Temp Engine
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Joined: Nov 2007
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From: Denver Metro Area, CO
Sender could be shot, or the wire could be shorted to ground.
Pull that wire off the sender and ground it, gauge should swing all the way to the right. Un-ground it, all the way to the left.
If that test works, your gauge and wire work.
If all three of your gauges (temp/oil/gas) behave erratically together, that points to the IVR.
A real temperature gauge - or maybe one of those hand-held lazer things - would be great.
Pull that wire off the sender and ground it, gauge should swing all the way to the right. Un-ground it, all the way to the left.
If that test works, your gauge and wire work.
If all three of your gauges (temp/oil/gas) behave erratically together, that points to the IVR.
A real temperature gauge - or maybe one of those hand-held lazer things - would be great.
Lead Driver
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 7,172
Likes: 376
From: Near Los Angeles
Ck gauge as pp said. Install grd first. I'd def. put a new t.stat in it. I hope you looked at the w.pump b/f install? If you throw a new w/p on it, you could always use it for the other engine when it's done, or just take the good one off the other engine and put on.
In any event, I hope you replace that oem gauge with a good temp gauge. I went through 3 Sunpro crapo's in a year. Avoid them. They were all the manual type. I now have a Equis, inexpensive, electrical with sending unit in the block. I love it because I can see the temp move every time the t.stat opens. Very reassuring.
Or...lol...you could read my article about how to put a killer e.fan in it for about $90. 3 minutes to go from 205 to 185!
In any event, I hope you replace that oem gauge with a good temp gauge. I went through 3 Sunpro crapo's in a year. Avoid them. They were all the manual type. I now have a Equis, inexpensive, electrical with sending unit in the block. I love it because I can see the temp move every time the t.stat opens. Very reassuring.
Or...lol...you could read my article about how to put a killer e.fan in it for about $90. 3 minutes to go from 205 to 185!
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Joined: Dec 2007
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From: Boise, Idaho
The old gauge has always worked really well (one thing I've always considered myself fortunate on is that all my gauges work!) so when it's reading hot, I know something's up. That's why, in this case, I was wondering if the sender could be bad. Would love to put on some aftermarket gauges sometime though!
Water pump's new, thermostat is only a month old, but it was out when I swapped engines. I cleaned it thoroughly with water when I pulled it, but it still could be sticking.
Dunno, I'll track it down.
Today, though, got the ground wire back on, and topped the coolant off again. It ran much cooler (but still hot). No where near where it was before. Who knows, maybe there's still some air bubbles in it somewhere.
In other news, I did a compression test today.
1 155
2 150
3 153
4 150
5 155
6 153
Wow...
Water pump's new, thermostat is only a month old, but it was out when I swapped engines. I cleaned it thoroughly with water when I pulled it, but it still could be sticking.
Dunno, I'll track it down.
Today, though, got the ground wire back on, and topped the coolant off again. It ran much cooler (but still hot). No where near where it was before. Who knows, maybe there's still some air bubbles in it somewhere.
In other news, I did a compression test today.
1 155
2 150
3 153
4 150
5 155
6 153
Wow...
Lead Driver
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 7,172
Likes: 376
From: Near Los Angeles
O'reilley's sells the Equis brand, electric, for IIRC, about $30. A.Zone has the SunPro, mechanical crapo for about $20, good for about 6--12 months. (I know people are going to chime in here. Let me just say that I have had 3 in the past year, and they all took a turd. Never again.)
Post Fiend
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 8,521
Likes: 16
From: Lost
With those comp numbers, you're still calling it a temporary engine? They're not staggeringly high, but man are they balanced......
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From: Boise, Idaho
If not, it's certainly not going to expire on me any time soon.
I can definitely take my time with the rebuild.As for the valvetrain noise, I'm thinking of pulling the lifters one by one and seeing if I can de-gunk them or free them up. After the issue with my last engine, I'm a little nervous about putting new lifters in again.
The valve train is the non-adjustable type, so if the lifters aren't varnished, there's not a lot I can do to take the slop out short of replacing valve train components.
Lead Driver
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 7,172
Likes: 376
From: Near Los Angeles
Yeah.... This has definitely been a point of discussion with my wife and I since yesterday. If I can get the valve train noise taken care of (which is the worst I've ever heard), it's a really solid, tight engine! Why take it out anytime soon? It idles nice, strong vacuum, smooth, and drives really nice (and doesn't leak oil!)
If not, it's certainly not going to expire on me any time soon. I can definitely take my time with the rebuild.
As for the valvetrain noise, I'm thinking of pulling the lifters one by one and seeing if I can de-gunk them or free them up. After the issue with my last engine, I'm a little nervous about putting new lifters in again.
The valve train is the non-adjustable type, so if the lifters aren't varnished, there's not a lot I can do to take the slop out short of replacing valve train components.
If not, it's certainly not going to expire on me any time soon.
I can definitely take my time with the rebuild.As for the valvetrain noise, I'm thinking of pulling the lifters one by one and seeing if I can de-gunk them or free them up. After the issue with my last engine, I'm a little nervous about putting new lifters in again.
The valve train is the non-adjustable type, so if the lifters aren't varnished, there's not a lot I can do to take the slop out short of replacing valve train components.
Heating issue: I remember I had to change my new thermo. b/c the new one I had was bad. Have you solved the heating issue? Or is it an issue?
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From: Boise, Idaho
I'm thinking about that with the new head that I have (the one that I ported) since it's the style that has the bolt down rockers instead of the studs.
It already has threaded holes in the head, so it would simply be a matter of getting screw in studs for it and a set of new rocker arms.
Overheating hasn't been an issue like it was. It's still kinda fluctuating, but it ranges between normal and straight up and down. MUCH lower than nearly maxed out. Either putting that ground wire on helped steady the signal, or the thermostat freed up. I might put a new thermostat in it here soon just to be sure, but at least it's not making me nervous to drive it anywhere.
It already has threaded holes in the head, so it would simply be a matter of getting screw in studs for it and a set of new rocker arms.
Overheating hasn't been an issue like it was. It's still kinda fluctuating, but it ranges between normal and straight up and down. MUCH lower than nearly maxed out. Either putting that ground wire on helped steady the signal, or the thermostat freed up. I might put a new thermostat in it here soon just to be sure, but at least it's not making me nervous to drive it anywhere.
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Joined: Dec 2007
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From: Boise, Idaho
Well, I pulled the valve cover and went through and inspected all the rocker arms and pushrods and such. Torqued everything down to spec when I was done. The noise of the engine dropped by about 4 octaves! Just by resetting and retorquing all the rocker arms back to factory spec.
Still very noisy, but at least it doesn't sound like it's going to rattle apart above 2500 RPMs.
Looking like nothing but a bunch of valve train noise. Considering the engine's so tight, I may just put on my P&P'd head and call it done. Give my old block to my brother who wants to build up a 300 and put it in place of his 351 in his Bronco. (He's sick and tired of 10mpg on the freeway.)
My question is this, though. If I take the head down and have it gone over (since some of the seats weren't fully sealing last time), can't a freshly rebuilt head have a pretty negative impact on old rings? Even if they have great compression?
Still very noisy, but at least it doesn't sound like it's going to rattle apart above 2500 RPMs.
Looking like nothing but a bunch of valve train noise. Considering the engine's so tight, I may just put on my P&P'd head and call it done. Give my old block to my brother who wants to build up a 300 and put it in place of his 351 in his Bronco. (He's sick and tired of 10mpg on the freeway.)
My question is this, though. If I take the head down and have it gone over (since some of the seats weren't fully sealing last time), can't a freshly rebuilt head have a pretty negative impact on old rings? Even if they have great compression?
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