just rebuilt runs bad

I tried to answer all new questions below. Thanks again for your thoughts and suggestions.


"Time to diagnose.Call the engine builder.Did they set the valves? If not,did they set lifter preload properly?"
I'll have to ask (I'm not sure I know what set the valves means). The new head ports were angled and polished, the valves, rockers, lifters are all new.


"You let somebody else build the thing. Let them diagnose it."

The machinist is spending a lot of time with me on the phone. The last thing he had me check was the compression and that both valves were closed on #1 compression stroke. This was Friday, their shop is not open over the weekend.


"Sounds to me like you need to CONFIRM that the timing mark is actually correct."

I'm going to use a "piston stop" tomorrow.


"Is the system well grounded? My 340 is real picky and absolutely requires a very good ground. After that it likes 36 degrees of total advance, you do not mention mechanical versus vacume advance."

I'll double check the ground tomorrow. The MSD distributor has magnetic pick up and mechanical advance. I tried locking the mechanical advance just to establish initial timing. No help.

"Are they new plug wires?"

Yes (new MSD wires), along with new MSD 6AL box and new MSD Blaster Coil, the MSD distributor is used.

"Did the shop degree the cam at all?"

Yes they did, what bothers me is they said they were unable to degree it with the Mancini timing chain set. I brought this up with the machinist. He explained why it didn't work (I wasn't able to follow him) he seemed confident that the Mancini chain kit was bad.


"18436572..CW or CCW???"

Clockwise.

"1500 RPM is not really high enough to splash enough oil up to the cam"

On second thought I think break in was at 2000 ~45 min. 80-90 psi oil pressure. Temp steady ~180.