The long weekend offered me a lot of time to work on the rig. I spent two long days working on it Friday and Saturday and got the EFI harness finished off, installed the vacuum lines, heater core, coolant lines, remainder of the fuel lines, fuel final filter, lubed the rear end, driveline, t-case, tranny and dumped 6 quarts of Valvoline 30W in the crankcase. Installed the core supports, fan, radiator and filled it with coolant and hung some temporary exhaust, primed the oil pump and stabbed the disty. It was about 9:20 pm Saturday night when I pushed it out of the garage, dumped 5 gallons of gas in it and lit up the driveway with 2 - 500 watt halogen work lights.

I hopped in and turned the key to on and the fuel pump built pressure and then cycled off. I had to crank it over a few times until I got all the air bled out of the supply line and fuel up to the TB. Once the fuel got to the TB and started spraying out the injectors, she fired right up but was a bit rough. I gave the timing a quick tweak (not trying to time it then, just trying to get it to run a little smoother) so I could run it up to 2000 for 20 minutes and break in the cam.

The EFI was working beatifully, registered no fault codes and I had it purring at about 2000. About 2-3 minutes into that run, it developed a LOUD knock that sounds like it's coming from up front on #2 or #4. One second it was purring fine and the next it was knocking, so I shut if off immediately. I'm not sure what it is, but I pulled both valve covers and everything was tight under there. Probably have to drop the oil pan tonight and check out the bottom end.

Out of all the JY scrounged EFI parts, (ECM, sensors, etc.) and chopping down an '89 Astro EFI harness, homebrew HEI disty, I would have thought if I had any troubles that they would be electrical or electronic. That stuff all worked fine, but the mechanical gremlins got me.

:( Damn thing was working damn fine! I was impressed. Hope it's not a mayjor setback man, you've been workin' hard on that bastid.

that truly sucks. Hope it's nothing major.

OUCH. :(

I sure hope my break-in goes better.. time table has slipped.. I was supposed to fire it yesterday, but now I'm thinking Tuesday night will be the cam break-in, since the engine is still on the stand. :(

Kept losing time to "stupid stuff".. found out a SII oil pickup won't fit a 74 truck pan, so I had to cannibalize the motor that just came out of the truck.. while in there, I eyeballed the internal bypass oil pump and wasted some time thinking I'd convert my pump.. then decided it wouldn't work.. blah blah.

Shop is a disaster area.

http://tigger.tmcom.com/~tsm1/PlainGallery/album02/DCP_0112.sized.jpg

Engine bay is much cleaner now though..

http://tigger.tmcom.com/~tsm1/PlainGallery/album02/DCP_0082.sized.jpg

And the 392 is almost ready..

http://tigger.tmcom.com/~tsm1/PlainGallery/album02/DCP_0114.sized.jpg

Still needs the rear main, two soft plugs put in, the flywheel/clutch, and the water pump installed.. but otherwise it's about ready.

It can't get much more ready without taking it off the stand to get to the bellhousing. :D

Upgraded to a Delco 12si 94amp alt while I was at it, and I've done a little test fitting of the Taurus fan..

http://tigger.tmcom.com/~tsm1/PlainGallery/album02/DCP_0072.sized.jpg

I think I'll center it a bit more, but that's about how I think I'll run it.

I'll run steel strap from the top to bottom of the radiator, one per left/right side of the fan, with a bolt through the fan shroud to hold it all in place.

Not sure the clutch fan will clear - I'm going to try running w/ no mechanical fan first, and I'll probably toss a fixed fan into the parts collection just in case.

Here's my old Pontiac 2000 fan (that, with the offset to the side, cleared the clutch fan)

http://tigger.tmcom.com/~tsm1/PlainGallery/album02/DCP_0070.sized.jpg
http://tigger.tmcom.com/~tsm1/PlainGallery/album02/DCP_0019.sized.jpg

I didn't mount my Ford 3.8L fan yet. I was on a time schedule myself and after I put the radiator in I test fit the electric fan (or tried to). The electric fan would not fit in between the radiator and the water pump. When I had the radiator recored, I had them put in a 3 row instead of the original 2 row. The Ford fan would have probably fit on a 2 row radiator, not with a 3-row. Instead of taking the time to make it work, I just grabbed the clutch fan and tossed it on there.

I'd wish almost everyone a better test firing than I had. Hearing it run was supposed to be the great motivation enhancer to get my arse in gear and finish it up. I think I'll start tonight with upper end.... take the valve covers off and turn the engine over by hand and see if I can find anything loose in the valve train. Maybe I'll get lucky and find a lifter that died or something. If I don't see anything there, I'll have to drain the oil and drop the pan and check out the bottom.

What has me baffled it how the thing was running fine one second and clanging like mad the next. No warning or anthing... I had excellent oil pressure the whole time. I really have no idea what it is so I'll just have to poke around in it.

Originally posted by TORC
I didn't mount my Ford 3.8L fan yet. I was on a time schedule myself and after I put the radiator in I test fit the electric fan (or tried to). The electric fan would not fit in between the radiator and the water pump.


I considered trimming the shroud to stick the fan closer to the radiator, which might allow me to run my clutch fan as well, but decided I'd try it "uncut" for a while first. I think we can mount 'em closer if we need to tho'.


I'd wish almost everyone a better test firing than I had. Hearing it run was supposed to be the great motivation enhancer to get my arse in gear and finish it up.


Reminds me of the day, after a full week of 4am nights, that I fired my race for the first time, drove 4 feet leaving black marks, and then broke the tranny.

I went inside and collapsed on the couch. :D

What has me baffled it how the thing was running fine one second and clanging like mad the next. No warning or anthing... I had excellent oil pressure the whole time. I really have no idea what it is so I'll just have to poke around in it.

You're sure it was the engine though.. not an accessory coming apart, or a fan hitting something? (wouldn't that be nice?!)

Originally posted by tsm1mt
You're sure it was the engine though.. not an accessory coming apart, or a fan hitting something? (wouldn't that be nice?!)

Well that was my first thought too was maybe the fan hitting something... I checked that and didn't see anything it could be hitting. I didn't have the compressor installed and I took the power steering pump belt off so they wouldn't be turning while I was breaking in the engine (less sources of noises to try to track down). The only two things turning were the alternator and water pump (both of which are new but that doesn't necessarily mean anything). It sounded like it was coming from up in the front on the passenger side... most likely #2 if it is a cylinder, but that is right where the alternator is. The problem is, a bad as it sounded, I didn't want to leave her running while I tried to track it down. Instinct just automatically had my hand on the key killing it before I even had to think about it.

I think you got a loose rod cap :D :D



:flipoff2:


I'm just impressed the efi worked out of the box... I was VERY tempted to test fire my new motor with a good carb, fittled so long with the (was working) projectioncrap was afraid I washed down the rings... but all is well now...

I found the knock last night. It was two loose rod caps so Rusty wins a booger (even though he probably cheated and saw the pics on the BB).

#7 rod bolts backed out some:
http://www.mo-4xtoys.com/torc/Engine/P0001857a.jpg

and #5 rod bolts were only finger tight. I was amazed that bearings did not spin. #5 actually looks like it could be reused but I will replace it anyway.
http://www.mo-4xtoys.com/torc/Engine/P0001858a.jpg

#7 doesn't look too bad either but it has to be replaced because the end on one side is ever-so-slightly mushroomed.
http://www.mo-4xtoys.com/torc/Engine/P0001860a.jpg

The crank was came out unscathed so it looks like a couple new inserts and bolt it back together. I'm glad the "kill it now" instinct kicked in when it did... I think I just barely escaped disaster.

Good deal, glad to hear the carnage was relatively minor. Now get that beeotch finished. :p

rod bolts :confused: :confused:


hmmm my caddy 425 i'm building uses studs with crush nuts. any way to convert the IH rods to studs

(I thought all engines used studs for ther con rod caps)

Originally posted by Chief yelling alot

(I thought all engines used studs for ther con rod caps)

Some IH's do use studs with nuts but I'm not sure if the rods will let you change them.
I would re check all of them and find out why those two let go. Check the callibration of the torque wrench. :)

I'm gonna have to chalk it up to me flat missing those two. I torqued the bolts in 3 stages and only thing I can figure is that I got distracted or something and didn't final torque those two rods. Believe me, while the pan was off, I rechecked everything and all other bolts were right and tight. The only thing that makes since is that I just missed them somehow. The new inserts are in and all I have to do is re-install the alternator and it'll be ready to re-fire tonight.

And yes, Joe, I'm working my arse off to get it finished.... I'm still trying to make the Rubicon trip in August want it done far enough in advance to get some time on the engine before then.

Whats the score? Is it fired up and happy now or what?

See this thread.....
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=158591