Technical Fresh Rebuild Clacking

Muffler shop determined the work they did is solid.. there's an exhaust manifold leak on passenger side!!

I did check the pushrods, rocker assembly, lifters just with a flashlight... everything looked fine got it back together and went stright to the muffler shop... I guess an exhaust leak would fool me the first time I ever heard it

Ordered a set of Remflex 13-010 and will report back if they seal it. There was black soot on the autozone exhaust gaskets, I'm having a hard time lining them up as they are individual. The Remflex is supposed to be thicker and they are all connected for easier positioning.

Thank you all for the input!

 

I put a Remflex gasket on the manifold and I put new spark plug wires. Cut to fit, I built them and... NO START. It last ran 5 days ago.

It cranks, sputters, but wont run.
So I fried the starter.
Put a new starter on..

I look down the carb and the accelerator pump is barely leaking out when I pull the throttle..

So I took it to my carb guy and he rebuilt the accelerator pump under warranty.

Get it back on, put some gas down the vent tube to fill the bowl... NO START. Cranks, sputters, wont run.

I check the ignition coil hooked up to a spark plug and it's good. I check cylinder 1 spark plug hooked up to the wire and crank and theres spark.

I figure maybe it's weak spark so I test my condenser and I thought it was bad so I got a new "heavy duty" condenser. And still no start same thing.

I figure I did the wires wrong and so I got new ones. I figure the plugs are fowled so I got new plugs.. NO START. It cranks, sputters, really wants to run but wont run.

I missed the car meet this morning and I'm stumped..

And I still haven't been able to check if the remflex gasket fixed my exhaust leak hahah!

 

Have you got the plug leads in the right order? Have you muddled up the dissy rotation?

 

I certainly have the plug lead correct.

I'm 90% on dissy rotation because I did initial timing with my thumb on 1 spark plug hole to feel the pressure. Then continued initial timing as described in the chassis manual. And I was driving it around just fine with the plug leads in the same potition.. aside from the exhaust leak

 

I see you thought maybe a spark issue and changed some things. Maybe I missed it, but did you actually watch the spark to see if it’s good?

 

I did see the ignition coil is good. And I did see spark at cylinder 1 with the lead connected to the plug and the plug out.

I couldn't tell if it was a "good" spark so I changed ignition condenser, plug leads, and plugs.

After everything I changed the symptoms remain the same, cranks, sputters, wont run

 

The inline spark testers are 12/15 $ and make it much easier to see what the spark looks like. Might give you a piece of mind to move onto something else.

 

You know you have compression because the engine was running before.
You know you have spark because you can see it.
You know you have fuel because you can see and smell it.

You are probably not getting spark at the correct time. I'd guess you either timed it wrong or the timing chain jumped.

You said its a fresh rebuild, so its doubtful that the timing chain jumped.

Remove your valve cover and watch the intake valve close and keep rotating till the timing mark lines up with the pointer. You should be at tdc on the compression stroke. Check to see if the rotor is pointing at number one on the cap. Check to see you put the wires not only in the proper numerical order but in the correct rotation direction.

If thats not it, maybe you have it flooded.

 

Just another possibility- make sure you don't have a big vacuum leak, like a hose pulled off or some other fitting open. I've done it....

 

Got the spark test light and yes all 8 cylinders have spark.

 

You do realize that you have pressure on your thumb during the exhaust stroke as well as the compression stroke, don't you? You could be 180 degrees off. As mentioned above, you will have to remove the valve cover and watch the rockers.

 

It can run and drive 180 degrees off?

 

Is it possible the dist. was/is loose enough to get moved and is now out of time?

 

In the process of replacing the exhaust manifold gaskets, did you disturb any ground cables between battery and engine or the engine and firewall or chassis?

 

No.

 

So after a few days... I took the valve cover off watched the valves. Primed the oil system with a drill. Reset initial timing. Stabbed dizzy. And she started up great. Sounds great for about 2 minutes.

I set dwell to 30 per the manual. And as soon as it got warm (upper hose hot) it starts to make a knocking sound. I took a video.

Looks like the trans dipstick puked some fluid onto the exhasut ????

I assume sound is exhaust leak and continue with timing procedure. I put it into drive to set idle speed and sound gets worse. Idle started at 550 in drive and then slowly dropped to 300 and would not go up with idle adjust screw. At this point the engine is getting hotter and coolant overflow is filling so I shut it down and it's dieseling... had to drop idle screw back down until carb flap fully closed and the carb sprays fuel mist out the top

I'll upload the video and hope yall can listen to the sound.

 

Sorry to hear your still shooting Craps and hoping to get lucky. At this point most anything could be your problem. Were it me I'd want to be sure something inside wasn't eating itself up and I'd drop the Oil Filter and remove the Can from the insert and separate the paper element looking close for Glitter. If nothing is there at least you shouldn't be eating up anything internal, maybe I should say anything Terminal.

 

I will say I have heard many an inside noise and never heard anything like that. The motor is also running like Crap. Are you sure this isn't a Joke? Sounds like someone using a Hammer on the front bumper just out of view of the Cammera. Get under the car and find what's banging around loose! Then get it running on all 8 cyl's.

 

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say you may still have some plug wires crossed here.

 

This feels like a joke on me from the universe

Okay... I'm going to redo timing again.

Glad to hear it doesn't sound internal.

As far as checking the oil, I know I should. But I have break in oil in there and it's only been 50 miles. And I would have to order more... unless I just dump it and refill today with what I can get from napa

 

Plugs are on right. There is spark at every plug. Points are new.

I'm stabbing the dizzy based on the manual. Cylinder 1 intake and exhaust closed (not moving) with timing mark reading. Set between 0 and 5. Stab it in and rotor is aligned with notch on dis. pointing at cylinder 1.

Just started it up again and ther carb shot flames... a quick google says that means spark hit off timing or valve is bent...

 

That noise seems to be in time with the engine jumping (serious rough running) around. Doesn't sound like a normal engine knock, it's not consistent enough. Check to see if harmonic balancer outer ring is moving and hitting something, or perhaps a loose or broken flywheel.

 

I reckon the noise is the engine hitting the firewall or floor pan.

I’m convinced your timing is out and that’s the reason it’s running rough.

 

I've seen you refer to setting the valves. Most all BOP of that vintage are non adjustable , you tighten the rocker stands & that's it . The clearance is set by adjusting the valve stem height when doing the valve job . pull the plugs , put a wrench on the crank snout & see if you can duplicate the noise turning by hand . That's a heavy metal , rotating assembly noise I'd guess

 

Good news. I fixed the timing and it's running on all 8 beautifully.

Bad news same old sound is still there.

So is it the same manifold leak?

I took it to a different muffler shop and they said manifold was leaking..

Reflex gasket was way thicker. I expect it to seal the manifold to head.. but could the manifold have a leak where the choke stove pipe runs through it?

I can borrow a nice a/c sniffer to try to zero in in air leaking out.

 

That does not sound good. Is the radiator still full? Drain that oil. Time to investigate.

 

That sounds like HUGE detonation. Don't do that any more until you get the timing sorted out. It's way too advanced. It is not a manifold leak.

What is your compression ratio? Were the block or the heads milled/shaved? What kind of gasoline do you have in it.

FYI, the "clacking" noise in your first video is the wiggling of the exhaust or some part of the engine/transmission hitting stationary metal when the engine coughs and shakes. How are your motor mounts?

Where are you located?