Pistons installed. I used the Sealed Power OE quality E-318K 30 piston ring set that is not file fit. It would seem that it would work as-is just fine on regular cast pistons and forged ones as the gaps were .020"-.021" on the top ring and .025" on the second. Using the KB hypereutectic pistons I had to open the top ring gap to .028". After all the pistons were installed it took 23 ft-lbs to turn the rotating assembly over. I'm wondering what installing the cam and new tight timing chain will have on the torque reading. I've never checked that before.
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Let's do that..........Before installing the cam I slathered all the lobes and intermediate shaft gear with Driven Assembly Grease. It is thicker and sticks to the lobes without running off like the Comp Cams cam and lifter lube...............
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I took the timing chain out of it's break-in oil bath and let it drain on a paper towel so I didn't have oil running all over the place as I timed the cam.....
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The Total Seal Assembly Lube was used on the piston rings and piston skirts before dropping them into the bores. I've seen people dip the top of the piston and rings in an oil bath before installing. I guess I'm on the opposite end of the spectrum as I squirt the lube onto my fingers and before installing the rings to the pistons, rub the lube onto the rings. Then squirt a dab of oil onto the skirt and spread it around on the skirt with my finger.
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I like to have an oil supply to the roller chain. There is a threaded plug in the oil galley behind the cam gear. I've struggled drilling a .030" hole in that plug so this time I drilled and tapped the plug for a 10-32 thread and installed a .030 carburetor air bleed into the back of the plug with loctite.
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And here it is in the right bank lifter oil galley. Does it really work? I don't know......but I do it anyway!
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The cam has a 110 degree LSA and is ground 4 degrees advance for a 106 degree ICL. I installed the gear set on the zero (0) degree marks and got a 105 ICL............good enough for me. 1st time they have ever come out that close for me right at the start.
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The torque wrench clicks sometimes at 24 ft-lbs and doesn't break at 25 ft-lbs with the timing chain installed. I'm okay at that with those rings.
Note that with this setup the ARP cam gear bolts are 15/16" off the face of the block. The stock timing chain cover is 15/16" deep. I had to bubble the cover between one large socket and one slightly smaller socket in the press to make sure the cam bolts didn't hit the cover.
