Technical Back again with more bird issues...

I used to feel the same way as you Bones. It seemed though, that I couldn't go more than about 18 months and I'd have a cracked and leaking manifold again. About 15 years ago I put a set of FPA headers on and have only had to deal with an exhaust leak once since (about 4 years ago), and replaced the header gaskets.

I do have another 390 running stock manifolds with no problem though, so your advice certainly isn't bad. It may just depend on the past experience a person has had as to which future path they may want to follow. Personally, my next FE could end up with either headers or manifolds. Only time will tell.

 

It has been so long since I have been under the hood of one of these, I can't remember if they use the unibody manifolds like the Fairlanes, or the ones like the Galaxies use.

 

Mostly was looking at it as drivers side has a minor leak, passenger hella leaky. Cost of the Sanderson was the same as each side almost. Either way it’s insignificant as I have other issues to sort now.

 

s55mercury66 has the same idea that I do, possible bad water pump. I had a 60 Sunliner with a 352 while in high school. It had a knock at idle that was the water pump. Take the drive belt off, run it and listen.

 

Stopped reading here: u must have left junk in oil passages. U said oil pumped passed junk around engine - via all those passages u did not clean

 

Clay, lots of good info posted here regarding FEs One thing that has not been mentioned is the cam plug on the back of the block. The plug looks like a freeze plug, but it is mandatory to install the "cup side" towards the camshaft, not facing out like a normal "freeze plug". The camshaft will actually touch the face of the plug if installed backwards (cup out) and "make metal" which flows thru the oil system. A quick check of the oil filter should glisten with metal particles if the system has been contaminated.
FEs are awesome but definitely have some quirks that are different from what one would consider the average engine, such as the tapered oil feed bolt for rocker shaft oiling on cylinder #6 and # 3, the intake manifold that pushrods pass through, cam plug on back of block, oil gallery plug hidden in distributor hole in block only accessible with front cover removed, unusual rear main seal with pins, requirement to install distributor before bolting down intake manifold to ensure it will install after intake tightened.
Hopefully the "knock" you had was simply the exhaust leak you discovered. Good Luck

 

COG, my experiences with headers is a little dated, like from the seventies.!lol But those experiences left me with a poor opinion of headers, obviously. And the fact that headers really don’t help till the higher end of the rpm range. I rarely race at the drag strip anymore and I kinda figured Clays T bird will see very limited drag strip time, was the basis for my recommendation. Exhaust leaks , to me, are kinda like scratching your fingernails on a chalkboard, really bugs me. I just figured the stock manifold would be as good, cheaper, easier. If he buys most any header, he will probably have to do some exhaust rerouting. More $.
But here are the manifolds of choice for an FE, see pic.



Bones

 

Factory cast iron headers - both long and short versions - won't fit in the '61-'66 'Birds. Interference with the steering gearbox for one thing. Plus clearances with inner fenders and lower structure.
If a person is bound and determined to make something fit it will mean spending lots of time and having fabrication skills, and likely more money. Added together, if you really want headers, you'd be best served by saving up for a set of headers that have been proven to fit and work, or save your money and stick with the stock logs.

 

There are long and short cast iron headers for 1961-64, and the '65 versions that Bones is showing us, that he is wanting to give me as a late xmas present, since he skipped me last year. I have been searching the net for info on whether or not the last version will fit, I need to find the Tasca '64 427 article and see what is on it.

 

When I was putting the 352 back into my Sunliner I was told FE's didn't use exhaust gaskets. The overhaul gasket set had composite exhaust gaskets so I installed them anyway. Less than 1000 miles into a 2500 mile trip they failed and I had to listen to the Phttt, phttt, phttt the rest of the trip. When I got back I got some solid copper gaskets from Summit and it'd been fine ever since.

 

my experience with FE manifolds get them surfaced if there leaking at the flange or they will keep leaking. just had one done about a month ago for $ 36.80.

 

Sounds like I need to send mine to that guy. Was told that they would cost the same to resurface as buy new ones, but that doesn’t seem to be the case

 

Buy a small roll of 80 grit file board paper, find a flat piece of glass and stick some strips of that paper to it. Take the manifolds and resurface them on that, moving in a figure-8 motion.

 

Hey 55s, I’ve always had a dream of a 1965 Galaxie two door hardtop, ever since my Dad almost bought one in 1965, then decided to buy a brand new 66 4 door!. Got to try out that 1965 White XL for a day... a 14 years olds dream. Kinda faded for a while then resurfaced about twenty years ago. Started looking, couldn’t really find the right combo. I wanted a warm up FE in it with those cast iron manifolds. When I first started getting serious about the car I could find those manifolds for $500+ a set. Thought that was too high and kinda silly buying the manifolds before the car! Life rocks on and last year I found the car in my avatar..... but it’s got a 289/C4. I’ve got a 416, CJ cam, C6/2800 stall combo setting in a truck on the ranch. But when it goes in I wanted the 65 and later long tube iron manifolds. Went looking... crap the price went up...up! And very hard to find. The 64 and back are a lot more common. I found a set of 65 and up last Summer made the deal, cost me a Columbia! I’m sure you would need the 65 and up versions for your 1966 S-55. Maybe next Christmas?



Bones

 

See the Voo Doo Queen and have the car's spell removed and sell the car.

 

^^^^^^^^^ Now that's really helpful, John Lee.

 

Re. headers and T-birds, try this link to the VTCI Forum: read through all the comments.
https://www.vintagethunderbirdclub.net/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=14619&hilit=sanderson+headers+390
It may well be the Sandersons now being made could work but be aware that some shimming, cutting and fitting may be required.

 

I’ll figure something out between now and spring break, when I’ll have a chance to work on it again. For now my efforts are in trouble shooting the 8mpg fuel economy of my OT daily and making it a bit more city friendly instead of the highway cruiser ford was putting out for grandma 10-15 years ago.