OE style pressed metal expansion tank for new all aluminium FE 427.

[AC Ventura]

Getting to grips with installing the new all aluminium 427 FE into my Autokraft MK IV.
Something I wasn’t expecting, not being overly familiar with US engines is that both the oil filter mount and the carb are set at about 3 degrees to the crank horizontal. Naturally, I’ve learnt that the motor is designed to be installed tail down, 3 deg to the horizontal, so the carb and filter are level and that the diff output needs to mirror that. Glad I spotted it, but so far so good.
Now we come to the replica OE style, pressed metal expansion tank, that I need to have built from scratch. On the Pond block, the vertical mounting for this tank is not at 3 degrees. Instead it’s dead vertical. So to end up with the expansion tank level, the brass tank needs to be constructed with the input face set at 3 deg to the vertical.
Seems clear enough to me. Can anybody else kindly concur that lm on the right track here?

[RockBit]

My Pond block is tilted up 1 degree in my ERA, with the higher end toward the water pump. I didn't set it this way purposefully, I followed the instructions by setting the transmission tailshaft above the chassis. This is supposed to give enough angle on both ends of the driveshaft so that the u joints work properly.

The expansion tank on my car is at 2 degrees, so it is 1 degree different from the engine. I don't think the angle of the expansion tank is critical.

[DanEC]

Yes - in original and most replica 427 cars the motor is installed more level than Ford built into their sedans. The old Thunderbirds of the early 60s was one exception as they leveled the engine out to keep the hood low. I would not try to mount it at 3 degrees down to the rear as your driveshaft angles will probably be off. It doesn't hurt it to run the carbs at a slight angle - just adjust the floats as necessary.

I understand some 427 cars may have been fitted with wedge adaptors under the carbs to flatten them out but the adaptors I've found to attempt this were generally too tall and had too much angle to really work out.

I think my ERA is around the 1 deg mark also. It works fine.

[krausewich]

CR drawings provide a block reference angle of 2.5 deg. Trans mount angle at 1.5. Not sure what actual driveshaft angle is... I believe that the driveshaft will be out of alignment in sideview and plan view (overhead), so you should not be in alignment either way, which is a good thing. Moch it up with 3 and see how things lay out. Hope it helps.

Mike.

[DanEC]

Originally Posted by krausewich

CR drawings provide a block reference angle of 2.5 deg. Trans mount angle at 1.5.

Not sure I understand that - how can the block and transmission angles be different? Instead of block do you mean differential 2.5 deg?

[krausewich]

Hi Dan,
Trans MOUNT angle (the bracket itself). Not sure if there is a wedge shaped isolator that corrects for the difference, but I assume there would need to be.

[DanEC]

OK - got it. Well I guess the rubber should absorb the slight alignment difference with little trouble.