Guide pins for Timing Cover

[twentyover]

Hi guys- Long time no post.

Anyway, putting a 4.0 into a 76 Mercury Capri, it originally came with a 2.8 little brother of the 4.0

Rebuilding prior to installation, Using the high compression OHC pistons, AP rod bolts 422 cam, just a little warmed up. Soooo

My memory is failing- when I rebuilt the 2.8 years ago, I remember they had guide sleeves in the front of block in the coolant passage that registered the timing cover and provided a sturdier coolant path then just a gasket between two flat surfaces. Started the rebuild in this 4.0 a thousand years ago or so, and I don't remember if it had similiar guide sleeves . Spent most of the afternoon at Fords and old time auto parts store trying to find replacement guide sleeves. No joy, wasn't listed at Fords and the parts guy couldn't find it either.

So am I dreaming? Did the 4.0 n9t have the guide sleeves? Anyone know a source for replacement sleeves if they did have them?

Mo' latter

greg fast

 

[adsm08]

I can't remember ever seeing timing cover guide pins on a 4.0.

I was just in one today doing stuff with the front cover off and it didn't have any.

 

[twentyover]

Curious if I was or was not crazy, I started searching. While I have sub-standard google-fu, I came across a picture that stirred a memory.

http://www.shop-fordv6.de/en/engine-block/628-v6-adapter-stirnraddeckel-f-block.html

I European vintage sportscar racing it is important to look period correct. The adapter plate in the link above permits using the timing cover for a 2.8l on a 2.9. What this did was que a memory of a feature that I had forgotten. The 4.0 timing cover can ride against the block with just a gasket, the 2.8 cam gear needed to be larger in diameter than the 4.0 cam chainwheel. It made the timing cover too tall to ride against the block, so a stamped steel plate was used to seal the back of the timimg cover where it projected above the block.

Since the cooling system was pressurized, any deformation of the stamped plate around the block-timing cover transfer ports would yield a leak. To prevent the leak, the guide sleeves and O-rings were used to effect a good seal

So my memory was correct, just incomplete,

Thanks for your response. It prompted me to try to remember more