Head swap help needed

Looks like the most challenging part is going to be finding a keyed 12 volt source. Should i try to tap into ignition or use a relay?
 
brianproctorla":3k5w1neb said:
Looks like the most challenging part is going to be finding a keyed 12 volt source. Should i try to tap into ignition or use a relay?
Click to expand...

Yes sure for the keyed 12 volt source you could tap into the ignition wire below the resistor next to the ignition switch, or just use a relay good luck :nod:
 
Update: duraspark is in and wired except for the 12v source, which has a battery jumper until my relay arrives.
Spark is much better! I gapped plugs at 0.05 and checked each plug with an inline spark tester.

Since the distributor was out, I put my finger over the number one spark plug hole until I felt compression and made sure that the rotor pointed to the number 1spark plug at tdc on the balacer (zero).

The car ran for a good thirty seconds. As good as she has since the swap. I did get one puff of gas out of the carb.

The car is starting with starter fluid and leaving choke off . Should choke be on?

I am thinking I have two options:
1: cure backfire through tuning and check for leaks. Can I time the car without a good idle?
2: recheck valve lash. I figure I would wait until one valve is open and then set the one next to it. I am wondering if my valves are not fully closing due to the valves remaining open.
 
brianproctorla":1gmoy7eu said:
Update: duraspark is in and wired except for the 12v source, which has a battery jumper until my relay arrives.
Spark is much better! I gapped plugs at 0.05 and checked each plug with an inline spark tester.

Since the distributor was out, I put my finger over the number one spark plug hole until I felt compression and made sure that the rotor pointed to the number 1spark plug at tdc on the balacer (zero).

The car ran for a good thirty seconds. As good as she has since the swap. I did get one puff of gas out of the carb.

The car is starting with starter fluid and leaving choke off . Should choke be on?

I am thinking I have two options:
1: cure backfire through tuning and check for leaks. Can I time the car without a good idle?
2: recheck valve lash. I figure I would wait until one valve is open and then set the one next to it. I am wondering if my valves are not fully closing due to the valves remaining open.
Click to expand...

Yes in my OPIN if you live in a area that is cold and have a choke it should be working and set to come on. Yes after you have set the plug gap you should next set the base timing. Can't be sure not being there but Your backfire could be from or exacerbated by not having the choke working IE a lean backfire. :nod:
 
Thanks. The choke is manual, so the problem is my understanding of a choke.
I live in New England, which is freezing right now. Do I start with the choke on (plate closed)?

As for base timing, can this be set by cranking, at full charge, with a timing light or does in need to be under some power?

As for lash, I was re-evaluating my procedure. I figured if I waited for a valve to open, it would guarantee that the corresponding valve was closed.

Regarding compression, what is the minimum compression that would be considered acceptable?
Thanks
Brian
 
While I have no experience with manual chokes on cars, I have plenty on boat motors.
You control the choke so you are the one who has to listen to the motor and adjust the choke accordingly to keep the motor running. Start the car with it closed and listen to how the motor runs, and when it starts "chugging" (as it warms) then you need to open the choke up, perhaps gradually.

You'll need to do the compression check on a warm engine so you'll have to be able to run it for a bit.
I'd look for 150lbs give or take 10 or so to be happy.
 
brianproctorla":2msrwvya said:
Thanks. The choke is manual, so the problem is my understanding of a choke.
I live in New England, which is freezing right now. Do I start with the choke on (plate closed)?

As for base timing, can this be set by cranking, at full charge, with a timing light or does in need to be under some power?

As for lash, I was re-evaluating my procedure. I figured if I waited for a valve to open, it would guarantee that the corresponding valve was closed.

Regarding compression, what is the minimum compression that would be considered acceptable?
Thanks
Brian
Click to expand...

X2 as JackFish, said start the engine with choke closed, after it's running you open it a little like maybe half to keep it running and after the engine is warmed up you open it all the way. Do you have it hooked up to a choke cable inside the car? The below link might be of some help understanding how the choke works on a Holley 2V or a 4V carbs they both will use about the same parts and settings. I would say no you can't really set the base timeing with a timeing light without the engine running. Did you clean and rebuild the carb yet? https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5Tg75NfQqjQ
 
Update:
I readjusted valve lash and she started right up. I got the initial timing set, got the idle speed close, and was able to tune the carb with a vac gauge. She was running great. After the 10 minutes it took to tune the carb, I turned off the engine and heard a big puff sound like what a steam engine makes when it pulls into station.

I noticed my firewall was damp near heater blower and got some whitish smoke. I thought at first I blew a heater hose, but then noticed red tranny fluid on the frame. I am thinking that it coulld be coming from starter as I might not have torqued down those bolts. Any other ideas? The car was never in gear.
 
As for carb, I didn't overhaul it yet, but it appears to be functioning well. I did remove a blockage from one of the accelerator pump outlets.
 
Good congrats on keeping it running. Did you check the carbs wet fuel level (float level) yet? This is a very important part of the carbs tune or settings. On the trans oil one thing to Check is at the intake manifold vacuum fittings, the short rubber hose for deterioration connecting it to the steel trans vacuum line it would have rubber hose at both ends. Also is there trans oil inside the hose or line? If there is oil this would indicate a bad transmission module allowing the engine vacuum to pull oil into the engine. Not likely from the starter. Check under the car below the bell housing for signs of trans oil leaking, also check that transmission oil level is correct at the full line (when engine is warmed up). Be sure that trans is also not over full if it is you will need to drain some out until it's right. Good luck :nod:
 
Thanks!
The transmission is a manual valve body c4, so the vacuum is no longer connected if memory serves.
I don't think I added more fluid since she was last running.
I'm wondering if it it is an overheating situation. Maybe I should hook up a temp
Probe
 
Yes for a performance type build up you should have a good quality Temp. and Oil pressure gauge as a minimum. A Tach, Vacuum, and a Volt gauges would also be helpful additions too.

:unsure: Running for such a short amount of time (10 Min.) it would seem unlikely that it would overheat. But if the Radiator is pugged up with crud so there is not adequate flow, the radiator fin bond is lost though rare and very hard to check it can cause a radiator not to be able to transfer its heat to the air, the radiator cap doesn't hold pressure, the Thermostat is stuck shut, there is an air pocket, (plugged heater core and reversed heater hoses though not as likely to cause overheating it still bears looking into so not to transfer crud into the rest of the cooling system), block cooling passages are clogged with mud or rust, water pump impeller has disintegrated or not pumping, or if the bottom radiator hose is collapsing shut, if any one or more of those are happening then I suppose it's possible to overheat. :banghead: Most of those possible causes of overheating can be seen or tested for fairly quickly, if the cooling system has not been maintained for awhile it might be wise to flush it out good to start and test the radiators flow.
 
If you run the car with the rad cap off you can watch to see when the thermostat opens.
If it opens, I mean. As the car warms it should open and you'll see a stream of coolant at the rad spout.
That how to burp the air out as well if there is any present.
 
Good points. I put in new hoses, thermostat, water neck, and water pump during this build. I also changed the coolant a few times. If I was smarter, I would have started off with water until I knew I had everything sealed properly. That is a lesson for next time.

I have temp vac and oil pressure gauges set up now. I think I will plumb in the temp gauge and see if I can see the thermostat opening
 
brianproctorla":3h9f7ao9 said:
I also changed the coolant a few times. If I was smarter, I would have started off with water until I knew I had everything sealed properly. That is a lesson for next time.
Click to expand...

On changing the coolant unless it's couple years old or really dirty then it gets recycled. Otherwise if it still good I drain it into a clean oil drain pan then filter it with a paint strainer or an old nylon through a trans funnel back into the coolant jugs so it's ready to poor back into the Rad again. Good luck :nod:
 
The engine idles well but will stall when i pull throttle open wide.
The revs go up when I apply the choke, but I assume that is normal?

Could this be a vacuum issue or is this a carb restriction requiring an overhaul?
Thanks
Brian
 
brianproctorla":2qrbj8fe said:
The engine idles well but will stall when i pull throttle open wide.
The revs go up when I apply the choke, but I assume that is normal?

Could this be a vacuum issue or is this a carb restriction requiring an overhaul?
Thanks
Brian
Click to expand...

Yes It's normal when you close the choke for it idle higher, it has a fast idle cam and linkage for this purpose. The fast idle is adjusted with coke cable inside the car. With choke on it should be around 1200 to 1500 RPM range this is usually about right to be able to drive the car without stalling when engine is still a little cold, but you might have to experiment some to see what your car likes.

Assuming that your engine is in good condition (compression is near equal in al cylinders), you have a fuel pump that is putting out adequate fuel volume and did all the carb settings right including the float level, and it still is stalling when you open the throttle wide open. Next you might have to adjust the accelerator pump shot timing and duration, and or the carb is really needing an overhaul. Yes vacuum leaks are possible cause too if You have a vacuum gauge working you can see while it's running by is readings and the needle movement if it's a big problem or not see below links on vacuum gauge readings and what they can mean. Good luck :nod:

Using a Vacuum Gauge

http://www.classictruckshop.com/clubs/e ... ac/uum.htm

http://www.international-auto.com/fiat- ... gauges.cfm
 
The advice on the carb rebuild was spot on. The rebuild solved the engine stall problem. Rebuilding the holley 2bbl was a dream compared to the holley 1940 1 bbl i rebuilt prior to this.

I installed a mechanical temperature and oil pressure gauge. I believe the oil pressure is a steady 50 psi and the temp is about 160-180 when the thermostat opens.

My current major issue is related to my C4. It was rebuilt professionally and changed to a manual reverse pattern. It it shifting real hard at idle. I replaced the motor and transmission mounts, so that is not the issue. When I was first tinkering with the head and carbs, it puked up fluid.

The fluid puking seems to have stopped and I drained the pan since then. I have a few bubbles in the fluid. I tested the fluid at idle, added more fluid and the shifting got harder. Should I raise the car and try to cycle through all gears and recheck fluid? I have always had some issues with a small amount of fluid dripping in front of the inspection plate.

The torque converter was a special converter that had the ring gear teeth and mated to the v8 splined C4.

The pan fluid did not seem dirty or burnt.

Any idea what my rpm range should be with the 2bbl and aussie setup?
I am pretty sure my rpms are higher than what they should be, but I have the idle screw set to pretty much the lowest position. Might this be a factor?
What kind of RPMS should I have?
 
brianproctorla":18a14rq6 said:
The advice on the carb rebuild was spot on. The rebuild solved the engine stall problem. Rebuilding the holley 2bbl was a dream compared to the holley 1940 1 bbl i rebuilt prior to this.

I installed a mechanical temperature and oil pressure gauge. I believe the oil pressure is a steady 50 psi and the temp is about 160-180 when the thermostat opens."

:beer: [That sounds real good on the oil pressure and engine temp!]

"My current major issue is related to my C4. It was rebuilt professionally and changed to a manual reverse pattern. It it shifting real hard at idle. I replaced the motor and transmission mounts, so that is not the issue. When I was first tinkering with the head and carbs, it puked up fluid."

:unsure: [a manual valve body C4 is going to shift much harder and often when built like that they also have higher line pressure too. These are usually only used for a pure race car though. Do you have a good trans cooler installed on it yet cause it will need one?

"The fluid puking seems to have stopped and I drained the pan since then. I have a few bubbles in the fluid. I tested the fluid at idle, added more fluid and the shifting got harder. Should I raise the car and try to cycle through all gears and recheck fluid? I have always had some issues with a small amount of fluid dripping in front of the inspection plate."

:unsure: [Yes raising the car cycling it through all the gears and getting the oil to normal operating temps would be very good to do. After that with the car sitting on level ground idling with the oil warmed up to normal temp then check the fluid level is correct.]

"The torque converter was a special converter that had the ring gear teeth and mated to the v8 splined C4.

The pan fluid did not seem dirty or burnt."

:unsure: that's good but with that trans buildup I will say again you will need to have a trans cooler to protect it.

"Any idea what my rpm range should be with the 2bbl and aussie setup?
I am pretty sure my rpms are higher than what they should be, but I have the idle screw set to pretty much the lowest position. Might this be a factor?
What kind of RPMS should I have?
Click to expand...

The RPM will be determined by the camshaft specs and other performance parts that you may have i.e. the total combo. For reference a completely stock 200 motor with a C4 can idle at as low as 450 RPM in drive. Not knowing the rest of your combo of parts, I would say you might look at setting it at about 600 to 800 RPM in drive (RPM in neutral or park will be another 100 to 150 RPM higher). I will usually set the idle RPM at the lowest that the engine can idle with the trans in drive and my foot on the brake, and without the engine stumbling or stalling on take off (punching it from a stop). For more of a full race car the idle is set another 50 to 100 RPM higher. Yes if the idle mixture screws are or near bottomed out without any change in idle rpm that could be a problem. The jetting maybe a bit rich have you checked plug color yet? Did you also try to set the throttle position screw to lower the RPM? If the throttle blades are open to far you will be out of the carbs idle circuit then the mixture screws would also have no effect. Another possible cause is a leaking or blown power valve, or one that is the wrong rating for the engines vacuum. You will need to have a vacuum gauge to help in tuning or a good exhaust gas analyzer or other means to check your fuel mixture. The distributor curve may need to worked over some to get to optimal. Good luck you have made lots of progress soon it be dialed in. (y)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top