Slow & Steady

"MM54" (mm54mk2) 11/17/2019 at 20:45 • Filed to: '71Chevelle

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Intake is on. Like every other intake with angled bolts, could only get a torque wrench on a couple of them so I calibrated my hand and added 10%. Should be good to go.

Next up I need to stick the valve covers on it for real (have been setting them in place to keep dirt out; going to glue the gaskets to them then actually install). After that I’ll probably hang the headers on it to check plug clearance. They were really tight on the stock heads, so we’ll see. I think the exhaust ports on these heads are .100" higher so that might help... or hurt. TBD. If I have enough clearance I’d really like to wrap the headers to keep the heat out of the engine bay and generally make them look less-bad.

The only remaining major-step is to dial in the bellhousing, which I’m not looking forward to. I can’t do it on the engine stand, and the engine takes enough torque to turn over (now that the valvetrain is in place) that it’s going to be a huge pain to do it with the engine trying to flop over on the floor . Worst case I’ll back the rockers off and re-do them later. It’s a Muncie, so it doesn’t have to be perfect, but I still want to check it - and if I’m adjusting it, might as well do it all the way. Maybe I’m underestimating how much it weighs and it won’t be an issue, we’ll see.

Gone > MM54 11/17/2019 at 21:07

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If you want another th ing t o take up space in your garag e, Motofeet makes a neat product to trim out an engi ne/trans before you drop it in. Or take their idea as your own and build something similar out of scrap.

Personally a fan of coatings over wrap, but seems to be an opinio n thing more than anything else. Otherwise looki ng good!

glemon > MM54 11/17/2019 at 21:12

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As a total amateur who has rebuilt a handful of engines, I just wanted to say, “slow and steady” is my mantra when I do it too . Read the book, think about it, slowly put it together, making sure everything is clean, properly oriented, trial fit, not binding , etc.  Sounds like you are on the right track.  Good luck!

MM54 > Gone 11/17/2019 at 21:16

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That is a clever stand design! I’ll have to look into that some more, thanks. I do have a “stand” I made from scrap that I have the stock engine sitting on in the corner, but it doesn’t have clearance to mount a bellhousing. I may be able to make something like that product... or just buy them, they aren’t that costly.

I have painted multiple sets of headers with VHT (such as these) following the instructions to the letter and the paint always fails. The cost of having a ceramic coating applied, to me, isn’t worth it if I have clearance to wrap them. I feel like a good header wrap probably holds in more heat than a ceramic costing as well. Ceramic does look really good, though!

MM54 > glemon 11/17/2019 at 21:18

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Thanks!

Unfortunately the “slow” nature of this is due to factors outside my control; if I had all the parts on hand and a free few days I’d be comfortable putting it together and into the car in a weekend ;)

Urambo Tauro > MM54 11/17/2019 at 21:18

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Man, it always annoys me when I can’t get a torque wrench on a fastener. Especially when there’s a gasket involved. What’s your method for hand calibration?

Since there’s often a range to work with, the trick I find myself resorting to has been to set my torque wrench to the lowest acceptable number (on an accessible fastener) , then give it a slight extra push with a regular wrench to get a feel for how tight the others should be. So far so good, but I’m open to more reliable suggestions.

glemon > MM54 11/17/2019 at 21:21

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Never used them, but I have heard really good things about this product —- https://www.jet-hot.com/  

MM54 > glemon 11/17/2019 at 21:26

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I’ve heard good things about them as well, but (as with every company that does it I’ve looked at) I’ve also heard of people having the coating fail after 6 months. I think the only not-wrapped headers I’d trust to not look bad after some time is stainless :)

... I do live basically around the corner from Stainless Works... hmm

MM54 > Urambo Tauro 11/17/2019 at 21:28

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I’ll put it on a bolt that I can (or one in a vice) and grab it at the same distance from the head as where the end of my wrench would be . How hard I have to pull to make it click is how hard I pull on the wrench.

Gone > Urambo Tauro 11/17/2019 at 21:31

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You can get pretty accurate with a crows foot adapter if you do the math.

Urambo Tauro > Gone 11/17/2019 at 21:37

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dogisbadob > MM54 11/17/2019 at 22:12

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oooo yellow

looks like papayas on your engine :p

66P1800inpieces > MM54 11/17/2019 at 22:16

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I was thinking of Swain Coating’s White Lighting system as it appears to be in the same range or perhaps cheaper than Jet Hot. Seems to be one of the thicker ceramic products on the market. At this point my garage situation may change so I just need to finish my project and decided to keep it looking original . I dropped my single piece intake/exhaust manifold at the powder coater to have it blasted for $30 and then will brush on some POR 15 high temp paint in cast iron gray.

Gone > glemon 11/17/2019 at 22:19

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I’ve never actually used them lol. I’ve only used HPC in OKC, which I think is now Performance Coatings and Swaintech. At some point I think Stainless Works switched from Jet-Hot t o Calico not sure if that’s current. I’ve used Polydyn for work (non-automotive ) and can recommend them just based on my work experience.  

NYankee1927 > MM54 11/17/2019 at 22:22

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What is your redline RPM with that rocker setup?

shop-teacher > MM54 11/17/2019 at 22:22

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One of the podcasts I listen to was promoting this zinc brush on paint for heat protection. I’ve never used it, but it might be worth trying.

https://www.zycoat.com/

MM54 > NYankee1927 11/17/2019 at 22:36

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F orged bottom end balanced to .1g, solid lifters, those rockers, and heavy-ass springs all combine to give me a max RPM of “I dunno” - we’ll see . I’d like to set the limiter at 7k and work from there.

MM54 > Gone 11/17/2019 at 22:39

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I’ve done this, but unless it’s something that needs to be pretty precise I am comfortable with the hand method :)

NYankee1927 > MM54 11/17/2019 at 23:53

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“Work from there” I love it. Sounds stout