Build assistance

[turbopinto]

I have recently purchased a Bo-Port head and am preparing for the installation. I would like to make close to 400 to the tires with pump gas, so I opted for the 2.5 cam with my head. I purchased your timing set and pointer as well as head studs, main studs and rod bolts. I have 80 lb/hour highz injectors and a pimpx.



The engine currently runs and makes 250 to tires with crappy ford racing roller(234/237 not 100 on part number.) Mileage on long block is unknown. I have put 5700 miles on it myself, only 2700 with a good enough tune to make boost. I ran a compression before I had it tuned and all cyl were over 140 for sure.



I will have to remove the engine from the vehicle to install all of the lower end hardware. I do not have a local machine shop that I know so I really do not want to put rods or pistons in the bottom end.



The car is a 74 pinto, gutted with a cage. It has a 3.55 rear end, 8" and I can go 3.80 to make up for the cam if needed. It is a 5speed car. The clutch was centerforce highest clamp load for a non "puck" style clutch. I can change that in the vehicle.



Is there anything you would do different or additional items I am missing?

[Stinger]

I would skip the main studs and rod bolts. When the rods break, they compress, bend in the middle of the shaft, and then break in half. Big end stays attached to the crank. So there is no reason to upgrade the bolts when they aren't the thing that breaks anyway. Stock rods will give up way before the stock main bolts as well so no point in that with stock rods either. So now the bonus is you don't have to pull the engine at all since all you've got left now is a head swap, head studs, and a timing pointer, all of which can be installed without pulling the engine.

Be sure to re-torque the head studs after a heat cycle (loosen a 1/4 turn and torque to 85 lb/ft with ARP lube).

[turbopinto]

I guess I need to do better research before I buy stuff. I was sure it was from your old faq that rod bolts were first to go but its not there.

[Stinger]

That FAQ hasn't been updated in years (and the rod bolts have never been the problem) so that's certainly not where it came from. Social media seems to be the most common place for misinformation like this.

If you have plans to eventually build a new shortblock with upgraded rods and pistons then the main studs would be good to use for that. Might as well return the rod bolts.

[turbopinto]

I am in the assembly stage of the project. I have my boport head and 2.5 cam bolted on. I looked for a timing mark on my new gear set and there isn't one. I lined it up with the stock gear at the keyway and marked that tooth. When that tooth is pointed at aux gear the nut on the cam is up on a point. I assumed based on the EBAR method that the nut on the cam would be on a flat. What am I missing?

[Stinger]

The nut on the cam has nothing to do with any of this. Tightening that bolt changes its position so it can't be used for lining up anything. Ignore that and proceed.

If you do the ebar method (which is more accurate than the method of using the stock marks and a straight edge), then you don't have to line up anything with the aux gear as you've already set the cam position with the ebar and any adjustments after that "undoes" the ebar setting.

Crank at TDC (real TDC, not whatever the stock pointer says), cam set with ebar, belt on and tensioner tight, rotate engine twice by hand (ratchet on crank bolt) until it's back to where you started, double check cam is still where you had it set with ebar. If it is, drop distributor into correct position and you're good to go.