Hoss Bronco Build - 1972 Modern Wheeler

[nvrstuk]

Forged will gain you resistance to detonation and abuse.

 

[hossbronco]

I just received a set of ARP2000 head studs and main studs for my Godzilla. I’m lucky I was able to get a set because these still won’t be commercially available for several months. Callies now makes a set of these, and P1 makes at least the head studs, as of a couple of months ago.

It’s nice to see the products start to come out. ARP is working on a harmonic balancer bolt and flexplate bolts.

Now I just need Ford Performance to come out with the Megazilla camshaft, heads, and pistons and rods (probably already available).

 

[73azbronco]

Triple the forged, one of my only regerts building my stroker.

 

[nvrstuk]

Make sure ANYthing you buy from Ford Performance is checked & doubled checked for proper specs.
Just saying from experience.

 

[hossbronco]

I've been waiting for the last couple of months for Brian Tooley Racing and Brian Wolfe to come out with the rumored new camshaft that would be the best one yet for a daily driver Godzilla build, and the new camshaft did not disappoint. It rivals the Megazilla cam, and probably is even a little better. Better yet, unlike Ford Performance, they publish their numbers:

Engine Family: FORD GODZILLA 7.3L APPLICATIONS
Recommended Engine Size: 7.3L

VVT Limiter: BTR-VVT-GZ-8CAM

INTAKE DURATION @.050": 222
EXHAUST DURATION @.050": 234
LOBE LIFT INTAKE: 0.356
LOBE LIFT EXHAUST: 0.358
INTAKE LOBE LIFT @ T.D.C.: 0.081
ROCKER ARM RATIO: 1.8
NET LIFT INTAKE: 0.641
NET LIFT EXHAUST: 0.644
LOBE SEPARATION ANGLE: 110
RPM Operating Range: 1500-6400
Expected Cam Swap Gains (P2P): 102HP 60FT-LBS

Idle Quality: Great rumble sound without sacrificing factory comforts.
Torque Converter Characteristics: Works with factory converters
Drivability: Mild-mannered daily feel, with a nice aggressive sound

The below graph uses the stock intake and Ultimate Headers for a Foxbody. With my Ford Performance low-profile intake and ported heads I should see an improvement over these numbers.

 

[nvrstuk]

Sure brings those max #'s down to DD cruising.
Appr 5200 rpm for max #'s is great

 

[hossbronco]

My leather-wrapped Corbeau seats came in as well. Things are coming together nicely. I'm still working on replacing the floorpans at the moment.

 

[Hallboss]

My leather-wrapped Corbeau seats came in as well. Things are coming together nicely. I'm still working on replacing the floorpans at the moment.

Good choice... really like my Corbeau's with heated option

 

[hossbronco]

I’m hoping to make some good progress on the Godzilla over the next few days. I’ve got the Holley front cover and a Brian Tooley Racing camshaft coming in this week. I was going to use the IPP billet front cover FEAD I’ve been developing with the manufacturer, but it requires me to lock out the cam. Instead, the BTR cam requires an 8 degree limiter.

Once I’ve got these installed, I’ll need to install Johnson lifters, Manton pushrods, and PAC valve springs, all of which I still need to order.

 

[hossbronco]

I ran into a couple of problems this weekend that will slow down this portion of the work. I ordered a few Godzilla-specific tools, most of which will be here by next weekend. However, one of them: the VCT locking tool, is backordered and won’t ship until April. I need this to properly install the camshaft without messing up the cam phaser.

In the meantime, I’ll install the dry sump pan and pump and the new timing chain cover (temporarily). However, in advance of that, I mocked up those items off of the engine to test for clearance between the oil pump and the water pump inlet. it looks like the Holley adjustable 45 degree water neck inlet to the water pump is going to interfere with the oil pump pulley. I’ll have to try the 90 degree inlet or the straight-down inlet.

 

[hossbronco]

Today my son and I placed the STL009 Flow Control Valve in the 6R80. We also confirmed the internal parts were for a Gen. 2 6R80. Next I’ll get the Godzilla on the engine stand.

 

[nvrstuk]

Flow control? Is that the temperature bypass valve?

 

[hossbronco]

Flow control? Is that the temperature bypass valve?

Yes, that’s correct. The product description is in the photo. When PBH built my transmission they took out the OEM bypass valve and put nothing in its place. Now that I’ve placed the STL009 valve in the transmission should be ready to go.

 

[hossbronco]

Also, when I ordered the transmission from PBH, I sent them a Gen 1 6R80 and asked them to send me back a fully-built Gen 2 6R80. To confirm that I received the correct transmission and internals I used this article.

https://gearsmagazine.com/magazine/updates-to-the-ford-6r80-part-2/#google_vignette

I think the pan might actually be from a Gen 1 (one magnet instead of two), but everything else checked out, and I eventually plan on upgrading the pan.

 

[nvrstuk]

Nothing in the original check valves place??

Be really interested to hear why nothing was installed.

I have that bypass control valve in mine.

I am buying an in line temp bypass valve so I can get the fluid temp past 100deg. I'll bet 90% of the time my trans temp is below 100deg F even on 80days.
Most guys here also know that's not on a 5 mile drive either. 50 mile cruise and still 100deg.

140deg tstat is what I'm shooting for. I don't recall ever seeing my fluid temp that high.

New trannys and new fluids are designed to run a bit hotter than the old PwrGlides and I'm sure most of it is mpg driven, but since they are designed to run at 205 and I'm only running half that temp even with cardboard completely covering my SD cooler 6mo/yr it's probably good to bring the temp up.

What are your fall/winter/spring temps like?

 

[hossbronco]

Well, I’m in Dallas, but we’ll get freezing temperatures a few times every winter. Summers are hot. Still, I’d like to be able to visit you guys in the PNW without problems, so it needs to be good for all temps.

The reason no valve was installed is because the sales rep didn’t know his product very well, and at the time I didn’t know a valve needed to be installed there. I just knew I didn’t want the OEM bypass valve. I requested that they not install the OEM valve, but they didn’t suggest a replacement. In fact, they accidentally installed an OEM valve and then the sales rep went back in himself to pull it out. I found out later (from you) that I had a problem. Thanks for that.

Right now I have a fan control thermostat that turns on the cooler fan at 180F and turns it off at 165F. I’ve been wondering if that will be enough to get temperatures up. I’m a little nervous to block the flow as it will require the STL009 to function correctly to lubricate the transmission, but maybe that’s normal? Why are you targeting 140F and not higher?

 

[nvrstuk]

140 is arbitrary !

I'm thinking if its 140F in the line it will be warmer in the trans. I won't know until I actually install the temp check valve and compare the temp on my pan mounted temp gauge and reading the Baumann/USShift controller temp readout-how close will they be??

My reasoning is flow.

There's no circulation in the line until the valve opens as I don't know if the valve bypasses a small amount (like a tstat's weep hole) so will that warm 140 deg fluid actually reach the valve anywhere close to being 140 in the trans??? Once again, actual testing will tell me.

What I don't want is tranny cooler temp air at 200+deg F being sucked into my radiator trying to cool my stroker.

I am reasoning the closer the valve is mounted to the trans the more accurate the fluid temp will be to the valve temp.

Tranny fluid still doesn't like hot temps. 205 is operating temp but 220-230 really is at the extreme end of sustainable life for fluid, seals, etc.

It seems like guys in F150's towing or working their rig hard bump to those high temps pretty quickly and I don't want that.

I have talked to the engineers (I don't know how I get passed on to these guys thru the phone trees) but fluid viscosity for these LV fluids once you get upwards of 120 or so isn't much different than 190 so (he was reading charts and these are the #'s as I remember) I'm good with that.

I just know that I've always had a low whine in the trans that is rpm & cold weather dependant. I live where it's cold and play in the snow a lot and the whine is louder when the temp guage never moves off the peg. Even in below zero temps with the cooler totally blocked with cardboard like we all used to run in frt of our radiators 20+ yrs ago in the winters around here (diesel guys still do it) I never saw the temp gauge move off the peg, hence the in line temp valve experiment.

Even with the extreme record summer heat we have been experiencing (been here 50 yrs and NOTHING like these temps have been recorded ever) my trans temp guages (both) barely make it to 120deg.

Whew- another short post. lol

 

[hossbronco]

140 is arbitrary !

I'm thinking if its 140F in the line it will be warmer in the trans. I won't know until I actually install the temp check valve and compare the temp on my pan mounted temp gauge and reading the Baumann/USShift controller temp readout-how close will they be??

My reasoning is flow.

There's no circulation in the line until the valve opens as I don't know if the valve bypasses a small amount (like a tstat's weep hole) so will that warm 140 deg fluid actually reach the valve anywhere close to being 140 in the trans??? Once again, actual testing will tell me.

What I don't want is tranny cooler temp air at 200+deg F being sucked into my radiator trying to cool my stroker.

I am reasoning the closer the valve is mounted to the trans the more accurate the fluid temp will be to the valve temp.

Tranny fluid still doesn't like hot temps. 205 is operating temp but 220-230 really is at the extreme end of sustainable life for fluid, seals, etc.

It seems like guys in F150's towing or working their rig hard bump to those high temps pretty quickly and I don't want that.

I have talked to the engineers (I don't know how I get passed on to these guys thru the phone trees) but fluid viscosity for these LV fluids once you get upwards of 120 or so isn't much different than 190 so (he was reading charts and these are the #'s as I remember) I'm good with that.

I just know that I've always had a low whine in the trans that is rpm & cold weather dependant. I live where it's cold and play in the snow a lot and the whine is louder when the temp guage never moves off the peg. Even in below zero temps with the cooler totally blocked with cardboard like we all used to run in frt of our radiators 20+ yrs ago in the winters around here (diesel guys still do it) I never saw the temp gauge move off the peg, hence the in line temp valve experiment.

Even with the extreme record summer heat we have been experiencing (been here 50 yrs and NOTHING like these temps have been recorded ever) my trans temp guages (both) barely make it to 120deg.

Whew- another short post. lol

Haha. With how much you post on these boards I’m not sure how you find time to work on your own Broncos. But I certainly appreciate you passing on your years of knowledge to the rest of us. I know when I get a response from you that you’ve done your research and it’s well thought out. I may not always agree, but you provide your rationale, so it helps me make an informed decision. (Sometimes I just have to make my own mistakes!)

 

[nvrstuk]

I have worked at not working from.6am to 10:30pm.

Morning coffee with CB and evening ice cream with CB.

Also, I have had a lot of time in the house this past year hanging, reading with my wife who is creating her own knitting patterns (the math is crazy lol) & who has had more than her share of surgeries in the past 10 mo. So I can post while she's doing stuff right next to me.

Sorry for overloading the system but thanks for the compliment and yeah, I 100% agree that there's always multiple ways to do "it" ! lol

I actually hired out some fab work (not on my Broncos) and it is SOOOOOO hard to let go even for simple jobs. Maybe only taken 2 weeks at 12-18 hr days but...

 

[Yeller]

My guess would be the cold buzz is the pressure relieve valve in the pump, it’s a common noise in most hydraulic pumps.