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Tonight, I am going to check the bearing clearances on the pistons and rings. Then install the pistons. Afterwards, I will degree the cam. That will get me to where I need to be I guess I need to setup the pointer so that everything is zero TDC before hand. I have the following tools to make the job easy and accurate:
Last night, some work competed:
Installed the crank (first checked clearances)
Got the pickup ready to weld onto the oil pump
set the windage tray height.
installed the initial cam timing
Once on the chain does have a little bit of give/play? It should rotate with no drag from the chain fit.
The chain has play in it. I did have to change out the cam button and shorten it up a bitt. The comp cam one was sitting too long on the face of the cam. The cam is set the right spot since I could drop the distributor right into place. I had to drill out the retainer for the timing sprocket since this cam button is a different style than the comp cam one. The lip of the retainer would interfere with the bearing on the cam button. Now, the middle hole is matching the cam and not overhanging. The cam button has .010 of end play. I am using a stronger and stiffer timing cover than the stock timing cover. I thought I had the correct set of rod bearings. The ones I have are for a large journal crank so I had to order those. My friend said those should arrive today. Right now, I have done all I could do with the block. Tonight, I am going to clean the engine bay. Clean the pistons some more so those are ready to go (dishwasher, sshh don't tell my wife!). I might get the gaskets installed on the front motor mount and fuel pump bolts. What kind of grease do you use for the oil pump to get it ready for priming? I have to get some brazing rod so my son can braze the oil pickup. Its set and ready to go.
Once on the chain does have a little bit of give/play? It should rotate with no drag from the chain fit.
The chain has play in it. I did have to change out the cam button and shorten it up a bit. The comp cam one was sitting too long on the face of the cam. The cam is set the right spot since I could drop the distributor right into place. I had to drill out the retainer for the timing sprocket since this cam button is a different style than the comp cam one. The lip of the retainer would interfere with the bearing on the cam button. Now, the middle hole is matching the cam and not overhanging. The cam button has .010 of end play. I am using a stronger and stiffer Y brace timing cover than the stock timing cover. The shop owner gave me this cam button. It is one out of one of his sprint car motors. I thought I had the correct set of rod bearings. The ones I have are for a large journal crank so I had to order those. My friend said those should arrive today.
Right now, I have done all I could do with the block. Tonight, I am going to clean the engine bay. Clean the pistons some more so those are ready to go (dishwasher, sshh don't tell my wife!). I might get the gaskets installed on the front motor mount and fuel pump bolts. What kind of grease do you use for the oil pump to get it ready for priming? I have to get some brazing rod so my son can braze the oil pickup. Its set and ready to go.
For a small block Chevy I just squirt a little assembly lube into the oil pump gears so they are not bone dry on start up. I think the lube helps create suction on first start to pull oil up the pick up tube. I have not used grease. Many greases do not mix well with oil, meaning they repel rather than mix once oil is introduced on start up. Progress! When is your start up date?
Mark
For a small block Chevy I just squirt a little assembly lube into the oil pump gears so they are not bone dry on start up. I think the lube helps create suction on first start to pull oil up the pick up tube. I have not used grease. Many greases do not mix well with oil, meaning they repel rather than mix once oil is introduced on start up. Progress! When is your start up date?
Mark
I can do that. I have a whole bottle of redline waiting to get used up. I am trying to get it ready for the Kool April Nites cruise next friday in Redding. My wife mentioned to me it was supposed to rain but not sure about that.
I had to order a set of small journal bearings. The ones I had were for a large journal crank. Those should come in today. This last weekend, I spent the time cleaning up the engine bay, suspension and checking to make sure everything is tight. Don't mind the mess. Tonight and tomorrow is the big push to get the pistons and heads installed so I can measure the push rod length. This way I since I would like to get those sooner rather than later. I might have to install the engine without the pushrods in order to make my deadline.
Its been a few days but this is the status: Engine is going back in tonight.
The degree was dead on. I did make a mistake with the journals. Years ago I bought a set of .010 rod bearings (new mahle clevite bearings). I did not realize those were for a large journal crank. I had to order another set which held up the mockup since I needed the bearings to set TDC and to measure the push rods. I measured the pushrods and those were 7.20 for this roller cam. The marks on the valves were riding right in the middle section. I did end up using the comp cam stepped guide plates.
Everything is back and setup. I did run into a problem using 1255 felpro gaskets. I ended up having a set of 1205s and those worked way better as far as to aligning the ARP intake studs. That was a mess because my son did not check the alignment before setting down the intake I got it all cleaned up and put back together. All of the gaskets should be setup well enough for us to put the engine back into the engine bay. Tomorrow, I am hoping I can prime it.
engine and transmission is kind of back into the old girl. I worked until about 11:00 PM to get to the point where its sitting as you see it. Its always nerve racking to get to the point where the engine and transmission is sitting eye level with the engine hoist.
Next, I am going to mount the rear part of the transmission. See if I can snake the shifter in place before I can button that up. The valve covers definitely sit higher than before .
Great Progress, you will make Cool April Nights. Have you followed the other thread concerning the Aluminum Heads leaking oil past the Rocker Arm Studs? He was chasing oil use, 400 miles per quart. Turned out the oil leak was the rocker arm studs not being sealed with a thread sealer. Took him 4 years to find the cause.
Some Aluminum heads have open rocker arm threads that go straight into the intake air passage. This type head needs to have the studs sealed. I have no idea if your heads have the open holes but it would be nice to rule it out in advance. I plan to pull my AFR rocker studs and do the same since my engine has yet to be fired up. Just to rule it out in advance. A couple of forum members had bumped into this same issue. The post is titled. Excessive Oil Consumption Solved, if you have not seen it.
Great Progress, you will make Cool April Nights. Have you followed the other thread concerning the Aluminum Heads leaking oil past the Rocker Arm Studs? He was chasing oil use, 400 miles per quart. Turned out the oil leak was the rocker arm studs not being sealed with a thread sealer. Took him 4 years to find the cause.
Some Aluminum heads have open rocker arm threads that go straight into the intake air passage. This type head needs to have the studs sealed. I have no idea if your heads have the open holes but it would be nice to rule it out in advance. I plan to pull my AFR rocker studs and do the same since my engine has yet to be fired up. Just to rule it out in advance. A couple of forum members had bumped into this same issue. The post is titled. Excessive Oil Consumption Solved, if you have not seen it.
Nope... No Kool April Nites driving for me. This weekend there is a fun poker run going on in Oroville so thats my new goal. All of the rocker arm studs for the intake have been installed with ARP thread sealant. My son put loctite on all of the exhaust studs since those are blind holes. He worked at my friends speed shop and knew exactly what to do. He also set the lashing. We worked together to degree the cam.
04-18-2024, 12:30 PM
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