The New Project: Part Deux!

[K code Mustang]

I knew you would figure it out, didn't doubt it for a minute.

[njsteve]

Well, that makes one of us that was sure. [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/grin.gif[/img]

[njsteve]

Eureka!

Got everything back together this morning after correcting the crank gear fiasco. I hooked up the oil pan heater and the coolant heater and got the block temp up to 180 degrees. I cleaned up a set of the fouled plugs and threw them back in. Set the distributor by eye and crossed my fingers.

I turned the key and the car instantly started. I then sat there for 15 minutes running the cam in at 1700 to 2000 rpm. Shut her off, and checked for leaks. Thankfully none were found, especially in the rear main seal area and the front of the pan where the timing cover had to be removed.

I then drained all the start up 10W30 oil and additives (Lucas Break-in additive, STP and all the red cam lube and moly paste), and checked the magnetic drain plug. Nothing whatsoever on the magnet. Very clean. I refilled it with 5 quarts of 5W30 and Lucas break-in additive. I then let it cool down to ambient temperature. Once it cooled off, The son and I went out for a ring-setting drive.

I did 10 sets of 30 to 50 mph second gear full throttle runs. After each run up the rpms I would let it pull itself down in gear, back to 30 mph. Then I drove a few miles more to my buddy's garage to give him the good news and went back home after the 11 mile round trip.

She runs nice! Once the weather clears up I will play with the timing so more, but she feels very strong right now and not a even hint of pinging.

Here's how she looks at the moment:







And here's how she sounds. Very smooth and quiet until you hit the throttle. (put your mouse on the photo and left click)





Now I have to put Gramma's car back together after borrowing the cap and wires for testing on the Formula. [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/grin.gif[/img]

[njsteve]

I just checked my math and it looks like this engine pull and rebuild took 34 days start to finish, even with the 6 day delay with the crank pully mix-up. Gramma's Firebird took 35 days.

https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/ubbt...ect#Post449019

It's a new, family engine rebuild record! [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/grin.gif[/img]

[Xplantdad]

Nice! I LOVE the sound from the Formula Firebird exhaust!!! (Reminds me of my brothers first car a 1970 Castillian Bronze Formula 400 [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/smile.gif[/img] )

[njsteve]

BTW, here is the contraption that I used to preheat the engine.



I plumbed the inlet to the 1500 watt coolant heater into the lower heater hose outlet from the water pump. The outlet went to the temp sender on top of the intake, while the other part of the T is connected to the disconnected heater hose. This way the block water was heated up. I tested it with the infra red gun and it read 180 degrees at the intake. The heater core and the radiator water didnt get the heat since the water pump was not circulating the coolant.

I had one of these same coolant heaters plumbed into my diesel Suburban and it would get the fluid real toasty in the winter.

The square thingy is a magnetic oil pan heater. You just stick it to the bottom of the pan and it heats the oil up to 100 degrees or so.

All together the parts cost about $60. Well worth the expense.