Last week, I got the head back from the machine shop (it had bent a valve
and destroyed some of the aluminum head). That same night, the head went
on and I started it up (a bit later :-). I had to move the distributor
one tooth to get the timing in line with reality. I'd never checked the
timing with a light before (the engine only had 150 miles on it before the
valve got bent). This time, with a light, I saw that the timing was
90 degrees advanced. It wouldn't start, either (I wonder why :-).
I figure that the guy who put the engine together the first time had the
cam one tooth off TDC as reported by the crank, and I was able to adjust
the distributor to get it running. It never ran well, and huffed out the
rather often. Now everything seems right, and it runs *so* smoooth..
Just what you'd expect from a balanced, blueprinted engine.
Now, I've only got a few remaining things left to fix before I pronounce
it ready to drive. I've got to Helicoil a stripped thread for the thermostat
housing on the intake manifold (Chris Kent you're not alone :-), get the
new top put on it, and figure out where a weird clicking noise is coming from.
The noise sounds as though it's coming from the water pump housing. It's
extremely possible when I removed the head that one of the broken bits dropped
into the water jacket unseen, and has made it's way to the pump impeller.
I don't want to think those thoughts, since I'll have to yank the intake
manifold
again just to find out. I guess I'll just wait to put a new exhaust manifold
gasket on (the current one is the old (reused, ripped) one) and see if the
noise changes, or I can locate it better.
I'm feeling so much better about this car, now that the engine is running
smoothly.
'Rob
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