The Ford Barn

SANTA Ray · 05-10-2013, 10:20 AM

Please give me some sdvice. I put a new motor in my coupe and it just doesn't have the power I had in my old engine. I have about 5K miles on this enging. I can tour fine and run 45/50. The issue is acceleration, I have changed the carb and been thru the distributor. Wondering if I have a bad valve or head gasket issue.

I have not checked the compression yet just looking for suggestions b4 I start.

Jim Brierley · 05-10-2013, 10:33 AM

Check the compression, and for proper spark advance. Retarded spark will result in low power. New engines can be a little tight and therefore down in power but at 5,000 miles it should have loosened up and be giving good power.

sidhartha · 05-10-2013, 10:38 AM

Is there any differences in the build of the engines. The old and the new have the same stock or high compression heads and same cam deminsions? If you'd ever done a compression check on the old engine and still have the results. Then you could compare them to a test on the new one. That might tell you a lot. There's a number things that it could be.

Tom Wesenberg · 05-10-2013, 11:03 AM

Any chance a rodent got into the exhaust while the engine change was going on?

A plugged exhaust will give you low power and a low reading on a vacuum guage at higher speeds.

SANTA Ray · 05-10-2013, 11:46 AM

Don't think it's back pressure issue. The both have a 5.5 comp head. I know all about spark advance and timing, I drove from Atlanta to the Arctic Circle. The new engine was built 30 years ago and placed in storage. I put the 5.5 head on prior to droppong it in, don't think it's just tight as I have driven it from GA to the MARC & MAFCA Nationsl meets last summer. Just asking for something that I have overlooked b4 I start to attack the problem. Getting ready for Lexington next month and don't want to have any issues.

I can keep up with our club when touring. It could just be the engin's nature and I'm expecting to much

Thanks

Tom Wesenberg · 05-10-2013, 09:59 PM

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I'm sure you checked the intake passages before you installed the engine. About 5 years ago I was asked to install an engine that had been stored for some time, and he didn't want to me spend any time checking it over. I'm glad I did check it over because the intake chambers were full of rodent crap and nests.

A guy with a rebuilt V8 once complained about lack of power and after a year he pulled the intake and found a rag inside.

05-10-2013, 10:20 AM	#1
SANTA Ray Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Peachtree City, GA Posts: 65	Power Please give me some sdvice. I put a new motor in my coupe and it just doesn't have the power I had in my old engine. I have about 5K miles on this enging. I can tour fine and run 45/50. The issue is acceleration, I have changed the carb and been thru the distributor. Wondering if I have a bad valve or head gasket issue. I have not checked the compression yet just looking for suggestions b4 I start.

05-10-2013, 10:33 AM	#2
Jim Brierley Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Temecula, CA Posts: 4,085	Re: Power Check the compression, and for proper spark advance. Retarded spark will result in low power. New engines can be a little tight and therefore down in power but at 5,000 miles it should have loosened up and be giving good power.

05-10-2013, 10:38 AM	#3
sidhartha Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Indiana Posts: 157	Re: Power Is there any differences in the build of the engines. The old and the new have the same stock or high compression heads and same cam deminsions? If you'd ever done a compression check on the old engine and still have the results. Then you could compare them to a test on the new one. That might tell you a lot. There's a number things that it could be.

05-10-2013, 11:03 AM	#4
Tom Wesenberg Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Mpls, MN Posts: 27,582	Re: Power Any chance a rodent got into the exhaust while the engine change was going on? A plugged exhaust will give you low power and a low reading on a vacuum guage at higher speeds.

05-10-2013, 11:46 AM	#5
SANTA Ray Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Peachtree City, GA Posts: 65	Re: Power Don't think it's back pressure issue. The both have a 5.5 comp head. I know all about spark advance and timing, I drove from Atlanta to the Arctic Circle. The new engine was built 30 years ago and placed in storage. I put the 5.5 head on prior to droppong it in, don't think it's just tight as I have driven it from GA to the MARC & MAFCA Nationsl meets last summer. Just asking for something that I have overlooked b4 I start to attack the problem. Getting ready for Lexington next month and don't want to have any issues. I can keep up with our club when touring. It could just be the engin's nature and I'm expecting to much Thanks

05-10-2013, 09:59 PM	#6
Tom Wesenberg Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Mpls, MN Posts: 27,582	Re: Power Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) I'm sure you checked the intake passages before you installed the engine. About 5 years ago I was asked to install an engine that had been stored for some time, and he didn't want to me spend any time checking it over. I'm glad I did check it over because the intake chambers were full of rodent crap and nests. A guy with a rebuilt V8 once complained about lack of power and after a year he pulled the intake and found a rag inside.

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