62 Belvedere 318 poly granny cruiser (one day i hope)

[Bobzilla]

Got to drive a bit yesterday.. still way down on power but better.. going to take the front end apart in the next couple of days to double check cam timing.. right now i'm running 32*initial and 48 all in... (without vacuum)... Have tried everything else.. so thinking i messed up degreeing the cam.. This is what i get for not just going dot to dot like usual

Have you already double checked the timing mark on your balancer compared to actual top dead center of number one piston?

 

[icetech]

Have you already double checked the timing mark on your balancer compared to actual top dead center of number one piston?

4 times.. but i think i might have it... Howards has the cam with a LSA of 109 install at 103 which puts the cam events a bit advanced which i think is why it wants more timing.. i'm going to set it to 107 (on advice from another member) and see if that changes it.. I talked to another howards user and he said he is running a lot of timing also. I think they might do it for the rattler sound. which i don't care about as much as running good

 

[ckessel]

This reminds me of when I learned how to degree a cam in back in the early 80's. I replaced the stick in my Duster, used a Cloyes set on it, lined up the marks and off I went. It ran like poo. Checked this, checked that, no change. Had the cam checked out with Norris, who made it, and they said all was fine. Back in and same stuff. WTF! Got back into it. What I found was that the mark on the crank gear I lined it up with to the cam was not the right one. 3 teeth over there was a mark that was just barely stamped in the gear. THAT was the right one. Once I figured that out, ran like a champ. After that, I learned how to degree a cam.

 

[icetech]

This reminds me of when I learned how to degree a cam in back in the early 80's. I replaced the stick in my Duster, used a Cloyes set on it, lined up the marks and off I went. It ran like poo. Checked this, checked that, no change. Had the cam checked out with Norris, who made it, and they said all was fine. Back in and same stuff. WTF! Got back into it. What I found was that the mark on the crank gear I lined it up with to the cam was not the right one. 3 teeth over there was a mark that was just barely stamped in the gear. THAT was the right one. Once I figured that out, ran like a champ. After that, I learned how to degree a cam.

Yeah.. that's why i took it back apart.. had to double check my work it looks fine.. gonna mod it to oil the timing chain better while im in there though, so it's not totally wasted time

 

[icetech]

K... 99% sure i don't have a vacuum leak.. got it ready to put back together.. ordering a new balancer so.. will wait on that.

Here is something that probably means nothing..

Drivers side header...

And passenger side..

they were new and put on at the same timg... that passenger one sure looks like it was running hotter will use the thermal gun on it next time i have it running.. All the plugs look exactly the same so i don't think one side was lean or even how it would be

Also.. this may be the best tool i have ever bought... backed off some rockers too far and had to put them back in the cup.. i am pretty sure i would have been on the edge of a lifter or 2 if i didn't have this.. would spin and feel same as in the cup, checked them all as i did them though..

 

[ckessel]

Interesting development there. Keep us posted.

 

[icetech]

Ahha.. finally got the harmonic balancer i wanted.. i think TCI makes 3 a year for SBM... once they are out, you can wait forever... found a place with one sitting on a shelf. only $100 more than a year ago

 

[icetech]

Getting back together.. my silicone addiction is getting bad.. i can't stand leaks. I will say doing a small block timing cover in the car sucks compared to a big block... New harmonic should be here like wed. then i will see if it runs...

One thing i don't get is how i took apart an entire car.. cleaned and painted every inch.. and somehow i still am dirty as hell when i work on it

P.S. my silicone addiction is not great.. but i can't stand leaks.. very thin layer spread out is all.. And i hate how ghetto my alt spacers are.. need to cut some proper length ones and remove the extra washers