Quick questions.... Ive ran this maybe a total of 10-15 mins in 2 mins intervals any chance I already have cylinder wash from fuel?? Please say no, please say no, please say no. lol..
Dont stress that right now buddy, you have enough on your plate on your first build. I can tell you that most first time builders if anything over oil and lube things to be sure/safe, or at least they mean well. This will be your saving grace here, and think positive. Now if you smell fuel in the oil pan when checking the oil, or the dip stick reads higher than when you started, then you have a disassembly issue, but not before. Relax, and go thru everything we all talked about. TR
For some reason you keep avoiding the obvious question.......do you have spark to the number one plug? Just because you change a plug or a wire still doesn't mean you are getting juice there. You could have a cap or distributor problem that is keeping that cylinder from getting juice. Go down to HF or the auto parts store and buy one of those $5 inline spark checkers. You simply plug in in between the spark plug and wire and if the light flashes when running or cranking you are getting juice to that one. The one I own has saved me countless times. Just used it a few weeks ago when my daily check engine light came on. Found out cylinders 2 and 5 were not firing, bought a coil pack that supplies those two and was back and running. Probably saved a $ 500 bill at the dealer. Until you verify you have current there you are just chasing your tail. Don
Go to the basics fire ,fuel, and compression. You have fuel -wet plug I'd check compression. Don't worry about doing a compression test right just see if there's enough compression to fire that cylinder, a thumb over the spark plug hole won't cut it.
It is correct to verify that you have spark at the plug in question. Even though reading over the original thread, you are going by the #1 wire is activating or signaling your timing light. That still does not quarantee that the plug is firing. Could be a problem in the plug end boot and terminal. Timing light will still get its signal, but not firing or reaching the plug. I didn't say this earlier simply because I did see that you said you changed wires too. It would be rare but not unheard or impossible for you to have 2 bad #1 wires. If it is the problem go to the auto parts store or home depot and get a can of spray silicone lubricant. Spray that boot and wire and now you can slide the boot even if its a 90* up the wire. Now you can examine and or replace the terminal.
in your video your engine never got to much of an RPM, have you run the engine faster and for longer, it never really cleaned itself out, warmed up and ideled on it's own, once it's running pretty good and up to temp then check the plug.
I would NOT Run the Engine any more Until you Solve the Problem of NO Spark to # 1 take the Dist. Cap of & look at the Contacks on the Inside of the Cap & make sure they are all there also check for a Crack near # 1 on the Cap once you get Juice to # 1 Than you can work on the Other Stuff Just my 3.5 cents Dom.
I got a compression tester from work today. I am going to get a reading at lunch time and ill report back my findings.
Do not run the engine any more. Diagnose the problem. See if you can borrow a laser temp meter and check each header primary pipe as soon as you start it. Or man up and spit on your finger tip and touch each pipe as soon as you start it . { hope you dont play guitar }
Please dont take this advice, a 4-7 swap cam wont affect the #1 cylinder. If the lifters haven't pumped up by now, the engine needs to come apart. Ever build a engine that won a Winston Cup race, well I have.
Ok, the results... 150 psi with no oil added to cylinder. With 150 psi I didn't see any need to try it again with oil. So, what would a experinced engine builder do now? Could there be a chance that the #1 just got flooded prior to finally getting it to fire? As far as the cam firing order I would assume no, when I ordered it from comp cams he never mentioned it. The only thing special about the cam is the small base circle. I will buy a infired camera before the next time I fire it up.
Traditions Racing - I am truely humbled that a guy with your experience would give me any advice. Thanks!
Basics, first verify you have spark at any cylinder you question isn't firing, not with your timing light, but with a spark plug tester. Be careful not to use your spark plugs, because some ignitions if you lose the ground you can fry the electronics. Also, if you have a MSD box or something similiar, disconnect it, and make any corrections in wiring for now so that you can run without it. Now remove all of the plugs and start with the vlave lash like I explained, this is very important you get this correct. My neighbor did exactly as you did, called me up ready to shoot himself. Wouldn't idle, rev to about 3 grand or so, and think things are fine. I adjusted the valves again, and it purred like a kitten with a cam. Now double check the distributor was installed at TDC on COMPRESSION stroke, watch the intake valve open and close and then TDC. Remember there are 2 TDC, you need compression stroke. Now double check your plug wires and that they go to the corresponding correct cylinders. Engine have a good ground strap? If not put one on. Now before you start it again, have a vacuum gauge hooked up to full manifold vacuum. Have your timing light hooked up and ready to shoot the timing. Turn your idle screw up a little so you dont have to mess with that while its running. Have someone there to watch your gauges and start it up. Try and check for temp in the pipes ASAP. Report back, TR
Thank you, lets get you running right now, any way I can help you or anyone else here on the HAMB, TR
I have had brand new spark plugs blow out (the fire goes out) under less compression than that. Try a different make of plug. Make sure they are not long reach that are coming too close to the top of the piston, gap them down a bit, see if they fire outside the engine, if they do then put them in.
Is it possible that the cam you installed has a different firing order than what you are using?? I know this can be a problem with SBFs
Gotcha. My brother and I will do exactly this Saturday morning. I will start with re setting the valve lash on all cylinders, then move on to ignition. I will report any findings. Is 150psi decent? Given the rings are new and I am running a pretty radical cam? When I said this is my first rebuild, this is my first performance build. Ive rebuilt several motors but only back to stock. This include big c-15 cat diesels. Its amazing to me that I am so dumb founded by my problems, but I guess its because there isnt really a book to putting together a performance motor. Thanks again traditions.
I saw this mentioned a post or 2 back, I have purchased many distributor caps at my local parts house and get them on just to find the problem you're experiencing. Pull off the cap and sure enough one of the contacts is missing, all the posts are there on top but on one cylinder the contact inside the cap is missing. Give it a rip you might find relief in overthinking sometimes it's the simple things. Hang in there buddy we have all built our first engine at one point or another.
The spark plugs I am using are the Accel header plugs. I am using some pretty tight fitting headers due to the fact I have a rear steer front nova clip. Not much room for anything larger. Gap is set to .035, with a 50,000 volt summit HEI dizzy. Plug wires are MSD cut to length type, 8mm.
i think you just have it flooded a little, trying to read a plug that has never been up to temp is a waste of time, have you had the engine up to 180 degrees yet?
This is interesting ! Hope you find the problem ! let us know when you do ! If it was my engine I would remove the distributor, put the engine in compression on cyl 1, put in another distributor, go thrue the cable order once more. 1 8 4 3 6 5 7 2 Clockvise. One thing I learned is when you start an engine up for the first time. It should be running 15 mins at 2500 rpm. with a special paste on the cam and pushrods and all bearings. Sorry for bad swenglish ! Hope something helps !
swekustoms - from what I under stand is that this is true for a flat tappet cam, but I am using a hydraulic roller cam so the break in isnt as important. Some one please correct me if I am wrong about this.
Here is a video of it running right after the last video ended. I didnt realize I had this one too. Defiantly sounds like a radical cam, but that could just be because of the misfire. lol. http://youtu.be/nLIUC5fWUPM
Listen, AFTER you do everything else and AFTER you verify spark at the plug on #1, tell me what kind of timing light you are using, dial back or regular. Now also, did you verify TDC on what ever balancer your running? Did you change the balancer? There are some diffrent TDC marks and pointers used throughout the years and you need to verify the set up your running actually coincides with the real TDC. Some you shoot the timing off to the side, others straight down thru by the water pump from above. Now even if you just replaced the originals, balancer and pointer, you still need to verify TDC to be sure. Now does the balancer your using have marks for #1 TDC like up to 40* or so or a timing tape? If so, lose the dial back light if that's what your using and shoot the timing with a regular known good light. Rev it to 3000-3500 and set it at 32 BTDC for now. Again only if you have temp and spark in all 8 cylinders.
pottsie454 That is probably right ! I never built an engine with roller cam ! Is the cam chain cogs point to point at TDC
Traditions - I am using an old timers timing light. My dads had this thing around since he was in his hay day, hes 62 now.. lol. My brother just bought a nice $150 timing light that shows RPMS and lets you dial it back.. but I have no idea how to use it. As far as the balancer, you are right about the TDC mark being off. When I built it I put timing tape on and verified TDC. I also timed the cam, I am 2 degress off advanced from where the cam card wants it to be but its as close as I could get it with the 3 keyway timing chain I bought.
This is my friends 383 with roller cam. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSANQCmK3uY Your sounds so rough at idle !
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