Reply to "Ford Big Block Engine Swap"

Kid,

I removed the mechanical thermostat. In its place I have wired the temperature sensor that signals the water pump controller.

Unlike a belt-driven pump, which is driven whenever the engine is turning, the electric pump does not begin cycling until the coolant gets to a preset temperature. At that moment it appears to pulse modulate.

I made the rookie mistake of locating the gauge temp sensor in the swirl tank. Because of this my gauge reads cold until the pump starts modulating, at which point it instantly goes to 190 degrees F. and stays there. I think that I will be relocating the gauge sensor to the front of the intake manifold, adjacent to the pump controller sensor. This should give a more accurate gauge reading.

Also, the Compu-Tronix distributerless ignition was a no-brainer installation and works fantastically. It has a tunable mechanical advance that I have not played with yet.

Another aftermarket item is the hydraulic throwout bearing. Dispite my misgivings, it appears to be working flawlessly. The dual friction clutch has good feel and modulation as well without being too heavy.

I plan to drive the car around this weekend and see if there are any bugs yet to be worked out. I still need to complete wiring of several accessories.