cranking a newly installed engine and trans? i dotn know what the deal is. i suppose its all the work ive put forth into this 302 swap. i know for a fact ive joined the engine and trans correctly, flywheel and starter matches. putting all the new outside stuff on the engine correctly., but i just feel its not going to work. lol maybe its because the last time i did this was 25yrs ago. it ran on the first crank back then....not sure why im worried now. do you ever do this? stories are welcomed.
I would take the coil wire off so the car wont actually start and crank it over and build up the oil pressure . I have put the distributor in 180 out several times now I always take the valve cover off the passenger side and make sure the valve are closed on #1 cylinder when at tdc . It has always been a little nerve racking for me when breaking in a non roller motor and keeping the rpms up for the break in period, roller motors are no problem just start them up . I wont even get into how to break a motor in because it would just cause an argument
I would prime the oil pump with a drill. Cranking the engine is not the proper way to prime it. I would also run break-in oil for that first run. Comp Cams offers some.
Yep already primmed it the other day before I put it in just to be sure the pump was working. Will prime again right before I crank it. Used old distributor rod and it worked great.
Sorry I know that priming the pump is done by turning the oil pump with a drill I just did not know the experience level we are dealing with, ditto on the break in oil . Sounds like you have everything under control. I still remember the terrific feeling I got when I cranked up the 347 for the first time with the headers uncapped, totally different than any other motor I had built
im going to keep mine uncapped but i may put about 2 feet of pipe on each side just to get the hot exhaust past the end of the trans a little bit more.
You know how they say your life flashes before your eyes when in great stress? Well right before I go green for startup, I just stare at the engine and it is like the whole build goes before my eyes. I mentally run down the whole thing as sort of a double check. Thinking through all the work procedures, wire connections, fluids and so on. The whole process takes just seconds to happen - it is weird to describe it. About the worst thing that has ever happened to me, was dropping in the distributor off 180 too. Rookie mistake, but it happened not too long ago to me.
been 180 out at least once. get timing close to right, oil in it and hope no air pockets in cooling system...fire it up... good luck...... I put straight distilled water in for start up, that way if there's a leak...no antifreeze to clean up.
The first time I did it, I stabbed the distributor in right the first time. So..........I got cocky, and the next time, I got it 180 out. The backfiring sounds turned my stomach. Lesson learned. Don't get cocky, and pay attention to whether it's at TDC on compression stroke, or exhaust stroke.
Another thing I like to do is while using a radiator cap with a vent lever, put a drain pan under the hose that runs down. Have the vent lever open at startup. Have a friend watch so it can be closed as soon as it starts spewing water or coolant into the pan. His helps to get the air out of the cooling system, and without making a huge mess.
I used the firing order for the original 302 when I swapped in my first cam that required the 351w/roller cam firing order. It took my chevy driving neighbor to come over and figure that one out. I think he got tired of hearing all the popping when from my failed attempts at getting it timed. Oh to be 16 again.
