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429 install into 1968 montego wagon

52K views 429 replies 24 participants last post by  68xr7cat 
#1 ·
Hello everyone I have a 1971 429 motor that I am currently installing into my wagon. I know it's not a complete car build up or restore but I have some questions and would like some advice. I have what I think are thunderbird or boss motor mounts. They are the big wide ones that bolt right to the block. And I have bought frame mounts that bolt to the frame. I know I am missing the insulator which I was going to make myself because they are way to expensive for a hunk of metal I can make myself. Anyway I got the engine on the crane last night and lowered it down in my car, which is up on jack stands in my garage. To have my engine down far enough to get the power brake booster on and get the trans to fit as well as the gas pedal z bar to work my block mounts are basically sitting on my frame mounts. My question is how can there be a 4 inch tall insulator???? I'm dumbfounded! So I took the frame mounts off and lowered it in and have it sitting where I want it and it clears everything and I can get the top bolts in the trans. But the frame mounts on the block are about three inches away from the frame!! Does anyone have an pictures of what the mounts all bolted together and in the car look like??? I was going to buy the crites kit but that's 210$!! And it looks like it would make it too tall. My airplanes gonna already be sticking out of the hood. And any pictures of what your 429 looks like in your engine bay, spacing from the firewall and side to side but mostly I just want to see a pic of the engine in a mustang or whatever and see what the mounts look like. That's I appreciate it. Ned d to move past this so I can get going.
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#330 ·
Something is being gnawed on for sure! That aluminum that looks like paint in the oil is a sign of a failed converter, although given all you have described and how much metal is in the pan my bet is something not right around the low/reverse roller clutch or rear planet.

Plan on a new converter and oil cooler. Take every piston apart and put in new seals. Wash that case real well as the ground up aluminum powder gets into the pores of the case. You want to get it all out or else you will end up a sticking governor after a day or two of running.... Ask me how I know! Hot ATF cleans real well.

BTW did you measure the end play when you originally built the unit?
 
#331 ·
I did measure end play, I don't remember what it was but it was on the ragged edge of being within spec. Is it possible that the converter died and killed the trans? Or a combination of both? Like I said it worked flawlessly until I adjusted the gas pedal to actuate the full pull of the carb throttle. Then ten minutes and an 60' burnout it died and started slipping. Do you think it happened over time and built up or could it have been all at once? Thanks Steve!

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#332 ·
Only a 60' burn out??? LOL

If the stator clutch in the converter broke it would feel like the transmission is slipping. Basically what happens is you loose the torque multiplication that occurs during converter stall. Once you get out of stall it will act normal. If it broke it would happen all at once and yes under heavy load would put it under strain so it would make sense. I personally would not use a Dayco, GER, or Bosshogg converter.

Get it apart and will see what the deal is. If the unit is not broke then you can be sure it is the converter. Problem with converters is hard to know what is going on without cutting them open.

Reason I asked about the end play is if a washer slipped would close up the end play and if one is missing would be too much play. Really if was the case I'd say you would have had an issue long before now. Think I an now leaning towards a bad converter.
 
#333 ·
hahah yeah i let off! believe me it was still going. i thought using the bosshog would be better than a $60 autozone converter like last time. guess im returning and bitchin to them about that. hope to open it up sometime this week or maybe even tomorrow to see whats going on inside. something just let go and died all at once is what it felt like to me. i drove it work and was fine drove it around and was fine then did a burnout and boom donezo.
 
#335 ·
Ahh the old shake test... LOL

Shops would do that to determine if it was bad. The stator clutch and driven turbine are free to move to an extent since the stator and input shaft is what they mount on, but there are washers between everything and they really should not move enough to be "banging around". I believe you have an old converter laying around that is good, use that as a reference.
 
#338 ·
Ok so in the mean time I opened up my transmission I got with the 460 I bought that was told it was rebuilt. Well I got it apart and it was indeed rebuilt so I put my tailshaft in that one. It was the long lincoln tailshaft with the ribbed case. Has a screw in modulator which was a blue stripe, can't find a black stripe screw in one tho. Dont know if they just don't make black stripe screw in ones or what. Also I noticed that the linkage inside doesn't have anything to keep it in a certain gear like my other one was. The new one is 1972 case and the old one was 1977 case. Is this bad? So the only thing that holds it in gear would be the shifter? What screw in type modulator should I get? Another blue stripe? All that's left is modulator and put my shift kit in the valvebody. Then the trans can go back in.

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#341 ·
Alright guys so I have a blue stripe modulator on the way tomorrow. It was between that and white and it already had a blue one so I went with that. Can always swap it out later. Anyway all I have left is to take the valvebody apart and install my transgo shift kit tomorrow and then its ready to go in. I am so pumped to drive my car again! I feel like its been forever!! Like I said I only got to drive it for ten minutes with a fully functional gas pedal lol. Anyway this will be the Third time the trans has been out and back in, lets hope that the third time really is a charm. Have a busy day at work tomorrow but should get it in by tomorrow night.
 
#343 ·
All of the valve body parts must move with ease. However, when the parts are immersed in ATF that is. There must be a burr in the valve or there is something else causing the issue.
 
#344 ·
Well they all did except this one. But a plate goes over it to hold it in and it really can't move anyone but it was a pain to get out. I took sone 1500 grit and smoothed the inside oxidation on the valvebody and then on the aluminum slug and it seems to fit much better. So I will keep at it tomorrow and put it all back together. Cant wait to see how this shift kit works.

Thanks again,
Ryan

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#346 ·
Actually i am not sure.

What i have read so far, is that you don't want to adjust the modulator more than 2~4 turns either direction..

Also: The "striping" just indicates roughly where the adjustment is set to.

Also you can adjust the length of the modulator pin.

There are 4 pin lengths.

1) 1.601-1.611
2) 1.634-1.644
3) 1.650-1.660
4) 1.666-1.677

A metal coat hanger works well.
 
#347 ·
Yeah I used a coat hanger on the last one. Ill have to try the different lengths, thanks for that. So far I got it finished friday and took it to a car show saturday. Everyone loved my wagon and that monstrousity residing under the hood. Left that car show sideways lol no one expected that. Next on my list is to my a cowl induction hood.

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#348 ·
Did you use the governor and VB from the same unit? Must use the white stripe screw in modulator. The 429CJ used a green stripe. Regardless need to set up the modulator and can adjust the pin length. If WOT shifts are low is a Governor or VB problem. Can grind a little off the secondary governor weight (or shim the spring). Can adjust the shift valve springs tensions to change the 1-2 and 2-3 shift points. Of course may be more work than you want to do.

So did you determine what caused the old unit to fail?
 
#349 ·
So the white stripe is better than the blue stripe? I adjust the modulator in some and it didn't do much. I'm thinking that the pin length is short enough to wear it has no to little effect on the modulator. So I'm gonnna try that, changing the pin length. WOT shifts at 5,000 which is where my rev limiter is set. It shifts great and runs awesome. Yes a washer broke and feel in the bottom and two parts ground each other away. Womp womp... :( oh well hopefully this one will last. All my friends are finally going to cecil county dragstrip this friday but unfortunately I already have plans.

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#353 ·
whays up

Hey Montego! What's up? You guys still running on the tracks over there?? We are closed down and snow covered!!! LOL

Why didn't you go with a full manual shift? :D Forget about auto shifting while street driving! No different than putting a 3-4 speed in it, lol...... though if you are still using cruise control it might be a problem, haha

I'm in tear down mode. tranny out, parts getting shipped to be balanced with new crank, new P/G ordered and have to run up to Buffalo NY to drop off injection system and pick tranny up in a couple weeks. My post will start firing up again with posts and pics in a couple weeks.

But keep telling us how you are going together and doing better to help keep my ambition up through the ugly season!!!!!

Will check in on you later!! And good luck with that shifting. We will have to find a track between us next summer and hook up for a day of racing!! LOL

Take it easy, Auggie
 
#354 · (Edited)
Hey guys! I have made some progress. Money is severly tight right now. Have been spending too much and making too little. Anyway I, in the meantime, have replaced valve stem seals and rebuilt my steering control valve. Which I am very pleased with, made the steering so much nicer and tighter. And it doesn't leak now. I didn't get to go to that track last weekend. We had planned to go friday night but my car wasn't ready. Then saturday the track was privately rented for the day. But its still OPEN! and I plan to go this saturday and post some vids!! I'm soooooo excited I can't contain myself lol. I need to put on two rear tires because mine are bald and dry rotted specifically designated for around town burnouts haha. And I'm going to install and h pipe because I have heard so much of the benefits! Also need a shorter alternator belt because I'm out of adjustment and its still alittle loose tho tight enough to run the car. The 460 is just waiting to have anything done to it. Once again lack of money flow. Yeah I was thinking about full manual but the kit was much more than mine and some times I like it to shift all by itself. Its already snowing there?? I hope we get some snow at all this year. I have been watching both your build threads. I'm glad everyone's moving along. Auggie I'm amazed that you are able to just do so much and switch stuff out like you do. My shop is so slow I need to get a new job. I can't afford this trying to go fast lol. Well I should have atleast a burnout vid by the weekend. Hopefully and quarter mile run as well! Auggie we should def get together i would love to see your car in person and maybe even get a vid of us racing side by side down the strip. That would make my day! I cant wait for spring hopefully ill have some stuff sold and some new stuff done to that 460. Thanks for being curious guys And stay tuned!!

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#355 ·
snow

We got hit with rain and sleet Monday night with snow covering it overnight and that made for a MESS come Tuesday morning! Black ice and wrecks everywhere. Then more snow. Roads are clear by noon but mornings are bad.

I have put out more than I wanted too this summer but I have to start recouping some of it. I have 3 rail buggies to sell off and a Honda Rancher 4 wheeler and a Honda 1100 Shadow special edition that gotta go too. Plus I have a lot of extra parts that will go once I know what I DON'T need. Still have my 6-71 blower to research better and sell it. I have 3 separate Snap On tool boxes too. I have a Harley Davidson one in my car trailer that is for sale and I would like to sell one of my others off too. Don't need them all now. My big one was 10K with no tools and the medium was 7K with no tools. But with our economy the way it is, selling anything is hard to do. Worse case scenario, I bought a LOT of Lionel trains when market dropped and they have gone back up big time. I can start ebaying and at least double to triple my money on those.

So while I have put out a lot....... I still need to start getting some of it back, lol. My rainy day fund is getting dangerously low!!!

This summer we will have to think about getting together. They have the super nationals up here by me at the Quaker City Drag Strip in Salem Ohio. I live aprox 10 miles from it. We can race all day and then do the cruise in Salem or park at my place and go to some of the local places.

And find some track between us somewhere and meet up and get some pics and vids running them. I'm all for it! My Ford Expedition pulls my trailer ok but I would like to find a Ford Dually in fair condition with a blown motor and put the 466 in it till I get around to the Lincoln project... if that ever happens, lol. There is a nice Super Duty 4 door Dually, 2001.... up the road that I would LOVE to have but I have no car payments right now and really don't want one. But I would feel a lot better going long distances with that compared to the Expedition...

We will see what next summer brings and go from there.... but I see a road trip coming up, lol....
 
#356 ·
That's my main problem is I have a v6 dakota. And while its a great truck there's No way I'm pulling my wagon. Although my father has a trailer and a suburban so maybe I can make a family trip out there. I would live to get together, I have been showing everyone your car. Looks like your about 6 hours away from me. I could drive my wagon that far for sure. Yes I just posted up a whole bunch of parts I need to get rid of to recoop some space and some money lol. And I would love to sell my motorcycle too and have a good bit of cash to spend! Sounds like you a bit more than me to get rid of tho lol.

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