Didn't Make It Home From Carlisle

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I expect the ignition cut out briefly, then ignited residual fuel in the exhaust. How does the muffler look?

The driver's side muffler is blown out. Both ends are pushed out but I don't see any holes. The passenger side muffler is ok. I just put the dual exhaust on last summer.
 
It is making a bottom end noise that doesn't sound good. I am going to have to pull it. The explosion was strong enough to blow out a new muffler, so it probably did some damage.
 
I don't recognize a bottom end noise or hear any ticking but I guess it sounds different than normal now. Quick compression check or leak down?
 
Here is a video of it running.


Doesn’t sound like bottom end to me either. Or valve train for that matter. More like a reciprocal growl. Transmission related possibly.
 
I pulled the engine and tranny out. I got service paperwork when I bought the truck. The tranny was rebuilt by aamco in 2008 at 45,000 miles. The truck only has 52,000 now. The heads, valves, and pushrods are all good. There is a little verticle scoring in the cylinders but almost no ridge. A couple lobes on the cam look a little worn. The timing chain has some slack but I don't think that's the problem. Maybe the knock is a bent rod but they look ok from underneath. I guess I will check the rods and bearings next. I have no experience with this but hoping I can figure it out. Thanks FABO for any advice.
 
Did you completely miss post #25, that rotor is TOAST. What is hanging form the distributor side of the coil post, it's touching the intake. What does the inside of the cap look like?

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Did you completely miss post #25, that rotor is TOAST. What is hanging form the distributor side of the coil post, it's touching the intake. What does the inside of the cap look like?

View attachment 1716279493
I replaced the condensor and started it. It made the same knocking sound. The inside of the cap looks ok to me. A toasted rotor could cause it to knock like that? It fired right up and ran. There is nothing hanging from the coil, that is a ridge on the 4 barrel intake.
 
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I replaced the condensor and started it. It made the same knocking sound. The inside of the cap looks ok to me. A toasted rotor could cause it to knock like that? It fired right up and ran. There is nothing hanging from the coil, that is a ridge on the 4 barrel intake.
Carbon tracking as fine as a line from a sharpened pencil can send that spark where it shouldn't be, but the failing condensor can do the same, if it's lighting off a cyl way too soon it can do damage to that piston/rod as well as the ones on their power stroke on time when that occurs.
Unfortunately, the sound in that vid isn't translating well over My phone, so I'm of no real help there.
 
I put the 318 together and it's back in the truck. There was nothing wrong with it. I thought for sure I would find something when I tore it down. I got a Pertronix ignitor and a new distributor cap. I put a new ballast resistor in it since I had one. The 318 has never run better. It fires right up and sounds great. One thing I can't figure is the timing. It has 30* of timing at idle with the vacuum advance disconnected. That doesn't seem right but it runs great. So, I pulled an engine and tore it down for nothing. Live and learn. Thanks for the advice FABO.
 
One thing I can't figure is the timing. It has 30* of timing at idle with the vacuum advance disconnected. That doesn't seem right but it runs great.

Yea, that doesn't sound right to me either. You should be seeing 5 degrees or so at idle with vacuum advance disconnected and plugged. I would leave vacuum advance disconnected, rev to roughly 2600 rpm, you should be seeing 32* BTDC or so, 52* or so with vacuum advance connected.
 
318willrun says in this video (3:55 in) that his truck has 30* of initial timing because the distributor is locked.

 
318willrun says in this video (3:55 in) that his truck has 30* of initial timing because the distributor is locked.


I'm not a big fan of locking out distributors, and the one in this truck has since been replaced. But if you are at 30* and then you get mechanical advancement, you'd be really advanced. Could be your balancer has slipped? Anyways, put it where it runs the best !!!
 
I just checked it again. The initial is 30* and it advances into the 50's. It is like the balancer is off but the key puts it in the right place. I let it get hot to see if it had trouble starting but it fired right up. I don't hear anything strange when I throttle it up. I'm going to take for a longer ride today.
 
I just checked it again. The initial is 30* and it advances into the 50's. It is like the balancer is off but the key puts it in the right place. I let it get hot to see if it had trouble starting but it fired right up. I don't hear anything strange when I throttle it up. I'm going to take for a longer ride today.

Just curious... How did the initial timing (w/o vacuum advance connected) get set at 30*? It doesn't run at 5*? If it doesn't, then IMO you have your timing light connected to the wrong wire or your balancer has slipped.

I'm not sure what you mean by "The initial is 30* and it advances into the 50s". Is this at 2600 rpm with vacuum advance disconnected or is this at idle with vacuum advance connected?
 
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