The New Project: Part Deux!

[njsteve]

Latest update:

I pulled the timing cover and after a few false starts thinking that the gear set was marked wrong. I discovered the problem.

Even though the marks lined up perfectly at 12 and 6 o'clock positions and 12 and 12 o'clock positions when rotated through the cycle, I noticed that when either position was set, and I slid the balancer back on, the TDC mark on the balancer was in the 7 o'clock position for either the #1 or #6 cylinder firing position.




And when I moved the balancer to the TDC position this is what the gears looked like:





I know what you're thinking: [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/hmmm.gif[/img] Nope, the balancer didn't spin on its hub.



I took me an hour of comparing old gears and new and then going back to my old trusty manual....

Turns out that I installed the lower sprocket when the crankshaft keyway was in the 10 o'clock position. That's about 4 hours too early. [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/rolleyes.gif[/img]



The crank sprocket should be installed when the keyway is in the 2 o'clock position, other the cam is waaaaay out of time and the #1 piston is about an inch below TDC.

DOH!





Back to garage to put things back together....again.


Sometimes when things go together too easily - it means you must have done something wrong.

Hey, come to think of it, I believe the wife put that sprocket on. Yeah, That's gotta be it.

[mockingbird812]

Way to stick with it. Lets hear that 'bird purrrrrrrrrrrrr!

[Xplantdad]

Glad you figured it out Steve! [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/headbang.gif[/img]

[VintageMusclecar]

I figured that's where you'd find the problem. [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/smile.gif[/img]

Just to cover the obvious since you mentioned it was slow/difficult to turn over--were there any signs of mechanical binding? (i.e. bent pushrods/valves)

If you need any help with degreeing the cam, give me a shout.

[njsteve]

Never any signs of binding or hitting. Thanks to the 8.4 to 1 pistons!

So now I have a cam degreeing set that my wife will be wrapping for a Christmas gift (for me).

[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] )