Tried to start engine break in... *Update 6/18*

[lisiecki1]

I believe the way you had it installed previously would put your cam a little further back in the engine....You may want to pull the lifters and cam out while you have the timing cover off and just give the lobes a once-over and make sure they look up to snuff also.  I'm pretty sure you can pull the lifters without pulling the intake off, but I'm not positive about that at the moment.

[greenpigs]

I don't think that would be possible without popping the intake & valley pan off.

[flyinlow]

Once you have correctly timed the cam,you can reinstall the rocker shafts.  Crank the engine over with the coil wire removed. Does it crank smoothly and evenly?  Do a compression check it you want.

With all the cranking ,you might want to reprime the engine oil for the start up unless you have been getting oil pressure readings durring your troubleshooting engine cranking.

[grdprx]

I got the timing chain correctly installed now!  Turned the crank a couple revolutions, watching both sides of the valve train.  Seemed to be functioning properly, except that push rod that somehow popped out of the rocker...     Fixed that and rechecked. 

Got the timing cover on, have to work on getting the rest back together tomorrow morning.  Got my friend coming over tomorrow night with another guy to try and get this puppy running!

[greenpigs]

Did you make sure the pushrods were not bent? If not roll them across a table or something flat and there should be no wobble.

[grdprx]

Did you make sure the pushrods were not bent? If not roll them across a table or something flat and there should be no wobble.

Yes, it was not bent.  Just popped out as I tried to tighten down the rocker shaft.  That's quite the ordeal by yourself...   Holding the rockers on the pushrods while trying to tighten the shaft to keep it in place.        They never said it was easy, right?   

[TylerCharger69]

I highly doubt  you would have any damage to the valves  because it is not an interference engine...Cam gear on backwards?...I didnt think that was possible due to the offset of the cam but....yeah....that'll do it....especially if the cam gear is no where in the ball park....

[grdprx]

Hey, what can I say?  I wanted to try and do this on my own (with tons of help from DC.com), and I put something on backwards.  Looks like no harm, no foul.  I'm glad for the help and support here, and now I know why this beast hasn't wanted to run.   I should have known better; live and learn, right?

Took a long lunch this afternoon, went home and got the alternator on, the radiator in; tinkered with a few other things.  Just have to prime the engine, put the plugs and wires on, and fill the radiator.  Should be good for another shot and starting it.   

[62dodge]

It is too late now but if you use your oil dip stick to hold your push rods in place it makes it a lot easier to put your rocker arms on. An old racing buddy showed me that trick.

[grdprx]

IT RUNS!!!   

Thank you one and all for your help, got it running.  Did my 20 min break in, changed out the oil; but I can't get the filter off..  And my filter wrench isn't big enough for the Napa 1515..   

I'm enjoing my Beer right now, best one I've had in awhile!  I'm so exicited, now i can't wait to drive it!  My wife said, "First you wanted to start it, just get it running..  Now you 'just want to drive it'...  Sheesh"

My responce, "Duh"   

[greenpigs]

Try and take it easy on it the first few hundered miles, course others will say hammer on it, it doesnt matter.

[elacruze]

It is too late now but if you use your oil dip stick to hold your push rods in place it makes it a lot easier to put your rocker arms on. An old racing buddy showed me that trick.

[elacruze]

Glad it's working. I have a lot of respect for anyone who risks their project at their own hands just to learn something. The first two times I did my own, it turned out badly...be sure to keep the RPMs up to oil the cam!

[flyinlow]

Don't forget the zdp addatives for the oil.

[lisiecki1]

glad to hear you got it going.  congrats bud!