Huh, I have a terrible noise coming from the bellhousing. It sounds like a rotating bolt hitting something. Imagine sticking something in a whirling fan, and that is close to the noise. Oh boy, the last thing in the world I want to do in the world is drop that trans. I'm hoping it is the efi starter teeth engaging the flywheel.

I also got the dist. one tooth over from the right one. It runs when I retard it past the index. When I advance it to about 10* the starter kicks badly and it won't start. Okay. It's on the list.

 

Do you have a recording of it, by chance?

Sorry to hear it, hopefully it's something simple you can sort out.
One thing I thought was pretty cool about the ZF5 is that there's a big, rubber cover on the driver's side that you can pull off and look inside the transmission (even while it's running). Maybe grab a flashlight and shine it in there and see if you can see anything amiss? Of course, it's still tight quarters, and hard to see much, but it's better than nothing.

What do you mean by getting the distributor 1 tooth over? The distributor doesn't "line up" with teeth. If it starts, it starts, and timing it is all the same no matter what teeth the distributor went in on. Stabbing it correctly is just so that you can start it.
Unless, the MSD ignition factors in (which I know nothing about). But in every distributor I've used, as long as it fires up, you can rotate it to where the timing is right. There's no getting it off a tooth.

What would make a difference on timing is the cam gear to crank gear teeth. But hopefully that's not it.

You'll get it all sorted, I know. It sucks when it's not smooth and effortless, and away you go. I know I had my fair share of problems! I had to break in a second set of lifters, because my first ones wouldn't hold a prime. Not only did I have to break in my cam on my brand new engine once, but twice...
Then there was that whole chirping rocker arm thing where they'd squeak so loud you could hear it from down the street.
But once you get it sorted out, the fun begins and all the frustrations are immediately gone. So, hoping it's something simple!

 

I got it! Ha! I had to st for a while and think and eat some pastachios, but then I remembered the issue I had when I first installed the efi starter on my other trans. It needed to be spaced away the trans a hair. I loosened the bolts, slid a washer between starter and trans. Then I actually paid attention to where the rotor was, duh!, and adjusted the timing, and boom. I hit the sweet spot. It purred as never before. All the chatter was gone, and it ran smooth and fine. What a good feeling that is! How satisfying. Visions of pulling the trans were forever banished from my mind. It runs so smooth and nice.

Thanks for the help, AB and pmuller9. Cheers. I owe you a cold one.

 

What is the initial timing and total timing with the vacuum advance line disconnected?

 

Congrats. I followed your thread and learned a lot. Thanks for sharing.

 

Love to hear it!! Way to go.

Now go for some good pleasure cruises and break that engine in. (Just be sure to get that break-in oil in there. Then, change it after 50 miles, 500 miles, etc, to make sure your engine lasts a goooood long time.)

First thousand miles or so, I felt like all I did was oil changes, but each time there was light metal flake from the rings seating. Made me glad I did it. It makes all the difference.

Really looking forward to hearing what you think of the ZF. You've been collecting parts for that long before I even considered the project on mine.

 

Thanks AB. I can't drive it before replacing the p/s pulley. My bored out one wobbles terribly at idle. It is very difficult to find. And... the one I found on Summit has a wait time! https://www.summitracing.com/parts/mch-531-09 Finding one with the .750 shaft bore, with that off-set, has proved very difficult.

 

I'm sure its something you've already thought of but aftermarket magnetic drain plugs are a lifesaver, especially during break in.

 

My oil pressure is higher than I've ever experienced: About 30 at hot idle. That worries me a bit. It is 60 when I start it on a 70* day. I guess I'll be going to a thinner oil after the break in period.That is hard to understand. The main clearances were at the far end of the book limit, .015, iirc. The rods were in spec. And that is with a standard pump.

 

Those pressures should be fine

 

My oil pressure was higher when it was first breaking in, too. Everything's ultra tight, and still working itself in.
It should settle after a few hundred miles, but shouldn't be anything to be concerned about in the mean time.

 

I need to get the old style timing light. With the msd box and the induction type light the t.mark jumps around. I 'believe' it is right about 12* atdc. It fires on a quick turn of the key, and idles once warm at 650 rpm. I'm a bit alarmed how loud it is. I chose the flowmaster 50 to get a subdued sound, ha ha. It sounds rude and mean. And this cam--even with the 112 lsa--has a nice lope at idle! That was a surprise. I changed from a summit coil with 50,000 volts to an msd with 44,000 that I had run before. I wonder if the 3" tube amplifies the exhaust noise.

Brakes, with the new hydroboost and Saginaw p/s box, feel great. Steering, with the box moved due to the frame work, along with the double u joint, feels good. I have to do a vid. and post it. I'll have to barrow an old style t.light and get it tuned perfectly.

I'm thinking about cutting off that Flowmaster 50 and going to a stock style muffler.

 

What about old school quiet
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/jex-a4540s/

 

Please could we get a exhaust clip before you cut off that 50 series. I used to have a 40 series on my truck and then I went to a magnaflow and it quieted down a bit mellow but still has a nice tone to it. But I've always like the flowmaster sound

 

I guess I'm a bit in shock at the sound of the truck. I went from an oem style truck round type muffler to the SF 50. I'm going to go slow with changing it and see if I get used to it. It may seem loud since it is in the driveway with fence and house beside it to contain the sound, and the hood is always open. It did get quite a bit quieter after I went back and rewelded the holes I left in the exhaust Some of the jhoints were slip joints with relief slits in them. Some of the slits were covered with a label and hidden. That's my excuse.

A happy note: I had a lot of extra parts to get rid of: Hedman header, pistons, used Isky cam and lifters, t.gears, etc. I tried to sell them on CL, and got not a single call/txt. Three months later, when I was ready to throw it all away, a guy found my ad and bought it all. It feels good that he is going to use it all.

I have a growl in the bellhousing that seems to be starter related, so I haven't really been able to test the power of the new engine. I'm also still concentrating on how to shift it each time. I know I'll love the OD, and I'm sure the mph will increase too, along with hopefully dropping to medium grade fuel.

Hey Farmboy: I'll try to get a short vid posted soon. I don't think my exhaust sound is much diff. than yours. We'll see.