Put oil in the top of the tensioners and pumped them up and down until they pumped up. I will probably do it a few more times before buttoning it up.

Rocker Arms
 

Put all of the rocker arms in today and got them all set. I will run through them once more just to make sure.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1426891694.jpg

Tensioners
 

Ok, so I would like to spend $1500 for pressure fed tensioners (I also would have liked to have dropped $5000 for P&C's too) but there is only so much money to do this engine. I opted to use the tensioner guards that I purchased from our host.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1426891922.jpg


http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1426891949.jpg

Sunday I will check the rockers one more time then put valve cover gaskets on. Then cam housing covers, Tins, etc...

You are making excellent progress. Keep up the good work and the pictures are a big help!

thank you for explaining how you got through the timing process, that has me a little confused. I'm sure that once I go through it I will realize that it isn't as intimidating as it appears.

I was really intimidated by the cam timing. Besides having to do it several times to make sure it is 100% accurate it wasn't hard at all. When I see people posting that they couldn't get it exact so they just set it at "X" I though "well, as long as I am close " but after doing it I realized that if you don't get it 100% correct you just didn't spend enough time on it to get it right.

Finishing up
 

Ok, here it is buttoned up and ready to go.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1427068244.jpg


http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1427068273.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1427068322.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1427068353.jpg

Just a few tidy up things to finish and then time to install it

Any questions or comments?

Did I miss anything?

Is that a bent cooling fin behind the distributor cap?

Looks great ! :) Can't wait till mine is at that stage.

Broken fin
 

Yep, it had one broken fin. Good eye!

Nice job!!

Nice work and thanks for taking the time to share your experience!

I was very nervous about the cam timing as well and even let it slow me down while I read all over this board. Did you have trouble tightening the exhaust while the engine is still on the stand?

Haven't installed exhaust yet. Headers are on the way and engine will be installed this weekend. Look for updates this weekend.

Motor install
 

Getting ready to install it!

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1428712562.jpg

Motor install
 

Motor install
 

Just need to tidy up loose ends
 

Just need to wire the distributor, install fuel lines and plug in the loose wires. Headers won't be here until next week so I am trying to decide if I should put the old ones on and run them for the break in period.

just out of curiosity, why did you not finish the reassembly before putting it back in your car? I would think it would be easier for access to everything vs. having reach in and feel your through everything and crawling around on your garage floor.

What do you mean by finishing the assembly? What else should have I put on it?

The reason the alternator wasn't on is it needs to be wired, carbs because I have always had clearance issues with the carbs on because I usually can't get the car high enough and the coil can't go on until the alternator is on.

Otherwise the motor was pretty much together. If you think I should have at least had the carbs on you are 100% correct, if I thought the car was high enough it certainly would have made it easier. I just remember the last time that I didn't have the car high enough and had to pull them off to get the motor under the car.

Funny how it took 3 hours to remove the engine and 7 hours to put it back in.

Don't you love how that works! Seems the time space continuum becomes warped on reentry.

Great job all around!

Gravity is your friend when you pull the engine and your enemy when you install it!

You just answered my question. I figured it might be as much as a clearance issue but wasn't 100% certain. You could have always gone with something like this

http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/04...b1889c9faa.jpg

Those blocks combined with my jack stands gave me this this height at the rear bumper

http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/04...cabd5664c9.jpg

I haven't gotten to re installation yet, I can't wait for that adventure

Midrise lift and a hydraulic table = 30 minute job. :-)

Todd

Headers are here!

Now if I can just find the Delo SAE 30 oil I will be ready to start it up!

Filled it with oil tonight. I was really expecting a flood of oil to come pouring out of the bottom but not a drop!

Tomorrow night exhaust and start up.

The three milestones of engine rebuilding:
1. Installation - exciting
2. First Start - nerve racking
3. First Drive - exhilarating

I am super nervous about the start up.

The squeeze at the back door is super tight when firing a new overhaul for the first time...

Good luck and post a video (of the engine, not the back door)!

Completely understandable! Particularly considering you have to run it at a higher rpm for 20 minutes to break in the cam/rockers.

The good news is that you will have super hearing the first few times you drive it!

Fire it up!
 

Well, fired it up tonight.

Cranked right up without hesitation and ran smoothly for its 20 minute break in period.

Not a single drop of oil and no funny noises!

Drained the oil and hardly a spec of anything in the oil!

https://youtu.be/rOlBurkiRMg

Now the big question.

I ran Delo SAE 30 for the break in period.

Do I change it o 20/50 now?

YES...especially simce u have run the break in which I would of used the Joe Gibbs Break in Oil but too late for that now...so going fwd use joe gibbs driven driven 15/50 = their DT50 as it has the hi zinc level...I use ONLY JB oils for ALL of my clients and my cars...period... not a spokesperson but NO other oil has this correct additive pkg on the market...recommended by LN Engr & jake rabey & others...hope your rebuild is what u hoped for...bob )))

Is that synthetic oil?