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1965 200ci Six-Cylinder Engine Buildup - How To Rebuild A 200ci SixThis Month, We Wrap Up The Rebuild Of The Original Inline Six From Gary Schweitzer's '65 World's Fair Mustang Convertible From the October, 2009 issue of Mustang Monthly By Jim Smart Photography by Jim Smart
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Ryan Peart of JGM tells us... Ryan Peart of JGM tells us it's always best to install the camshaft first, whether it's a V-8 or a six. This allows easy cam access and minimizes the risk of cam lobe journal damage. Cam journals are coated with engine assembly lube, which has staying power. The lobes must have molybdenum grease (also called moly coat) for proper flat tappet cam lobe hardening when the engine is fired. Last month, we took you through the tear down and inspection of Gary Schweitzer's '65 200ci six-cylinder engine at JGM Performance Engineering. We learned during the process that 35,000 original miles doesn't always mean pristine. Much depends on how the engine was treated. Gary's six-cylinder was loaded with sludge due to a lack of oil changes at a time when leaded fuel and antiquated lubrication technology worked against engine life. This made his engine very typical of the time period it was operated in. Removing tetraethyl lead from gasoline made a significant difference in the environment - and engine life. Advanced engine oil technology has made a difference too. JGM Performance Engineering has cleaned up Gary's castings and all machine work has been accomplished. JGM employs an environmentally-friendly cleaning process that also leaves castings looking pure, like they just came out of the foundry. We tried to get away with a .020-inch overbore on Gary's block but because the engine sat over 30 years, the cylinder walls were severely pitted. In fact, the #1 bore had to be sleeved because pitting was so bad that it would not clean up at .030-inch oversize. Gary's crankshaft had to be ground .010-inch undersize and returned to service with .010-inch oversize Speed Pro bearings from National Parts Depot. On top, Gary's cylinder head was about as expected. It needed new valves and guides. Exhaust valve seats were cut out and hardened steel seats installed for use with today's unleaded fuels. Here's the rule of thumb for exhaust valve seats: If you're going to drive your Mustang regularly, install hardened exhaust valve seats. Seldom-driven show cars don't need it. A one-piece rear main seal... A one-piece rear main seal is not available for 170 and 200ci sixes. However, Ryan shows the process of staggering two-piece seal gaps away from main cap parting lines to minimize chance of oil leakage. He uses The Right Stuff sealer on block contact surfaces, which virtually eliminates any chance of leakage. JGM did a nice multi-angle valve job that not only improves air flow, but valve cooling as well. More contact surface is better when it comes to valve life because there's improved heat transfer. JGM uses Viton valve seals on all of its engines because they have been proven to outlast Teflon and those old umbrella seals. Special cylinder head machining must be performed to accommodate the Viton seal, but it's worth every penny. Important Details
People generally associate painstaking detail with high-performance engines, but it must apply to all engine builds. If you disagree, ask yourself how much time you have to pull an engine and do it all over again. Or worse, have to find another block or cylinder head because the engine got trashed. Do it once and do it right. Two things you must check - true cam timing and piston deck height. Brand-new, out-of-the-box does not mean it's safe for installation and use. All parts must be checked with close inspection and tolerances. Pistons, for example, can be off significantly, adversely affecting compression and piston-to-cylinder head clearances. If there's too much deck height, you wind up with compression that's too low. If pistons measure "out of the hole," so to speak, cylinder head contact is certain. Speed Pro .010-inch oversize... Speed Pro .010-inch oversize main bearings have been set and our crank readied for installation. Ryan has measured both journals and bearings for absolute certainty about clearances. Although some think it absurd, we suggest checking everything three times. And if you have a qualified second set of eyes, have them check your work. Jeff Latimer of JGM Performance Engineering is a craftsman and engine architect. Although Jeff doesn't typically rebuild distributors, he rebuilt our Autolite Load-O-Matic single-point distributor. He tore it apart, tossed its sum total into a parts tumbler, and reassembled it for us using new Motorcraft parts from National Parts Depot and Scott Drake Reproductions. Because it is a low-mileage distributor, the shaft and bushings checked fine. What About Valve Lash?
When we tore down Gary's six-cylinder, we found adjustable rocker arms and cup-style pushrods. This went against what we knew to be true with FE-series big-blocks and 170/200ci sixes with hydraulic lifters. It turns out Ford sixes with hydraulic lifters were fitted with both adjustable and non-adjustable rocker arms depending on what was available at the time of manufacture. When we checked with Speed Pro, we learned the only type still available new is the adjustable type, which is what they sent us.  When you torque main and rod...  When you torque main and rod caps, you are compressing the bearings into a perfect circle. Bearing tabs exist solely for alignment purposes, not security. Surfaces between bearings and block (or rod) must be dry for the bearing to stay put. Main cap installation and tightening must be performed in phases.  Snug the cap first to ensure...  Snug the cap first to ensure accuracy. Torque first to 35 ft. lbs., beginning with the inside main caps and working outward to #1 and #7 main caps. Then, torque to 60-70 ft. lbs. Go back and recheck torque.  Crankshaft endplay must always...  Crankshaft endplay must always be checked. With the 170 and 200ci six, endplay is 0.004-0.008-inch with a maximum allowable amount of wear at 0.012-inch. Endplay affects everything along the crankshaft. When endplay is excessive, you are courting trouble due to poor alignment issues. By the same token, it must not be too small, creating risk of cease up.  Piston/rod installation calls...  Piston/rod installation calls for rod-bolt protectors and two careful installers, one at the top and another down below to make sure the rods don't contact the crank. Otherwise, there's risk of nicking a crank journal.  Connecting rod bolts have...  Connecting rod bolts have been replaced with new ARP bolts. Rod bolt torque is 19-24 ft. lbs., done in half values. First, 12 ft. lbs., then a full 19-24. Threads must be lubricated first. Be sure to check connecting rod side clearances - 0.0035 to 0.105-inch, which is huge compared to V-8 connecting rod side clearances.  Piston crowns, along with...  Piston crowns, along with compression height, determine compression ratio. Ford dished pistons to control compression ratio. A flattop piston makes more compression than a dished piston (shown). These are Speed Pro cast aluminum oversize pistons (3.710-inches) from National Parts Depot. Cam retainer bolts are torqued... Cam retainer bolts are torqued next. These are Grade 8 fasteners torqued to 12-15 ft. lbs. using high temperature Loc-Tite thread locker. So how do you adjust them when you have hydraulic lifters? JGM showed us how. With both valves closed at top-dead-center of the compression/ignition stroke, tighten the adjustment until there's no rocker arm play. Then slowly tighten the adjustment and watch the lifter piston. You want one-half travel, which doesn't take much adjustment. Never go further than one-half travel or you risk valve to piston contact. What's more, engines don't run very well when valves don't seat. If you've decided to go with a mechanical camshaft, valve lash is 0.022-inch cold and 0.018-inch hot. Paint It Right
In our travels, we see Mustang engine compartments that haven't been treated to the right colors and finishes. National Parts Depot set us up with the correct engine paint finishes. Most Mustang restorers use Duplicolor or Krylon engine paint for spot-on accuracy in terms of color and proper finish. We're using Seymour Hi-Tech Engine Coating, a heat-resistant satin black for block and head, which is also acceptable.  Degreeing a camshaft is mandatory...  Degreeing a camshaft is mandatory with high-performance engines. However, it is also a must for all engines if you're interested in both performance and engine life. In 35 years of engine building, we've never seen a camshaft spot-on out of the box. Cam timing and piston indexing are crucial to proper operation.  Check true top-dead-center...  Check true top-dead-center and cam timing. Then, adjust cam timing accordingly, either advancing or retarding valve timing to improve performance. And be prepared to return a camshaft that doesn't measure up.  Our Speed Pro timing set is...  Our Speed Pro timing set is next with timing marks at 2 and 8 o'clock (versus 12 and 6 with a V-8). The cam bolt is torqued to 35-45 ft. lbs. There's always speculation about using the crankshaft oil slinger. Unless you are running a dual-roller high-performance timing set, use the oil slinger, which keeps excessive amounts of oil away from the front seal, plus the obvious lubrication benefit because it slings oil around the timing set.  Earlier, we mentioned blue...  Earlier, we mentioned blue Viton valve seals for long engine life and terrific oil control. Your cylinder head will have to be machined to accept Viton seals.  We've already milled the block...  We've already milled the block deck. The last step in a valve job is milling cylinder head deck surfaces. Always have the block and cylinder head decks checked for warpage to ensure a solid seal void of gaps and potential hot spots. Milling the head and block decks reduces combustion chamber size and compression height, which increases compression.  Ryan assembles Gary's cylinder...  Ryan assembles Gary's cylinder head using new retainers, springs, and locks. Valve stems are lubricated with engine assembly lube prior to assembly. You want them dripping wet with lubrication for that first fire-up.  JGM takes great pains to check...  JGM takes great pains to check each cylinder head for proper valve sealing with a vacuum pump. If a solid vacuum isn't achieved, the cylinder head comes apart to determine why.  Cylinder head gasket installation...  Cylinder head gasket installation is next. Ryan checks to be sure the block and head deck surfaces are hospital clean before installation. This is a Fel-Pro Print-O-Seal head gasket from National Parts Depot. It provides a perfect seal around cooling passages and cylinder bores. It is up to you to provide clean, properly machined surfaces.  This is the end result of...  This is the end result of Jeff's efforts - a fresh Load-O-Matic distributor ready for action. We like the caliber of the new Motorcraft ignition parts from National Parts Depot - heavy-duty breaker arm bushing and large contact points for less resistance.  Jeff lubes the cam, gaps the...  Jeff lubes the cam, gaps the points, and checks the advance for proper operation. Gary understands the value of a PerTronix Ignitor electronic conversion, but wants the authenticity of ignition points for his historic '65 World's Fair Mustang.  The cylinder head goes on...  The cylinder head goes on next. Head bolts are torqued to 70-75 ft. lbs. per the torque pattern in the Ford Shop Manual. Always lubricate bolts and holes first. Use a light coat because too much oil in the bolt holes can crack your block.  Ryan installs the crankshaft...  Ryan installs the crankshaft front oil seal. The seal's outside perimeter needs a super-thin film of The Right Stuff. The inside lip requires plenty of engine assembly lube once installed to prevent burn-up during start-up. It is return oil that lubricates this seal, hence the urgency for it to be wet.  The timing cover is installed...  The timing cover is installed next. Ryan uses a Fel-Pro gasket and a super thin film of The Right Stuff. Our goal here is no leaks.  Gary sent us a new-old-stock...  Gary sent us a new-old-stock Ford water pump, which is great for authenticity. Our only concern is the water pump seal, which may be deteriorated from age.  Unlike 289/302 Fords, both...  Unlike 289/302 Fords, both the FE big-blocks and 170/200 inline sixes have shaft-mounted rocker arms. Lubrication comes not through the pushrods but instead through pedestals and shaft. Pedestal positioning must be exact or the rocker arms won't get oil. This is an adjustable rocker arm assembly, which applied mostly to mechanical lifters. These engines came with both adjustable and non-adjustable rocker arms. The only thing available at press time is the adjustable rocker arms and cup-style pushrods.  Never install a new oil pump...  Never install a new oil pump right out of the box. Open it up carefully and check rotor side clearances. Then fill the G-rotor cavity with engine assembly lube or 30-weight engine oil for immediate oil pressure on start-up. Fill the pan with 30-weight oil for proper break-in. Never remove the pump rotors, which could disturb the rotor indexing.  Unless you are running a dual-roller...  Unless you are running a dual-roller timing set, the oil slinger goes back in. Dual roller timing sets collide with oil slingers, making them a bad idea in high-performance applications.  Ryan checks the oil pump pick-up...  Ryan checks the oil pump pick-up to pan clearance. You need at least .060-inch. National Parts Depot sent us this new reproduction oil pan, which yielded a perfect fit. The Right Stuff goes between the gasket and block only. You will want it in the corners where the pan rail gaskets meet the neoprene end gaskets. Just a thin film is all that's necessary because there's no sealing benefit when it oozes out.  While researching our Carburetor...  While researching our Carburetor Identification article elsewhere in this issue, we learned that Gary has the wrong carburetor for a '65 Mustang with automatic transmission. Pony Carburetors graciously rebuilt this core for us, which is actually a '67 Autolite 1100 due to its anti-stall dashpot on the left side. It also has a spark control valve (looks like a Holley/Autolite power valve) designed for Load-O-Matic distributors.  Freeze plugs, also known as...  Freeze plugs, also known as Welsh plugs, are installed using a thin film of The Right Stuff around perimeters. Ryan stressed brass plugs, never steel, because steel plugs will corrode and rust through. For absolute security, use JB Weld on brass freeze plugs instead of sealer.  Gary's original Carter fuel...  Gary's original Carter fuel pump is badly pitted and will have to be replaced. Garrett Marks at Mustangs Etc. is searching for a good core at press time.
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