All Small Six Would love input on how my 144 is running

[JoeCrozier]

Years after the project started, my 144 is finally running under its own power without me holding the throttle open. I set the timing with a vacuum gauge and tinkered with the idle screws.

But it still doesn’t appear to be running “smooth”, and a minute or two after I took this video it randomly died (started right back up when I hit the starter and throttle). Based on this video and the sound, any ideas?

 

[awasson]

Your water pump isn't hooked up. I know you've got a hose running through it but I would absolutely have the water pump spinning and you also need that fitting that runs water through the base of the intake log.

Also, until you know what's going on with it, set up timing with a light for the correct initial advance and then hook up the vacuum advance line. These engines like a ton of advance at idle. Initial timing is somewhere around +8° to +12° and then when you have the spark control vacuum advance hooked up it'll be somewhere in the +20° range.

 

[JoeCrozier]

Your water pump isn't hooked up. I know you've got a hose running through it but I would absolutely have the water pump spinning and you also need that fitting that runs water through the base of the intake log.

Also, until you know what's going on with it, set up timing with a light for the correct initial advance and then hook up the vacuum advance line. These engines like a ton of advance at idle. Initial timing is somewhere around +8° to +12° and then when you have the spark control vacuum advance hooked up it'll be somewhere in the +20° range.

I’ll be hooking up water pump very soon (I have radiator and it’s about to go into the actual car). My understanding of the direction the water pump pushes is that it would actually go against the direction I have the water going at moment (with gravity downward). I guess I could feed the hose into the bottom and as long as the water got to the pump it would keep it going through engine. My thought make sense? Am I thinking about it all backwards?

I’ll have to go get a timing light. My gauge is hooked up to the manifold if that makes any difference.

Besides timing, what could be causing the idle to die off like that? Anything else?

 

[awasson]

Does it have adjustable rockers and/or solid lifters?

Your vacuum gauge should not be dancing around like that. That usually indicated a valve problem. If you have the lifter preload too tight or you have solid lifters and they are set too tight when the engine heats up, the valves don't close and the engine stops running because it has no compression.

 

[JoeCrozier]

Ah, perfect, thank you. Thats gotta be it. I have adjustable rockers and I set the lash, but I only set the lash cold and duh, I should go back and set it warm (and just double check it).

Also, prior to ever firing it up when I did compression tests, one cylinder was super low until I kinda ‘smacked’ the lifter with a rubber mallet and it ‘popped’ back into position, then held good numbers through a few tests.

I.e. I’m positive you’re right, gotta be something up there on the valvetrain

 

[awasson]

If they're hydraulic, I'd back the adjustable rockers off now that you have them good and pumped up and warm. Set the lash to zero and then give them 1/4 turn. Run it and see how it goes. You can give it another 1/4 or 1/2 once you know the valves aren't staying open.

Solids are another ball of wax and you'll need your feeler gauges for that. I had a hot rod camaro when I was 18 with solids. I set them up cold one day and got about half a mile from home before it heated up and stranded me

 

[JoeCrozier]

Will do!

 

[Frank]

Years after the project started, my 144 is finally running under its own power without me holding the throttle open. I set the timing with a vacuum gauge and tinkered with the idle screws.

But it still doesn’t appear to be running “smooth”, and a minute or two after I took this video it randomly died (started right back up when I hit the starter and throttle). Based on this video and the sound, any ideas?

Relash valves, seconded.
Hot water wants to rise. Your cooling rig is insufficient. Use the water pump, seconded again. I have run an engine for a few minutes by shoving both radiator hoses into a 5 gallon bucket of water. Will run a good while before getting hot.

 

[JoeCrozier]

Relash valves, seconded.
Hot water wants to rise. Your cooling rig is insufficient. Use the water pump, seconded again. I have run an engine for a few minutes by shoving both radiator hoses into a 5 gallon bucket of water. Will run a good while before getting hot.

Thank you! Will report back