I've been using Pretronix on my last few street rides. Will use it on my Maverick "Pro Stock" also. Work great. If you get a cap for an International Scout, you can use the HEI style connector plug wires for a better connection. Some female style caps are hard to get good connections on larger than stock wires. http://www.summitracing.com/parts/SMP-AL482/ I got one at my local NAPA store for my 351C in my Mav. Be sure you get the brass contacts, not the aluminum. You are asking the right questions. I would check into the internship if that is a field you may be interested in. SPark
Surprisingly, it already has electronic ignition.. The original electronic ignition from the factory... It just seems to take forever to start up (in the past at least) and the vacuum advance has never worked for me either... (Went through 4 distributors with different vacuum advance diaphragms.. none of which worked.) I just felt like maybe finding a used MSD ignition box and distributor would maybe fix my issues with electrical wiring.. As for the rocker arms though.. will the aluminum roller rockers i found work...??
The roller rockers should work. As for an MSD, it can be used with the Duraspark distributor, though I can't tell you how. Someone else can chime in and provide that info.
If you had 4 distributors that the advance didn't work, you may have been trying to pull your vacuum from the wrong port or had a bad vacuum line to begin with. If you run an MSD box, go straight to the digital 6a or 6al. Don't buy somebody's old 6A, 6al or 6aln. Buy new digital. The new Crane system is also pretty nice. It's digital. We ran MSD 6aln with billet MSD distributors for many years in dirt late models and dirt modifieds. Pretty fool proof if wired correctly, you have good grounds and run the right plug wires. It's a complete package to make it work correctly and can be pretty expensive the first time you set everything up. Close to $600 if I remember correctly. That's why I run Pertronix in my street stuff. SPark
I have no idea why they wouldnt work.. i tried both poerted vacuum and manifold vacuum. neither of which worked very well.. although the car idles nice with manifold vacuum, upon giving it too much throttle it would backfire and carry on.. But I'm looking and found an msd 6al digital ignition box for $190 so i suppose that's cheaper.. Plus the price if flexible.. Idk.. Petronix kits seem to be kinda pricey too though?
I tend to agree, though I do have one in my 428CJ Fairlane that's triggering a HI-6 Crane... I'm running a points triggered 6AL on the Comet using the remfg dist that was already in it ... Why??? It and E coil were on hand from a 5.0 T-Bird I parted out, was basically free...
You may have had the wrong coil firing it. Mine did much the same till I researched what coil it needed and installed it. Been fine ever since.
it hooks up the same way as any other electronic mag disty would.. and the 6al installation instructions should include the schematic. IIRC.. MSD sells an adapter for the Duraspark.. but I always just installed my own sealed connectors because IMO they were usually way overpriced. And I agree with using the stock duraspark with large cap conversion to keep things cheap and effective. If I were going to spend $100 bucks for an electronic conversion.. I'd just go that extra bit of cash to get an aftermarket disty with better bearings and much greater timing curve adjustability.
I had just hooked a blaster 3 msd coil with the original factory electronic ignition system. It ran beautifully until i tried messing with the vacuum advance.. That's actually what caused this whole dammed rebuild in the first place haha. The engine backfired on starting so much that it stripped the flywheel.. But whats strange is that, it'll start right up when cold. First crank, no problem.. But when it starts to get warm it takes several seconds to get it started again. If i let it sit though and get cold, itll fire right up first time again.. Seems to me that could be the electronic module going out no? Or is that just something old cars tend to do? It's kind of strange. It ran better when cold than it did when it was warm sometimes. As with the flywheel, when i put the new transmission in, i had the shop purchase a flywheel for me.. They got the small one (154 tooth i think).. Do i need the larger one for the starter and flywheel to mat properly??
Would anybody know at all just about (rough estimate) how long the valve stems will need to be? Should i call cam research and ask them that?
it's still pretty early for me brain to remember those numbers after a long night of graduation partying.. but it would depend on what what the current installed valve spring height is. In other words.. running a shorter .150 stem tip with +.050 keepers may not give you much retainer to rocker tip clearance with some style retainers. However.. I will generalize and say that I've rarely run into issues with typically available Chevy parts(including the shorter .150 stems). Which is lilkely what you'll be using here anyways. If you stay closer to the .200-.250 mark.. it'll be a non-issue. To be sure.. you really need to just mock up a valve/retainer assembly with checking spring to see what the installed height/tip length is. Cam research will likely tell you the same thing as I doubt they'd be willing to make any blanket statements about what will.. or won't work. Your machinist will probably also know. I asked you once before already.. and I'll ask one last time to be sure you saw the offer. Because I do a lot of head work(I make cash on the side from porting/building)..I have TONS of valvetrain parts. Some are also new/unused. Most of it is for small Chevy but I still have much Ford specific parts too with anything from 1.84 up to 2.15 vavlves(including Ti and all the typical sized small block exhaust stuff). I'd be willing to give them to you for dirt cheap(a few bucks plus shipping).. mainly for the sake of helping an up and coming youngster more easily get into the game on a budget. I was very fortunate to have many family members and friends help me out that way when I first started out.. so I've been there and never forget how important that kind of help can be. EDIT: I just looked on my shelf.. and I have one partial kit exactly like this one. It doesn't have the rockers/guideplates with it.. but may work with your cam if it is agressive enough to require those types of pressures. I'd have to run a pressure check on one of the double springs to be sure.. but I'm guessing the springs are going to be around 120'ish seat/280'ish open @1.8 inch installed height. Most of my stuff is going to be for healthier flat tappet on up to moderate roller setups.. so I definately have something that will fit the bill for your build.
Yeah! that would honestly be amazing. And i'd be willing to pay for any shipping costs and whatever you're asking. Is it only for one cylinder head or would i need to buy another one? As for the springs, cam research is sending me springs with the cam, but if theyre similar, id much rather put the double springs over the singles. Also, i have no idea how long the valve stems need to be, or if theyre sending me retainers, but i thought 1.94 intake was a little too much? Or is that the max before piston clearance becomes a problem?
ok.. if you already have springs coming?.. it may not be as good of a deal for you. But yeah.. it is for 1 head and inlcudes the 1.94 intake valve/1.6 exhaust valve, spring locating seats, double springs + damper, retainers, and standard keepers. They are 10 degree retainers/keepers. http://www.racingheadservice.com/rhs/160cc-runner-hyd-roller.html yeah.. 1.94 would be best cut down to 1.90 for those heads.. but either way.. PTV clearance must ALWAYS be checked unless you've built many specific cookie cutter combo's that are "known good" from experience. Like I said.. I also have many others which may be better for a flat tappet setup like yours. I also have 2 sets of beehives/retainers(1 with Ti).. but I'm not so sure I'd want to let a set of those go unless the cash was really good to pry them out of my "rainy day" storage. lol Do you have any ballpark idea of what cam spec's you'll end up with? EDIT: I just pulled the spec's off Comp's website.. and those "370 lb/in" springs will be too agressive for milder flat tappet cams. Not so much in the seat pressure.. but over the nose. They're also 1.8 installed height springs which are intended for higher lift cams too. Not sure how big a hurry you're in here at this stage of your build.. but I'll be going through my inventory and cleaning out some parts over this next week. I'll keep the mic handy and double check spring pressures on anything I come across while I'm at it. Without a doubt.. I have something you can use without compromise. http://www.compperformancegroupstor...ROD&Product_Code=987-16&Category_Code=LAValve
As far as the cam shaft goes, I have no idea what the cam will be at. So far he just told me the love center would be at 112 degrees and that was it. Any other information about the cam shaft is..... Guess work. I should be getting it though maybe today or sometime during this week, so I can upload a picture of the can card when I get it. I'm not sure what beehives are so I guess it's better not to buy something I don't understand haha. But I will do some research dice they seem relatively expensive.... And as for the valves and heads, if you by any chance have two sets of those I would be willing to buy both of them from you if you're willing. I'm hoping to get this engine together and ready to put in in the course of the next week or two. Hopefully I can keep to that deadline. I bought an msd 6al digital box for $170 and the machine shop is going to be about $250 so I'm not entirely sure how much money I can spare until next week or so but I was curious. If they're sending springs, once I get them, do they come with retainers?? And also, how do I find out how long the valve stems need to be?
Okay, so i got my cam shaft today, and i was hoping you guys could perhaps help me out reading these specs. The cam was broken in for me and now all that's left to do is install it i suppose. So, here is the cam card, anybody know what height valve stems im going to need? Or what is going to work?
