360 Advice Needed...

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tubbedamx

tubbedamx

Location Boise, Idaho
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Location
Boise, Idaho
I recently fired up the 360 after it had been sitting for 3 1/2 years. It was primed first and then started. It fired right up, it cranked for maybe 3-4 seconds. Right away the lifters were ticking, pretty loud and never quit. It ran for a little less than 10 minutes. I bought the engine used out of a '70 challenger "Never heard the engine run". Previous to the engine sitting it ran ok but it was percieved that it always had a miss at idle.

It was recommeded to me to try running some "Seafoam" through the oil and fuel system to perhaps clean the inside and maybe free up the lifters. I pulled the valve covers, all the pushrods seem to have a little tension or pressure on them when I tried to spin them between my fingers. All of the rockers are moving as well.

The engine is a stock late '70s 360, stock compression and heads-valvetrain, Edelbrock performer intake and a 600 or 650 carb, hi-flow 340 exhaust manifold on the drivers side and a '92 dakota manifold on the passenger side "Basically a nice set of exhaust manifolds", to a 3inch tti X-pipe full exhaust kit. The rest of of the car is a 67 notchback, stock converter and 3.23 gears.

If the lifters don't quit ticking I was thinking of replacing the cam, lifters, springs and timing chain with summit racing products due to cost and I get a NHRA discount. I would like a setup that maybe has a little muscle car idle but at the same time doesn't create any maintenance issues like valve spring fatige.

So two questions:
1) any suggestions to relieve lifter ticking?
2) Looking at summit racing cam choices these looked good but which one?

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/SUM-K6900/ this has 112 lobe separation.
or
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/SUM-K50052/ this has 110 lobe separation.
or
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/SUM-K6901/ this has 114 lobe separation, creating the most cylinder pressure?
DSC08101.jpg


Thanks in Advance.
 
Oil Pressure gauge reading? Even a temporary cheap aftermarket gauge under the hood.

Also can start it then pop a valve cover to make sure oil's getting to the top end & very that the valvetrain is ok. It's a little messy but a good check.

If it's got oil pressure & top end oiling then I'd run it for awhile to see if some of the lifters pump up. Just don't rev the crap out of it. I would think 2000-2500 rpm. I'm no expert though, just what I'd try.
 
check for oil pressure, lifters may take abit to pump up but I have never had much of a problem(noisy for the first 5 minutes) make sure you have oil in the pan too!
 
Dump a quart of "Rislone" or other engine solvent in there and run it for the recommended time, then change the oil

What is your 'feel' for the shape of the engine? Does it appear gummy, had regular oil changes, etc?
 
In my experiences....this is totally normal for a hyd cam engine that has sat, semi-disassembled, put on a engine stand, flipped over bottom side up, completely drained.

An Oil Pressure Gauge hooked up to a tee at the oil pressure sending unit hole says alot.....you want 30+psi at idle, and 40-80 psi at RPM.

I always use 1qt of Lucas Oil stabilizer with 4 qts of 10w-30 on the first crank up, while it is running on the first startup, I have a fire extinguisher, good flashlight, and timing light ready to go.

I crank it, and set the fast idle screw to about 1200-1500rpm, and start throwing Anti-freeze to the cooling system (after the initial Not Running Fill) so I can get the radiator cap on and start building some Cooling System Pressure.

REGARDLESS of the way the engine sounds, I let it run until the temp gauge is up to temp and the upper radiator hose is tight, and hot.

Generally for the first 15-20 minutes the lifters will be slightly tapping, and oil getting warm and cirulating through the system.

I then let it idle down to 800 or so and use the timing light to set the timing around 11*/12* initial or whereever it likes it the most.

I drive the car (unless a Cam Swap was Done) and warm it up to operating temp for the first 100-200 miles and change the oil to my brand/viscosity then.

If the noise is still present at full operating temp (180-190ish) and never goes away, you have worn components, and I WOULD go through it with new Summit parts you mentioned....dont forget to put the oil slinger back on (if its there!)

Ever seen the MP Timing Chain Tensioner for SB's? I have it on my (2) Street SB's, and feel like its cheap insurance and rock steady Ignition Timing...
Roller360002.jpg

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/846595/fullsize/img_0250.jpg

I would go with the 112 centerline cam.
 
I wouldn't even think about running an engine that had sat that long without putting new valve springs in it. That probably aint you tick, but they are toast from sitting.
 
While it may or may not need valve springs, it is a good idea to change them before you hammer on it. They're not going to impact warming the engine up to see if the lifters pump up and the tune the engine.

Only takes an hour or two to swap springs in the car if everything checks out.
 
What Prine said. Except I'd go with the last came listed. It's a split duration cam that will give good power via the extra exhaust duration to help it breath.
 
Thanks for the help, thats what I needed.
My gut feeling "hope" is this is engine is in decent shape. Its clean inside anyway.

I have a set of autometer guages I was going to install when the interior is done, but I can temp install the oil pressure guage under the hood.

With the oil pressure guage ready and a timing light. The fluids should be ok but I'll have some out just in case. I'll get it up to operating temperatures and let it run for awhile. I have a bottle of seafoam I think I'll pour a little in the oil or follow the directions anyway. I should know something this week. Thanks again
 
What Prine said... It takes time to get the bugs out when they've sat that long. Get it operating temp, rev it a few times... Pulling under load is the best thing to get the lung back in it.
 
X2 on that Summit cam k6901 as my Duster is set up just like my car. The only thing that is different is I did throw a set of steel shim head gaskets on it and new valve springs.
 
I thought I would pass along an update, since I did get the help I needed from here.

I poured a can of "Seafoam" into the engine oil and finished installing oil pressure, water temperature and a voltage guages on the car. I let the car run for almost an hour and once the engine came up to temp plus 15minutes later the engine "Tick" went away and hasn't returned. Idle quality is great...

Starting the engine cold it had 70lbs of oil pressure, 20 minutes later the water temp was 170 degrees along with 27lbs of oil pressure.

I think I am going to let the engine be as it is now and move onto paint and body and interior work. At some point I will replace valve springs before things get to serious and maybe the cam. That will be much later inthe future.

Thanks again
Jim
 
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