Baldheadque1":irnefaqh said:
What are some other areas I could upgrade into which would increase my performance?
:
Here are a few I've picked up over the years:
1.) Ford sets the stock timing at 6* BTDC. Try setting it to 10*-12* BTDC.
2.) Ford uses the FL-1A oil filter. For added oil capacity switch to the FL-299 filter. This will increase the capacity from 4.5 qts to 5.0 qts. Other 1 1/2 quart oil filter brands & part numbers are:
a.) AC PF42
b.) Fram PH977A
c.) Wix 51773
d.) Purolater R17
e.) NAPA 1773
f.) Baldwin BT-251
g.) Fomoco FL-299
Oil cooler info
http://www.therangerstation.com/OilCooler.htm
3.) Drill a 1/8" hole in a 180* thermostat, so that it acts as an air bleed and it will reduce the chance of forming an air pocket when you change or remove your antifreeze.
4.) When reinstalling your head, cut the heads off of 2 extra head bolts and install them in the block first or pull several front left studs from ecology. They will act as a guide when you reinstall the head. A 200-250 ci Ford cylinder head weighs between 75-80 lbs and can be quite a handful.
5.) Use a Fel-Pro head gasket only, being that they have an extra sealing bead around the water passage holes. The 144-170-200-250 IL6's are known for having water leaks on the left side of the head/block.
6.) When rebuilding the 144-170-200-250 IL6, Always replace the flex plate if you are running a C-4 automatic transmission. They are prone to cracking around the crank bolts and around the torque converter mounting studs.
7.) If you mill the head more than .040, Use Mr. Gasket (part number) #87 7/16 head bolt washers under the head bolts so the bolt doesn’t bottom out in the block and throw your torque reading off, causing a blown head gasket.
8.) Header gaskets are expensive for a 6 cylinder so use a stock composite gasket in it's place liberally "schmutzed" on both sides with Permatex Ultra Copper.
9.) To find Top Dead Center disconnect the coil wire, pull the number one plug, and just hold your thumb over the hole while cranking. When you get a whoosh of air, stop. You are now near TDC on the compression stroke and this is the TDC that your rotor should be pointing to.
10.) The valve body in the '65 C4 doesn't allow for manual shifting (the green dot pattern won’t hold second gear). It can be done, but the process is not user friendly. If you install a '67-'68 valve body, which is a bolt in (see step by step below), you will be able to manual shift through the gears. If you install a shift kit (I use the Transgo), you will be able to shift up or down at will. The only other mod you will want to make is to change the gear selector cover to the 12DNRP cover of the 67-68 cars to eliminate confusion. The modulator adjustment helps but it won't get you to the level of a manual shift option. The valve body needs to be removed to install the kit. Removal is very easy. Pull the pan and remove the VB. Good opportunity to service the trans and change the fluid. Since you already have the 12DNRP pattern all you need to do is install the kit and you will have a clutchless stick anytime you want. Also a very nice (quick / solid) shift. Be sure to use the street kit, it will shift plenty hard, and won't be to hard on a trans with some miles on it. I recommend the later valve body for the earlier trans. The kit works better with the later VB. The side benefit is the up / down shift capability. Transgo does make a kit for the "green dot" VB but I think you will be happier with the later unit. The Transgo kit I used is the C4-67. Good for 67-69 C4 valve bodies. Just pull the VB out of your 65-66 and replace with 67-68 VB after you install the kit in it.
Step by step:
Remove the trany pan.
Remove the filter.
Remove the mounting bolts (Just the bolts that actually hold the valve body to the transmission, a manual can tell you which is which) And make sure to keep track of the bolts as you remove them. There are different length bolts and they need to go back in the right boltholes.
Remove the valve body.
Then install the new valve body (making sure to get the shift arm correctly positioned on the shift valve).
Install the mounting bolts and torque to specs.
Install a new filter.
Install the trany pan with new gasket.
11.) The only thing that would be different between a Mustang box and Falcon box is the length of the steering shaft (so steering column would be 1" closer to you). When ordering get a 67 Mustang box, its the same as a 65 box (1" sector shaft, same box body) but uses a rag joint instead of the long spear, so you can get a nice tilt column and bolt it right into your car! The box will bolt right into the 65 with no mods needed. The ratios are the same as the Falcon the bolt pattern is the same and the shaft diameter is the same. The real advantage of the rag joint and the Mustang column, is the column is collapsible, instead of the Falcon's spear. Just use the Falcon steering arm.
12.) The best way to hook up an external trany cooler is to run the fluid first thru the external cooler to remove excess heat. Then from the cooler, run the fluid back thru the radiator heat exchanger, that adds heat if the fluid is too cold and brings the trans up to operating temps more quickly. It also adds to the heat transfer capacity of the radiator by taking advantage of the additional cooler. Then from there, run the fluid back to the transmission. On a C4, the front line is "out" and the back line is "in".
13.) Put a Modine Radiator P/N 2300/251-3 on your 200 6 cyl 63 Falcon Convertible. Find yourself a radiator shop that sells Modine Radiators (lifetime, nationwide warranty). Have them look up a 3-row radiator for your 6 cyl Falcon. Odds are it'll be part #2300/251-3 and guess what it'll be the same exact radiator that goes into a 65-66 6 cyl. Yep. Mustang! It’s identical to the Falcon 6 cyl stock radiator and interchanges/bolts in within minutes. No problem no adapting at all is needed.
14.) If you have access to a good quality vacuum gauge, check all vacuum ports available on your engine and use the one with the strongest signal for your distributor vacuum advance.
Cooling system filter
http://www.midnightdsigns.com/Mustang/T ... ilter.html
