The Ranger XLT @ Holley Ford Fest 2024 in Bowling Green KY After Missing HRPT 2019 and Power Tour 2021

[Manny]

Wow how many moons has that thing been rattling on the gas tank!

[DuckRyder]

It was completely shagged and not a high quality piece to start with, now proudly owned by Waste Management.... but you watch, I’ll see one just like it on Pickers or Pawn Stars next week and find out it was worth $6,000.00.

It was actually pretty in there...

No build sheet, the seat had been out before... probably tossed it in favor of the umbrella...

[Manny]

I’ll see one just like it on Pickers or Pawn Stars next week and find out it was worth $6,000.00.
:

You know that's the truth. Same time i will see them sell a 82' v6 malibu for $75,000 here soon too...

[DuckRyder]

OK.

I decided I did not really like the regulator set up and it was going to be a little messy plumbing wise. Also the wiring for the transducer is no where near long enough.

So:



I’ll move the transducer to the engine.

Finished the fuel system. When I’m ready I will only have to remove the hose from the tank to the fuel line and attach the hoses from the fuel system and then attach the hose I’ve built with the post filter from the factory fuel line to the throttle body up front.

Remember this as well as the return line are “temporary” until I can put a rear mounted tank in it.





I did put a few wire ties on it.

[DuckRyder]

So:

Years ago a bought a used FPP branded Blue Thunder intake. The intake was a little beat up on the china wall sealing surfaces but I was very meticulous lining it up and sealing it when I built the engine. Unfortunately my friend though it would be a good idea to tug on the sealer in the corners and cut the excess off and it started leaking at the rear corners shortly after the engine was installed. I changed it once a while back but it is a lot harder to line up with it in the truck and it was leaking again. I can no longer find the Victor Gaskets, so I decided to try Edelbrock gaskets and “the right stuff”. That was a dismal failure. So I went with the newer black Fel Pro. Yes, that is twice in the last few weeks. It seems to be holding for now, If it leaks again I will probably pull the engine to do it. I may be forced to put a Blue Thunder Medium Riser 8V (assuming I can source one)



Also I had the heads and intake ported and the the port floors on the Intake were filled with “Epoxy” to raise them to match the heads. This was about 2002 or so, but one of the ports the epoxy was completely gone and no where to be found (Burned up I assume) and several of the others exhibited cracking, so I removed them in spite of the mismatch created.





And put it back together.







And drove it over to Power Tour.

[Bullitt74]

Awesome

[JoshT]

Seeing your EFI installation has already helped me on what I need to do. Will be pulling fuel tank to clean it tomorrow or next weekend. Unfortunately I think I'll have to drill in and add a return port, because I don't recall seeing a vent line like you have on top of the tank. Like yours it is a temporary setup until I get to installing a rear mounted under bed tank, which I'm hoping to put off until I find a new bed and remove the body lift.

I will be using a Sniper EFI instead of the Terminator. I do love the way the Terminator looks, but can't justify the added cost. Both systems use a similar install though so had a quick question.

Was wandering how you handled adding temp sensor for your EFI? I'm figuring that the EFI sensor probably needs to go where the stock gauge sender is in the intake. What did you do with the gauge sender if you kept it?

[DuckRyder]

Hi Josh.

I moved the factory gauge sender to the thermostat housing. It is not ideal of course but it does work. The best way would be to add another sender location next to the existing one in the intake.

For the return, you could drill the fuel neck vs the tank, or go into the factory rubber connector hose at the tank like whitsend did.

[DuckRyder]

So, as with just about everything it seems theres always a little detail.

Ever since I built the engine and used the Blue Thunder intake the PCV has been nothing more than open breathers. Ford used 1/2 hose and it won’t connect to any port on a Holley directly. The factory used a pipe which connected to the intake in two places, which aren’t present on non-factory intakes or a spacer under the carb.

So this appears to be the best option::



I wanted to use this, but it there isn’t sufficient clearance to thread it in:



Neccesitating:





Add a fairly expensive reproduction assembly thats been around a while and it actually fits pretty well.



I am concerned it is going to ingest too much oil and may have to change the valve covers back (after cleaning them up) or use the manifold PCV.

In the next episode of “Bolt on parts don’t just bolt on” we discuss air cleaner studs and throttle linkages.

[DuckRyder]

So one would think that a Holley is a Holley and if you had your throttle and return springs set up the way you wanted then they should just transfer over... including the fancy throttle linkage.

Well, not necessarily so, because the throttle levers aren’t the same.





BTW the Sniper guys are remedying this with a Demon GM throttle bracket:



https://www.holley.com/products/fuel_sy ... parts/1952

Also as the Stealth Throttle body has no choke horn you will need a longer air cleaner stud, by about a half an inch





It is just all that stuff that goes along with Hot Rodding.

[DuckRyder]

Fun with Air Cleaners:

[Manny]

I like the fun with air cleaners!! Injection looks great with them float bowls....

[1guydude]

Nice motor u have there
D

[WhitsEnd]

Duck, I think you made the right choice with your EFI. I should have used that instead of the Sniper. I would have been able to use the stock transmission kick down and the ECU is mounted away from all the heat and electrical noise.

Holley is back-pedaling on their promotion of magnetic pickup distributors with the Sniper and has recently released a Hall effect line of distributors for the Sniper. Many are having issues and I'm experiencing things that I believe may be related. I think Ford guys have it worse because the ECU is mounted on the front of the throttle body and the distributor is in the front. Likely worse for small blocks. I will be going with a remote mounted ECU on my 428.

Anyway, nice progress. Let us know how the tuning with that setup is.

[WhitsEnd]

On the intake sealing, My favorite gasket remains the FelPro 90145, unless you need something thicker. They allow the intake to sort of slide into position as it's drawn down.



I have had great results with Right Stuff, but if you clean with brake cleaner (like I do), it needs to completely dry. Brake cleaner will keep the "Stuff" from curing. I tend to clean the China wall multiple times and let it sit. I'm surprised how adjacent oil will wet the surface and migrate into the prepped area, so I clean down the sides of the wall as well.