The Ford crowd gets a bad rap when it comes to powerplant options in their classic trucks. Let’s face it, while the Flathead is a very en vogue engine in the hot rod circle, it’s not exactly at the top of the list for many of us truck guys, save for a few purists out there. And the Y-block engine of the ’50s? Forget it. One look at the intake ports and any gearhead worth his salt could realize that the power to weight ratio was skewed in a direction not in his favor. But what of the later small-block family like the 289 and the 302? Those motors make pretty good power and with all things considered, they should be just as popular as their Chevy brethren; but they’re not.
So why are so many Ford trucks Chevy powered? Well, the answer’s not so simple, but I think I’ve scratched the surface.
Here’s the bare small-block...
Here’s the bare small-block 302ci Ford engine as shipped from Speedway Motors. It comes complete, intake to oil pan, sans accessory drives and a water pump.
You see, it seems that Ford in all their infinite wisdom decided it was necessary to make certain changes time and again to various engine components throughout the years. Timing covers differed, water pumps varied, pulleys grew and shrank, and accessories swapped positions enough times to make any blue oval fan red in the face with frustration. Unlike a small-block Chevy which only has two basic differences when it comes to mounting brackets and pulleys (long or short water pump), Ford seemed to be in a constant state of evolution, even going as far as moving the water pump inlet from the passenger side to the driver side in 1970!
The other thing I found is that many Ford engines just don’t accommodate themselves well to a modified chassis due to the large number of front sump oil pan-equipped engines. My ’52 Ford F-1 has a Heidts front IFS kit installed between the framerails and a front sump Ford small-block simply won’t clear the front crossmember.
But in the big picture, all these differences and problems are pretty insignificant after all. The oil pan issue for example is easily remedied using a kit from Speedway Motors that relocates the oil pump pickup and utilizes a rear sump pan. Problem solved.
Billet Specialties’ Tru Trac...
Billet Specialties’ Tru Trac serpentine belt system fills the accessory drive void by providing every bracket, accessory, pulley, and piece of hardware needed by even the most demanding setups. A/C compressor and manifold
The pulley, bracket, and accessory issue however is slightly more involved but equally easy to overcome thanks to Billet Specialties and their all encompassing Tru Trac Serpentine system. Beginning with a redesigned billet aluminum timing cover that allows all the components to be bolted directly to it, the Tru Trac system ships complete with a polished Powermaster 105-amp alternator, Ford Racing reverse-rotation aluminum water pump, polished Sanden SD-7 A/C compressor, Maval power steering pump, ARP fasteners, and all the billet pulleys and bracketry needed for a compact, clean, and aligned serpentine belt-driven system. Gone is the guessing game of matching up the proper pulleys and brackets to complete the accessory drive on a small-block Ford engine. And the use of a single serpentine belt with a proprietary billet aluminum tensioner driving the entire kit and caboodle, instead of a handful of V-belts, is just icing on the cake.
We recently ran across the perfect storm of Ford small-block accessory problems when we began to put the finishing touches on a 302 crate engine from Speedway Motors. Based off the common ’70s era 302 components, the guessing game of what brackets and pulleys to use to get the job done proved to be a question no one had all the answers to. We were simply faced with a trial and error situation. Short of bolting on stock, outdated components, we were going to have to do some figuring out of our own if we wanted to use updated accessories such as a smaller Sanden A/C compressor, one-wire alternator, or a remote reservoir power steering pump.
I was ready to hit the junkyards to start putting the front drive components together when a chance meeting with the guys at Billet Specialties solved our problems with a single fluid motion. They recommended trying their Tru Trac setup on our Ford and now having done so, I can honestly tell you that it’s hands down the nicest and most concise accessory drive components install I’ve ever seen.
The Tru Trac system requires...
The Tru Trac system requires the oil pan to be dropped so the timing cover can be replaced with Billet Specialties’ piece. That said, I decided to take the opportunity to swap the front sump pan with a rear sump pan that will clear most IFS crossmember kits; two birds with one stone.
Speedway Motors provided this...
Speedway Motors provided this Ford Motorsports rear sump pan conversion kit (p/n #91006675) to make the swap. Note the oil pickup will be relocated to the rear to accommodate the relocated sump.
Here’s the stock front sump...
Here’s the stock front sump pickup that needs to be removed as well as one of the main cap bolts.
The main cap bolt gets replaced...
The main cap bolt gets replaced with a stud provided in the kit…
…which supports the oil pickup...
…which supports the oil pickup tube.
With the modifications complete,...
With the modifications complete, the timing cover can then be removed.
Though our block was recently...
Though our block was recently machined, it’s always a good idea to chase all the threaded holes to clean out any debris and to ease installation.
The four 5/16”-18 studs included...
The four 5/16”-18 studs included in the kit thread into the block near the two water outlets. The longer stud mounts near the water outlet on the lower driver’s side. Two nuts are locked together on each stud to seat them firmly into the block. RTV silicone is applied to the threads before installation.
The fuel pump eccentric must...
The fuel pump eccentric must be removed from the cam snout to allow the Tru Trac timing cover to fit properly. Note that the timing cover gasket has been installed at this time with a thin coat of RTV silicone.
Now the timing cover can be...
Now the timing cover can be slid over the studs into place against the block. A thin coating of motor oil is applied to the crank seal to protect it at startup.
With the timing cover held...
With the timing cover held loosely in place, the oil pan is then installed on the one-piece neoprene gasket provided with the Speedway kit.
The four lower fasteners for...
The four lower fasteners for the timing cover and all the oil pan bolts were ran in finger tight to ensure everything lined up nicely before everything was snugged up to the block. Anti-seize was used on all fasteners unless specified otherwise.
Permatex Hylomar gasket dressing...
Permatex Hylomar gasket dressing was applied to both sides of the water pump gasket before it was slid over the studs and against the timing cover.
Four spacer nuts thread onto...
Four spacer nuts thread onto the water pump studs; a matching pair on the passenger side, the slightly shorter one on the driver’s top, and the shortest spacer nut on the driver’s bottom.
The days of using a big screwdriver to tighten an alternator belt just to have it continue to squeal are long gone. The Tru Trac system took away the guessing game plagued by Ford engines for years and saved us some serious time and money when it came to buying the right parts. Hell, I’d still be wandering around some junkyard collecting brackets and pulleys like a lunatic if it wasn’t for them!
And did I mention how bitchin’ the installed kit looks? Well, I think the results speak for themselves… it truly lives up to their claim of “cool, compact, complete.” CCT
The remaining 5/16” hardware...
The remaining 5/16” hardware is then installed and tightened, attaching the water pump to the timing cover.
The first accessory to install...
The first accessory to install is the power steering pump, which mounts using a bracket affixed to the timing cover using two 3/8” socket head cap screws.
The pump then attaches to...
The pump then attaches to the bracket using two 5/16” socket head cap screws. Since we won’t be getting around to installing the hoses this month, it’s important to note that the power steering system must be filled with fluid and bled with all components installed before the engine is run to avoid damaging the pump.
Next, the crank damper is...
Next, the crank damper is reinstalled.
The hourglass-shaped spacer...
The hourglass-shaped spacer nut attaches to the tensioner using a socket set screw.
The tensioner is then slid...
The tensioner is then slid over the short spacer nut on the driver’s side of the water pump…
…and held in place using a...
…and held in place using a 5/16” socket head cap screw.
A shoulder bolt is used to...
A shoulder bolt is used to attach the back ear of the A/C compressor to the timing cover. Fastened finger tight, the bolt holds the A/C compressor in place as it rests on the power steering pulley for the time being.
The bridge bracket is now...
The bridge bracket is now ready to be installed.
The two lower passenger-side...
The two lower passenger-side bolts are ran in finger tight to hold the bracket into place…
…while the A/C compressor...
…while the A/C compressor is swung up and attached.
Next, the bridge bracket is...
Next, the bridge bracket is attached to the tensioner and timing cover.
To correctly align the alternator...
To correctly align the alternator pulley, a spacer must be used between it and the timing cover on the lower mount.
The alternator is then swung...
The alternator is then swung upwards and attached to the bridge bracket at the upper mount. At this point, the bridge bracket installation is complete and all hardware is tightened.
To finish off the drive setup,...
To finish off the drive setup, the crank pulley is installed…
…followed by the water pump...
…followed by the water pump pulley…
…and the A/C compressor cover....
…and the A/C compressor cover. Care must be taken to avoid over tightening the compressor cover and damaging the compressor clutch.
At this point we noticed something...
At this point we noticed something rather unnerving; the crank pulley didn’t line up with the rest.
Luckily, this is a common...
Luckily, this is a common occurrence on Ford engines due to variations in timing covers and water pumps. Different size spacers are available from Ford Racing that mount between the pulley and the damper to ensure everything lines up correctly.
With that sorted, the tensioner...
With that sorted, the tensioner pulley was installed, followed by the belt to conclude the installation.
The Tru Trac kit comes with...
The Tru Trac kit comes with a neat A/C compressor manifold that I felt was important to show, though we wouldn’t be installing it at this time due to the fact that the A/C system won’t be installed and charged for some time.
And there you have it! A decent...
And there you have it! A decent day’s work between pulling the pan, etc., but well worth it. Given the time it would have taken to find the correct pulleys and brackets at the junkyard, I’d say the time was very well spent; and the results speak for themselves.