All Small Six Starting new build
- Thread starter Montytm26
- Start date
This relates to all small sixes
That's a 200 right? I bored mine over so yours may be slightly different.
Rule of thumb: For every 1” of bore, we want 4/1000 (.004) of gap. My engine is bored .060” over = 3.745, so 3.745 * 0.004 = 0.01498” so we want at least 0.015” gap for that displacement. .022” sounds well within the safe zone.
Rule of thumb: For every 1” of bore, we want 4/1000 (.004) of gap. My engine is bored .060” over = 3.745, so 3.745 * 0.004 = 0.01498” so we want at least 0.015” gap for that displacement. .022” sounds well within the safe zone.
Montytm26
Active member
Ok guys, was able to get a little bit more done. Between my job and the passing of my dad haven’t had much time to work on it. Head is mounted and torqued. Started installing the rockers. Had to use a washer on the mounting plates to securely hold them down. Have the number one piston at TDC. Without the shims under the spacers for the perches it didn’t take much adjustment to get the preload set. I’m assuming this is the correct way to make sure the pushrods are the correct length?
I didn’t quite understand your description of verifying push rod length. From what I understand is you need to check the geometry of the rocker to the valve- it’s needs to be as close to 90 degrees as possible. On my yellaterra rockers, I had to watch for clearance between the edge of the spring/ retainer and the rocker. The end result was there needs to be 0.040 clearance
Montytm26
Active member
Don did you end up using the “shims” (washers) under the rocker spacers? I guess what I was asking is that if I added the shims, it would increase the clearance of the rockers in reference to the spring/retainers, but would take more adjustment to set the lash. Hence my questioning for longer pushrods. If that makes sense.
Yes, shims will add clearance at valve stem to rocket. That clearance will be adjusted out using the rocker adjuster. It will also change the angles of the rocker/valve stem - which you want a pretty much a right angle. Summery: shims can be used to adjust rocker/valve stem geometry
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Montytm26
Active member
Don that makes sense. Here is a few pics of just the spacers. No shims. It’s 0 lash plus a half turn. Does this look good? Or go with shims and possibly longer pushrodsIt is an adjustable push rod in the photo. I was told the push rod angle to the rocker is not as critical for our lower rpm engines. Not much risk of it coming out of the rocker
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Wayne clark
Well-known member
Look back in the archives . Lady has a fastback that her husband built a 6 for her . They had major issues with oil blowing out of it .
Lifter problem i think . But she has a good descpription of the Yella Terra shim adjustments.her husband did . I think her stuff was titled Goldie
These didn't copy to the first post, but scroll around- these two threads may prove helpful. (Thanks Wayne Clark for the reminder.)
Jmustang_65
Well-known member
Here's the quote with the washer size.
twentyover
Well-known member
Hate to be the a-hole, but these are no such things as chrome-moly rings. Almost all rings start as cast iron ring. Cast iron rings are good general service rings. Chrome rings plate the wear face of the ring with chromium, a hard wear and scuff resistant material. Good in high load dusty conditions, but will wear the cylinder faster. A Moly ring generally has a a grove cut into the wear face, and molybdenum is sprayed into the groove. This moly groove is visible if you look closely, and retains oil for better scuff and wear resistance. Common use is high load/high speed operation where dust is not a significantfactor. They are also kinder to the cylinder walls than chrome or iron
No, I don’t think you’re being an a## if you’re adding to the knowledge-base. It’s well worth describing the different rings in more detail if you have the info to share.
As I mention, prior to building my 200, the last engine I built with conventional rings was 25 years ago and I only had access to iron rings and the break-in to set the rings was lengthy. For my 200 build, I used the Sealed Power E219K ring set with a moly steel top ring and ductile iron second ring. They did require a specific hone for the moly steel top ring but the rings set immediately. I used little to zero oil during break in. The break-in was entirely different from any of the engines I had built before this one.
Strictly FYI and FWIW- Old-school iron rings still work. My 240 has yet to use any oil at all from first start to now, 16 months later.
I set the rings quickly by doing an hour of WOT take offs to redline in each gear @ 3 engine hours.
I set the rings quickly by doing an hour of WOT take offs to redline in each gear @ 3 engine hours.
Montytm26
Active member
Finished up the valve train and added the shims. Was able to get the lash adjusted without longer pushrods. There’s a couple of threaded holes that I’m not 100% sure if 
they’re just supposed to be plugged or not. Rear of the block, side of block opposite of distributor, and rear of the aluminum head. I’m assuming the machine shop removed them to work on the block but just want to make sure.
they’re just supposed to be plugged or not. Rear of the block, side of block opposite of distributor, and rear of the aluminum head. I’m assuming the machine shop removed them to work on the block but just want to make sure.The threaded hole above the back of the camshaft in the block looks like the oil galley. Make sure this is plugged or the engine will lose all of its oil through the back of the block. It's pipe thread, but I don't recall what size. If I recall, there is one on the front of the engine also? Remember running some brushes through this passage when my van's engine was apart. The back of the cam gets plugged too.
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