ive seen tubes glow on break in also. if you retard the ignition timeing more during break in they wont glow as much. start the motor. run it up to 2000 rpm then set the timeing to around 28 degrees and make sure all cylinders are fireing. watch your coolant temps and oil pressures. you should be good. make sure you have a cam break in additive in the oil that has zinc in it.
Is your coil plugged in? (probably) Starter solenoid could be bad from the way you described it getting hot (mabey)
I think I was just paranoid to break something.... I have a timing light now and when I get home I will mess with it again... Better to be safe and ask questions before I go and mess something up, alot of money and hard work getting it to this point and I dont want to do it again if I dont have to... I will put the light on it get it running to 2000 or so and get the timing around the 28° mark and then once the cam procedure is through, I will mess with the timing to get it closer to where it needs to be. thats all I can do for now....
finally got it broken in and having some cooling issues now ...I checked the timing and have it set around 32°-34° btdc at 3000 rpm ... but the temp is rising to 210° ! its really hot to the touch so I know the reading is accurate...i do believe there is a 190 t stat in it. I waited for the thermostat to open and topped it off... still not going below 210° it goes even higher when I shut it down..., I have searched these threads and have read somewhere that these engines need to be burped... anyone know how this is accomplished? any tricks to get this air out if it has a pocket somewhere? thanks
i will drill a 1/8th inch hole in the t-stat and install it so the hole as at the top of the housing. this allows any air bubbles to bleed out.
And this helps the enge stay below 210 also, my engine did very well yesterday comming home from maverick maniacs. Stayed at 190-195 the whole hour and a half ride
how is that little hole going to help if the thermostat is opening? once the thermostat opens doesnt all the air come out while the water pump is circulating?? I just noticed that one of the vacumm ports on the carburetor was Not plugged, could this have caused a lean condition causing it to run hot?
I'm in the process of installing a new holley 600 with all vacuum ports not needed plugged! lol hopefully this will improve performance and whatnot. it was part of my plan with this rebuild I just didnt get around to installing til now ... i had a holley 700 dp on it which turned out to be a problem.
ok ... I just installed a new holley 600 carb on this engine and she just doesnt want to idle, keeps snapping through the carb. no matter where I try to put the dizzy.. I cant get it to run correctly... when i start it and get it going it seems like it is very sluggish and i have to work the throttle to keep it going... by the time i get out the door to make any adjustments it just stalls... i have all the un needed vacuum lines plugged using all factory settings.. What has me curious now is the MSD distributor... what springs should i be using? and what color bushing? any one know? right now there is a black bushing and the heavy silver springs... is this what I should be using with a cam that has a 210° duration @ 50, .506 lift with the cobra 1.7 rockers, 108° lobe sep, plus its running hot, it hardly ran and it is up to 180°F any help appreciated...
Well, with no other options , I decided to check the lifter preload... now I am using the pedestal mount cobra 1.7 rockers, when I first set them I did not use any shims and most of the valves reached 20 ft/lb torque within 1 full turn... This time I am adding shims to achieve 20 ft/lb torque within 1/4 to 1/2 turn .... most of them so far have taken a 15 thousand shim with 1 exhaust not needing any shims at all to achieve torque within 1/2 turn... Is it normal for some to have different shim thicknesses on the same cylinder? Also, should I be setting the preload when each cylinder is at TDC or when the valve is at the bottom of the lobe? thanks
You've lost me on all this now. What parts is this motor built with ? Sure you have the correct pushrods ?
Hey The motor is built with a 1971 block .030 over with gt40 heads, cobra roller rocker 1.7:1 ratio, hydraulic cam and isky lifters, pushrod length is 6.881" comp cams, and I am not sure if they are the correct length for this application... which may be the issue with this rebuild, I'm not sure how to figure the correct pushrod length, I bought one of those pushrod tools that are adjustable but not knowing how to use it renders it useless to me... I have built many VW engines with much success but this ford is really making my brain tickle...lol I had to run to work here for a bit but when I return home I will continue the lifter preload procedure unless I have a better plan... any suggestions? Thanks
It doesnt open till 195 i believe yes plug the hole. SOunds like the dizzy is out a couple teeth if its squirting fuel back through the carb