E58 400 plus HP Dart sport build

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If you are going to drive the car regularly, I highly recommend you DO use 10% ethanol super. It has better octane properties and better detonation resistance. As long as you don't sit it up for long periods, it will not hurt a thing.
Carb says it is ethanol ready however I have my reservations. I did do new lines but have some rubber pieces I would replace first. As a fuel it's highly corrosive and I worry things like sending unit and even carb may not hold up heavy use. Friend of mine similar build and his car runs badly on ethanol. Same compression more cam than I with thunder down under heads on a 351 stroked. I would also need to replace fuel pump which I may do anyways. I think the bigger Carter or Holley would work well.
 
Carb says it is ethanol ready however I have my reservations. I did do new lines but have some rubber pieces I would replace first. As a fuel it's highly corrosive and I worry things like sending unit and even carb may not hold up heavy use. Friend of mine similar build and his car runs badly on ethanol. Same compression more cam than I with thunder down under heads on a 351 stroked. I would also need to replace fuel pump which I may do anyways. I think the bigger Carter or Holley would work well.
Any carburetor is ready for 10%. You don't need anything special. ....and your friend's doing it wrong.
 
Push rods are ordered everything else is installed but that. Hopefully get home next week or so and get it painted and put on the serpentine system from March and fule pump.
 
So builder says he tore engine back down to clean up valley casting? Does anyone else think this is BS besides me? I'm at the point I just want it back to build it myself or find someone who will finish it.
 
So builder says he tore engine back down to clean up valley casting? Does anyone else think this is BS besides me? I'm at the point I just want it back to build it myself or find someone who will finish it.

Put it together to take it apart, grind off casting flash and require going into the tank again?

Sounds like a story that it's was never together to begin with.
 
Finally got good news on engine. He had to order different intake gasket. New harmonic balancer and flex plate. Builder has to use keepers off new head but got the rest of heads sorted out with new springs from comp cam kit. Will take torque converter over today and as he wants to check balance with it there.
 
Nothing to exciting he is planning to have it assembled this week. He had to order new harmonic balancer I didn't order as I knew he would balance should be there tomorrow. He will paint only block pan and valve covers. The rest will stay natural aluminum. I got the old parts as well today. 100% sure this was into before the water pump and timing chain looked newer. The cam and lifters looked nice but we're original. I'm told the E58 package had a 70 340 cam. I will clean this up oil and bag it. Heads also looked really good. They obviously didn't change the oil well or it was the dino oil.

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So the freaking engine was supposed to be done by tomorrow am I doubt it ever will be. I call today and the brand new compcam double roller chain is to loose for his liking. At this point it blows up good riddance I'm done with this mess. Once it's running good chance this car leaves and I buy something else restomod with newer engine and running gear. Basically I looked at old chain and gears they were brand new. I knew someone had replaced and didnt set timing right on distributor and carb and then needed new tank they quit. I'm reusing I really don't care it's new and a double roller was stock as comp cam is junk I would not buy anything from the Edelbrock automotive alliance again. Hopefully tomorrow I get good news or it will sit at shop till I feel like going to get it
 
So the freaking engine was supposed to be done by tomorrow am I doubt it ever will be. I call today and the brand new compcam double roller chain is to loose for his liking. At this point it blows up good riddance I'm done with this mess. Once it's running good chance this car leaves and I buy something else restomod with newer engine and running gear. Basically I looked at old chain and gears they were brand new. I knew someone had replaced and didnt set timing right on distributor and carb and then needed new tank they quit. I'm reusing I really don't care it's new and a double roller was stock as comp cam is junk I would not buy anything from the Edelbrock automotive alliance again. Hopefully tomorrow I get good news or it will sit at shop till I feel like going to get it

Put a tensioner on it. Every chain ever has been loose. EVER.
 
Miracle happens little machining on the rockers and I can pick up tomorrow. Well see not expecting anything to go as planned anymore.
 
Spent most of the day outside had to do some more things. Oil sensor didn't work way to wide so had to round edge of intake a bit. Fits fine now and got thermostat in and some plugs in the intake. The March performance serpentine system is really nice very happy. One piece was pitted badly but it's a spacer. I will let them know however. Motor mounts and spark plugs installed.

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Made it through cam break in no issues. Now the hard stuff figuring out my timing with HEI. I unplugged vacuum set timing idles fine broke in fine. Plugged in horrible issues with to much fuel and timing is off with it. Need to figure this part out. I numbered just wanted to be 100 certain of no issues. Fired right up.

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Realized there is an Allen key directions we're little damaged for HEI. So I can loosen and advance or retard the timing on vacuum secondary good to know. I will play with that before I go nuts now.
 
Little more tinkering done today and got idle adjustment screws right. Will check one more time make sure timing is happy put some miles on the car. Plan to order a lower thermostat it's just a bit on the high side at 195. With my cam vacuum advance is a no go so will leave that plugged. Maybe change to a different MSD later as I want a rev limiter but OMG will it rev and Jesus that's addictive. Rear gears I'm ordering doing 3.55.
 
Changed out the thermostat to a 180 degrees now running about 190 to 185 degrees. I then checked timing holding at 10 degrees. I then ran up to 4000 rpm I'm at 29 degrees so seems like distributor is doing its job with mechanical advance. Seems to fall on it's face a bit right now need to adjust my kickdown as I know that's part of it. The rear gears also are factoring in pretty sure.
 
Does it advance more last 4K?
Find max advance if not.
Limit max advance to best / fastest ET slip.
 
Does it advance more last 4K?
Find max advance if not.
Limit max advance to best / fastest ET slip.
That I don't know yet in driveway at 9 pm at night lol. I will have to run it more to know with timing light on it. Need a helper gets kind of annoying doing some of this solo. I know one thing cold blooded happy once 135 to 150 degrees. I have not touched the choke though at all and I'm sure it may need to be more open I'm guessing. No bad noises that I'm happy about got an hour run time now. I really wanna pull the oil filter off check my investment. Builder said to let that break in oil run for 500 miles. Then change oil.
 
OK, drive that baby around and get to know it some. Rack up the miles and smiles, do the oil change. Then you can get back into it some more.
 
OK, drive that baby around and get to know it some. Rack up the miles and smiles, do the oil change. Then you can get back into it some more.
Exactly what my buddy said drive it and get to know your car. So calling windshield guy today bolting on tag and driving. I will order a 3.73 gear 3.55 is minimum for cam the spec sheet called for. I put on 1.6 true ratio rockers. So things changed a bit more. I'm nit picking I know and just trying to dial it in.
 
The rockers moved the valves exactly an additional 1.6 as per the valve being lifted?
 
The rockers moved the valves exactly an additional 1.6 as per the valve being lifted?
They are true 1.6 ratio roller rockers red and blue in picture. Stock are actually below 1.5. checking cam spec valve lift I'm now 526 intake and 540 exhaust. This cam is @107 rather than 110 so has overlap. For sure need to go to 3.73 rear gear. I fixed the tachometer tonight pulled out of loom and wrapped in foil tape. Also put that inside a 1/4 vacuum hose ran through one of the plugs it used for firewall insulation. Then checked no RFI issues tach is steady at idle. Speedometer same issue fixed tomorrow. Ran it up first gear 4500 holy cow and into 2nd before I chickened out. She is ready to go for sure. Just needs miles like you said rumble fish. Temps still right at 190 or lower very pleased with AC I needed it down low Oklahoma is HOT.

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