Jeep Strokers

HELP!

Tried to start her up last night, but it cranked with no go. Thought the distributor might be 180 off, it was, and it started right up today.

Problem is it's loud. REALLY LOUD. Like can't hear my exhaust over the engine noise (super 44, no cat). I uploaded a vid of the noise but its from my phone so its iffy.

I did the full cam break in anyway. Ran the engine for 30 minutes from 2k-2.5k.

After that I found a really small coolant leak from the side of the head which sizzled when I killed the engine. This is because I have three 7/16 head bolts there (machinist screwed up and installed wrong inserts in the block. they are #2-4 from the front exhaust/intake side). I could only torque those ARP 7/16 bolts to about 85 ftlbs and I torqued all the 1/2 to 110ftlbs.

I thought compression might be escaping through there but my machinist doesn't think so He says not to worry about the leak, he'll fix that, but to find my noise first. My step dad thinks it might be ping but neither he or the machinist have heard the noise themselves.

Heres the vid, I apologize for the extra length: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tTIwH50P_I

Its a 4.7L bored .060 over
Quench: 0.051" SCR: 9.58:1 DCR: 8.03:1
24# accel injectors
It had about 8 gallons of 89 a octane gas that sat from February til now. I added a bottle of stabil early June and yesterday I put in 7 gallons of 91 and some lucas octane booster.

I expected some valvetrain noise with this combo and you can hear some ticks under the main noise:
Lunati 63502 Cam .507/.527 retarded 2 degrees (still advanced 2 degrees with the 4 built in)
Hylift Johnson lifters
9.600" chromoly pushrods
"new" stock rocker arms

Going outside to check the spark plugs now

Here's my buil dthread for more specs: http://www.jeepstrokers.com/forum/viewt ... f=8&t=1874

Its not pinging. You would have to have something seriously wrong if it was pinging at idle.

From the video it sounds like a lot of valve noise, but video is hard to duplicate sounds correctly. What is your preload?

One thing to check is interference between the intake and exhaust manifold. That would prevent the manifolds from sealing up even though the bolts torque down. I've heard of that with some manifolds and the 99+ intake manifold. You can grind a bit out of the intake manifold and put a small dent in the header.

As far as the water leak... I think having 3 of the bolts torqued to 85 and the rest to 110 (except #11) may cause a problem. That could also be were the exhaust leak is coming from if the head gasket isn't sealing. I would leave the plugs in and try turning the engine over by hand and see if the leak bubbles. Of you could disable the ignition system and have some on turn it over with the starter. I hope your machinist intends to fix it correctly and not just slap some RTV on it.

It sounds alot like the F1 in the GF's POS TLC, that thing is all worn out and it sounds like a sewing machine too!, at the end of the video it almost sounds like some exhaust spitting at the head?, but not quite, I've got the '99+ intake on my engine with one of the generic aftermarket replacement headers ('97) and it all bolted right up with NO interference issues what so ever.
Also check to see if your rockers have enough slot on the pedestal for the high lift cam?

SilverXJ wrote:Its not pinging. You would have to have something seriously wrong if it was pinging at idle.

From the video it sounds like a lot of valve noise, but video is hard to duplicate sounds correctly. What is your preload?

One thing to check is interference between the intake and exhaust manifold. That would prevent the manifolds from sealing up even though the bolts torque down. I've heard of that with some manifolds and the 99+ intake manifold. You can grind a bit out of the intake manifold and put a small dent in the header.

As far as the water leak... I think having 3 of the bolts torqued to 85 and the rest to 110 (except #11) may cause a problem. That could also be were the exhaust leak is coming from if the head gasket isn't sealing. I would leave the plugs in and try turning the engine over by hand and see if the leak bubbles. Of you could disable the ignition system and have some on turn it over with the starter. I hope your machinist intends to fix it correctly and not just slap some RTV on it.

Lifter preload was about .050

I started it up again to show a friend. Exhaust is leaking real bad around the header, you can see the black on the gasket in a couple places. At the exact time we figured that out I got billowing white smoke from the tailpipe.....we towed it to the machinists shop

The very first engine I ever build and this happens to me...

IH 392 wrote:
Also check to see if your rockers have enough slot on the pedestal for the high lift cam?

Good call, how do I check this?

I'd bring one valve to full lift (and probably put a dial indicator on it to measure the lift) and manipulate it more open to see if it's binding up, I'd start on the exhaust as it has the higher lift.

UPDATE: Machinist still hasn't even touched the Jeep. I went to check on it last Friday and ended up working on it in front of his shop. Found the problem right away.

One of the 7/16 bolts just spins. The insert must be loose in the block. I don't know how I didn't feel that when I was torquing them down. Anyway since he has to replace that insert I hope he will replace them all. He's kind of a grumpy guy (plus he's really behind on his work thanks to an engine thats taken him two weeks extra) so I didn't hang around and ask questions. He is gunna looove having to climb up and stand on my bumper to be able to reach anything lol!


I just hope he get's it done before I get home from California next week.... I haven't had a car since March and I was really looking forward to having it for the beginning of the fall semester.

did you get the microsquirt in it?

Is he going to match them all to 1/2"?