What's the best way to install 400-4 intake and distributor?

[WH23G3G]

Ok, this is hopefully the last part of my 400-4bbl buildup for my 73 Charger before I can stuff it and the 727 back under the hood. I've finally got everything on except the intake and distributor. I'm using the original distributor driveshaft that was replaced not too long ago, part #MS 96007 valley pan, and a stock remanufactured distributor. The valley pan came with a tube of black RTV silicone. Where all does the silicone need to be concentrated? The motor is built using OEM replacement internals, stock Carter 4bbl Thermoquad, and Accel coil, cap, rotor, wires, Champion plugs. The timing is 10 degrees BTC. Is there anyway to install the distributor correctly on a rebuilt engine so that it's dead on 10 degrees BTC when you go to crank it up so there's no guessing? Once most everything is on the motor I'll take some photos to make sure you'll don't spot anything I missed externally. I went through the internals several times before I was ready to button it up. What about pre-oiling too? I've got the tool and an adjustable drill turning counterclockwise. I've got 4 quarts of oil in the motor and am running the drill at half-squeezed trigger. I can hear the oil pump pumping but even after a few minutes I can't tell if it's getting where it suppose to. The book I have said use 2 quarts of oil and it should take 2-3 minutes. It also says you can see the oil flowing with the intake off which I can't tell, and it said the oil should be dripping around all the rockers. Its not and I know I have the rocker shafts on correct now with the oiling holes over the valves. How wet is this valvetrain suppose to get when you're priming? It's puddling around some of the valves but the valve train isn't dripping with oil all over the place. Is it safe to run the drill in the oil pump at full trigger?

[maxwellwedge]

Just a few points.
Make sure the engine (and filter) is full with the correct amount of oil your engine/oil pan calls for. Use the drill at a moderate speed for 30-60 seconds then rotate the crank 45-90 degrees and repeat and repeat again. This will help line up other oil passages with the crank. You should be able to feel the resistance in the drill when the pump is primed and pumping. You should see oil dripping down the push rods.

When this is done (assuming the oil is pumping properly) find TDC again and do the best you can eye-balling the rotor on #1 - then give the distributor a tiny hair of a twist clockwise to give you a little advance. It won't be spot-on but will get it fired so you can check and set the final timing.

Black RTV is for the corners and ends under the valley pan.

[WH23G3G]

I got the hand held oil pressure gauge to read. I had to get a more powerful 1/2" drill. I also had it turning the wrong way so it wasn't registering last night. It registers strong now with my High Pressure oil pump. It's about 75 PSI with the drill going strong. I can put the crank damper at 0 and get oil to immediately flow all over the place on #2,#4,#6,#8 bank of cylinders. As soon as hit the drill the pressure registers and oil flows all out those rockers just like it should. However, I can't find the spot to get the #1 side bank of cylinders to start flowing. Is there a proper way of turning the crank to get each side lubed? How long do I have to let it flow out of the rockers? Because as soon as I hit the drill oil was just flowing out of all those rockers.
I've got the Fel-Pro MS 96007 valley pan gasket  but today at work I saw another gasket listed with the valley pan MS 90175 fiber port gaskets. It comes with four and it says must be used with valley pan MS 96007. I know I've heard and seen in books that only the metal valley pan needs to be used. What are these fiber port gaskets for? It came with 4 of them. Do I need to install them eventhough it says must be used with the valley pan?

[maxwellwedge]

Ok - You have stuff happening. If turning the crank in small increments at a time and trying the drill at all those locations doesn't work I would tend to suspect the rocker shaft install. Give it a shot and let us know. I don't have any cars with 383/400's so I can't comment on the correct valley pan. Does it fit on the engine properly? Are these extra gaskets thin? I remember Chrysler put out a supplemental gasket set for intake leak problems on the 440-6 back in the early 70's. I wonder if it is the kind of concept? I remember a discussion on this site a week or 2 ago about the correct valley pan for the lo-blocks.

[WH23G3G]

Ok I got both sides flowing and dripping with oil now. So I quit and decided to install the distributor oil pump driveshaft. At first it kept getting stuck in one spot and pulling the bronze bushing out. So I sanded it down with some emery paper and cleaned it off and finally got it to go in and dead on center with the crank/camshaft. Now my next concern is making sure the engine is timed right. I put the piston at TDC on what I thought was the compression stroke before I installed the drive. I'm right handed so it was kinda hard to turn the crank with the breaker bar and hold my finger over the #1 to see if air was coming out. I tried it twice and it seemed like air was coming out both times but stronger the second time around. So I assumed that was the compression stroke. Is there another easier way to make sure the timing is at TDC on compression? I don't want it to be 180 off.

[mopar400]

If you got the valve covers off you could see if the valves are closed=compression stroke

[WH23G3G]

I tried that method and I couldn't really tell whether they were closed or open. One book said the rockers would be level but they looked level always at 0 on the timing mark with the piston at top on #1. So I tried to the finger deal again and I think I got it on the compression stroke. It was pushing air and I could feel it on my finger. But what's up with this distributor cap. It's go a #1 on two sides with an arrow pointing both ways on it. I looked at all the other caps available and they're all the same. So how do I know which is #1. Isn't it the tower next to the black cap on the distributor cap? I've got the engine fully assembled and put together now but I do want to verify the timing to be as dead on as possible. I know it looks good all assembled but it doesn't matter much unless it runs good.

[maxwellwedge]

#1 will be pretty well where the rotor lines up with one of the 8 plug towers with the distributor vacuum can kinda pointing towards the throttle return bracket. It can be different based on what direction the slot in the distributor drive gear is headed. It is usually the first or 2nd tower (clockwise) past the Dist. hold down clip on the passenger side.

[WH23G3G]

My distributor is in that same position as yours after I checked for TDC, installed the oil pump drive gear, and then the distributor. I don't know however, if the wires are correctly installed on the cap. Because this cap is confusing. It shows two #1 with an arrow point both ways. Out of all the repair manuals I'm referring to I have one crappy firing order illustration from a Haynes manual that isn't very clear. There was nothing in the engine rebuild books or 73 Chassis service manual showing the firing order illustration. I checked a Standard Ignition cap and it's the same as the one I already have and a Borg Warner cap with no markings at all. I was curious since the 73 specs for the 400-4bbl are 10 degrees BTC should the rotor be pointing just a little before the number one terminal on the cap when I turn the crank to 10 BTC? Since BTC is on 0 I would think 10 degrees before that would mean the rotor would be just before the #1 on the cap. I'll have pictures of the completed motor tomorrow. I don't know if or for how long my 400 will run but I tried. It is the first time I've done a rebuild and I did it all by myself except the machine work and the help here. But it sure does look nice at least better than when I got the car.

[maxwellwedge]

Don't worry about what the cap has on it. At TDC, line the rotor up with the closest tower (after you twist the vacuum can in the same direction as my pic) and put your #1 spark plug wire on that terminal. Then do the rest of your firing order from there. Remember, go Counter-Clockwise for your firing order on a big-block - 1 8 4 3 6 5 7 2. To advance your distributor from that point twist it a wee hair clockwise and lock it down  - tight enough so it will only move with moderate hand pressure (so you can time it later). You should read some of the break-in procedures listed on this board - VERY IMPORTANT!  Here is one of many links  http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,52236.msg572646.html#msg572646

Good luck!  

[WH23G3G]

I'm on the way to break in hopefully in the next few weeks. It's been 5 years messing with this 73. I just used a lot of assembly lube during buildup and just used a good 10W-30 to prime it. Now my 400 motor is ready to go in. I'm going to drain the oil again and install Royal Purple Engine Break-In oil. I used a new Mopar M-090 oil filter when I primed the engine. Do I need to change it again before I start it up? I'm going to prime the engine again when I actually get it in. Can't I just crank it a few times with the coil unhooked or do I need to use the priming tool? I will have to move my Charger all the way out of the garage because it's very small and noise really resonates off the walls. Could there actually be some seepage around gaskets until they swell? There shouldn't be any leakage at all. We sealed this engine up good. Everything was clean and installed as perfect as possible. I think I even got the rear main seal sealed good. I will have one or two extra people here, a water hose, a fire extinguisher, and a fan. What's the most common problem that happens when someone goes to start up a motor for break in that results in failure of the engine totally?