Lash

289 - 351 cid Small Block Performance
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Rocket989
Posts: 1678
Joined: Sat Jan 11, 2014 2:53 pm
Location: Kansas City Metro

Lash

Post by Rocket989 »

So the heap is not as happy as it was. I took that last vid in the build thread a couple days after cam break-in and hadn’t gone back and checked/reset lash. Well it ran pretty good and seemed happy - yah know how you get that gut feel when an SBF is singin’ along? Decent amount of rocker noise though and I had set ‘em fairly loose putting it together.

So fast forward and I took the advice of some guys saying that cam has “Chevy” lobes and could be lashed tighter with the larger Ford lifters. Cam card says .022 hot. I aimed for ~.017 hot...set at .011 cold. Big NO...ran like ass. Too tight..had to idle up and low engine RPM sounded like s***.

Soooo...went back and set at a snug .016 cold aiming for the .022 on the card. Seemed same as last attempt...lousy. Checked a few hot and a .022 is pretty snug while a .020 glides in/out. Should be about perfect. But it’s not!

Not sure what now. I can go back and loosen up a couple thou, but man, shouldn’t make that much difference and it’s right on the snug side of the cam card.... :roll: :( :?
'cause Johno says you gotta have a sig pic! :)
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Rocket989
Posts: 1678
Joined: Sat Jan 11, 2014 2:53 pm
Location: Kansas City Metro

Re: Lash

Post by Rocket989 »

The plot thickens a bit...pic of plug (they all look like this):

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On this motor a wee 465 cfm carb with 54 primary jets should NOT be fouling plugs!! Shucks, a good 'ole 1850 has 66's! Since I've still got the crappy electric pump setup, I checked engine off and no gas dripping. I guess I need to check the primary float level and see if it's sticking, watch for gas running while it's (trying to) idling, etc. Could be needle/seat or the adjustment... I'd put Stabil in the fuel cell and double-bagged the Street Avenger, then stuffed it in basement of house. Storage doesn't get friendlier and it ran great up 'til I pulled it off of the 260. Sigh...

So I'll clean the plugs and/or get new & thinking of giving the 600DP I built a whirl.

I can back lash off a little (once I'm able to stand straight again) but .020 should be GTG!! :|
'cause Johno says you gotta have a sig pic! :)
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Lou's Comet
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Joined: Sat Nov 26, 2011 8:56 pm
Location: Jeannette, Pa.

Re: Lash

Post by Lou's Comet »

Get new plugs. Years ago I did a cam install, new cam, lifters, gears, chain, plugs etc. broke in the cam with the new plugs.

After break in it ran ok, but didn't seem right and the more I played with setting and such it didn't help and seemed to get worse. Plugs looked like yours. I cleaned them and didn't help. Was talking to a buddy who did a lot of cam installs and he told me he had new plugs go bad more than once during cam break ins. Told me to put new plugs in it and all would be good,,,,he was right. After that I now wait till after cam is broke in to install the new plugs.

He had no theory on why the plugs go bad, just that sometimes they do. So I would try that first

Also try one thing at a time.

Hope it helps

Lou

Rocket989
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Joined: Sat Jan 11, 2014 2:53 pm
Location: Kansas City Metro

Re: Lash

Post by Rocket989 »

Thanks Lou, will do!! I checked stuff on the carb this morning and moved the primary float down a little. Ran outta time to do anything else. I'm reluctant to start doing much else to the carb at this point (like you said...one thing at a time!)... I'll put new plugs in, crank it up and let it get warm. If no fuel is dripping anywhere (that I can see) and it runs well enough, I'm going to bump up the timing and then see about tuning idle mixture.

It's at 11-degrees now but that cam is pretty big so I doubt that's enough.

Keep plugging on it!! :D
'cause Johno says you gotta have a sig pic! :)
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Rocket989
Posts: 1678
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Location: Kansas City Metro

Re: Lash

Post by Rocket989 »

Made some progress...replaced plugs and spent a good chunk of time dinking with the carb. Runs way better but idle mixture screws still do nothing so I need to open the secondary transfer slots a little more. I’d forgotten Holley used a 8.5PV in these. It was likely opening at idle then. I stuffed in a 3.5.

Now though, it’s running lean - which is what I’d expect with that small of carb. It seemed (for now) to like 17-degrees initial...got a whole 1 more inch of vacuum to make a whopping 9” :lol: Might need to back it off a degree or two but no less than 15. IIRC the Accel dizzy has 20-degrees built in.

I actually backed it out but need to tweak the hydro clutch setup, so after smelling a little clutch disc...just pulled back in. Bummer.

I guess it’s a good thing. After checking a plug, flogging it to help seat the rings with that much timing running lean is probably not the best idea.

Then there’s the new rear caliper that’s still leaking, the new-new rad that might be too... :roll: Fun never ends!!

Thanks again Lou! :D
'cause Johno says you gotta have a sig pic! :)
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comethead
Posts: 5692
Joined: Sun Nov 09, 2003 7:44 pm
Location: Palmdale, CA

Re: Lash

Post by comethead »

Holy mackerel! keep swinging! You’ll get it. Wish I could help but I have no clue!
I’m reading and learning. I got a feeling I’ll be revisiting this thread soon.

Good luck keep us posted!

Joe
1965 Caliente HT- 289/4 speed
1964 Falcon HT- track car- 302/4 speed
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RideAndShoot
Posts: 151
Joined: Tue Oct 17, 2017 1:13 pm
Location: San Diego, CA

Re: Lash

Post by RideAndShoot »

If it was easy everyone would do it! Where’s the caliper leaking from?

And as for the fouled plugs, I got one of those little spark plug sandbalsters from harbor frieght and boy does it work awesome! Worth the $15 for sure.
Chop everything, nothing is sacred.
Destroying the essence of motorcycles, one part at a time. <——— Cars now too I guess.

Rocket989
Posts: 1678
Joined: Sat Jan 11, 2014 2:53 pm
Location: Kansas City Metro

Re: Lash

Post by Rocket989 »

Right on Joe - anything I can help you screw-up, lemme know!! :lol: :lol:

R&S - gotta be piston somewhere. I haven’t pulled it yet. I had no idea a spark plug sandblaster existed!! :D
'cause Johno says you gotta have a sig pic! :)
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RideAndShoot
Posts: 151
Joined: Tue Oct 17, 2017 1:13 pm
Location: San Diego, CA

Re: Lash

Post by RideAndShoot »

Yup! Here it is. It has a switch to blow clean air on it after, but I always just pull it out and blow it off with an air gun anyway.

https://m.harborfreight.com/pneumatic-s ... 32860.html
Chop everything, nothing is sacred.
Destroying the essence of motorcycles, one part at a time. <——— Cars now too I guess.

lavron
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Re: Lash

Post by lavron »

We had something similar when I was in Vo-Tech many (X3) years ago, probably a little more industrial than HF but it looks like for $14 this would work good, I might have to get one of those :roll:

See Ya,
Mike
Mike's build thread
viewtopic.php?f=9&t=13058
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poboyjo65
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Re: Lash

Post by poboyjo65 »

I wanted one of those so bad when I was a narrowass teenager riding 2 stroke dirt bikes & fowling plugs every week or 2. but the expense was too great it never did happen. I saw those in HF a year or 2 back & nearly ordered one just from the lingering want. But I have sand blaster & even when empty you can shake it & shake loose enough sand to clean 8 plugs :lol:
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Johno

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