Exorcising a '78

I will get the app and check tomorrow. I will then deny being able to trust the app. Then I have an excuse to buy the tool as well. Win -Win!! Thats how it works right?

My eye tells me there is no way the trans is nose down. It's probably perspective but I am fairly sure it's slightly up not down. I am using oem motor mounts I bought new back in 1987. They have about 30,000 very hard miles then decades in the engine bay of my other car with the engine sitting on them. They look good but they have to be compressed by now. Coupled with a brand new trans mount. I wonder if that is contributing.

The shorter mount will be here in a couple days. I will try it and recheck angles then. I know I may have to but I just don't think I should have to adjust the one part I did not remove. The axle housing. If the angle is whats important the length of the DS or transmission shouldn't matter. Any adjustments should bring the new parts back to the original spec when possible. My steering shaft just rubs the header so lowering the trans may help there too. It's worth a shot for $12 and 20 minutes vs hours breaking bolts and discovering a broken leaf.

Distributor is moving!! 3 days of PB blaster and getting the engine up to temp coupled with moderate tapping freed it.

Has anyone added rear defrost? Over the years I have been able to collect the parts and my new rear glass has the grid. I will need to add tabs or wires to the glass, they are broken off. I have installed the heater controls with defrost switch. I just found the correct relay timer on ebay. I know the yellow wire at the firewall is for defrost. Other then wiring is there anything else to consider? Any tricks to the soldering to glass anyone can share?

The phone app is a nice idea but I could not get a consistent reading for the life of me. Step 2 is the driveshaft angle which is laying on the floor at that point. I'm still waiting on the proper gauge that was ordered last week. In the mean time I shoved the tail shaft to the passenger side and that vibration was better on jack stands. I think the crossmember is fine. Its something in the lateral angle on my build. Haven't driven it yet but I had it up to 60mph in 5th on jack stands with just a little driveline vibration.

I have been chasing a miss. It's consistently variable is the best description I have. Pretty bad at higher rpm's. Lot's of popping. Carb and entire ignition have been changed with no improvement. Actually seemed to be getting worse. Pulled valve covers and found 2 broken valve springs on each side. They appeared okay when I re-fired it after sitting for years but that has proven wrong. Heads only have about 35k miles on them but were redone back in 1987. They are D8OE and more of a boat anchor then engine component. Bad valve springs imply in my mind the entire valve train is suspect. I just don't see the point of piece by piece replacing items. Springs today means I find a burnt valve tomorrow. Put it all back together and now a collapsed lifter. Even if I machine the heads I still have boat anchors over my front axle.

When I started this project the the goal was to get her running around town. Reinforce weak points, redo suspension then address engine in a year or two. I am hurting it running it as is though. A friend of mine just finished his Cutlass so what am I to do? Luckily it's tax time and my better half wants to go cruising too. Well, when this pandemic subsides that is.

I am not going to race this thing other then maybe a track day sometime. I will throw it around corners though. Handling is priority one. Eventually I want the bigger front sway bar, a rear sway bar, tubular control arms and maybe coil overs. The v8 is about 150lbs heavier in front vs the v6. I've relocated the battery for weight as well as the battery tray being rusted out. So the new plan should include a diet.

I checked into ebay heads. Couldn't get an answer about piston to valve clearance. Couldn't get over the lack of lineage on the no name stuff. It may be fine but I cannot afford to redo this repeatedly. Looking around I was going to get the twisted wedge heads but then I read I would need the bigger combustion chambers for piston clearance. I ran across a deal on a set of Edelbrock RPM SCCA heads. I picked them up for just a few dollars more then the Chinese heads. My understanding is they are basically performer rpm non emissions with 1.94 intake valves and little/no bowl work. The 2.02 valves have interference issues with factory pistons from what I have read. Hoping these are okay as they are slightly bigger then the small valve rpm heads.

I ordered the Comp Cams XE268H kit as well. Anyone here have experience with this cam? My harmonic balancer is from 1978 and the rubber isn't really rubbery anymore. I bought a new one for a 302. I know the II was unique so hopefully this one pans out. Has anyone replaced theirs and was there fitment issues?

When I test ran up to 60mph I noticed a large puddle under the rear pumpkin. I just resealed it and was pissed at myself. I cleaned it and re ran it and puddle again after moments. I found a hole on the back side near the top. There is a dimple with a hole. The shaft of a 16p nail fits in it. No clue what caused it, other then rust. I cleaned it up and put jb weld on it. If it doesn't hold I can yank the housing from the other Cobra when I strip it's sway bar. Has anyone heard of this?

I started with a 1965 era fomoco carb from a 289. I've had it since 1985 or so and got it from the original owner who added it to their 1964 1/2. Being that old it kinda worked but leaked. That carb was on this engine for a time 20 years ago. I picked up a new 600cfm eddy. It didn't change the miss. The old distributor was original to my 1978 II and was fried. It took a lot of effort to turn it by hand. I also wanted higher voltage and went the 2 piece hei route. So both were needed anyway.

When she first fired up 2 months ago it ran better then vs today. It's been driven maybe 20 miles and idled for an hour all told. I think the valves springs are breaking. I've found what looks like 3 with the top loop broken and one looks bent. The top coils look like a bent slinky. The coils aren't in a straight line. I'm assuming the ones compressed for years while it sat are failing first? I'm also assuming the miss being much worse at higher rpm {2500 and up) implies valve float. I wouldn't be surprised if my lifters are weak too. With my health battles she sat for 15+ years without being touched.

I'm also justifying going aluminum heads. So far the wife is buying it. lol

I am by no means an expert and am relying on various forums. I spent years as a service advisor but that was for dealerships and I never ran into these questions there. I originally settled on the trick flows but then I read their 58cc require fly cutting or their pistons. To avoid that I would need the 63cc heads. Since I have an emissions block and heads I am at 8:1 compression and need at least 9:1 for this cam. Higher is better. I've read 10cc chamber is about 1 point improvement in compression on these engines. My current heads are 69cc so I need as close to 59cc as possible or lower if piston clearance is addressed. The edyy heads are 60cc and the 1.90 valves fit. Hopefully the 1.94 valves will too.

I realize I only know enough to be dangerous. Not in a leading man kinda way though. More like the bumbling idiot who sometimes gets it right kinda way. So in my dumbass mind the eddys were the best choice but if that's wrong please let me know. They do look oh so pretty on my kitchen table though.

I have the heads off and found a bunch of scratches in the cylinder bores. They aren't very deep but my fingernail catches on them. It didn't smoke and I am beyond my budget so I'm gonna cross my fingers and hope.

One thing I am puzzled over is the oil filter was empty when I removed it. It's heavy and has oil in the filter material but nothing ran out as I loosened it. Dumping it out got maybe an ounce. It's been 2 decades since changing a 302 oil filter but they always dumped about a quart of oil out if I remember correctly. Could my oil pump bypass be bad or am I looking for a problem where none exists?

Well, I am puzzled no more. The pic below is the front cam bearing looking up. I think the filter clogged from gunk that came loose using Marvel Mystery Oil. All the cam bearings were dry but it was running just a couple days ago. Oil pressure was fine. I had good flow in the heads then. I should have gone through it during the swap but trying to save a buck again bites me in the ass. She needs a complete rebuild.

I found a local shop who is going to work with me. With the low miles, knowing it ran, and it wasn't smoking he thinks it will be reasonable to dip, hone, re ring it and new bearings. I see 040 stamped on the pistons so its already bored out. He ballparked, sight unseen it's about the price of what I am seeing 5.0 motors with the computer and wiring. He will then use my parts and make it a long block for me to dress out myself. That way if valve clearance is an issue he can address if necessary. This saves me from machining the II flywheel for 50oz.

I should have gone 5.0 from the start but wanted to keep this engine for sentimental reasons. I don't regret it although I would have done it differently in hindsight. Now I will have more into it but at least it's going to be new. A used engine that I bought would have ended up a paperweight with my luck anyway.

Whats the current thoughts on reusing the factory pistons? I'm thinking with compression being so low on them I should plan on new ones but I may be looking at divorce papers if I keep spending money.