All Small Six Starting new build

[bmbm40]

It's getting closer to go time! Got the T5 in and driveshaft shortened. Fuel pump is in tank, plumbed and wired. I have a few small things to take care of in the engine compartment, just waiting on some fittings. I'm running a catch can system for the PCV valve, with the vacuum side pulling from the intake manifold. Getting a little nervous on start up and break in though. I know a few of you guys have converted to the Sniper/Hyperspark system, but I'm not sure how many have done a full build with them. Here's my thoughts for the process.....Unhook the fuel relay for the pump and coil wire and crank engine over to verify 15* for timing set on the handheld. After verified, rehook relay and purge enough fuel through line before pressurizing system. Fingers crossed and fire off engine. Manually bring RPMs up to 2000-2500 for 20 to 30 minutes for break in. I've got a oil pressure gauge to monitor oil pressure. A couple other things I need advice on. Idle RPM's I was thinking 750-800? Also, what should the timing be set to? I've seen from around 24-30 degrees? Any advice for any of this would be greatly appreciated!

View attachment 27635

That is really turning out nice! Can't wait to hear how it drives with the T5 and all the additional good stuff.

 

[Montytm26]

Hey @Montytm26 Very nice looking build you've got going there. I'm not fuel injected so I can't comment about that but your process sound reasonable to me.

Regarding timing, I'm running a Clay Smith 6474 and when I first fired up my engine for cam break in I was probably running it around 12 degrees advanced or maybe even less. I have an HEI distributor. When I decided to get the car on the road to put some mileage on it I was probably running +20 degrees initial and overly rich. I need to put my timing light on it again to find out where it's at now.

I have just over 2000 miles on my engine and for my setup and the limitations of the small log head, it's about perfect. I have backed timing down a little over time. I suspect I'm at about +15° initial advance. My vacuum advance is +10° and my mechanical advance probably kicks in somewhere in the teens around 1,500 RPM and is all in before 3,000 RPM. I am running one gold and one silver spring so one stock spring and one light spring. I ran two light springs for a while but it surged at parking lot speeds (1st gear on my T5).

I'm on a small log intake and my idle varies depending on level of warmed up. When it is warmed up enough to drive, my idle varies between 500 RPM - 600 RPM. When it is warmed fully and running at optimum, my idle is about 900 RPM. I think if it was fuel injected and an aluminum head and intake, I wouldn't have such a wide variance and I could probably set a smooth idle at about 600 RPM - 700 RPM.

I hope that gives a little insight.

Yeah that's some good information to have. Doesn't seem like there are too many guys that's gone this exact route. Just want to get it right the first time

 

[63 Sprint]

If you wind up having problems with the Sniper 2300 and it can’t be figured out, send me a PM.

 

[Montytm26]

Got everything wired up and completed under the hood. Thanks to everyone that has helped on wiring questions. Pulled dizzy out to give her a good prime and I’m only reading around 10 psi with the drill. Ugh! Tried spinning it over by hand every 90* while priming. I’m getting oil out of the top of the pushrods/rockers but the low pressure is puzzling me. Going to pull the pan and check the pump. I cleaned the intake screen before I reinstalled it. What else should I check? Do these pumps have a pressure relief valve?

 

[awasson]

Got everything wired up and completed under the hood. Thanks to everyone that has helped on wiring questions. Pulled dizzy out to give her a good prime and I’m only reading around 10 psi with the drill. Ugh! Tried spinning it over by hand every 90* while priming. I’m getting oil out of the top of the pushrods/rockers but the low pressure is puzzling me. Going to pull the pan and check the pump. I cleaned the intake screen before I reinstalled it. What else should I check? Do these pumps have a pressure relief valve?

It is my understanding that the oil pressure is dependent on the distributor shaft being in that high pressure gallery that feeds the pushrods. Maybe someone else can pipe up and confirm or deny that.

When I built my engine, I spun mine up the way you did yours to make sure that oil was getting to the top end but I would have rather taken an old distributor, removed the cam gear and put a drill on it so that it maintained the correct restriction so I could accurately see the proper reading.

 

[vssman]

I had to have my distributor in the engine to get a good prime. The oil was pouring out of the galley and down the distributor shaft hole without it. I took the old distributor (points unit) apart and removed the gear. Reassembled and turned the distributor shaft with a socket on the points cam. Got good oil pressure then.

 

[Montytm26]

It is my understanding that the oil pressure is dependent on the distributor shaft being in that high pressure gallery that feeds the pushrods. Maybe someone else can pipe up and confirm or deny that.

When I built my engine, I spun mine up the way you did yours to make sure that oil was getting to the top end but I would have rather taken an old distributor, removed the cam gear and put a drill on it so that it maintained the correct restriction so I could accurately see the proper reading.

I have my old one still. I can try that before too many drastic steps

 

[Montytm26]

Tried using old dizzy to spin pump. Same issue. Just doesn’t feel like it’s pushing much. Drill doesn’t bog down much at all

 

[Montytm26]

It is my understanding that the oil pressure is dependent on the distributor shaft being in that high pressure gallery that feeds the pushrods. Maybe someone else can pipe up and confirm or deny that.

When I built my engine, I spun mine up the way you did yours to make sure that oil was getting to the top end but I would have rather taken an old distributor, removed the cam gear and put a drill on it so that it maintained the correct restriction so I could accurately see the proper reading.

Did you have a pressure gauge on it? Or just look for flow? And glue Mich flow did you have? Mines just trickling out of the pushrods

 

[awasson]

Did you have a pressure gauge on it? Or just look for flow? And glue Mich flow did you have? Mines just trickling out of the pushrods

My stock gauge wasn't working at the time. The needle was jammed. Mine is the old style stock rocker shaft without holes in the pushrods. I spun mine up until I saw oil coming up onto the rocker assembly.

 

[drag-200stang]

What happens sometimes is the push in oil galley plug behind the cam sprocket gets forgotten and that will cause low oil pressure.
Of course you are spinning it the right way .


See it by the cam retainer/thrust plate bolt also note the cam sprocket spacer is installed behind the cam pin with the inside bevel that you cannot see toward the cam journal as the pic shows.

 

[awasson]

What happens sometimes is the push in oil galley plug behind the cam sprocket gets forgotten and that will cause low oil pressure.
Of course you are spinning it the right way .

View attachment 27689
See it by the cam retainer/thrust plate bolt also note the cam sprocket spacer is installed behind the cam pin with the inside bevel that you cannot see toward the cam journal as the pic shows.

You're referring to this plug right here.

 

[Montytm26]

What happens sometimes is the push in oil galley plug behind the cam sprocket gets forgotten and that will cause low oil pressure.
Of course you are spinning it the right way .

View attachment 27689
See it by the cam retainer/thrust plate bolt also note the cam sprocket spacer is installed behind the cam pin with the inside bevel that you cannot see toward the cam journal as the pic shows.

I guess that’s the next thing I’ll check. I pulled the pan, removed the oil pump. Nothing out of the ordinary. A little wear but not bad. No foreign objects in screen or pickup tube. I’m almost 100% sure I plugged that, but idk what else it could be. Besides that oil galley plug, any other ideas?

 

[awasson]

I'm not sure how feasible it is but if you can get the pan off with relative ease, I would remove the pump and the see if I could run it out of the engine with the drill to check how well it is operating. You'll probably want to spin at a slower speed to prevent the oil from shooting up like a geyser. If it is pumping decent volumes of oil correctly and there's nothing on the passages then it's very likely that all is well.

My drill did not bog down at all when I pumped mine up. The pump didn't seem to load up all. I wonder how many RPMs the drill is spinning at. You could just be running it at idle RPM.

As far as I recall, there's no way for the pickup to be un-submerged in the sump either.

 

[Montytm26]

I'm not sure how feasible it is but if you can get the pan off with relative ease, I would remove the pump and the see if I could run it out of the engine with the drill to check how well it is operating. You'll probably want to spin at a slower speed to prevent the oil from shooting up like a geyser. If it is pumping decent volumes of oil correctly and there's nothing on the passages then it's very likely that all is well.

My drill did not bog down at all when I pumped mine up. The pump didn't seem to load up all. I wonder how many RPMs the drill is spinning at. You could just be running it at idle RPM.

As far as I recall, there's no way for the pickup to be un-submerged in the sump either.

I know it’s pumping somewhat. I am getting oil out of the rockers/pushrods. It’s just a trickle though. The most pressure I’m getting is 7-9 psi and that’s at max speed on the drill.

 

[drag-200stang]

If the bolt on pickup tube is not sealed to the pump that can cause problems or cracks.
I now take pics as I go now so that I can check back.
It sounds like the front plug, the rear will put oil on the floor, Do not ask how I know.

 

[Montytm26]

If the bolt on pickup tube is not sealed to the pump that can cause problems or cracks.
I now take pics as I go now so that I can check back.
It sounds like the front plug, the rear will put oil on the floor, Do not ask how I know.

that sounds about right. If the front is missing, what size is it? Is it the same as a freeze plug?

 

[drag-200stang]

Yes, It is like a freeze plug. I believe it is 3/8'' but you should measure yours to be sure.
I tap and thread mine like the rear, 250's come that way, but you have to be skillful and not block the passages or interfere with the sprocket.

 

[Montytm26]

Yes, It is like a freeze plug. I believe it is 3/8'' but you should measure yours to be sure.
I tap and thread mine like the rear, 250's come that way, but you have to be skillful and not block the passages or interfere with the sprocket.

Good call on the plug! Makes me upset that I missed that. I thought I double and triple checked everything as I went

 

[Montytm26]

Good call on the plug! Makes me upset that I missed that. I thought I double and triple checked everything as I went

Is it too chancy to try and thread this while everything is together? Or just wait for a freeze plug style? I have some hex threaded plugs