sudo chop's 4.6

[sudo chop]

I made one by breaking the porcelain out of the plug and using a bolt through it.

I tried busting one out to jb weld a bolt into it, but I couldn't get any further than shattering the porcelain. I couldn't get the electrode or whatever it is out.

[sudo chop]

I got the piston stop yesterday and tonight I put it to use. Turns out my crank pulley is dead on for TDC. Then I degreed the cam and it is good to go as well, so that's done with. Good to be sure, I would hate to question that later.

I had the header sansblasted today as well, cost me $15, really didn't expect that. So tomorrow I'll be coating the intake manifold and header with ceramic.

List of things left to do:
ceramic coating
motor mounts
send tb off (stocker will be fine for start up, I have two.)
index distributor
finish painting valve cover
clearance oil pan
put it in!

[unlimitedrubicon]

You will be impressed with the coatings. During cam break-in the only part that was glowing was the 1.5-2" section between the flange and the pre-cats... And it was barely visible at night. When I get around to a project thread I can put in more information on my coating process.

[sudo chop]

The coating is done. It went pretty well considering it was my first time using the spray gun I bought, and how hard it was to reach some places on the header. I ended up with just a couple runs but I don't think it will be a big deal.

I also indexed the distributor, and it looks like it lines up just fine, so I wont have to cut the ears off.

Then I also primed the oil pump with just about a quart and a half of oil in the pan, held on by just a couple bolts, which got interesting:

I started with the filter off to get it going up through the pump, then threw the filter back on and kept on turning, expecting that in no time I would see oil come shooting out of the pushrods. Instead, I hear this spurting, gurgling noise coming from towards the front lower part of the engine, and then a decent amount of oil begins coming out of the front of the pan, just under the timing cover, (again, no gasket on the pan and only held up by a couple bolts). I stopped at this point, mostly because of the oil coming out, not so much from the sound. But I am rather curious now as to why it did this. Is this normal? I haven't got a clue as to how the oiling system is routed and where it comes out and whatnot. I am pretty sure part of it had to with there not being much oil. Like the spurting may have been from it beginning to pump air.

I also need some help figuring out what spark plug to run in it. Any suggestions? I don't know much about what conditions call for different kinds of plugs.

[4.whoa]

What was the point of priming the pump with no oilpan gasket and only 1-1/2 qts? Kinda asking for a mess
It takes a bit for oil to reach the top end a qt n a 1/2 might not be enough. You did put the plug in the block behind the cam gear, right? There are some diagrams of the oiling system on silvers project thread IIRC.

[unlimitedrubicon]

As 4.whoa stated, make sure you have the oil plug in place behind the timing set just to make sure there is no issue there.

On the front cam bearing journal in the camshaft there is an oil passage that goes from the bearing surface out the front of the cam and through a passage in the cam gear to supply oil to the timing set. While you are checking for the oil plug you should see a wet spot on the front of your cam gear around a hole where the oil came out. If that is the case then the oil flowing out of the bottom of the timing cover is normal. You may also have an oil drain passage coming from the head but you would see oil coming out of the puhrods before you have a top-end drain and 1.5 quarts is probably not enough to pressurize the full system for very long.

As for your spark plug question I contacted NGK Friday and for my build they recommended one heat range colder than stock: (NGK PZFR6H stock# 7696) but that is for a 2005 with the 0331 head. I would recommend contacting them direct at http://www.ngksparkplugs.com/About_nGK/formtech.asp to see what they recommend for your engine.

[sudo chop]

What was the point of priming the pump with no oilpan gasket and only 1-1/2 qts? Kinda asking for a mess
It takes a bit for oil to reach the top end a qt n a 1/2 might not be enough. You did put the plug in the block behind the cam gear, right? There are some diagrams of the oiling system on silvers project thread IIRC.

I was excited. lol. I just wanted to see oil come out of the pushrods. I didn't think it would be a big deal to get the oiling system filled with oil and put the pan back down on the floor where it has been. The plug is in behind the cam gear, for sure. But to be clear, the oil isn't coming from the timing cover, it was coming from the front of the pan, there is a good 1/2 inch gap there. It seems like it just filled up in the front really fast and starting coming out.

I think I'll just take it down, put the gasket in and bolt it all up, then fill it all the way up with oil and try spinning the pump again. That should do it.

As for your spark plug question I contacted NGK Friday and for my build they recommended one heat range colder than stock: (NGK PZFR6H stock# 7696) but that is for a 2005 with the 0331 head. I would recommend contacting them direct at http://www.ngksparkplugs.com/About_nGK/formtech.asp to see what they recommend for your engine.

Thanks man, I'll do that.

[SilverXJ]

The pan really won't sit correctly without the gasket. However, I don't recall if you have a main girdle or not.. if you do, did you space it off correctly and clearance the pan for it?

[sudo chop]

waaaaaaaiiiiiit a minute... I have clevite rod bearings, and iirc there wasn't an oil hole in them. Do I need to switch them out or maybe put a hole?

Did the stockers have a hole?

anyway, I clearanced the oil pan and put it on today. The gasket got a little weird around the rear main cap, and the half of the oil seal that goes around it. It was sticking out some on both sides and so the oil pan gasket would not sit down in there like it is supposed to, so I cut some of it out right there and put a good dollop of RTV, hopefully it's good. I'm gonna fill it up with rotella t tomorrow and try pumping some oil through it again - just as long as I don't need new rod bearings.

[unlimitedrubicon]

Yeah, I have three sets of Clevite rod bearings and none of them came with the holes for the oil squirters. I am not using them and would recommend using other bearings that have the correct provisions and yes, the stock bearings on my engine at least had them. You will have oil coming out around the rod bearing without the squirters, but they are there to direct oil at the camshaft which is always a good thing.

I am not understanding the gasket issue... Do you have photos? Was the bearing cap not sitting flush?

[sudo chop]

well now that I am thinking about it correctly, I'm not sure I see a reason for a hole in the rod bearings... Except for that you are saying they help oil the cam, which makes me wonder 1) how are the lobes oiled? 2) what difference would it make for there to be a hole in the bearing? There wouldn't be anywhere on the other side of the hole for it to go.

As for the gasket, the upper half of the RMS has those kind of wings on it, and they don't sit flush in the block, it sticks up just a couple of mm, which didn't allow the oil pan gasket to sit all the way down, so I just kind of notched the oil pan gasket and put some RTV right there.

[unlimitedrubicon]

If you look at the rods you should see a cutout around the rod bolt closest to the camshaft. That is where the oil squirts out toward the cam and the reason for the openings in the bearings.

Do you have the cutouts for the RMS wings? If you have a newer block like mine you would not have those and it takes a different seal.

Personally I would use different bearings and work to see what it takes to make the gaskets work properly without too many modifications. On my Jeep it takes 15 minutes to replace the rear main seal, but, 2 hours on either side of the 15 minutes removing parts and then reinstalling them so I am doing everything I can to make sure the bottom end stays buttoned up as good as possible with minimum 'return visits.'

[SilverXJ]

well now that I am thinking about it correctly, I'm not sure I see a reason for a hole in the rod bearings... Except for that you are saying they help oil the cam, which makes me wonder

Besides the lobes, I think they oil the cylinder walls a bit.

1) how are the lobes oiled?

Splash and drip. What ever leaks past the pifters and what ever is splashed on them. That the majority of the 2000+ rpm cam break in.

2) what difference would it make for there to be a hole in the bearing?

There is a groove cut on one side of the rod for oil to pass through.

As for the gasket, the upper half of the RMS has those kind of wings on it, and they don't sit flush in the block, it sticks up just a couple of mm, which didn't allow the oil pan gasket to sit all the way down, so I just kind of notched the oil pan gasket and put some RTV right there.

If your main cap doesn't have the cut out for the wings you have the wrong seal.

[sudo chop]

Well... I think I remember now how each half of the OEM rod bearings had a half circle. I can't say I remember the 258 having them though, but I wouldn't know as well as you guys.

I guess I will drop the pan and investigate both of these issues. I know I didn't stuff a seal with 'wings' on it into a place that didn't have anywhere for them to go, I mean, cmon. But, I will get in there and see whats going on and take a picture. The block I am using is from a 99, and I think my machinist ordered all stuff for my 98. I think they are the same though...

Anyway like I said, I'll take some pictures.

[dwg86]

Make sure you put a little dab of RTV on the small chamfer on the rear main cap (on the outside of the cap where it mates up to the block). Oil can leak past this area.

If you have the rear main seal without "wings", offset the seal about 3/8 of an inch...so the main cap split and seal split don't line up.