99 Explorer 5.0 rebuild progress - a few questions

[skrit]

What size is this plug? I removed them but can't find them anywhere to match them up at the hardware store?


What goes into these threaded holes (one on the timing cover and one at the rear of the block?


Was going to verify TDC so I can check my lash but the piston stops I bought won't reach nor will my compression tester. Is there an adapter to reach down into the spark plug hole? Also, now that the engine is buttoned back up, it's very hard to turn by hand using a socket on the crank bolt. When I was about to start the rebuild, I could turn by hand quite easily. to observe the internals operating. I've read this is normal for a fresh rebuild - what do ya'll think? (All new bearings and rings, new cylinder hone, reused pistons, arms, crank, cam. Had heads refreshed using existing parts except new valve seals and valves/valve ports lapped.)

 

[1969miller]

first hole ill have to get back to you on after i check one of my motors.

front of engine, block side is the oil pressure sensor, timing cover i will also check and get back to you.

The rear hole at the top of the bellhousing area doesn't have anything threaded into it in the explorer.

 

[904Bronco]

1/4" pipe thread for the oil sending unit.
Threaded hole next to oil sending unit... Nothing. But, I usually make a ground strap from that hole to the frame, >drill a hole and tap it for a 5/16" bolt.
The threaded hole at the back of the motor... Nothing, I usually just put a bolt and washer in it.
Threaded hole on the lower block, should be a deadender... Nothing. You could just put a bolt in it or leave it open.

 

[skrit]

1/4" pipe thread for the oil sending unit.
Threaded hole next to oil sending unit... Nothing. But, I usually make a ground strap from that hole to the frame, >drill a hole and tap it for a 5/16" bolt.
The threaded hole at the back of the motor... Nothing, I usually just put a bolt and washer in it.
Threaded hole on the lower block, should be a deadender... Nothing. You could just put a bolt in it or leave it open.

excellent!

 

[Broncobowsher]

1st photo is coolant drain. ¼NPT plug. Same as what you have installed in the 4th photo
2nd photo, 2 holes. The one in the block is also ¼" NPT but is oil galley. That is where the oil pressure sender goes. The one into the timing cover, don't remember. I think it held a bracket?
3rd photo, bellhousing area. Nothing critical that I know of.
4th photo, I wouldn't be putting stuff in the hole to find TDC. Your other post you have the pan off. You can just look up the bottom and see the piston at TDC. Now at top of compression stroke or the top of exhaust stroke is a guess as there are two TDCs. Based on cam timing. Further confused as the GTP heads should not have adjustable valve train. Not sure what lash you are going to check.

 

[skrit]

1st photo is coolant drain. ¼NPT plug. Same as what you have installed in the 4th photo
2nd photo, 2 holes. The one in the block is also ¼" NPT but is oil galley. That is where the oil pressure sender goes. The one into the timing cover, don't remember. I think it held a bracket?
3rd photo, bellhousing area. Nothing critical that I know of.
4th photo, I wouldn't be putting stuff in the hole to find TDC. Your other post you have the pan off. You can just look up the bottom and see the piston at TDC. Now at top of compression stroke or the top of exhaust stroke is a guess as there are two TDCs. Based on cam timing. Further confused as the GTP heads should not have adjustable valve train. Not sure what lash you are going to check.

Regarding 1st photo comment- the plug I installed already in both sides of the block for the coolant drain are too big to install in that hole and the one on the other side (which I assume are also coolant drains). It's a different size hole (smaller).

 

[904Bronco]

To my knowledge, it is just a cast threaded hole in the block, not used in the Explorer application. It should not go through into the oil area of the block.

You can leave it as is, or put a plug in it. In looking at your picture orientation, it is on the starter side of the block? Perhaps, it could be used as a point for a Batt Ground? I haven't done so, nor do I recall if once the starter is installed would there be a conflict...

 

[jamesroney]

1st photo is coolant drain. ¼NPT plug. Same as what you have installed in the 4th photo
2nd photo, 2 holes. The one in the block is also ¼" NPT but is oil galley. That is where the oil pressure sender goes. The one into the timing cover, don't remember. I think it held a bracket?
3rd photo, bellhousing area. Nothing critical that I know of.
4th photo, I wouldn't be putting stuff in the hole to find TDC. Your other post you have the pan off. You can just look up the bottom and see the piston at TDC. Now at top of compression stroke or the top of exhaust stroke is a guess as there are two TDCs. Based on cam timing. Further confused as the GTP heads should not have adjustable valve train. Not sure what lash you are going to check.

@Broncobowsher You are usually pretty reliable. But I'm going to disagree a bit.

1st photo is a 7/16 x 14 threaded hole for no particular purpose. It is usually obscured by the starter. It is a blind hole, and has no function in an Explorer application. It does not enter the water jacket, oil galley, or crankcase.
2nd photo, 2 holes. The one in the block is indeed 1/4 NPT oil galley. The one in the timing cover, (second hole) is tricky. It's tricky because everybody thinks that it is an Explorer timing cover. But of course we all know that it is NOT an Explorer timing cover. It was born two years earlier, and it is an SN-95 Cover. When used in the 94-95 Mustang 5.0, it does indeed hold the bracket for the starter cable crossover. So your memory is right, just in a different car.
3rd photo. This one is also tricky. And misunderstood. This hole appears in the C4OE blocks both 260 and 289 and carries thru final production of the F1SE blocks. I don't know if the C2OE blocks from a 221 has it or not. No one seems to know the purpose of this hole. I remain convinced that it is a tooling fixture hold location. Others claim it is a clutch bell crank pivot location for Right Hand Drive industrial applications. All I know is that it costs Ford about $1.00 to cast, drill, and thread a hole in a block. Given that Ford produced around 100 MILLION small blocks, that's a one hundred million dollar hole, that seems to have no purpose.
4th photo. Of course someone might need to put a hard stop in the hole to find TDC. Assuming that you are trying to calibrate your Crank trigger or establish base timing on the cam sync. ...and you want resolution down to 1/2 degree...you can't possibly eyeball that from the bottom. There is only ONE crankshaft Top Dead Center. Top Dead Center is TDC. any yes, if you are doing this part to ensure that your damper hasn't slipped, or you are adding timing tape, or you are degree-ing your cam...that should have happened long before now. If you are just trying to find #1 compression stroke (and you have the valve covers off...) there are easier ways.
I defer to your expertise on GTP heads. I don't know much about them. I wouldn't own them, don't run them, and generally have no use for them. But yes, they should be pedestal heads, and Junk to me.

Gotta go.

 

[Broncobowsher]

@Broncobowsher You are usually pretty reliable. But I'm going to disagree a bit.

1st photo is a 7/16 x 14 threaded hole for no particular purpose. It is usually obscured by the starter. It is a blind hole, and has no function in an Explorer application. It does not enter the water jacket, oil galley, or crankcase.
2nd photo, 2 holes. The one in the block is indeed 1/4 NPT oil galley. The one in the timing cover, (second hole) is tricky. It's tricky because everybody thinks that it is an Explorer timing cover. But of course we all know that it is NOT an Explorer timing cover. It was born two years earlier, and it is an SN-95 Cover. When used in the 94-95 Mustang 5.0, it does indeed hold the bracket for the starter cable crossover. So your memory is right, just in a different car.
3rd photo. This one is also tricky. And misunderstood. This hole appears in the C4OE blocks both 260 and 289 and carries thru final production of the F1SE blocks. I don't know if the C2OE blocks from a 221 has it or not. No one seems to know the purpose of this hole. I remain convinced that it is a tooling fixture hold location. Others claim it is a clutch bell crank pivot location for Right Hand Drive industrial applications. All I know is that it costs Ford about $1.00 to cast, drill, and thread a hole in a block. Given that Ford produced around 100 MILLION small blocks, that's a one hundred million dollar hole, that seems to have no purpose.
4th photo. Of course someone might need to put a hard stop in the hole to find TDC. Assuming that you are trying to calibrate your Crank trigger or establish base timing on the cam sync. ...and you want resolution down to 1/2 degree...you can't possibly eyeball that from the bottom. There is only ONE crankshaft Top Dead Center. Top Dead Center is TDC. any yes, if you are doing this part to ensure that your damper hasn't slipped, or you are adding timing tape, or you are degree-ing your cam...that should have happened long before now. If you are just trying to find #1 compression stroke (and you have the valve covers off...) there are easier ways.
I defer to your expertise on GTP heads. I don't know much about them. I wouldn't own them, don't run them, and generally have no use for them. But yes, they should be pedestal heads, and Junk to me.

Gotta go.

I'll say you are right about #1. If it were a slightly wider photo showing the other drain plug, I may not have been confused.
Photo #3 and a 221 question. I can answer that. I happen to have a 221 engine sitting in my garage and it does indeed have that threaded hole. Nothing bolted into it, but it is there.
Since the head is off (other post) it is now super easy to find TDC.

 

[skrit]

Thanks everyone for your help! This is what happens when you don't document existing conditions for your first engine rebuild and just start tearing it down.