How hard is too hard

[nukeday]

Have you considered trying to push start it?

 

Double check on the cam dowel selection. I'm still learning the L motor too, but I *think* with the 1600 head, the correct dowel pin is #1.

 

Make absolutely sure everything is mechanically right before you try it, (including the brakes). If all that's keeping it from starting is compression, this would be what I'd try:

 

Lube the cylinders through the plugs (MMO), prime the carb , roll it down a hill, turn the key, and pop the clutch.

 

Be ready to try it more than once. With everything you are paying attention to, don't forget to look where you point the truck.

 

If there are no hills nearby. The best option is to have about 6 people help you push it. People can usually get out of the way, and are 'rechargeable'. You can pull it too with another rig (I don't like this method, as sometimes the towed rig will jump when you pop the clutch. i.e. you can rear-end your tow vehicle), or put a tire behind it and push it with the riding mower. It only needs to be going maybe 10 mph - 15mph.

[Z-train]

BACK THE BUS UP!!!!!If the timing has moved,you could have a valve/pistion interference issue.Push starting it,is a "NOT A GOOD IDEA"on the grandest of scales.

 

1)Verify TDC

2)Position #1 on the gear.Postion #2 advances the cam and will build more cylinder pressure.

3)After the above,pull all plugs and crank it BY HAND.After verifying everything turns free,measure how much torque it takes to rotate the engine.A good builder should have some numbers on what a correcxtly assembled engine should take to turn over.

[nukeday]

BACK THE BUS!!!!!If the timing has moved,you could have a valve/pistion interference issue.Push starting it,is a "NOT A GOOD IDEA"on the grandest of scales.

 

1)Verify TDC

2)Position #1 on the gear.Postion #2 advances the cam and will build more cylinder pressure.

3)After the above,pull all plugs and crank it BY HAND.After verifying everything turns free,measure how much torque it takes to rotate the engine.A good builder should have some numbers on what a correcxtly assembled engine should take to turn over.

 

^^^ Agreed. This is a last resort idea. Please don't break your newly rebuilt engine...

[SurgeL320]

Ive put it back on the #1 dowel position but i have yet to try it again. Im 99% sure ive got the time thing down. TDC is good on piston 1 compression stroke, cam at 10 and 2.

 

I have EVERYTHING from the suspension to the drive shaft unbolted so i cant push start . and the starter is pretty new i even tried another one. I was trying it with jumper cables and now I put the engine back in and im gonna try it in there the right way. well see

[SurgeL320]

Oh and thanks for the tips guys does help alot

[datzenmike]

Your static timing may be too far advance. Firing the cylinder early will push back against the cranking starter slowing it down. Check the timing with a light while cranking and adjust by twisting the dizzy clockwise to retard and counter clockwise to advance. If off the scale, check that the oil pump/dizzy spindle is installed on the correct tooth.

 

It's natural for a fresh engine to be slightly tight, it has a rough honed cylinder, close bearing tolerances and thick assembly lube on everything.

 

Try a known good well charged battery or jumper a second battery in parallel with it. I did this years ago with my brother's 10.5 compression 340 that we rebuilt.... it worked.

[mike]

what starter are you running? If you can find one try a 280zx gear reduction starter and do the hot start solenoid trick. You can find the starters in the wrecking yard dirt cheap and Id trust one of those for a lot longer than Id trust a reman from the parts store. Also the write up for the hot start relay is on here somewhere, if you cant find it in search, look through slodats old posts... it should be a sticky but its not... Ive done this on my KC (stock L20) and my 510 (L20, peanut head, maybe flat tops???) and it works like a champ. I just did the hot start relay on the 74 620 (stock L18) and it was a night and day difference in cranking speed and reliability on all of them. With the higher compression though the zx starter does help a bit.

 

...Oh yeah, you should toss up a nice and smokey burnout vid when you get it running, sounds like this might be a fun little motor. :rolleyes: Good luck.

[SurgeL320]

YES I FINALLY F-ING GOT IT! and it wasnt anything i did , sorta. It was the weak ass jumper cable i was using ! I was hot starting it by jumping but i tried it with out the cables and that sucker flys!

 

Im pissed it was something so simple the reason i re-rebuild it but then again im happy i did because i put new main bearings , the center was soo sloppy. Thanks guys!

 

You bet im gonna do donuts on this little sucker. my new signature... "Problem = probably something stupid"

[nukeday]

Glad to hear it! Really nice work on this truck btw. :)

[SurgeL320]

Glad to hear it! Really nice work on this truck btw. :)

 

Thanks man , now the hard part is done i can go ahead and continue puttin it together . Ill be updating my build thread check it out later