Thread: My FE390 Horror Story with Happy Ending Plus my Invention for Easy Intake Placement

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You folks are so good to me I wanted to share a couple of things instead of always asking for your help. First the HORROR Story. 2 nights ago after installing my Edelbrock Performer intake on my 68 Fairlane 500 Fastback with the so fun to work on FE390, I started to install the other components. I was putting the lifter rocker rods in place but put a rod in the wrong hole in doing so. I always like to put them back in the same place I got them out of. I go to pull the rod back out of the hole for #2 intake valve. When doing so I felt a little resistance then heard a metal "tink" sound. I look in the hole and there is NO LIFTER in the cam hole. Horrified all I could do was hang my head on the fender and think of how I was going to have to pull the intake off again after my amazing alignment installation job I did. After briefly feeling sorry for myself I proceeded to see if I could spot the lifter through the confined openings and rod ports. Thankfully I spotted it laying on its side to the left of its cylindrical home. I wasn't sure which end was up so I decided to try something being the inventor and trouble shooting solver that I am. I took one of those magnetic tipped rods that come in handy on so many occasions and lowered it in the rod hole stopping near the top of the lifter hole. I then took a long flat screwdriver over to my vise and bend the last 2" of it at a 90 degree angle. Like a surgeon I gently took the screwdriver and lowered it the opening to the left of the lifter. I held the magnetic ended rod in what I was hoping was the right place and pushed the lifter towards it using the screwdriver until i felt the magnet grab it. I then gently lifted the magnetic rod up while pushing still with the screwdriver hoping I could get the lifter vertical over the hole. Some how I was able to do this and drop the lifter down until it was back home again. I then took a thing rod and held the lifter down while pulling the magnet up. Did I get it right side up the first time. Horribly I looked into the the rod opening and saw the smooth surface of my solid lifter. Crap. At least I knew I could get it in there and went to bed that night thinking how I was going to do all of this again without loosing it in a place where I couldn't retrieve it again. Thankfully after planning my attack that night I got out there the next morning, got the lifter out, turned it on its side with the top facing left and put that puppy in its place using the same technique as the night before. Greatest feeling in the world to pull off a feat like that. I hope this helps someone some day that might have the same thing happen to them.
Something else I invented that helped me to gently lower my intake onto the motor without disturbing the gaskets or beads of the Right Stuff on the ends is shown below. I took a piece of pvc pipe, slipped it through a cord attached to the carb bolts on top of the intake, ran it through a loop I made from an old folding chair on the side of the fender for guidance so the pipe can't move to the left or right. All you do now is lift up using the small handle you have to the left of the intake then slowly push the pvc pipe through the loop on the far end until the intake is directly over the motor. Lower it down and keep it steady using your right hand as you lower it down in place. You will be amazed how accurate you can be using this method and I hope this helps someone that might have struggled in the past with this task.

Great tips and determination.
Necessity really is the mother of invention. You learned it firsthand.

And not one uttered " Bother " word heard escape from your lips, I'm very impressed and thank you for the tips. I was helping a friend recently put together his 283 and we had that same issue of placing the triple carb manifold in place with one attempt which, with both our tongues sticking out on the correct angle, we succeed the first time.

I really like the manifold install tip.
I once used an engine hoist, but it was so awkward and clumbsy that it was of negligible assistance.

your lucky that was an aluminum manifold-try it on the 80 lb cast iron oem