Reptoid Overlords

So I settled in at 12 degrees initial timing with no vac advance to alleviate all detonation. I will take the recommendation from[mention=6833]madkaw[/mention] and research modifying the vacuum advance. Thank you for suggesting it. You seem like a busy dude and I appreciate you taking the time to help. Edit: I appreciate everyone's help[mention=19495]Captain[/mention] Obvious[mention=529]Zed[/mention] Head[mention=1660]Jeff[/mention] G 78 I noticed that before retarding timing, that the blueish smoke issue was concurrent with detonation pinging. I hadn't noticed it before somehow. Seems like the longer I run it, the less it smokes on post coasting acceleration. After retarding the timing, I observed a drastic decrease in smoke. Not sure how it would be connected to ignition timing. Maybe I'm too colorblind to tell the difference between types of smoke? I've seen rich fuel smoke it's it's obviously black. This smoke has been blueish and very dry, if that makes any sense. Sent from my Coolpad 3310A using Tapatalk

I too am using Sealed Power valve stem seals. The symptoms I have are almost identical to what you have described in your last post(quote button on my phone isn't working). And would possibly explain good compression readings as Zed Head said. I brought the car to work to mess with the distributor timing on the way home after work, and to keep an eye on that smoke. It's getting harder to see it as I continue to drive it. I have been able to detect it by simply looking in the rear view mirror to see the smoke following the exhaust air vector up to the rear window, then trailing as I drive off until it stops after a few seconds. This morning I tried to look back there while driving in the dark with the headlights of the cars behind me to help notice smoke. Kind of a rude way of testing, but then again it might be what some drivers here deserve. I observe less smoke as the car warms up, and the more miles I put on it. I'm at about 50 miles since installing the engine.

Ok. I plugged the vac advance, warmed the engine up, and set base timing to 18 degrees at 750RPM idle. I went for a good long drive and noticed less detonation. It felt like it pulled quite a bit better as well. Detonation will occur under heavy load, but requires less finesse of the pedal to avoid. Thank you very much for that advice. As for that smoke I mentioned earlier, I observed it again during my initial road testing today. It is in fact blueish, indicating it's oil. Today was the first day I really drove the car and let it get to a proper operating temperature. After about an hour of driving, I can no longer see any smoke. Seems more prominent when it's cold. The bottom end has not been rebuilt. Only the head. I wonder if my valves or valve stem seals are having a rough time setting? I'm not sure if they take time to settle like rings do. I ran a compression check just now while the engine was good and hot. The results are: 1: 178 2: 178 3: 180 4: 180 5: 180 6: 180 My harbor freight compression checker might be reading lower than actual numbers. It did with my old engine when checked alongside a Snap On checker. At any rate, the numbers are even and close, so I'm hoping the rings are ok. Plugs had a bit of oil on them, but weren't anywhere close to being fouled. Sent from my Coolpad 3310A using Tapatalk

That info is greatly appreciated. When I get home from work I will research the correct way to set total advance with my timing gun. My initial timing set was to the bottom of the stock spec. My thinking was that since the rise in compression, the lowest number of 10 deg would be best. But again, I will redtard it a few degrees and see. I'm getting a tiny bit of smoke at downshift and directly after accelerating from a downshift. none at idle and none under heavy load. It's not white, or really even all that blue. But I noticed it real bad when I first started the engine and I had the advance all the way up. It mostly went away after I set the timing to 10deg. Sent from my Coolpad 3310A using Tapatalk

Thanks for that. I was going to ask about it but you just answered it. I'll try backing it down a bit. Not sure about the total advance. I set it with a timing light until the light flashed right at the 10 degree mark on the crank indicator with a warm engine/vac advance plugged. While you guys are here, I have another question. Since I've re used my valve springs, I've been reading about people who have had a lash pad pop out after having their valve trains out. I don't think this has happened to me, but since I'm pretty new at this, relatively speaking, I want to be prepared for any eventuality. If I were to miss the initial popping out of a lash pad, what symptoms would I observe in a running engine that's had a lash pad pop out? Sent from my Coolpad 3310A using Tapatalk

My original 1980 distributor, with ignition timing set to 10 deg. Sent from my Coolpad 3310A using Tapatalk

I took it out on the freeway for about 15 miles and got on it a little bit. The performance increase is pretty noticeable, but I also noticed a bit of detonation under a bit of a load(I only took it to 4k rpm) on a slight incline at around 60MPH@ roughly 3kRPM. It went away after a few seconds. I'd guess it would be worse if i lugged the engine. I'll have to get used to finessing the throttle to avoid it. Maybe a bit less of a shave would prevent it. Haven't run a compression check yet, but it sure wants to do evil stuff haha.

Yes. I'm totally using stock EFI and stock cam. I'm using my 1980 throttle body so I can have the idle air adjustment screw(1982 screw is not on the throttle body) . I have also deleted the CSV and warming plate and all EGR equipment. It starts and runs fine in our current 55 degree temps.

It has about 18 miles on it at this point. Tomorrow after work I'm going to recheck valve lash. Will I need to check valve lash more frequently until it has a few hundred more miles on it, or will I be okay to resume normal check/adjustment intervals after I check and reset tomorrow? Sent from my Coolpad 3310A using Tapatalk

So I fired this thing up and got a good test drive in our fine Washington rain today. All in all I'm pretty happy with it. The .080 head mod makes a pretty noticable difference. I must say however, that my original engine was pretty worn out, so any improvement must seem major to me. I'm running the same transmission and differential that came out of the '82 that the engine came from. I had removed the dash weeks ago to replace the heater hoses through the firewall, and in replacing the dash, I must've gone and knocked my temp gauge in just the right way to make it peg all the way to the top indicating total meltdown in the dash. But the meat thermometer in the radiator indicates 180deg after a 20 min drive. It feels normal if you touch the valve cover and I can see circulation too so I feel pretty good about it. The gauge read high ever since I've owned the car. The only leak is a small drip from the heater hose coupler that runs along the passenger side of the engine. Easy fix. I ended up running the stock flywheel, and MSA's headers and 2 1/2" exhaust. Drives and sounds good. So I guess this mod works well for anyone looking to do it. Now I can tear down the original motor haha. Edit: I didn't notice any pre ignition detonation. I'll be keeping an ear out as my drives get longer. With 3k RPM cruising and 4k rpm shits I hope I don't get any. I have a tank of premium fuel in right now.

The mad scramble to obtain axis technology. Supposedly these J2M's are being flown by former Japanese Imperial Army pilots. Sent from my Coolpad 3310A using Tapatalk

Good stuff. Thanks! Sent from my Coolpad 3310A using Tapatalk

Mine has been in a garage mostly. The last apartment I lived in I rode my Honda scooter into the lobby and into the elevator because I didn't want it to get stolen. Mostly drunk. I've just gotten my engine installed in the car, and am pretty close to firing it up. It's an F54/P79 out of an '82. It ran well when it was in the donor car. About 155k miles if I remember. I kept the block as is, in other words, I didn't rebuild it. Just re sealed it. I did run hot compression checks in it when it was still in the rust pile it came out of. It was even across in the high 170's. I got lucky. Anyway, I had the head shaved .080 as per the Z car garage write up. I gave the machine shop the parts and he installed them for me. It cost me about $350 after parts and labor. It's kind of a budget modified build. Family comes first. If you want the parts I used, I'll list them for you. When I get it running, I'll let you know how it goes. Sent from my Coolpad 3310A using Tapatalk

I'm hoping they all end up the same, as each one ended up where it came from. Sent from my Coolpad 3310A using Tapatalk

I am about a weekend away from firing up my F54/P79 for the first time after having the head shaved .080 along with new valves, lash pads and valve stem seals. The cam, springs, and rocker arms have been retained. The bottom end has not been rebuilt, torn down or modified in any way. There is the possibility that it has been rebuilt in the past, but I can't prove it, aside from clean internals and freeze plugs that were cleaner than the outside of the block. I have driven that engine before, about 2 years ago before I took it out of the car I got it from. So my question is, should I run break in oil and follow engine rebuild procedure even if I just had a few things done to the head, and aside from new seals, left the bottom end as is? Or should I run the oil I intend to use permanently, let it come to temp, look for leaks, listen for bad noises, and adjust the valve lash again, followed by about 100 miles of driving before another oil change? It should be noted that I will be driving it open headers to my neighbors house so he can weld my exhaust before I can do any real road tests. Sent from my Coolpad 3310A using Tapatalk

Just did mine last night with intake/exhaust installed. I wrapped a heavy tow strap around the transmission bellhousing, and the area just before the transmission, being careful to spread the load. You just have to watch the roll of the engine, because it'll want to rub against brackets and things bolted to the driver's side firewall. Sent from my Coolpad 3310A using Tapatalk

With the cover still installed, it would be really hard to get the back of the cover, and the little crevasses where the bolts sit. Unless you are someone who gets relaxed and enjoys polishing things, the suggestion that you take it to someone who does might be best. Maybe a high RPM Dremmel tool with a light disc of some sort of brillo pad material would be an option for the areas with a lot of flat mass.

Everybody knows Constantinople is the capitol of Europe. Sent from my Coolpad 3310A using Tapatalk

When you just have to defeat Freddy Kruger.

I've had a deer run into my car from the side.. literally ran into the moving car, as opposed to me hitting the deer. You always think of the deer stopped in the road shut down by the headlights and the driver, unable to brake in time, hitting the deer. Happened once while driving by a couple of drunk pedestrians too. Sent from my Coolpad 3310A using Tapatalk

Soon to be listed on Copart Washington D.C. or Maryland.

The driver's side of the chain is tight. I found a few things on the internet stating that what I'm seeing is normal, but I feel better about the information one receives on here.

The notches in the cam sprocket appear to line slightly advanced to the notch in the thrust plate. Is this an issue? The crank timing is set to zero on the dial. I couldn't get a picture, but the intake and exhaust valves look closed to me. The last picture is the one that shows my concern. The mark indicates that I may be slightly advanced. The timing chain and all associated parts are new. Sent from my Coolpad 3310A using Tapatalk

I ended up gong with a Fel-Pro gasket. They claim no re-torque is necessary. I've had mostly good experiences with Fel-Pro, but no experience with their head gaskets. A lot of people I trust say they have no problems. Let's hope that's the case. The only issue I encountered yesterday during head install was that some oil I used to lube the valve train found its way to the base of the head and contaminated the gasket behind cylinder #6. I cleaned it really good with some isopropyl alcohol and made sure It didn't happen again before I started getting bolts in place.

I ran all the aforementioned measurements, and could find no reason to suspect I had a problem. Cylinder head to deck thickness was in line with bolt head to deck distance(with washers taken into account), so I moved forward. Head bolts lubed and torqued in 20 ft lb increments to 65 ft lbs with no binding or complaining. Made it as far as just before you get the front cover on and begin installing and setting the oil pump and shaft. Now to put a beer in my hand. Thanks to all that helped. It's much appreciated. Sent from my Coolpad 3310A using Tapatalk