how far?

12. Those Freeze Plugs are installed so that the cups edge is even with the taper of the block hole use some Permatex Aviation Gasket Cement around the hole in the block.

then flywheel on rear, head and miscellaneous like carburetor, starter, water pump, fan, coil, etc.

13. Yes except the Head at this point should already be on. On the Flywheel Bolts use some Blue or Red Lock Tite, its not a bad idea to also use the Lock Tite on the Camshaft Bolt and those little Camshaft thrust Plate bolts. Be sure to check that you have the correct bolts there for the thrust plate and that the thrust plate is installed correctly some can go on either way other older ones might only go on one way there is an oiling grove that needs to face the front of the cam.

I am kind of rambling so not sure I have any readers at this point, but that is how my mind works.

I guess what I need is a shop manual of some sort..or some input. At least so I get the basics right.

I totally rebuilt my dagenham 4speed and it seems on the bench, aokay.
I will install new clutch and pilot bearing as I attach transmission.

My only real concern is I don’t make blunder.

one last question, I assume lightly oil all bolts prior to torquing. Which if any do you use threadlocker?

Andy

If you can rebuild a Dagenham 4 speed then I got the confidence that you can do this engine assembly, just take your time as you go on this first one, and ask any questions if you find you need the help. Here is a Link to a good set of Videos that Site member Echo1955 made they are very well done and probably will help you some too. https://fordsix.com/threads/ford-mustang-200-engine-rebuild-videos-by-echo1955.77528/
Good Luck Edited

 

[B RON CO]

Hi, there are some excellent books that are worth reading before you start your engine assembly. You will have assembly procedures and measuring and checking tips thoroughly explained, with pictures to guide you. They are Ford Inline Six by Matt Cox from Vintage Inlines, and How to Rebuild Small Block Ford Engines by Tom Monroe. Of course many guys here are happy to give advice, but there is plenty to learn in these books. Good luck

 

[adobejoe]

Bubba and Ron, thank you this is exactly what I needed!

andy

 

[pmuller9]

Are you going to paint the engine?

 

[adobejoe]

engine painted ford blue

 

[adobejoe]

A picture. Bore plus 0.04”

 

[B RON CO]

Hi, that looks like a used piston. How do the bores look. Did you check the piston to cylinder wall clearance with a feeler gauge? How do the bearings look? Are they undersize? Good luck

 

[adobejoe]

Checked the ring gap. =0.014”. Question on the cam shaft bearing races. Looks like I need to carefully knock out old ones. There are four but my supplier sent me five. Maybe just an extra. There is a hole (oil passage). I assume in the new races the are different size but just line up with passages in block.

 

[bubba22349]

The supplier probably sent you a Cam bearing set (has 5) for a V8 engine by mistake better find out before you try and use them. Do you have a Cam Bearing Insulation Tool to drive the bearings in with? Loos like this https://www.summitracing.com/parts/wmr-w89220

 

[adobejoe]

Thanks bubba, I will do a search with the part number. How important is it to replace these bushings. I hate to buy the tool I only use once in a lifetime.

 

[B RON CO]

Hi, if the block was hot tanked you will definitely have to replace the cam bearings. If you don't have access to the installation tool have the machine shop remove the old bearings and install the new ones. Cam bearings are one of those things, might as well. Good luck

 

[adobejoe]

I discovered my machinist replaced cam bearings already, thank goodness!

pic one is when I disassembled engine. It appears the alignment or timing might be off 180 deg based on indent marks? Can anyone confirm?

pic two shows new gears and timing chain. There does not appear to be a key way on end of camshaft or am I confused?

pic three shows rear end. Just a freeze plug or cap over this, right?

 

[adobejoe]

Found this one also Note the small piece…pin for keyway?

 

[bubba22349]

Yes maybe you are a little bit confused if you look at your second picture above you can see a hole drilled or broached in the end of the Camshaft's front Hub. That is you Key way for the Camshaft Timing Chain Gear, but its very important that you first have the Camshaft Spacer Ring installed, this is a link to what the part looks like, that part is missing in your second Picture above. https://www.vintageinlines.com/product-page/cam-spacer-small-six

Next you need to put in the Dowel Pin, this is the link to what that part looks like, that part is also missing in your above picture. https://www.vintageinlines.com/product-page/camshaft-dowel-pin

Finally you will need to bolt on the Thrust Plate to the front of the block to hold the Camshaft in place, this is the link to what that part looks like, looks like its also pictured in your first picture above. https://www.vintageinlines.com/product-page/camshaft-thrust-plate

Also note that you are also missing the rear Oil Galley Plug in the back of the block and maybe the front one, my view is blocked on that one so be sure to check it out. After all the right parts are installed on the camshafts nose set the two timing marks of the Crankshaft Timing Chain Gear and the Camshaft Timing Chain Gear so that they match up and are pointing at each other, then the Cam to Crank Timing should be correct though its still much better to go through Degree'ing the Camshaft if you can, good luck

 

[bubba22349]

The Cam Spacer and Dowel Pin are both pictured in your last above picture those two parts need to be transferred to the Camshaft that you are going to use.

 

[adobejoe]

Thanks much! Yeah I tore that down two years ago. I vaguely remember that spacer and pin so will have to search my parts. Hopefully I can locate but can always replace if need be. Have the rings and oil ring on the pistons, well lubed. The hydraulic lifters can go down from above I assume, maybe push them in with the valve rods at some later step.

Appreciate assistance!

Andy

 

[adobejoe]

Found the parts, the spacer and it looks to go like this, as you mention with bevel,undercut on outside. I have this assembly lube that I guess I use liberally on all moving parts. I will get the cam gear set, then think about the main bearings, set the crank, and drive in the pistons.

andy

 

[adobejoe]

heres the parts and lube.

 

[bubba22349]

Great Andy, but the bevel goes towards the inside facing the camshafts Hub Radius, so be sure to turn it the other way. Good on the assembly Lube and I see that the front Oil Passage Galley Plug is installed so that's good too.