Just get her drivable (4 Viewers)

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samc2447 said:
Start with the basics. Confirm you have fuel and spark. Confirm the valves are close to spec.

A machine shop valve job would just mean they lapped the valves and installed the shims. Since you had the camshaft out, it would be you who set the initial valve clearances. If you didn't do that, use the figures below to set it when you have it at TDC and then rotate 360deg. to set the other valves.

Just for posterity sake, confirm you are in correct time and not out a tooth or two. Put the flywheel on the BB so the motor should be at TDC. Confirm the distributor is pointed towards #4 as shown below. The first 2 valves from the front should be closed and the gap close to the spec. As long as they're closed at TDC you should be good to start it even if they are not exactly in spec.

You can further confirm that you are at TDC by removing #1 plug and inserting a long screwdriver or similar into the plug hole, you should almost immediately hit the top of the piston. If all that lines up then your ignition timing is definitely good enough to get it to start so long as there are fuel and spark.

It's possible that the TBI flooded the pistons and there is too much fuel to start it, which is why you're seeing it weeping out the exhaust gasket. Disconnect the TBI injectors. Remove the plugs and let it dry out a bit. Put the plugs back in but leave the injectors disconnected. Try to start it with some ether and see if you're getting it to kick over.


View attachment 3981705
View attachment 3981706
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Is the BB = TDC? Or the line? One of those represents 7 degrees BTDC.
 
onemanarmy said:
Thanks for that!^

I went through and triple checked.
-Timing
-Adjusted valves
-JB Weld manifold crack
-Added water/coolant
-Rotated it all by hand to make sure it was all spinning

And it cranked and runs and sounds great!

However, it got SUPER hot within 3 minutes, like I watched the temp gauge move quickly from cold to hot and it was boiling and steaming all over, but no steam from exhaust pipe, so that is good

I did drain all the coolant out of the block, so maybe its got some air pockets?.....I'll be working through that and will report back
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How is the radiator in this Pig?
 
Radiator is clean internal and external. No leaks and now fresh 50/50.
.
Burped the coolant a bunch and changed the oil and went for a drive.
.
3 miles in at 60 mph (I replicated the same route and speed before the HG replacement) and it's doing the exact same thing. To the T. Overheating.
.
It'll sit all day at idle and I tried to hold it at an elevated RPM for a while and it runs fine. First tick mark on the temp gauge.
.
Within 3 miles of highway, it's overheating and blowing steam/coolant out of the overflow tank.
.
No oil and water mixing anywhere. No steam or smoke from tailpipe. Other than the overheating, this 2F cranks at the bump of the key, doesn't smoke, doesn't use oil, and pulls hard up to 65mph
I'm stumped.
 
onemanarmy said:
Within 3 miles of highway, it's overheating and blowing steam/coolant out of the overflow tank.
Click to expand...
Is the manifold crack creating a lean condition? Might explain the heat. Normally they don't do that
 
Just thinking out loud......I appreciate all the info and fresh eyes

The manifold crack is directly above the TBI unit, so I can't run it without that on. I filled the crack you see above full of JB weld and let it sit 24 hours. (as you can tell also its been repaired before, prior to my ownership.)

It runs and idles fine, the same as it always has. It idles about 1100 rpm when cold and slowly settles down to 800ish once warm (temp signal for TBI comes from water temp sensor in thermostat housing)

Sits there all day, smooth. No whistling, jumpy idle, no weird smells or smoke. I can hit the throttle and it responds quickly, no lag or sag in performance.

It only feels sluggish once its 'too hot' and it will only overheat at speed after about 6-7 minutes. Around town, it seems to stay cool-ish.

Also, the water pump is 10 years old, but has less than 3k miles on it. It spins freely and no noise or leaks. As I up the RPMs, it will increase pressure in the radiator.

The rad is also clean and I can run water through it and there is no sign of gunk coming out. No leaks there either.

I did set valve clearances, and it cranks great now.

I know the coolant system is pretty simple, so I'll find it eventually, just adding more info.

Thanks!
 
onemanarmy said:
just adding more info
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The fuel injection system you have should have an IAC valve.. that could help mask and intake manifold leak, like @Pighead said a significant vacuum leak at engine speed could easily create the overheating issue you describe.
New water pump or radiator doesn't automatically equal good in my book, I've had a lot of bad parts shipped to me in name brand boxes.
Your water pump does not make pressure it's simply moves coolant from one area to another if you're saying your water pump is making pressure then we might very well have another issue.
 
onemanarmy said:
As I up the RPMs, it will increase pressure in the radiator.
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Just curious what you did to measure this pressure increase? I wouldn't have thought that the pump alone would increase the pressure in the radiator much, but temperature certainly will. Maybe increasing the rpm's increases the temperature in the engine which increases the water temperature which increases the pressure in the radiator because the water pump is not pumping?

Edit: Spinning freely is not necessarily a good sign. Obviously it needs to spin but it can't pump without resistance. So it depends on how free "freely" is.
 
J Mack said:
The fuel injection system you have should have an IAC valve.. that could help mask and intake manifold leak, like @Pighead said a significant vacuum leak at engine speed could easily create the overheating issue you describe.
New water pump or radiator doesn't automatically equal good in my book, I've had a lot of bad parts shipped to me in name brand boxes.
Your water pump does not make pressure it's simply moves coolant from one area to another if you're saying your water pump is making pressure then we might very well have another issue.
Click to expand...
I had the rad cap off when burping the system and with RPM increase coolant would be pushed up and out. That's what I mean by pressure increase. The pump seems to be moving water. The fluid level at the rad fill port will raise and lower with RPMs with the rad cap off.

The water pump was installed 10 years ago and it looks and sounds the same today, and it used to run fine and cool for years. Pulley is not wobbling and it doesn't leak.

Not 100% sure in the IAC, it's the simplest AFI system.
 
bobm said:
Sometimes the simplest fix is right in front of you! What's the PSI on the radiator cap 🤔🧐
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Sometimes it is Bob!

I have no idea, its the one I've been using for 15 years.

I think its time we try a new one!

I've got the parts cannon locked and loaded!
 
onemanarmy said:
The water pump was installed 10 years ago and it looks and sounds the same today, and it used to run fine and cool for years. Pulley is not wobbling and it doesn't leak.
Click to expand...
None of those observations tell you anything about the impeller. And the pump will move some water even with a partial impeller. The pulley and "sounds" are all about bearings and belts. I think it's either the impeller and/or the radiator, as @samc2447 also suggests. But I've been wrong before. :meh:
 
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