So over the weekend i rolled the motor over and removed the pan, so i could install the new oil pump.  I figured, if im spending all this coin on the motor, i might as well spend a little more, and get a good oil pump.  Enter this unit, from Kaase Racing Engines:

​This thing is a beast of an oil pump:

Complete redesign of the pump housing solves a cracking issue at the base of the OEM pumps, and it has dual oil ports to the rotor which helps with oil pressure at low RPMS; perfect for a trail rig.

So i put the new oil pan on, rolled it back over, installed the valve covers, and now its actually ready to go in.
​Ive switched to the valve covers from the '95 motor.  They are basically the same as my '88 valve covers, except the PCV valve screws into the passenger cover instead of using a grommet, which is a way better design.

​Fast forward to Monday morning, when a buddy came over after work, and this happened:

​She's in there!  We had enough time to throw the trans in, but sadly my torque converter has not arrived yet.
Check this out though-

​The frame notch is a success!  There is a ton of available room for the oil cooler.

So im kind of bummed the torque converter isnt here yet, but i still have plenty of stuff i can do in the meantime.  And it is supposed to rain most of the week, so whatever gets done, gets done.

Progress has been made!

First up, i got my air-fuel ratio gauge installed.  I removed my a-pillar trim, removed the gauges, and removed my standalone harness for the gauges

Wiring harness dissected, and A/F gauge wiring added!  Since its a gauge from NVU the wiring is basically the same.  So i spliced in the power, ground & illumination wires, and only had to add a single wire to the harness- the +5v reference from the wideband controller.  So overall a pretty easy job to do.

​Bam! installed.

The Glowshift pod fits pretty good actually, but i did trim the top slightly where the windshield trim fits up against it, so it would fit a little tighter.  Just some minor work with a razor knife, nothing major.  I also took the time to lay out where the original trim screws go, so i could use the OEM screws to go thru both the pod & the pillar so no extra hardware to remove, and it actually looks pretty clean.
So, that's done, moving on.  I got my new ECU from Stinger Performance, the PimpX!

​It comes with a bunch of stuff, including a pretty in-depth 30-something page PDF, which i printed off for a reference since the wifi in my garage sucks.  They actually want you to open it up, so here we go!

If youve ever been inside your ECM/PCM, then you know it looks nothing like this!  This is a 100% custom-built ECU based off the Megasquirt III.  It has a bunch of jumpers you need to install in the board to configure your unique setup.  They intentionally dont install any just so you have to go thru it and do it yourself, which i actually kinda like since it forces you to set it up exactly for your vehicle.  In my case, its only a couple jumpers since im still batch-fire, Speed Density, and running the stock TFI & ignition compnents.  It supports a ton of stuff like sequential EFI, coil-on plug, boost switches for forced induction, narrow or wideband O2 sensor(s),  it has its own electric fan controller....the list goes on.  Im still reading thru the PDF, but im pretty sure i know how im going to configure mine.
It uses its own built-in MAP sensor so i have to delete the OEM one, and run the supplied vacuum line from the intake right to the ECU.  Also, i am going to be using a wideband O2 in place of the factory narrowband (which gains me self-learning programming), which means i only needed 1 o2 bung in the exhaust, and i will have to tie the wideband controller's output into the oem signal wire from the original narrowband sensor.  I think this is the only modification i need to make to the wiring harness tho, everything else should just work like stock.  I still have more reading to do on this, so there will be more updates on this over the next couple weeks.
Heres the big one though:

​The motor is done!
All ive got to do is install the motor mounts & flexplate, and sometime next week she's going back in the bronco!

​And we're back from the shop!

​The new heads look really good!

​.208 intake valve, .175 exhaust.  Should flow a ton of air!

Everything all laid out on the cart:

Going with a cam from Comp Cams, specifically this one

​crank is back in

Pistons are +.030 Silvolite ​Hypereutectic

​Timing chain, cover, water pump, and heads!

​Unfortunately i goofed on the headbolts, so this is where it will sit until my new ARP headbolt set shows up Monday.

parts

​lots and lots of parts

This is basically every sensor for the motor plus tune up parts, gaskets, etc.  It also includes a wideband O2 + controller!

This is Innovate Automotive​'s LC-2 wideband O2 controller.  Fully tunable controller, but does not come with a gauge, which is fine since im getting one to match the other gauges i already have from NVU.

I mocked up the exhaust in the bronco, and found a good place to install a bung for the wideband sensor, just behind the stock sensor:

I removed my 2-gauge pod from my pillar, and am installing a 3-gauge pod from GlowShift.  Its actually a pretty nice piece and fits very well.

This is the harness i built for the oil pressure & trans temp gauges; its built around a 6 pin connector, and i was only using 5.  This works out super conveniently, because i only need to add 1 wire to this harness for the air-fuel ratio gauge- the signal wire from the wideband controller.  The rest of the wires for the gauge are all already there.  So wiring the gauge will be a pretty simple task.

​Here's the new Bosch wideband O2 sensor:

​Here's the wideband controller:

​Just a couple wires to connect to make it work, plus the large plug goes to the O2 sensor, the other 2 plugs are optional.  One of the small plugs is an input for connecting a laptop for tuning the controller, and the other one is an output if youre using other software/hardware from Innovate.

Here's the included harness that connects the sensor to the controller.  its available in several lengths; i got the 8' one because i dont know how im going to route the wire yet.

​And it also included this adapter harness for connecting a laptop for datalogging or tuning the controller:

Its unlikely ill need this, but it would be useful for those who like to do more specialized tuning for racing, or want to use the controller to emulate a narrowband sensor.

Ive already started wiring the controller up in the truck, but i havent routed the cable for the sensor yet.  Its difficult to say exactly where i want it to go, w/o an engine or transmission in the truck to check for clearances.  Hopefully the engine will come back soon, and i can get this thing back together and running!

I have a torque converter on order from Broader Performance, hopefully it comes soon.
​I also decided its worth it to just order a tuner, so friday i ordered the PimpX ECU from Stinger Performance.

​The engine isnt back from the builder yet, but that doesnt mean i dont have things i could be doing.  So lets do the things!

First up, lets clean that intake:

​Primed & painted.  Also in the background, is the non a/c idler pulley bracket, and the p.steering bracketry

​Intake primed/painted with VHT's "Iron" Engine Enamel:

​Accessory drive bracketry cleaned up and clear coated, looks like new!

​Plenum is done as well:

​Water pump + crank pulley/damper cleaned up and painted as well:

​Stock cast aluminum valve covers blasted and painted with a textured black paint that i found in the back of my cabinet:

​...and the oil cooler is now fully rebuilt as well too!

​ok this is minor, but has always bugged me.  Since the 460 was in a high GVWR truck, it got a different emissions system than the bronco did.  That includes these small ports for the air pump, which have been capped off forever since i dont use that system.

I dont like looking under the hood and seeing capped off emissions ports, even if they wouldnt be  used, so theyve got to go!

​This isnt a super thrilling update.  But basically, i cut them off, and then welded the holes shut so no one will ever know they were there in the first place.

​So now while im waiting on the motor, ive been putting together a a shopping list of what i think might be everything left i need to putn the motor back in, that hasnt already been ordered.  Time to spend some money on RockAuto!

​Ok this actually wasnt all that bad to do.
So, i ordered a Transgo shift kit, and a lubelocker pan gasket:

This shift kit is hilarious. ​Its like 5 springs and a piston!

I guess if it aint broke, dont fix it right?  So theres not a whole lot of work to do here, but it requires removal of the valvebody to do it.  This is entirely possible to do with the trans installed, but since ive already got it out, i opted to do it with it upside down on the cart.

Ok, i finished refreshing the NP203/205 doubler.
​
All degreased:

NP203 range box removed:

​Seeing as this kit is from 2005, the intermediate shaft is a stock shaft cut down & resplined, as opposed to a new 4340 shaft that most kits use now.  Fortunately, the shaft still looks good:

​Ok, lets get this thing cleaned up!

.​..and done!  All cleaned up, new output shaft seals, new shift rail seals, and a fresh coat of paint!

​Next up is the transmission...

Talked to the builder today.  Heads are in and he's already started cutting for valves.  Currently looking at decking the block .010 to bump compression a bit, but we'll figure that out once the heads are done.  Hes going to order the timing set/cam/lifters/etc tomorrow.  I ordered a new Kaase oil pump + hardened shaft from ARP today.  Also ordered a wideband O2 + controller & an adjustable FPR as well so i can tune it once its running.  Researching online it seems its hit or miss if its possible to tune it on the stock injectors so ill have to get it running, mess with the fuel pressure, and then (probably) have to go back and get bigger injectors.  But thats a ways off yet.

​Disassembled & started cleaning the NP203/205 doubler; hoping to start putting that back together tomorrow.  Fed Ex doesnt seem to want to deliver my shift kit (no updates since saturday) so doubtful ill be doing anything to the trans this week.

Ok, so referencing this pic i took a couple weeks ago:

​I decided to just go for it, and notch it.  Here's hoping i made it the right shape!

​Frame all cleaned up:

​Not real easy to see, but ive drawn several different lines on the frame, to try to figure out how i want to do this

The point of no return!

Here's the piece i removed for reference:​

The rough mockup in cardboard:

​And here's what i ended up with, original shape was pretty close:

​Fitting/welding:

​...and the end result!

​There is a ton of room.  This has got to be good enough, altho im not gonna lie, im a bit nervous about this one.  Mainly because i wont be able to verify its good until the motor goes in.  Here's hoping!