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Old 12-10-2019, 11:11 PM   #1
cadillac512
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Thumbs up My "new" 260 inch Merc is a BEAST!

I want to thank all you guys who post their engine tips, "secrets", tuning know-how and experiences with different combinations because I used a lot of that information to build a 260" Merc that far exceeded my expectations on it's first drive tonight. It's in my '41 Merc Town Sedan with 3 spd and 3.54 rear gear.


Compared to the tired 239 that I'd been running since getting the car last March...it's a monster! It almost defies logic it runs so well...I can't stop grinning like an idiot. EASILY accelerates to highway speed and keeps up with traffic doing it.



It's really not super special, just an EAC Merc with an older .030 overbore that I ridge reamed,honed and freshened up with new rings (it was worn .003-.004 at the upper ring travel). Crank polished standard and got new bearings after a few strokes through the block's housing bores with a line hone just to make sure. The cam is an 8CM that I chose after checking both it and an EAB with a degree wheel and finding out they are REALLY close to the same grind. I thought the numbers of the 8CM would fit my needs well. Stock lifters, new LZ springs, new guides and valves.



Heads are 8CM milled enough that with a light surface cut on the block decks gave me piston to head clearance of .033"-.040"--I like 'em tight! Fortunately the pistons were a set that were nearly "0" deck when checked during disassembly (no identifying brand marks or numbers) so I didn't need to do a lot of metal removal to get what I wanted.


Intake is 4 bolt Merc bored to 1 7/16", carb is 2GV Rochester, Distributor is modified Chevy with proper Flathead curve (20 deg centrifugal all in by 2200) and vac advance (also limited travel to add just a few degrees at light throttle cruise).



Exhaust is stock single and I now see no need to change it.


Honestly, this thing is better than the sum of its parts...it hauls butt in this big car!



There were "interesting" challenges along the way building this engine (I'm sure glad I work in a diesel engine machine shop/rebuild facility) and I'll post some of that in the next few days. For now- Thanks Again for all the shared knowledge here! It helped me immensely.


Special thanks to JWL , without whose book I surely would have gone wrong directions and wasted money, and to Ol' Ron for tuning tips.

And posthumously to Mr. Bruce Lancaster whose posts were Flathead Gospel.



Time to call it a night now. Later....


Terry
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'66 Fairlane four door / "warmed up" 302
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Old 12-10-2019, 11:18 PM   #2
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Default Re: My "new" 260 inch Merc is a BEAST!

A few of us on here have experienced the very same delight as you've so eloquently described. Great feeling eh? Congratulations! Now....use it and never tire of that sensation.
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Old 12-10-2019, 11:38 PM   #3
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Default Re: My "new" 260 inch Merc is a BEAST!

Hey sounds like a guy with some machine experience to start rebuilding some blocks!


Nice work!!!
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Old 12-10-2019, 11:42 PM   #4
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Default Re: My "new" 260 inch Merc is a BEAST!

The way you describe it sounds awesome.
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Old 12-11-2019, 04:40 AM   #5
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Default Re: My "new" 260 inch Merc is a BEAST!

Thanks for listing out the steps you took to build a strong engine without going overboard.

It sounds awesome.
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Old 12-11-2019, 07:12 AM   #6
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Default Re: My "new" 260 inch Merc is a BEAST!

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Terry, so glad the cam worked for you & that the engine is so GR8.
Hows about a pic or 2 or 3.......
Happy cruise'n, mike
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Old 12-11-2019, 07:19 AM   #7
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Default Re: My "new" 260 inch Merc is a BEAST!

Good morning,guys. Thanks for the kind words-I'm off to work now but will get back on here tonight after I get home. What fun!

Later...


Terry
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Old 12-11-2019, 07:43 AM   #8
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Default Re: My "new" 260 inch Merc is a BEAST!

Sounds great Terry and thanks for giving all the build details!


Glenn
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Old 12-11-2019, 08:33 AM   #9
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Default Re: My "new" 260 inch Merc is a BEAST!

I got that "old feeling" of the first ride with a new engine as I was reading your account of that experience. I even took some of my competition engines for a short street run because I needed it.

Glad your outcome has surpassed original expectations and you are having so much fun. Also, I appreciate you mentioning my help but I am certain it was not vital to the project.

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Old 12-11-2019, 08:38 AM   #10
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Default Re: My "new" 260 inch Merc is a BEAST!

If you can post a video of it running.
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Old 12-11-2019, 08:45 AM   #11
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Default Re: My "new" 260 inch Merc is a BEAST!

Helping is what we're her for, glad I could help.

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Old 12-11-2019, 08:52 AM   #12
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Default Re: My "new" 260 inch Merc is a BEAST!

Sounds perfect! To me, there is nothing like the startup and driving of a new engine - is like HotRod Christmas. Glad you're happy with a well running flathead . . . now go have some fun.
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Old 12-11-2019, 08:22 PM   #13
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Default Re: My "new" 260 inch Merc is a BEAST!

A couple pics. The belt routing under the distributor and using early short pumps and crank pulley is a version of ideas by 'Ol Ron and another member here who gave me the idea of using an idler to lower the RH belt run to go under the distributor bowl. Works great!



The oil fill/pcv setup draws pcv from the fill tube while supply air enters the original road draft tube location through a gauze air filter mounted to a nipple brazed to a soft plug. This way the entire crankase bottom to top is ventilated. So far it's working well with no drawbacks. I have about 30 miles on the setup now after a short highway drive tonight.



The automatic choke (thanks tubman!) works nicely as well. The original Ford thermostatic controller hooks right up to the 2GV carb with a bent piece of brazing rod as a link.



I like the remote mount Baldwin bypass filter on the firewall. Gets it off the engine and allows a spin-on filter element which makes the change job less messy. It has an .053" orifice in the return line to sump.


I'm running on an electric pump right now...will likely get a proper 8BA mechanical on there soon. The center bolt in the cover plate is retaining a 7/16 bolt in the pump rod bushing to keep oil spatter out of the valley area for now.


Well, back to cleaning up the shop so we can put the daily driver's back in. Nice to have the Merc running again and in the "tuning phase".


Terry
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File Type: jpg merc 260 driver side.jpg (67.8 KB, 143 views)
File Type: jpg merc 260 front.jpg (57.2 KB, 137 views)
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Old 12-11-2019, 08:28 PM   #14
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Default Re: My "new" 260 inch Merc is a BEAST!

Passenger side. Alternator is a 90 Amp Nippondenso from a John Deere skid steer loader. The idler is also Deere that I turned down to 1.5" diameter and mounted to the RH leg of the Speedway alternator bracket. It mounts on a single 3/8 stud and rotates on two #203 bearings. Just clears the distributor!
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File Type: jpg 260 merc passenger side.jpg (68.5 KB, 104 views)
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Old 12-11-2019, 10:33 PM   #15
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Default Re: My "new" 260 inch Merc is a BEAST!

That is a neat installation. I'm trying to figure out what you gained by using the pumps with the set back pulleys.
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Old 12-11-2019, 10:46 PM   #16
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Default Re: My "new" 260 inch Merc is a BEAST!

First of all, congratulations on you new engine; it's good to hear that it runs so well. Here's something else to check, since you are running a 2GV. I am running one on the 255" Merc in my '51 Ford with the usual go-fast goodies (reworked heads, a Mallory dual point and Fenton headers). I too, was extremely impressed with the increase in performance over the somewhat tired original engine I replaced and had a pretty good time all summer. When it started getting a little chilly last fall, I decided to adjust the automatic choke to work a little better. During this exercise, I discovered that the throttle linkage was not opening all of the way! After messing with it for a while, I realized that the basic geometry of the Ford linkage is not correct with a 2G, which caused the problem. I could get it adjusted to open the throttle all of the way, but that resulted in an idle speed of around 2000 rpm. I thought, "What the hell, let's try it". I took it out on the county road in front of my shop, and WOW!, what a difference! The increase in performance was impressive!

I left for the winter shortly after that, and didn't have a chance to correct the problem (I did adjust it back for a reasonable idle speed.) Next spring, I am going to extend the throttle lever on the firewall to give me a longer stroke so that the throttle will open all the way with a decent idle.

If you haven't already, check to make sure your carb is opening all of the way.
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Old 12-12-2019, 11:32 PM   #17
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Default Re: My "new" 260 inch Merc is a BEAST!

I'm so envious ... Right now trying to digest the belts. What is the attachment to the crank front for the belt. I assume you needed the belt tightener because you chose to mount the alternator with a fixed bracket instead of using the adjustable generator mount. Also pls say more about the water pumps...pulleys?
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Old 12-13-2019, 12:14 AM   #18
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Default Re: My "new" 260 inch Merc is a BEAST!

The belt setup uses the stock style early pumps with the wide belt. Same as '41 Merc (and the same era Fords) originally had...rear edge of pulleys 1" from pump mounting surface of the block. I used those because they are what I had and because this year car uses the crank mounted fan which requires the crank pulley to have the mounting flange for it.

That crank pulley got a bit tricky because the early front crank seal wear sleeve is built onto it and my new 8BA engine already had the separate wear sleeve installed. It's not so easy to remove that sleeve with the engine fully assembled so I cut the one off the pulley and faced it flat in a lathe. That let me install the pulley lined up with the others.
The idler isn't a tensioner...the alternator bracket is the common adjustable one Speedway sells. The idler just routs the belt under the Chevy distributor since it's right in the run of the belt with the short water pumps.
So...it's all stock parts for '39-'41 Fords and Mercs as far as water pumps and crank pulley (If I'd thought ahead I could have used the crank pulley as-is without cutting off the seal area) , and the alternator is just mounted on a Speedway bracket with the idler to guide the belt under the distributor. Stock fan bolts right to the flanged front of the crank pulley.


It does make for a nice clean front end of the engine,and I like that. I have the day off tomorrow and am going to go for a long drive and do some tuning with the new setup.



Terry
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Old 12-13-2019, 03:06 PM   #19
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Default Re: My "new" 260 inch Merc is a BEAST!

I posted pics of the modification I use for the stock Genorator instolation with the early pumps and the SBC dist. It just requires a 1/4" spacer behind the Gen to move it away from the dist. The stock dis can't be used as the belt hits it.e
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Old 12-13-2019, 04:14 PM   #20
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Default Re: My "new" 260 inch Merc is a BEAST!

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ol' Ron View Post
I posted pics of the modification I use for the stock Genorator instolation with the early pumps and the SBC dist. It just requires a 1/4" spacer behind the Gen to move it away from the dist. The stock dis can't be used as the belt hits it.e

Ron, I used your installation pictures as an example when I did this one. Thank you very much for posting your work on that. It helped a bunch! My belt just clears the Chevy distributor housing-works great.

I put a hundred miles on it today and am sporting a wide smile.



Terry
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