It sounds like your oil pump is not exactly centered. That is a huge problem with after-market parts on a stock block. Before installing the oil pan and torquing the oil pump...insert your makeshift oil pump shaft(make certain it is not binding),now torque your oil pump and so on. Also,you say you have installed flattop pistons to regain some compression...you may have to invest in some adjustable push rods to get the right clearance
Had a similiar problem on my first cam install in a 302, many years ago. Because of the cam profile, car ran like it was dragging an anchor behind it. Came up with some 5/16th's posi-loks, and set all the rockers at zero lash exactly. Ran fine after that, PAW still lists those posi-lok's as well as some other suppliers. Never had any problems with not having screw in studs or guide plates, would recommend putting them in though. 3/8th studs and matching roller rockers, then future mods to the HP and torque outputs, will not cause anymore problems in that area. Have even used 1.6 ratio on the intake and 1.7 on the exhaust to get a little more lift to enhance smaller camshafts. Must watch out for piston to valve clearance though, unless you have deep valve reliefs in the pistons.
the machine shop did relieving in the flat-tops, originally i had a lunati cam with .5 something lift that was gonna end up being too much for what i wanted to do with it, so i went with the one i currently have in there now.
Man, after reading about your obstacles, I had to guzzle a bottle of Jack Daniels from my case of 'sympathetic agony'. I have nothing to offer but my best wishes!
well i pulled the pan and pump today, i installed the dizzy then the rod and pump, got it all back together and she runs beautiful now, now just to get a few loose ends and the alternator situation takin care of. thanks again for all the help guys, im sure i will have alot more probs i will need help with! this board is awesome!!
ok guys im back with some more problems, i got good compression on all cylinders now and she idles fine, however, i drove it about 10 miles from my parents shop to my house the other day and it makes some rattling noise when i really get into it, it isnt bottom end noise, more top end rattling, sounds almost like the valvetrain is gonna come apart, i would think it was the quick fix home-done rockerstud stops i did as stated above in a previous post, but it is running a bit on the rich side, i am running a manual choke 600cfm edelbrock carb and have the adjusters screws backed out 1-1/2turns, i was checking the vacuum hose to the points distributor, and both vacuum ports have full vacuum at an idle, isnt the one that sits slightly higher on the passenger side supposed to be timed? that is the one it is hooked up to, so i think my carb is fubared because every other afb i have dosent have full vacuum at idle on this port. could this be my problem is that the advance isnt working right on the dizzy, so it is messing up the timing in higher rpms or am i barking up the wrong tree?
Sounds like detonation "ping" is happening. You can retard the timing maybe and/or get some higher octane gas. From your previous posts, you may have to run premium gas because of your cam and compression ratio. Please go to the salvage yard and get a electronic dizzy and matching brain box(control module). Points are a thing of the past and unless you are into exact restoration of oem parts, they are obsolete. Another common malady with windsors and aftermarket camshafts, is the stock push rods are to long for use with stock rockers. That is why you are having to use stop nuts to compensate, there is a tool available to check for correct length or other methods can be used by experienced mechanics, familiar with this procedure. Keep at it, you almost got it on the money and will love the power of the "W"
thanks for the support, i live close to the airport, so maybe a fill up is in order:bananaman do i need to worry about my vacuum prob also though?
yea dude i just registered to this site and was readin your prob. we just put a 351w in our 70 fastback. we had the same problem..back fire and all the other stuff...later after all this frustration we looked and some of the studs had been moved out..we just hammered em in without squishin the threads..now it works fine..damn...i coulda saved you all that trouble
ok back again with some problems..... first off, it is not idleing very good at all, and it backfires through the carb and exhaust when getting into it. so far since the first post i have gotten a chevy type hei procomp dizzy-50,000volts also i have installed the compcams valve adjustment kit. i did a compression check the other day and this is what came of it cylinder 1-140# 5-150# 2-140# 6-150# 3-150# 7-160# 4-180# 8-160# also i started pulling wires off while running and it appears i have 3 dead cylinders. i hooked my timing light up to each spark plug wire and sure enough i am getting erratic spark to those cylinders. I am buying new plugs and msd 8.5 wires today we will see if that helps any. Also does it sound like my cam may be going flat? because of all my problems getting it running it never got properly broke in. will that cause my compression to vary this badly?
