1968 Trouble starting new engine

[Midnight Special]

Tim,

No, I applied the gaskets with sealer and torqued the manifold on while it cures. I'll retorque after I get it started and it's had a chance to heat up.

Doug

I was sure you did, Doug, but that would've explained the volume of water (in my rookie mind;-)

I hope she works this time. I know there's little more frustrating.....>

 

[robert campbell]

Doug,
I think it would be wise to fill the engine up with water by blocking all the holes while still on the engine stand. You can even take the heater hose fitting out of the intake manifold to use as a place to see if it starts to disappear! Go ahead and roll the motor over by hand and run the drill motor. I love to put the hottest water I can in and even heat the oil up so it is as thin as possible. Give me a breakaway torque reading when you get the engine good and lubed.

We discussed the mirad of different intake gaskets. As I remember you have 1968 vintage heads on it? Important to get the correct gasket.

And to all, my converstion with Doug was very enjoyable. Doug is a very experience mechanic and this is a situation that I have never seen in my career! Doug is careful beyond careful and he has added yet another story to our family!!

Good luck Doug!!!

Rob

 

[dpheyes]

Doug,
I think it would be wise to fill the engine up with water by blocking all the holes while still on the engine stand. You can even take the heater hose fitting out of the intake manifold to use as a place to see if it starts to disappear! Go ahead and roll the motor over by hand and run the drill motor. I love to put the hottest water I can in and even heat the oil up so it is as thin as possible. Give me a breakaway torque reading when you get the engine good and lubed.

We discussed the mirad of different intake gaskets. As I remember you have 1968 vintage heads on it? Important to get the correct gasket.

And to all, my converstion with Doug was very enjoyable. Doug is a very experience mechanic and this is a situation that I have never seen in my career! Doug is careful beyond careful and he has added yet another story to our family!!

Good luck Doug!!!

Rob

Thanks again Rob,

I'd love to get the water, oil, and block all heated up, but it's only about 25 degrees in the evening and even with my garage heater running full blast I can't get it above 40! For some reason, the garage never got insulated this past summer - somehow working on my car always seemed to be more exciting than wrestling with fiberglas batts!

The idea of leaving on the stand while I test it for leaks is a good one. I think I'll try that. Either way, I had planned on filling the system with coolant, making sure there were no obvious leaks, and then turning on the block heater (it's a freeze plug style just like the original factory heater) to heat it up. I'll do that tonight and let it stand until tomorrow night and see if anything leaks.

 

[robert campbell]

Dude!
I am so curious! Have you made any more progress?

Rob

 

[dpheyes]

Dude!
I am so curious! Have you made any more progress?

Rob

Rob,

Than ks for asking! I was actually working down in Seattle for the last couple of weeks. I'm an IT guy with NOAA. Was going to call and maybe buy you a beer or something, but was just swamped the whole time. :sad:

Anyway, I got back on Saturday and promptly went down to the garage and picked up where I left off. I had installed the intake with a new set of FelPro 1250 gaskets and installed the motor back in the car. It was actually a good thing that I pulled it and completely checked it over because I found a small prob with the transmission pilot bearing that could have caused big problems later! So I hooked everything up, filled the oil and coolant, and voila! - no leaks this time.

I pumped the gas twice and it started right up! It ran rough until I got the timing just right and it still needs a minor increase in the idle speed, but boy does it sound great. Of course that could be partially due to the fact that I'm running it with open headers right now! I'm running an old set of Ford Performance long headers on it right now. Once it's broken in I'll put the new Hedman ceramic coated headers on and connect the 2-1/2" stainless dual Magnaflow exhaust up. Can't wait to hear that burbling muscle car sound!:grin:

Man am I jazzed! It's been over 4 years to get this far, but I'm estimating I'll have it complete and on the road by May - just in time for the good weather up here.

 

[J.Bart]

glad to hear things are going better.
there's nothing like straight headers
they get the blood pumping and that twitch in the right foot.