Absolutely Frustrated...

blascrw

blascrw

Member
Aug 19, 2004
191
1
16
Opelika, AL
#1
OK I am absolutely frustrated....

I cannot seem to get my car to run smoothly.

I am at whits end...

I have adjusted the valves 3 times now...

I cannot seem to get it to run smoothly!

I think I am about to pull the engine and pull it all apart and put it back together...

maybe take the heads to the machine shop and have them checked...

Hell I don't know...

Just frustrated and venting...

My miss seems to move on me... It now seems to be on #1 Cylinder...

Hell I am thinking now that maybe my cam is off one tooth or something...

any ideas besides ******ing the engine?

It is not in the ignition system. I put in a new pertronix and the distributor was a rebuilt unit bought in 92, and carb is a rebuilt bought in 92...


any suggestions??

I fell a little better just venting... :)
 
#2
blascrw said:
OK I am absolutely frustrated....

I cannot seem to get my car to run smoothly.

I am at whits end...

I have adjusted the valves 3 times now...

I cannot seem to get it to run smoothly!

I think I am about to pull the engine and pull it all apart and put it back together...

maybe take the heads to the machine shop and have them checked...

Hell I don't know...

Just frustrated and venting...

My miss seems to move on me... It now seems to be on #1 Cylinder...

Hell I am thinking now that maybe my cam is off one tooth or something...

any ideas besides ******ing the engine?

It is not in the ignition system. I put in a new pertronix and the distributor was a rebuilt unit bought in 92, and carb is a rebuilt bought in 92...


any suggestions??

I fell a little better just venting... :)
Click to expand...
Can we get some more info on the car? How long did the rebuilt carb sit before it was used?
 
#3
Sounds to me like your all over the place here. Take some time and think this through..

If your miss is moving from cyln to cyln, then you do not have a mechanical problem. Simple as that.

That leaves fuel and ignition.

Start with the basics... try a compression test.
 
#5
Sorry

Sorry I was just frustrated and venting!!!

OK here are the details....

1965 Fastback 289 2v
bored .030 '92
reman dist '92
reman carb '92
trw pistons and rings
crower cam mild

Rebuilt in '92 had same problems got frustrated, and was 1hr away from car, no time to work on it...let it sit...

fastforward to june '04

Wife has car towed up here for my birthday...

spend a day prelubing, changing fluids, put in new battery, and draining gas...

play around with it, and get it to start...

runs rough, alt does not put out...

replace alt with reman get the car to start and run OK...runs rough but hard to tell as both mufflers were blown open...

get it running smooth enough to get it to the muffler shop...

have tri-y's and 2 1/2" exhaust and flowmasters installed...

# 8 was consitently missing, and carbon fouled the plug...

recommended to adjust valves...

forget to run the engine...adjusted them cold...

go back through and readjust a second time cold before starting...

now it appears that #1 is missing...

Guess it is time to readjust after getting up to operating temp...

in adjusting noticed when the crank is at TDC the dist is not pointing at #1.

Shouldn't it point at #1 lobe at TDC?

also is there a way to check whether the cam may be off one tooth without pulling waterpump, and timing cover and all?

Again..sorry..was just ranting and venting...

Frustrating when you keep trying and seem to make no progress...doesn't help I don't have alot of time either...

Also I added the pertronix, and flame thrower coil. I just connected them up like factory. Does the 65 have a ballast resistor? How critical is it to bypass if so? Could this be causing any of my problems?

Ron
 
#7
blascrw said:
Sorry I was just frustrated and venting!!!

OK here are the details....

1965 Fastback 289 2v
bored .030 '92
reman dist '92
reman carb '92
trw pistons and rings
crower cam mild

Rebuilt in '92 had same problems got frustrated, and was 1hr away from car, no time to work on it...let it sit.....


# 8 was consitently missing, and carbon fouled the plug...




in adjusting noticed when the crank is at TDC the dist is not pointing at #1.

Shouldn't it point at #1 lobe at TDC?

also is there a way to check whether the cam may be off one tooth without pulling waterpump, and timing cover and all?
.

Also I added the pertronix, and flame thrower coil. I just connected them up like factory. Does the 65 have a ballast resistor? How critical is it to bypass if so? Could this be causing any of my problems?

Ron
Click to expand...
I also agree that your problem is with the carb or ignition. I'd recommend installing a balast resistor ( as insurance for the Pertronix) before the coil. You carb DOES needs a rebuild if it sat for 12 years, no way it's gonna work as intended after sitting that long. And also no way to tell if the cam's off by a tooth without pulling the engine down and installing a degree wheel to check it. If the timing pointer is at TDC, the dist rotor should either be pointing at #1 or #6 ( the crank rotates twice for each complete firing sequence)
 
#8
I had similar rough running engine in my 65 289 and I waited until I was extremely frustrated to do one of the easiest tests out there. Do this first because it is simple as pie.

Start your car and get it to idle. Then take a can of carb cleaner and spray it at the base of your carb on each side and all around the intake. If your engine changes speeds while you spray, you have a vacuum leak.

I found out that the PO put the wrong carb spacer gaskets on mine and it had a vac leak on one side. It caused my engine to run like crap. Once I replaced the gaskets with correct ones it ran like a sewing machine and I've never had another problem.

Most likely it is not a vacuum leak but I would do the test and rule that out since it is so dang easy to do.

P
 
#9
some additional info & question...

1. I have done a compression check all strong in the 120 or 125psi I don't recall.

2. I have done the carb cleaner check and no change in idle, no stubeling at all.

D.Hearne:

Add a ballast resistor??? So the 65 does not have one? I have heard mixed info on this. I have heard info to bypass the ballast resistor if you have one??

I will rebuild the carb this weekend. I was trying not to do this as I am still hoping to get a performer intake and carb, but I guess I need to do this to make sure it is running properly. No since in spending money until it is running correctly.

I have the factory wiring harness connected to the pertronix flamethrower coil, and the pertronix ignitor I in the reman dist.

So in reference to the dist position...

If I set the crank at TDC of the compresion stroke, I should have the rotor pointed dead center of the #1 Cylinder? So if it is not, I should remove the dist and replace it with it in the correct location or turn the dist if it is just off that much? but won't that change the timing??

OK I have confused myself now...

I need to sleep on this for a day or two...

thank you all for the assistance...I was so frustrated I tld my wife I should have taken the money I set aside (which some is gone) for the 'stang and bought a daily driver beater to retire my truck and be done...

D.Hearne: Another question...when adjusting the valves do I tighten until I cannot turn the pushrod with my fingers at all and then 3/4 turn? or tighten until there is resistance and then 3/4 turn.

I am begining to think I ought to just yank the engine and tear it back down...but don't own a engine hoist...

Thanks again
 
#10
While you have the valve covers off,
Recheck your dist location for firing on #1
Bring the #1 to tdc on comperssion stroke and check the bal for its marks.
If the Bal is correct check the dist rotor for proper location at # 1 wire location(Could be in wrong Hole?)

I do not have the best luck in fine tuning the valve clearence with the
pushrod spin method, I do it while its running.
If you have 1 or 2 lifters that bleed off pressure it will be off when you run it.

But the Starting point is spin the rod till resistence is felt and add 3/4 turn more.
This will get the motor running but it MAY not be totally correct in adjustment.

I just put the motor back in Catstang and did it that way,
it ran but idle was ruff and rattling.
After adjusting the valves with it running it will sit and idle as Smooth as the cam lift will allow. :D

Keep plugging away you find it's worth it in the long run.` :flag:
 
#11
pabear89 said:
While you have the valve covers off,
Recheck your dist location for firing on #1
Bring the #1 to tdc on comperssion stroke and check the bal for its marks.
If the Bal is correct check the dist rotor for proper location at # 1 wire location(Could be in wrong Hole?)

I do not have the best luck in fine tuning the valve clearence with the
pushrod spin method, I do it while its running.
If you have 1 or 2 lifters that bleed off pressure it will be off when you run it.

But the Starting point is spin the rod till resistence is felt and add 3/4 turn more.
This will get the motor running but it MAY not be totally correct in adjustment.

I just put the motor back in Catstang and did it that way,
it ran but idle was ruff and rattling.
After adjusting the valves with it running it will sit and idle as Smooth as the cam lift will allow. :D

Keep plugging away you find it's worth it in the long run.` :flag:
Click to expand...
Good info, you listening to this, blascrw? :nice:
 
#12
blascrw said:
D.Hearne:

Add a ballast resistor??? So the 65 does not have one? I have heard mixed info on this. I have heard info to bypass the ballast resistor if you have one??

I will rebuild the carb this weekend. I was trying not to do this as I am still hoping to get a performer intake and carb, but I guess I need to do this to make sure it is running properly. No since in spending money until it is running correctly.

I have the factory wiring harness connected to the pertronix flamethrower coil

If I set the crank at TDC of the compresion stroke, I should have the rotor pointed dead center of the #1 Cylinder? So if it is not, I should remove the dist and replace it with it in the correct location or turn the dist if it is just off that much? but won't that change the timing??

OK I have confused myself now...

I need to sleep on this for a day or two...
Click to expand...
I would install a balast resistor just as insurance just in case there's not a built in resistor in the factory wiring. There's SUPPOSED to be one in the wiring, but in a car that's 30 something years old, it may have been cut out by someone else. You're on the right track, not as confused as you think. Just remember the old saying, "if at first you don't succeed, try, try again." And NEVER be afraid to ask stupid questions, cause there are none, only stupid answers. :nice:
 
#14
Simple way to tell if there is a resistor wire before the coil is to put a voltmeter on the wire that goes to the coil and get a reading. Pertronix are designed to run on 12v and will run on resisted circuits down to 6v, so I wouldn't worry about it.

I am trying to figure out why you want to tear the engine down. What do you expect to find? I think you are letting self doubt creep in here.

Go ahead and replace that carb and intake. No point in holding out over tuning issues. Heck, it may go a long way to curing your problems.

Make sure you have new ignition components like plugs, wires, cap and rotor. When adjusting the valves, make sure you go 3/4 turn from the point of just starting to feel resistence. By waiting till you can't turn the pushrods at all, you are overtighting. Remember, if your valves are too loose, you just get clatter, if your valves are too tight, they wont seat fully and you will get a rough idle, and possible a popping sound thru the carb or exhaust.

After the new carb and intake, new ignition components and proper valve and ignition timing, you should be there.
 
#15
OK

So my problem may just still be in the valve adjustment.

I thought (there is my problem) I read you tighten until you cannot turn the pushrod, then 3/4 turn more...

Hmmm..

So here I go again and adjust the valves again...

So what is the proceedure for adjusting the valves with it running?

Also I pulled the valve cover while running, and it spits oil all over the place...

Any suggestions?

Ron
 
#17
To do it running, you really need to take an old steel valve cover, then cut the top off, and bolt it in place before trying to adjust them while running. Then start the motor, and doing them one by one, tighten them down till it misses, then back off til you hear the rocker clatter, then tighten 3/4 turn.
 
#18
plug wires

No plug wires are new, cap and rotor are 12 yrs old, but had less than 100 miles...inspected and cleaned them.

Thank you D.Hearne - now to find some cheap valve covers...

Someone ougth to make some of these...out of plasic or something....
 
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