360 LA installing Promaxx Aluminum heads

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Sooo close.

All buttoned up... headers & carb installed.

Going to wait until I confirm valvetrain oiling properly to put valve covers, spark plugs, cap & rotor on.

Hand oiled all the push rod cups & shafts and went to prime the oil system with the starter... battery went flat.... on the charger now. :rolleyes:

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She lives!!! Video at the linky dinky. I let it run for some time.. built up heat and fans came on. Any girotis that got into the oiling system should be in the filter by now. Do an oil change and new filter tomorrow.

360 LA New Heads, rockers and intake first fire up

Driver side header leaked a bit. Pulled the recommended gasket and installed the thicker used gasket that came with TTI exhaust... problem solved. Think I'll order another set from TTI just in case. You can still see where it was leaking in center 2 ports even after I wiped it with my finger. I used copper gaskets at the collector with stainless bolts and self locking nuts. The other set either came loose and blew out or blew out and came loose on the drivers side just before I tore it down. There are 2 stainless nuts on the road somewhere.

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Lastly the specialty valve cover gaskets leak... driver side not too bad.. passenger side all the way to the filter and onto the exhaust before I noticed. Don't wanna have to goop them up but I will to avoid a mess.

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Overall very happy with the evenings progress. I'll hit it again tomorrow and see if I can get the leaks sorted.
 
Good result.
On the valve cover leaks, make sure that the covers aren't in contact with the intake runners. Different head may have the rail in a slightly different place relative to the intake. If they are you can relieve the flange on the covers or run doubled up gaskets.
 
Very cool man!!!!

What A/C system is that and how do you rate and like it?
Pro’s & con’s?

Yup.. pretty stoked it's up and running.

the AC setup is a Vintage Air system for factory air cars with the rallye dash. The previous owner did the installation so I cannot comment on that aspect. System seems to work fine functionally. I need a charge on the AC, have not used it as I typically just drive with the windows down. I'm in a much warmer climate now so getting this running for the summer season just got bumped up. Heater puts out OK heat but I suspect if there was snow on the ground you'd be wanting more. I park this thing when there is snow on the ground so a non-issue for me. Prior owner looks like he had a lot of fun running the ducting under the dash. Here is a shot of what the in dash unit looks like.
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The compressor and alternator bracket is one big hunk of steel that can be a nuisance at times. I should check to see if they have an updated mount that is cleaner. Low priority. Biggest issue will be getting the electric fan integration squared away to work with the AC when it comes on. I think I'll need one of the fans running at full speed when the AC kicks on. Prior owner installed the typical fan controllers... basically on/off at a set temp. The 2 Spal fans installed pull about 25A each when they come on. They move a LOT of air and cool very well, but put a major hurt on the charging system when they came on full tilt. They are pretty loud a full speed too. When I bought the car the alternator was fried and the battery was toast as well. I suspect the fans killed both. I installed the fan controller you can see in the video about where the stock ignition box would have been that has the red LED temperature readout. It ramps the fans up slowly on a curve starting at a set temperature. I'm not sure if the fans running at a slower speed will put enough air through the condenser.

My2c.
 
Good result.
On the valve cover leaks, make sure that the covers aren't in contact with the intake runners. Different head may have the rail in a slightly different place relative to the intake. If they are you can relieve the flange on the covers or run doubled up gaskets.

The valve cover does hit the runner at the top a bit even with the thicker Moreso gaskets when compressed. Not a lot of interference and the leaks are at the bottom so I don't think that is my issue. I'm going to clearance it a bit with a file anyway.
 
Productive day. Oil and filter change... went back to a full size Wix and fitted the filter with a heat condom... lol. Thought about installing the 90deg. adapter but I've been running like this for a bit and seems ok. The oil filter heat shield sock is just extra insurance.

Drove it around a few hours sans the hood... feels old school...lol. 100 degrees here today and the temp never got much above 195, just over 180 for most of the run. Think I need to adjust the ramp up on the fan controller just a bit. Other than that I definitely picked up some TQ and HP. Comes off the line harder and wants to wind up to higher rpm's a lot faster than before. Still doing a bit of "break in" until I'm sure everything is meshing fine. Sounds quite a bit different than before too... going to have to get used to that.

Video: Fire up from cold start

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Playing with the tune today.. that wideband 02 sensor has paid for itself many times over.

So after the refresh she's running a bit fat. Carb is a Holley 625 Demon vac secondary.

Idle is high 11 to mid~12:1
Cruise High 12, see an occasional 13.
WOT 10:1

Swapped out metering rods and got the AFR better.. but not quite there. Will need to swap in a smaller primary jet tomorrow. Likely have to go at the metering rods again too after the swap. Hot again today and I probably burned 1/4 tank of gas. Hopefully wrap the carb tuning up tomorrow in time for a drive to the lake.
 
What rod and jet combo is in there now?

Started:76 primary jet, 60-50 metering rod and green spring.

Now: 76 primary jet, 62-54 metering rod and green spring.

Plan 4 tomorra am: 74 primary jet, 62-54 metering rod and green spring.
 
I don’t know what there kids are like or come with. Are they like the Edelbrock series?

I was tuning up my sons new 360 with twin 02 plug Innovative set up. (Junk) That made life easy (when it worked)

Otherwise on my stuff, (before 02 - not year- LOL)
I’d select the smallest jet and biggest rod comp when the previous set up was way lean and the reverse, biggest jet and smallest rod for when it was aft so I could lean it down or richen it up.

Just realize that your dealing with the conference area around the rod in the jet when you make the changes. What I have seen some guys do not realizing the issue was move to a set of jets and rods that delivered the same area mathematically but ignored that the circumference was larger or smaller throwing there heads in a spin.

I think your on the right track FWIW.
 
I don’t know what there kids are like or come with. Are they like the Edelbrock series?

I was tuning up my sons new 360 with twin 02 plug Innovative set up. (Junk) That made life easy (when it worked)

Otherwise on my stuff, (before 02 - not year- LOL)
I’d select the smallest jet and biggest rod comp when the previous set up was way lean and the reverse, biggest jet and smallest rod for when it was aft so I could lean it down or richen it up.

Just realize that your dealing with the conference area around the rod in the jet when you make the changes. What I have seen some guys do not realizing the issue was move to a set of jets and rods that delivered the same area mathematically but ignored that the circumference was larger or smaller throwing there heads in a spin.

I think your on the right track FWIW.

Yup.. easy to get screwed up.

Smaller rod = MORE fuel.
Smaller jet = LESS fuel
Lighter spring = MORE fuel.

This carb has a spring loaded secondary air valve control that needs to be taken into account as well. Turn screw COUNTERCLOCK to tighten spring.

Change any 2 in the wrong direction at the same time and you could end up right where you started -or- somewhere in orbit... lol.
 
Long day with the carburetor... but yielded really good results. Lots of swapping and tweaking.

Engineer who decided to put so many tiny E-clips on the carb needs a stiff kick to the junk... there's gotta be a better way. :icon_fU:
20220731_094543.jpg


^^^ A couple of those to remove and reinstall with every adjustment... one right over the pass side metering rod. You can choose what end of the choke rod you wanna take the e-clip off of... they both suck.
20220731_095135.jpg

If the carb is on the car and that lil clip decides to go flying it goes into the engine compartment never to be seen again -or- into the carb. If I was doing this a lot I'd be drilling tiny holes for cotter pins.

If anyone else owns one of these I'd recommend getting a few extra e-clips, the 2 gaskets and this kit at a minimum before tearing into it. Demon comes pretty fat out of the box. Unless you have a lot of cam and compression.. you'll wanna thin her out a bit.
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One other thing I noted (but apparently did not take a photo of) I was probably working against was the heat plate/shim Holley provides. You sammich it between 2 carb gaskets under the carb. It's supposed to help with heat dissipation, that's debatable. But what it does do is make setting the curb idle more difficult as the plate extends past the gasket where the idle screws venturi are. Once I removed the plate the curb idle mixture got easier to adjust.

Anyway here is what I started at wayy fat:
76 primary jet
64-56 rod
Green Spring

Here is where I landed pretty happy:
-74 Pri jet
80 to 78 Secondary jet
60-50 rod
green spring

AFR results:
Idle 13.5
Tip & light load uphill 11-12
WOT 10.8 to 11.5
Hwy 13-14

No bog or hesitation at all. Eyes burn from swimming in gas vapor all day but I'll sleep better tonight with these results :)
 
Nice. Perhaps one more thinner rod change.
Once you lean out then secondary side some it’ll be nice and sweet.
What size carb is that again?
 
Nice. Perhaps one more thinner rod change.
Once you lean out then secondary side some it’ll be nice and sweet.
What size carb is that again?

It's a 625.

That 78 secondary jet was the smallest in the kit. You thinking I should step it down one more to 76 to lean out WOT?
 
10.8-11.5 is fat (really fat) at WOT for a naturally aspirated deal. That’s turbo territory. Your plugs will show it.
 
If it were mine I would lean out the idle and tip in, idle 14.5ish, tip in 14.5-15.0 up to the point of power enrichment, then aim for around 12.5ish at WOT. You’ll likely see the best power at 12.2-12.8 WOT.
 
It's a 625.

That 78 secondary jet was the smallest in the kit. You thinking I should step it down one more to 76 to lean out WOT?
What TT5.9 said. Not to repeat, but add in….
Aim for that 14.6 @ idle. While your driving down the road, it can be a little leaner. It’ll work for mileage.
The secondary side is rich. That AF is fat. But your getting close. The drag strip should be used for the secondary side once that primary is dialed in. Your right on the edge.
On the power enrichment, I don’t know what the color codes are. IF you have a vacuum gauge to run inside the car, you can watch what it does vs your gas pedal position and what your doing to help get it where it needs to be.
(You are using a vacuum gauge to tune this right?)
If it were mine I would lean out the idle and tip in, idle 14.5ish, tip in 14.5-15.0 up to the point of power enrichment, then aim for around 12.5ish at WOT. You’ll likely see the best power at 12.2-12.8 WOT.
:thumbsup:
 
What TT5.9 said. Not to repeat, but add in….
Aim for that 14.6 @ idle. While your driving down the road, it can be a little leaner. It’ll work for mileage.
The secondary side is rich. That AF is fat. But your getting close. The drag strip should be used for the secondary side once that primary is dialed in. Your right on the edge.
On the power enrichment, I don’t know what the color codes are. IF you have a vacuum gauge to run inside the car, you can watch what it does vs your gas pedal position and what your doing to help get it where it needs to be.
(You are using a vacuum gauge to tune this right?)

:thumbsup:

Don't have a vac gauge in the car. I hook one up when tweaking...
 
Yea, good move. Get the highest vacuum reading you can while twisting the screws for idle trim and the actual idle speed. It’s a ping pong game with that and distributor timing unless you know where it needs to be from the start.

Then bring the gauge into the cars cabin so you can watch it under various conditions. It’ll tell you what it needs as you learn the car and how it acts and reacts to the various conditions as you drive.
 
Long day with the carburetor... but yielded really good results. Lots of swapping and tweaking.

Engineer who decided to put so many tiny E-clips on the carb needs a stiff kick to the junk... there's gotta be a better way. :icon_fU:
View attachment 1715963767

^^^ A couple of those to remove and reinstall with every adjustment... one right over the pass side metering rod. You can choose what end of the choke rod you wanna take the e-clip off of... they both suck.
View attachment 1715963792
If the carb is on the car and that lil clip decides to go flying it goes into the engine compartment never to be seen again -or- into the carb. If I was doing this a lot I'd be drilling tiny holes for cotter pins.

If anyone else owns one of these I'd recommend getting a few extra e-clips, the 2 gaskets and this kit at a minimum before tearing into it. Demon comes pretty fat out of the box. Unless you have a lot of cam and compression.. you'll wanna thin her out a bit.
View attachment 1715963793


One other thing I noted (but apparently did not take a photo of) I was probably working against was the heat plate/shim Holley provides. You sammich it between 2 carb gaskets under the carb. It's supposed to help with heat dissipation, that's debatable. But what it does do is make setting the curb idle more difficult as the plate extends past the gasket where the idle screws venturi are. Once I removed the plate the curb idle mixture got easier to adjust.

Anyway here is what I started at wayy fat:
76 primary jet
64-56 rod
Green Spring

Here is where I landed pretty happy:
-74 Pri jet
80 to 78 Secondary jet
60-50 rod
green spring

AFR results:
Idle 13.5
Tip & light load uphill 11-12
WOT 10.8 to 11.5
Hwy 13-14

No bog or hesitation at all. Eyes burn from swimming in gas vapor all day but I'll sleep better tonight with these results :)
Snap rings are an alternative
 
Think I'm going to see about a re-calibrate on the wideband 02. At the numbers above she ran tits on a ritz.

I went up one rod size to 60-52 and it was "ok" but seemed off. AFR numbers bumped up a hair. I'd been driving with the 60-50 rod for some time this afternoon so I figured it may just be a me thing.

Bumped up to 62-54... saw AFR numbers 14-15 but started getting lean surge at low load and studdering off the line until it fattened up.

Tossed 60-50 back in and we're running great again. I'll get back on it tomorra and do some more tweaking.
 
Where is your o2 sensor located? And is the exhaust tighter than a dolphins ***? Like zero leaks?
 
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