rang-a-stang's summer project/build

[SOLSAKS]

rang, just read your latest posts.

kinda fun story for us to read

but not so fun when it is happening to you, in traffic.

I can totally relate to the jello legs when exhausted.

many would have given up and torched the rig....

glad you did not.

sounds like after the new fuel pump

you will be off and running !!!

dave in NC

[63J200atLSU]

DUDE!

That is so good to hear that you got it figured out!! Happy for you, man. Love that rig!

[Rusty76]

Nice job and great sorry! Thats a character builder forsure!
I also have been learning a lot from your misery. Sooo thanks!
Cant wait for the smooth sailing report.

[rang-a-stang]

Thanks everyone! I know there will be a day when I look back on this and laugh. It's not today though.

So the second big driving killer now that the backfiring is fixed (other than the fuel pump) is my pushrods. I measured for them incorrectly when I was doing my build and ordered ones that are significantly too long. I ordered a push rod checker that measures from 7.800" to 8.800" (my current pushrods are 8.125"). I put the checker at 7.800" and it was close but still too long. So I ordered the next tool down, 6.800" to 7.800". I also order what's called checking valve springs. They are basically these super soft valve springs so when you are cranking the motor over, the pressure of the valve spring does not collapse the lifter. To put them on, you pressurize your combustion chamber, then use a valve spring compressor to remove the spring, keeper and retainer. Then you install the checker springs in place of the stock springs but with the stock retainer and keepers.

I took an old spark plug, busted the ceramic off, and hallowed the plug out. Then I JB-Welded an air hose fitting on it and screwed that into the spark plug hole. I pressurized the chamber, swapped the first spring, then moved on to the second spring. As I was removing the keepers, one fell. Of course it did. I looked for that for 45 minutes before the wife yelled at me to come in. Ashpaltrockdweller had spare keepers and is sending me a couple. I am flying out on yet another business trip this week (3 trips, to 3 states, in 3 weeks is rough) so I won't get to touch it for another few days.

Fuel pump show up tomorrow... right after I fly away. I'll get some pictures of all this when I get home.

[bkilby]

That's a bummer on the keeper. You sure it didn't go in the engine or head? It sucks when work gets in the way of playing with your hobbies.

[Ristow]

i use an old lifter i opened up and put a washer in under the plunger basically making it a solid lifter,and it is my check lifter. do the same,and leave the valve springs alone.


those claw style spring compressors are hell on the springs too.


furthermore you dont want the valve opening when checking pushrod length,so leave the springs alone.

[rang-a-stang]

That's a bummer on the keeper. You sure it didn't go in the engine or head? It sucks when work gets in the way of playing with your hobbies.

Yeah, it didn't go down in the head (I heard it tink tink tink it's way down as it fell but it never made the flat tink of hitting the ground). It was an easy fix when Dusty sent a few spares though!!

i use an old lifter i opened up and put a washer in under the plunger basically making it a solid lifter,and it is my check lifter. do the same,and leave the valve springs alone.

those claw style spring compressors are hell on the springs too.

furthermore you dont want the valve opening when checking pushrod length,so leave the springs alone.

I'm gonna get another ratchet upside the head.
The reason I went this way was because I didn't want to pull the intake. If I was smart, I would have done this correctly (like you mention here) way back last year when my engine was on the stand. But I am not smart so this is where I end up. Sigh....
**********************************
Got the extra keeper installed today and did my measuring. I set the checker are 7.750" and got this pattern:


That looked a bit short to me, so I put the checker to 7.800 and got this pattern:


That second pattern looks correct to me. Comp Cams recommends .045" of preload so I assume I should buy 7.850"?

[asphaltrockdweller]

That pattern looks dog near perfect.

[rang-a-stang]

as promised, here are some pics of the parts/tools.
Here is the spark plug disconnect tool I made:



Here are the checker springs compared to the Comp Cams springs. Oh, and by the way; Ristow is right, that tool is rough on the springs. I am not sure if there are other tools to do this job but that one SUCKS. I hope I never have to remove the springs/keepers again. #2's intake spring took about 5 minutes to get back together. #2's exhaust took about 35 minutes. That tool also shredded the palm of my hand.



Take a look at the difference in the poly locks on these 2. The closer rocker has the new shorter (and hopefully correct) push rod and the farther has the push rod I ordered when I was apparently on a crack bender. It's a HUUUUUuuuuge difference. The closer one has about 1.5 threads poking out and the farther one is about 2 threads sunken in. I installed the replacement fuel pump and it worked (I heard it fire up and I have fuel pressure at the TB) but the engine wouldn't start; my injectors were not firing. Wife called me in to fix the washing machine so I had to quit early. Hopefully I can troubleshoot it more tomorrow and take it for a spin.

[rang-a-stang]

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1j3-...ew?usp=sharingOK. Drama. Then some victory.
Last post I could not get my truck started. I poked around quite a bit and as I was troubleshooting, looked down and saw this:

For the untrained eye, the wires coming out of my pickup are all dry rotted and cracked. Those are original AMC parts there.
So I ordered another pickup from Amazon Prime and stabbed it in. For a better look, here it is after I took it out. I texted that picture to babywag and his answer "I'm surprised it even ran." HAHAHAHAHA!!!

Here are the 2. I swapped connectors to weather pack.

Today my son and I fired it up and it ran great! We went for a 15 minute cruise and it ran smooth and nice. No backfires. No dead Alternators. No dead fuel pumps. Decent oil pressure. I plan to drive it to work all week and continue to tweak my tune.
us crusing video

[bkilby]

Wow, nice going Rang. Almost looked like the wires were hitting the head of the bolt too. Maybe it was the camera angle. Anyhow, nice job. Let us know how it runs.

[Wagoneer Taylor]

YES!!!

I knew you would get there! That is a major success Marc, now as long as you drive it in 15 minutes stents nothing can go wrong!

Just kidding you are good to go now, tweak that tune!

[SOLSAKS]

congratulations rang !
dave in NC

[rang-a-stang]

When we drive it the black dumbo ear mirrors flop over, rendering them pretty much useless. If you watch the cruising video at the bottom of post #325, you'll see the driver mirror is flopped over. I had a set of stockers laying around so I started swapping them on. Previous owner fiberglassed over the holes. Made it easy to remove and install the stock mirror. I literally just bolted them on for now.

You can see the foot print of my old mirrors slightly below. I'll weld up those holes later.

Here it is. I only quickly threw some metal polish over it. it will polish up nice, later.


I have most of the passenger side mirror but need some little bits to install it. I didn't have much time to mess with it tonight.

[Wagoneer Taylor]

Does your passenger mirror match the on you just put on???
I am just curious I didn't know they made both in that style i have been looking everywhere for one.