Awesome, thanks a ton Gary. I will post back up once I get some more diagnostics done tomorrow as well as post some pictures/videos.

I have a new MSD 6A ignition box/coil and a used MSD distributor on the way. Also going to replace the power valve in the carb as well while it is off since I've had so much backfiring.

Anything else I should check while I am at it?

Thanks,
Spencer

 

Sounds like a plan. Good luck on it. I can't think of anything else to check - other than doing a leak-down test if the cam is good.

 

Thanks again Gary

Update, finally talked to the guy that put the motor together, here is what he said:

Motor was fully rebuilt, machined, everything in the top and bottom end was replaced and it has 3000 miles on it and ran great. The guy that owned it let a buddy borrow it and he thinks he missed a gear and over-reved it and broke a valve and scarred a piston up. He said they had it all celaned, freshened, cleaned block replaced the head on that side (right/driver's side). New pistons, rings, rods, and mains were put in it.He said the crankshaft was pinned 0.10 and had 10 valves/rods (I don't know what this means). He said when it was built 3000 miles before it killed that piston that the valves, springs, rockets, etc. were replaced. He said the cam was not stock and was new when it was rebuilt the first time and had 3000 miles on it but was in good shape and reuused the second time. He also said he broke it in properly after the second rebuild when it was at his shop, additives for cam, ran at 2k rpm, etc.

I told him what he was doing and he said it sounded like a cam lobe to him.


Thanks,
Spencer

 

Wow. That's a bummer. And I think he's right about the cam. Time to do some checking.

 

Yeah definitely not what I had been told by the guy I got the truck on, kinda bummed.

Luckily a camshaft isn't too expensive, and from the research I have been doing it's fairly easy to replace. (Pull radiator/grill, fan, timing cover, chain/sprocket, slide old one out, slide new one in, etc.)

 

You'll also have to pull the valve covers and the rocker arms to allow the cam to come out. But, otherwise "you got it, dude!"

 

Awesome, thanks a ton Gary.


Also, does the fact that it was not popping out the carb like that under acceleration other than a "pffft" sound occassionally from the carb after shifting gears/under load before when the plug wires were swapped on 6 and 8 indicate anything? It could be gassed and not pop hard out the carb then, it was just when driving it around I got that "pfft" sound after shifting when I was getting the power back up there.


Thanks,
Spencer

 

Sorry, but I'm not sure I understand your question. When was it popping or not popping? I'm confused - but what's new?

 

you will also have to pull the pushrods and lifters after removing the valve covers and rockers. otherwise the lifters will fall into the engine when the cam is removed.

 

I have been SWAMPED this week and have not had a chance to look at it yet, I'm going to try today or Thursday to make some progress. I'm on clinical rotations at the hospital and working ICU currently with 10 hour overnight shifts so it's been tough to get any work done.


Gary, when I first got it it could be revved up and did not pop out the carb like it was doing now. I would make a "pfft" popping out the carb after shifting or when under load but no loud pop. I pulled carb and replaced accelerator pump diaphragm (was leaking) and swapped plug wires 6 and 8. After that it started making the louder pop sound any time you push the throttle more than just an easy elevation in RPMs.

Found a guy that just opened up a performance shop here in town that knows a lot about motors. He said he would help me diagnose it for $40-60, so if I don't have time to get around to diagnosing it in the next day or two I'm going to take it to his shop on Friday and have him look at it.


Thanks,
Spencer

 

Thanks Tom, I'll make sure I pull them as well. I got the "How to rebuild your ford motor" book which gives pretty detailed instructions on cam replacement.

 

For about $50 that would be money well spent.

 

Update, cam is toast. The guy found the number 8 lifter had been eaten up some at the bottom. So a new cam it is.


Any suggestions on what cam and lifters I should go with?

Here is details on motor again:
Motor was fully rebuilt, machined, everything in the top and bottom end was replaced and it has 3000 miles on it and ran great. The guy that owned it let a buddy borrow it and he thinks he missed a gear and over-reved it and broke a valve and scarred a piston up. He said they had it all celaned, freshened, cleaned block replaced the head on that side (right/driver's side). New pistons, rings, rods, and mains were put in it.He said the crankshaft was pinned 0.10 and had 10 valves/rods (I don't know what this means). He said when it was built 3000 miles before it killed that piston that the valves, springs, rockets, etc. were replaced. He said the cam was not stock and was new when it was rebuilt the first time and had 3000 miles on it but was in good shape and reuused the second time. He also said he broke it in properly after the second rebuild when it was at his shop, additives for cam, ran at 2k rpm, etc. Bored .30 over

I want it to be very reliable but I definitely would like a little more power and torque as well.

Also, any particular gasket company that I should go with for intake gaskets and timing cover gaskets?

Thanks,
Spencer

 

I'm not up on cams for these engines, so I'm hoping others will come along with advise. But, even though you didn't buy your components from Tim, you could still buy the cam from him. So I'd call him and explain what you have and what you want. He has some custom profiles that Comp grinds for him that have been very popular, and one of those might do the trick.

 

Thanks again Gary, I owe you a case of beer for all your help . Pardon my ignorance but who is Tim?