Halfway home and stuck won't run! IT LIVES!

[banzai510(hainz)]

1 3 4 2 Counter clockwise fire order

i thought i sent this to you a long time ago
http://www.guba.com/general/search?quer ... =5&x=0&y=0

[goatee]

You did but like I mentioned I got in the "hurry and put it back together mode" (stupidly of course) when I was almost done. I turned it a few times and listened and then went to bed. Tonight though I am figuring it out starting at 7pm central time so everyone sit by your computers and prepare to be amazed!



Ok well that's probably not entirely accurate but I AM going to work on it at 7 and update this before bed. heh heh

[datzenmike]

You should check the torque on that cam bolt - if the sprocket comes off - you will be replacing valves and get to do this all over again (learned that one the hard way). I would have some loc-tite on that too.
My guess is the distributor is 180 deg. off or you have the plug wires misplaced. It sounds as if it is running on two cylinders (hence the tractor like running) If you look at the manual. the drive gear for the distributor needs to go in a particular way. The small side (half round part of the drive) has to face the front or the rear (can't remember - but there is a right way).
You can test this by getting it to start and pulling the plug wires one by one to see which cylinders are not firing. If you find that two are not firing - swap those two on the distributor cap and see what happens.....

Remove valve cover and turn motor so that the first intake and exhaust lobes (bumps) are facing upwards at about 10 and 2 o'clock as viewed from the front of the motor. Rocker arms should NOT be on either cam lobe.

Set the motor on TDC using the timing mark on the crank pulley and the timing scale bolted to the timing cover just behind it.

Remove distributor and look down hole from the driver's side fender. The distributor drive spindle slot should be not quite vertical... it should be at about 11:28 like this:



If it isn't, drop the oil pump and re-position it until it is. Helps if you have a friend. Because of the helical gears it does not go straight in and turns as it is installed so you may have to make several attempts. You will also notice that the drive spindle has a slot to engage the distributor that is slightly off-set to one side. This off-set should be to the front of the motor in order for the distributor to align with the #1 plug lead on the cap.

Once the drive spindle is set at the 11:28 position the distributor and oil pump can be bolted down. The rotor should be pointing to (or within adjusting range) of the #1 plug wire on the cap.

[goatee]

It LIVESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS! Turns out I had the drive spindle basically 180. After I spun it with a friend (would have taken an hour by myself) it fired right up! It smoked enough white to get us all worried at first, I took it for a run down the lane (bout a 1/2 mile) and by the time I got back it was gone. Idled high but smooth, I went ahead and drove it to town with my friend behind me. Felt really great, it would bog a bit if I mashed the pedal but I have yet to adjust the valves, dial in the timing with a light etc.
Just that little cruise was so awesome.
Thanks so much for all your help everyone, hopefully I'll get to put some miles on it now!
Next up the tune up then I need wipers then fix the headlight relay. Then window feltings (rattles like crazy).

Anything a newb should double check now that it's at least running?

[defdes]

Do a full bolt check, half shafts, drive shaft, intake and exhaust manifolds, check for vacuum leaks using some carb cleaner before you start to tune it up.

[James]

Glad to hear it is running - get it tuned up and give it long drive!!!!

[goatee]

Put in a new used temp gauge that we verified worked before pulling off my friends firebird. The temp gauge goes all over the place though. What's a good temp on my setup? It would jump up several then go back down 10 degrees at a time sometimes. Air in there maybe? New thermostat?

[James]

You are probably seeing the temp change due to the t-stat opening and close. 180 - 190 f is where you want to be. If you are getting a big drop when it opens - you may want to drill a hole in the flange to allow a small amount of water through to slow down the warm up.....I think Byron said that he had drilled a 5/16" hole in his - but you should verify....

[goatee]

Seems to be staying around 200. I'm not going to be driving it anymore til my old coworker comes and helps me time, valves etc.

[James]

Best idea is to get it totally tuned up and see where you are at. Timing and lean conditions can increase temps....

[goatee]

Well the timing mark on the pulley from the po is definitely not correct. We ended up timing it by ear (well he did) going around the block, adjusting etc. Runs much better now. I ended up backing it off just a hair from what we had set at his house because on the drive home it would ping going uphill. I also went through the weber adjustment guide and now having it idling at 800 RPMs and it actually shuts off instead of dieseling. I've got to feather it a bit in the morning because I don't have my new manual choke hooked up yet. So that'll be my first engine mod Interior work I need to get my temp gauge mounted and my seats bolted in better. Oh and there is a retractable seat belt for the drivers side that has never been put in. Exterior I'd like to switch my rear flares out for a pair of Byron's I think. I might see what the body guy thinks of trimming them so they don't go past the body line. I know it got smacked in the right rear quarter at some point and i thought they had done a pretty good job but I noticed a crack in it the other day.

[James]

How are the temps since you have it tuned a bit more?

[goatee]

Well it's under 200 now but just barely somestimes getting down close to 190. I've only driven it once more (to work today) so far. It's got a vw radiator and I've been checking it REAL often cause when I first got it on the maiden voyage when i boughtit, it leaked I THINK from the cap. Also when we first started it up after putting the head back on it also spit a bunch out up front (cup or two maybe) but I didn't notice, my friend did and by the time we got the hood popped it had stopped and we couldn't tell where from. Again it looked like maybe from the cap.

[bertvorgon]

Good that it is under 200!!! that is way too hot, as you would have no latitude if you beat on the motor, assuming the gauges are ok.

What thermostat do you have in there? Personally, I run a 160, which in reality runs at 165 to 170. depending on speed, and when I start driving hard, it may get to 180. I tend to like things cooler, as it gives me some temp latitude when things really get going, under huge thermal load. I only drive my car in the summer anyhow,

[goatee]

Keith I don't know which I have but I'm going to swap it out in case. I'm also going to try hooking the old temp up just to see the difference, I may grab a new one as well. I drove it to work again today (7 miles one way) and it was 190 there and back.
Purely out of curiosity,
What weight oil are you running? Do you know what RPMs you are at going 65?