351w, EFI, and AOD = valve cover clearance issue --- HELP!

[67EB_in_619]

Ok... here is the rundown..
I am swapping a 351w into my truck and putting ford fuel injection on using a lightning lower and a explorer upper. I have an AOD and mount the TV cable using a stock mustang bracket mounted to the throttle body.

The 351w has tall valve covers on it because it has roller tip lifters... not sure about the lift on the cam, but it is pretty mild "RV cam".

I already had to do some mods to make things fit with the taller covers but hit one item I cant seem to figure out.. the throttle/tv cable lever.

I have the bracket mounted after some light trimming around the TV mount, but the TV cable has that big block that hangs off the bottom of the TB lever where you adjust it. There isnt enough room for the cable to be mounted to the lever.

I cant be the first person to run Ford EFI on a 351w that has had some valve work requiring taller covers...

I already have a 2" body lift so the hood closes as is. I do have a phenolic spacer but dont have the hood clearance for the raised upper.

My options I see are:

• Try stock height covers w/thick (0.3") gaskets
• Fiberglass hood w/scoop or add a scoop to mine (cant really afford that)
• add another inch to the body lift (but then it wont fit in the garage, yes.. that tight)
• some other TV cable/bracket/lever setup I dont know about

Suggestions? Solutions?

Thanks guys!!

 

[Broncobowsher]

A thought comes to mind.
Look at late 80's early 90's Ranger/BroncoII with A4LD trans. the throttle pedal pulls on 2 cables. One for the engine, the other for the trans. I wonder if that would work better then gas pedal pulling on engine and engine pulling on trans of the stock setup?

 

[67EB_in_619]

It would be interesting to see if the lever range of motion/ratio is similar.

I would likely be too impatient and buy/paint a hood scoop first

 

[67EB_in_619]

I am surprised there werent more responses... it looks like I might be able to get away with more of a "stock height" valve cover + the felpro thick (0.30") gasket to clear the roller rockers... that should give me the clearance I need.

 

[Broncobowsher]

There is an old mustang joke that you need a hood scoop to clear roller rockers.

Install roller rockers, stock valve covers no longer fit
Install tall valve covers to clear the rockers, intake doesn't fit.
Install intake spacer to clear tall valve covers, hood no longer closes
Install hood scoop, now everyone knows you have roller rockers.

Also known as the snowball effect.

 

[67EB_in_619]

FYI (late update) I was able to get it to work by running the scott drake bronco script covers.. they have a lower profile but the baffles are setup to allow roller rockers..

All worked great till yesterday when i broke a piston and cracked the block... lets pull the motor one more time!

 

[bronco-billy-66]

(late update)
All worked great till yesterday when i broke a piston and cracked the block... lets pull the motor one more time!

Ouch.. Why-how did that happen?