BritishV8 Forum

One more thing for RWD, you have to make a remote oil filter adapter block to replace the stock one. Here is a pic showing the stock one hanging over bellhousing:

Roller lifter and spider pic.

I got an engine manual from Ebay. It has all the info from 4.1-4.5-4.9 FWD/RWD and updates._Do not remove_ the lifter section.It is installed before the machineing operations on the block and machine torqued in place. So if you remove it the block will distort and be junk.(now I know why it says Do Not Remove on it) Looks like The Eldorado rear sump pan has a deeper sump than the standard RWD pan. 91 and up 4.9 had Gerotor oil pump.The intake bolts have conical washers and need to be torqued to 8ftlb then 12ftlb in sequence.The rocker arm bridges can be loosened gradually and the whole assembly lifts out, kind of like shaft mount rockers.Lots more info.

Ok, so what did you see when you removed it ? Why would block distort ,unless lifter section was used to pre-stress block ? Got calipers ? Got LS and Hemi potential ? Can you hear the "build", begging for better heads ?  roverman.

I didn't remove it. That DO NOT REMOVE kinda scared me. The cam bearings are in a 2 piece sandwich between the block and lifter part. The cam bearings are line bored,mains line bored, block bored AFTER the lifter piece is machine torqued on! Yes,pre-stressed. No way you could get it back exactly. Head bolt pattern is too skinny for other heads, just have to improve the stock ones best I can. I plan on cutting guides down,machineing the bowls/trimming guides in there,gasket matching,Chevy 1.94/1.50 valves unshrouded,Z28 springs.Homemade steel rocker bridge.1.73 Ford rockers or 1.7 big block Chevy adjustable with 2.8/3.1 Crane studs.Homemade headers. Delta cams hottest regrind(E303) cam.(this same grind in 302 Ford produced 400HP with 1.7 rockers and Edelbrock Performer intake)I'll have 346 c.i. or 5.7 Liter. 3.9 LS pistons for tractor sleeves. Summit or Holley 4 barrel on 1.5" adapter. 1/4" steel block girdle. 400 HP?

Here is a guy that put LS beehive springs 1.7 Ford (351 Cleveland) roller rockers with homemade steel bridge and 2.00/1.5 valves in 4.9 heads. He also uses Northstar pistons(.040 over stock and 10.5 compression).Pics of heads:

Allante 4.5 intake:

Heads on this motor show inner head bolts with studs on top for rocker bridge:

Crossdrilled crank and front view for same motor:

Inside of block:

Motor for Fiero with Alante fuel injection:

Found out a few things taking the motor apart. To pull the water pump you have to pull the pulley as there are 3 bolts hidden under it. You need a 3 jaw 4" gear puller to pull the damper. Also found a small piece of rocker arm guide laying in head. also found a wire clip from lifter on oil pump screen. i checked all the parts and lifter and rocker guide must have been replaced. So I would highly recommend the c clips in the lifters. I plan on LS springs in mine also. Other than that all looks good. It looks like a Ford engineer designed it with the allen oil pump drive, small rod bolts,rocker arms and small ports. The cylinder liners and crank look like new. All bearings looked good. I could tell someone worked on the top end as all gaskets were new looking. (probably when they fixed the lifter and rocker arm guide). People have had trouble with the rocker arm bolts pulling out, with higher spring pressure. Now I know why, the small 8MM self tapping screws in the aluminum bridge. My fix will be 10MM/3/8" studs like the 60 degree V6 uses(Crane) for adjustable rockers. They will go through the bridge and will have a locknut below.Also the stock rockers should have the slot lengthend for higher lift to prevent binding. That is probably a contributing factor. I personally like the stock type 351 Cleveland(1.73 ratio stock) with longer slot. You can get a Crane roller trunion kit  for it. After I pressure wash the block I'll take more measurements and pictures. You won't get the power out of this motor like a small block Ford or Chev or LS. It will fall between them and the V6, at about the same weight as the V6. Plus, cheap in wrecking yards. A very good upgrade for 4 and V6 stock motors.

Pictures of my freshly pressure washed block:

picture of lifter cover with "DO NOT REMOVE"

A couple more:

A lot of sharp machined surfaces. One more pic:

Jim, That is quite a slot behind the upper main shells ! Block looks, diecast through-out. Story I heard was GM bought "Evenrude", for their diecasting expertise, first used in the Quad Four ? Got LS head gasket ? Thanks for sharing.           " Mike", see how this works ?  roverman.

Actually it was Mercury Marine that was brought in to help because of porosity problems with the early 4.1. I recommend wearing light gloves as I have lots of little scrapes and cuts just handeling the block. Very sharp wherever it was machined. I can pick it up with one hand.

I am going to use an electric Chevy water pump with adapters similar to the Chrysler Hemi set up.

Those electric water pumps flow what, maybe 50 GPH max? Is that enough for a street driven car?

JB

Jims' and clan. Should be gal per min. "Mezier", in line .rated 20 gpm while hi-flow rated at 55 gpm. As long as your not boiling/steaming, somewhere in the system, I don't see the need for over-kill on flow. I have seen cars/trucks with big hoses and tubes in rad, boil, because thermostat had been removed. Coolant moved too fast through rad.= not enough thermal differential, between in/out. Slower the flow through rad ,more heat exchanged. Anyone use "Evan's Waterless" ? roverman.

Those water pumps are just starting to catch on with street rods and street/strip cars. I read of one guy that has over 100,000 miles on his.

More pics,the oil pan has a nice baffle I am going to use in the earlier (4.1)rear sump pan, or modify the 2 pans I've got for rear sump.All the internal parts are on one bench,still have to be cleaned and examined. Both manifolds, 85 4.1 single plane with TBI and 4.9 bare intake.

Jim, Looks like "cast" rods ? Engine weights on webb shows 4.9L at 360 lbs. with flex plate and alt. MGB bound ?Good Luck, roverman.

I plan on putting the bare block in the MGB bay next week and figuring mounts. That's what this site is all about,American engines in British cars or British engines in American cars(Nic's Rover/Vega).Hey, I just remembered I had a Vega with a Buick V6. Oh, that doesn't count. American in American! LOL!