[zero]

ok so.. i get it timed, tune the carb and all kindsa fancy stuff.. everything seems to be running smooth untill a take one 30 mile trip and the car overheated ((pegged out the 250 degree guage). this is where i think my problem started. since then, ive tried to adjust my valvelash however im pretty sure i have the positive stop rockers.. but if i let it idle, it runs well at first.. then as it gets to temperature (180-200) i hear a popping like the cylinder isnt firing. just one at first.. then maybe two.. then it becomes more frequent untill the car finally shuts down. my intake manifold somehow backed the bolts out a bit (im 100% i torqued them) and i retorqed everything three times. i havent been able to redo the torques on the heads or rocker arms yet. i dont know if the heads need retorqing but im guessing that wouldnt hurt. also i had my coil in a high heat spot.. only for about 350 miles... but someone told me its probably my coil. im going to try out a new coil and see if i have any change.. and also a carb spacer separately.. to see if anything makes a difference.

if anyone can think of anything else id really appreciate it. i just want to get out and drive.. worry free. if anymore information is needed about the situation, ill be able to answer specific questions.. but i cant think of anyhting else that could be related. i think its an ignition problem but im not sure.

[mikebert]

You shouldn't need to retorque the heads.

The intake should be retorqued after installation once the car has run at operating temperature. That's normal, so don't beat yourself (or your mind) up thinking you didn't do it any maybe there's something you forgot.

Don't know about the coil though, I'm not sure what the limit is for their heat intake.

Also it'd be worth pulling the spark plugs to check them out, then see if there's any liquid in the cylinders. I'd rather take the time to do that than pull the heads and put them back on with gaskets, etc.

[zero]

i did remove the spark plugs.. and only one was a bit brownish. none had anything in the cylinders and all but one were almost perfect white. i do think i have a short in my coil, so im going to be replacing that today. we'll see how that goes. and thanks for the info about the intake.

[mikebert]

Quite welcome. Let me know how that coil works out for ya.

[zero]

it didnt. same results. however, im correlating the thermostat opening and the car sputtering and dying. im going to take off the intake manifold tomorrow to check the gasket and ndi the intake itself. i hope its not cracked. if i dont find anything unusual, im going straight for the head gaskets.

this sucks.

[Stangzilla]

Originally Posted by zero i did remove the spark plugs.. and only one was a bit brownish. none had anything in the cylinders and all but one were almost perfect white. i do think i have a short in my coil, so im going to be replacing that today. we'll see how that goes. and thanks for the info about the intake.

Just so you know " perfect white" is not a good color for spark plugs.. White means lean. A perfect running car should have a tannish to light brown plugs.. That goes for and engine whether its you car lawn mower, 2 cycle engine...

[Stangzilla]

Originally Posted by zero it didnt. same results. however, im correlating the thermostat opening and the car sputtering and dying. im going to take off the intake manifold tomorrow to check the gasket and ndi the intake itself. i hope its not cracked. if i dont find anything unusual, im going straight for the head gaskets. this sucks.

Do a compression check or better yet if you can get ahold of one do a leakdown test.. They dont lie...

[mikebert]

Originally Posted by Stangzilla Just so you know " perfect white" is not a good color for spark plugs.. White means lean. A perfect running car should have a tannish to light brown plugs.. That goes for and engine whether its you car lawn mower, 2 cycle engine...

That's what I was thinking.

And a compression test might be a good idea before you rip things off. That way you can see how things are running in the cylinders BEFORE you change anything by removing the intake and/or heads. If the engine dies when the thermostat opens, that makes me think that when coolant moves into the block, your engine is dying. How are your coolant levels holding up? Hope you're not drinking it.

It sounded to me since the first time you said it that a gasket somewhere has died you're blowing coolant into the cylinders.

[zero]

i did a compression test on all cylinders. and per the manual, the engine is within tolerances, the lowest cylinder being 145psi and the highest being 160 (the lowest is atleast 75% of the highest). i cant say for sure wether or not ive been drinking down coolant. i want to say no, but im not 100%. i put the spark plugs in about 150 miles ago so they shouldnt be that bad at all.. the variance in color has me worried. the #2 and #6 cylinders were almost completely white.. and the #4 and #8 were the darkest. im not happy about ripping apart the engine, but i seem to have run out of options. also, i dont know if this pertains.... but after the car has come to temp.. its a bitch to start after i shut it down.. if it doesnt die out on its own.

atleast im not efi and i dont have all kindsa electrical crap to worry about. i have just the carb two wires and 12 bolts to take off the intake manifold.

[zero]

Originally Posted by mikebert It sounded to me since the first time you said it that a gasket somewhere has died you're blowing coolant into the cylinders.

and it really sucks if it isnt a gasket.. well.. it sucks either way. the car only has 370 miles on the new engine.

[mikebert]

What condition are the heads in? Were they new? Used? Used by you or someone else?

In the hopes that it isn't a gasket, the heads could be warped or need to be resurfaced.

Also, you should check for contamination - is there oil in the coolant? Coolant in oil? Bubbles in the coolant?

Not that all the great minds at MM can't figure this out, but to resolve it in a timely manner, I'd call up some reputable engine shops around town with the most experience you can find. Personally, I'd drive out to talk to them in person, but that's me. Ask them what's going on and be sure to point out that you notice a correlation between the thermostat opening and the engine dying. I'm sure they've heard plenty of stories about total 'tards putting engine together and forgetting shit like, I dunno, oil, before they start it up the first time. The fact that yours starts and runs for any length of time is always a good sign so they ought to be able to give you some good advice.

[zero]

the heads were brand new, iron stock 351W heads. and the closest speed shop is an hour away, and the car cant go more than 10 minutes. so im just going to have to work my way through this one.

[zero]

oh and a local old timer helped me out with my valve lash.. they were all atleast two full turns too tight. but i didnt tighten one enough and i have a rocker arm tapping.

[mikebert]

I thought 351W heads were a direct bolt on, but are you 100% sure they are? Maybe some coolant port or another is not lined up?

[zero]

you mean positive stop rockers?

[mikebert]

No, I just was just thinking about the water passages through the block and into the heads. Maybe one of those wasn't lined up correctly or something, but I'm pretty sure 351W heads are a straight forward bolt on for a 302. Still trying to think outside the bun for you.

[zero]

thanks, im taking it to a guru tomorrow, i dont want to have to rip apart the intake if i dont have to.

[Stangzilla]

Yeah I think 302 heads are a direct bolt on a 351.. I think the block is wider requiring a different intake and the deck height might be higher giving you hood clearence problems if you are runnin a stock hood... Anyone know for sure???

[Tony_90fox]

I believe you hit the nail on the head there man. But they are talking the other way around. 351 heads on a 302 block.

[mikebert]

Wait, I'm retarded, aren't I?

You have a 351W with 351W heads, right? I thought you put them on a 302. The sun fried my brain today.

On the plus side, I got to see 16,000 horsepower ripping down the track at once. And I got Ashley Forces autograph. And I put my arm around her and fell in love. . . .

Yeah, totally fried my brain. . .