The V8 Owners Forum -

As with a lot of long term builds the thing evolves as you go along.
I started with a 3.5 early block and had the rear main seal area modified to take a lip seal, then biffed the SU's in favour of a rifle rock ( I actually typed "edelbrock" but the proxy spellcheck changed it....)performer and a Hillary (ah, that would be "holley" )390 vac sec, then I scored a efi set up with a megasquirt ECU, then I thought wtf , why not go 3.9 and went looking for one. The 1st issue I hit was that the engine on offer has the anular oil pump round the crankshaft nose, and here come the questions.
Are they any good , can it be updated and can I fit the old front cover assy (I have a tall rotor kit fitted? How hard to plumb in a remote filter set up ?
Also how big a deal is it to have top hat liners fitted , which is what this (serpentine) motor needs as apparently the liners have slipped after a recent rebore .
Thanks
Hamish

Top hats will cost between 1 & 2 grand depending where you go.
You can fit the old front cover, but you will need a spacer to to over the crankshaft nose as it's longer.
Remote oil filter can be done easily by fitting an adaptor in place of the regular oil filter.

Chris.

The 1st issue I hit was that the engine on offer has the anular oil pump round the crankshaft nose, and here come the questions.
Are they any good , can it be updated and can I fit the old front cover assy (I have a tall rotor kit fitted? How hard to plumb in a remote filter set up ?

Yes - the newer crank driven oil pump is better than the old dizzy driven one and wouldn't need upgrading.
If you are using megasquirt are you also using coil packs? so you can ditch the dizzy? if so the later front cover is neater and smaller.

Yeah , I have decided to go edis but I have also decided to stick with my early 3.5. Seems to me that the bigger the bore the more likely liner issues are and I just can't be arsed with that ,anyhow I should get 210 -220 hp out of 3.5 and that's double what the pinto has now. I'm gettin sick of spending money on it

Is an early 3.9 less prone to liner slipping after a re-bore?