Timing chain question.

[newby]

Latest update.
I moved the timing chain back one tooth. It now sits at the 3 o clock.
I once again checked the static timing, if the pictures I posted before are correct then I should be good because I set it exactly the same this time.
I cleaned all the spark plugs and ensured they where all gapped to 43 IAW the EI dizzy instructions. (plugs were black see picture below)
I installed the valve cover, rotor cap, and spark plug wires (ensuring 1,3,4,2 counter clockwise firing order)
Tomorrow I am going to attempt to fire it up. Did I miss anything?

One more question. I can pull on the carburetor piston(?) Underneath where the knurled knobs are but I can't push up on them like the carb tuning right up says. Am I doing something wrong or should I not worry about that right now.

[Datsun 440]

Question is that a Champion spark plug. If it is go buy some NGK's
Arnold

[newby]

Question is that a Champion spark plug. If it is go buy some NGK's
Arnold

Lol. No it's not champion it's ngk es. Are champion that bad?

[SLOroadster]

Did you take a look and see if there were any marks on the tops of the pistons? With the cam off by a tooth, I'd be very concerned with piston to valve contact. A u20 is an interference motor, being a full tooth off with the cam timing is a long way to be off.

Will

[spl310]

Some engines like Champion (Dodge), while others will hardly run with them. I don't understand exactly why, but tis true!

[newby]

Did you take a look and see if there were any marks on the tops of the pistons? With the cam off by a tooth, I'd be very concerned with piston to valve contact. A u20 is an interference motor, being a full tooth off with the cam timing is a long way to be off.

Will,
I looked down in there as best I could and I didn't not see anything. But i did have the tapping sound before, so maybe that was it? If I can get the car fired up today ill listen for the noise and take video.

[Datsun 440]

What I like to do is screw in a compression gauge and turn the engine over by hand to see if there is compression . The needle on the gauge will move slightly. This way you can tell if there is compression and any valve interference.
Also works well for making sure you are on compression stroke when finding TDC on #1 cylinder.
Arnold

[bikermike]

One more question. I can pull on the carburetor piston(?) Underneath where the knurled knobs are but I can't push up on them like the carb tuning right up says. Am I doing something wrong or should I not worry about that right now.

To access the carb pistons you need to remove the air cleaner. The bottom of the piston is what you see in the throat of each carb as shown in the video below. The needle is secured to the bottom of the pistion. The knurled knobs you refer to control the nozzle height to set the air / fuel mixture. Hope that helps.

Some other references for you to check out: http://311s.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f= ... rb#p126685

[youtube][/youtube]

[Gregs672000]

What I think Fernando is referring to is the push pin for turning off that carb and checking air/fuel mix on the other. Actually, if you look at the picture above you can see the push pin on the left hand side of the carb. It has a little spring on it. You push this up and it "turns off" that carb.

The nozzles are in the center and bottom of the carb and has a fuel line feeding to it from the float bowl. This should go up and down when you pull on the chokes. They have a tendency to stay stuck down and will usually spring back up when you tap on them.

Sounds like you are ready to fire her. Look inside a spark plug hole with the piston at TDC if you can or want to and look for marks on the piston. We will know fairly quickly if she bent a valve or two (I hope not!!!) when she's running.

[Gregs672000]

BTW, I wanted to clear up what I am being told is a misconception about valve lash. While it is absolutely important that the valve not be too tight and cause it to not seat, my head guru insists that as long as there is valve lash clearance you are fine... so 3mm, 4mm is no different than 8mm so long as it doesnt go to 0mm when hot. There is a very very slight advantage to less clearance but it isn't going to produce 10 more hp, but will make a tiny difference in when and how much the cam lifts etc. Sometimes it can become a bigger issue as the engine wears, as the seat can get pounded farther into the head, making the need for more valve lash or clearance necessary to compensate for the fact that the valve has to spring back farther. If there is not enough valve lash to compensate, the valve will eventually not seat and then begin to burn.

Humbly yours...

[jake7140]

One more question. I can pull on the carburetor piston(?) Underneath where the knurled knobs are but I can't push up on them like the carb tuning right up says. Am I doing something wrong or should I not worry about that right now.

That's the jet an fuel nozzle assembly. Check me if wrong, but it should not be able to be pushed up when at rest. When you 'choke' the car, the choke cable pulls the assembly down to richer the mixture, but at rest it should be at its highest point. So you're OK.

Sorry, haven't read the whole thread, but to check piston to valve clearance, TDC is not the critical point. It is before TDC for exhaust, after TDC for intake. Think about what is going on. The piston is coming up, expelling exhaust gasses with the ex valve open. The timing of when the valve begins to close and at what rate, compared to the piston rising is the concern. So if your cam timing is behind, the valve will close (begin closing) too late, allowing the piston to "catch" the valve open some amount. Opposite for intake if the valve opens too soon, before the piston gets far enough away ( or as the piston is still coming up).

You can check at the appropriate degrees by rotating engine and levering down the rocker arm to open the valve. Precise measurement would use a dial gauge on the valve stem to measure.

With my recent bent valve engine I totally removed the timing cover and re-timed from square one. Not really that difficult. Just a lot of goofin around especially all those oil pan bolts. (And all the silicone and 3M goop that was on every gasket. If you're careful, you should be able to get the timing cover off saving the gaskets.

Good luck!

[newby]

Update time!
I started it today it sounds A LOT better. Tapping is gone, dieseling is gone, still needs some fine tuning though. What do I do with the port in the picture? it is capped on my old carbs but those wheren't running great either.

[Skyman]

Update time!
I started it today it sounds A LOT better. Tapping is gone, dieseling is gone, still needs some fine tuning though. What do I do with the port in the picture? it is capped on my old carbs but those wheren't running great either.

I would cap that port or you're going to have a vacuum leak. I've seen rubber nipple sleeves that cap these types of fittings. Or remove the fitting all together and use a plug. If it is a Solex manifold, I think it is British thread?

[jamesw]

Yeah, you can buy a rubber cap at the local auto parts store for it. I would cap it.

Glad to hear you got her running!

James

[newby]

Yeah, running much better now. Now i need to figure out the carb sync and fuel mixture portion.