It's time to put on my Big Boy pants, stop crying in my beer, and yank this engine. Disassembly starts this morning. Here's the check-it-out list from all the helpful hints:
Pull the drivers valve cover & put a dial indicator on the #1 intake valve... Rotate the engine slowly watching the exhaust valve open then close.... As it's closing watch the dial indicator... When it shows maybe .015 movement stop & see if the timing marks on the crank & timing cover line up.. The engine should be at or very close to TDC... If not your cam timing is off.
Check the distributor for 180 out?
Is the distributor’s mechanical advance working right? Have you checked timing marks with TDC??
I'd start by verifying the balancer mark with a piston stop.
Spark plug wire order
Has the outer ring on the damper slipped
Check the cam degree job.
Once all that's done, I'll put in the new rear main seal, fix the leaky oil pan plug, add the limiter plate to my distributor, make sure the cam is degreed properly, and button it back up. More news and updates coming when I get done being greasy for the day.
