How to Assemble the Front of a Small Block
- Thread starter krazykuda
- Start date
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rmchrgr
Skate And Destroy
Just thought I'd add a little side note here which is to check pulley alignment! I tossed a belt at high rpm (7,000) while racing the car and ended up overheating the engine. This is a common occurrence which is mostly due to pulley misalignment. If you've got things apart and are putting the pulleys back in place, it would be the perfect time to check the flanges with a straight edge to see if they are in line. You may not be able to see any misalignment just by doing a visual check. Lo-po combos can probably get a away with some misalignment but if you're revving things up, it's almost a guarantee you will toss a belt at the wrong time.
There are shims available to correct this problem.
Carry on!
There are shims available to correct this problem.
Carry on!
69MOPE
Well-Known Member
I hope it is OK to add helpful hints. At the above pictured step I set the timing gears so the "dots" line up at 6 o'clock,top gear and 12 o'clock, bottom gear as the book states THEN rotate the engine 1 time so the "dots" are 12 o'clock on both gears. Next I go to the back of the camshaft and paint a yellow stripe (front to rear) (about a half inch long) that can be seen thru the distributor hole. This will help later finding TDC compression stroke (for lining up the rotor). If you have the balancer timing marks lined up and you don't see the yellow then it's not TDC comp #1, and if you do see yellow, your good to line up the dist rotor to the left front intake manifold bolt.
I'll have to check and get back with you later. Sometimes the marks are confusing, I'll have to pull one out and take a look.
I'm in class now, so I'll get back with you later, when I have no class.... LOL!
I have noticed that some new pulleys seem to have too much runout (fore/aft wobble). I'm not sure if it's straight from the vendor that way or not, but I have two of them that look new and they wobble too much for my liking. I found an old one that is better - go figure...
Sorry it took so long to get back.
If it is like the Edelbrock, you have three different keyways. Edelbrock machines the notch in the same shape as the stamped alignment mark on the crank gear. The cam gear only has one mark.
Now for Eddy, the round mark and round keyway are for "stock" or "straight up". The triangle notch and triangle keyway are advanced. The square mark and square keyway notch are for retarded.
You pick where you want to run it, straight up, advanced, or retarded and use that set of keyway notches and marks. Notice that the mark is at the 12 o'clock position, and the keyway for that mark is at about 1:30 position. I marked the sets and angles for you so see.
Here's the crank sprocket with the three marks and keyways:
Here I'm showing the mark's location to the keyway notch is about 30° or 1:30 position from the mark to the notch. Use these marks and notches together in sets as marked.
Here's how you set up the chain. The mark on the crank gear is straight up at 12 o'clock. The keyway for the crank gear is about 30° to the left. The cam gear mark is at 6 o'clock, and the cam keyway is at 4 o'clock. I like to set the chain up like this off of the engine, then turn the crank keyway to the 1:30 position, then slip thecrank gear on the crank, keeping the gear and teeth from jumping a tooth. I set thecrank gear, then turn the cam so the chain and gears line up and will fit together.
Here is what the package for the Edelbrock looks like:
Here are some of the instructions:
This one explains how to set up the chain and what the marks are for:
Here's the picture showing the alignment of the gears and chain:
This picture also shows the alignment of the sprockets, chain, and gears:
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ernie flores
Well-Known Member
What size are the oil galley plugs and where can I find some? I tried using 5/8 plugs but they are still to big.
Why is this not in out tech article area?
straightlinespeed
Sometimes I pretend to be normal
It is? Cool then. I guess something can be in two places at once.
Another helpful hint when installing the timing cover. The covers on the small blocks don't have locating pins to center the cover. To assure a good seal around the crank, install the cover and a bolt on each side to loosely hold it in place. Install the balancer properly on the crank key and push it by hand till it stops. Then wiggle the timing cover around on the loose bolts until the seal feels centered on the balancer then snug up the bolts to keep it in place. I did this with a dry gasket first to get the feel of it then I put the gasket sealer on and did it for real. Follow up with the rest of the bolts and torque in place. tmm
If I remember correctly I used spray Copper Coat on the gasket and Mopar black silicone on the corners where the gaskets meet.
I use Gasgacinch for the flat gaskets and dab some clear Silicone in the corners. Mancini Racing carries it.
View attachment Gaskacinch 01.jpg
View attachment Gaskacinch 02.jpg
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73 Swinger 8
Well-Known Member
As a newb who hasn't opened an engine in far too many years, this thread is invaluable. I'm not this far along yet, still redoing floor pans and weather stripping to keep future water out. I will be using this for reference in the future. Great work KrazyKuda!
bw68d100318
Member
Thank you. Super helpful.
easymotorspo
Well-Known Member
Should a 318 that has been found to be without a drip tab, or a bolt with the whole in it or oil plugs, should it be retro fitted as I am in the middle of changing cam,lifters,timing chain,heads and intake? This article is great for a gear head and do it yourselfer!!
I have the required plugs(Dorman 555-009), I believe I could fabricate the drip tab and the special bolt....
Thank you, Erick
I have the required plugs(Dorman 555-009), I believe I could fabricate the drip tab and the special bolt....
Thank you, Erick
It's probably too late for you, but I just found this page with block off plates on the Mancini site...
http://www.manciniracing.com/fuelblocplat.html
Sorry I didn't find this until now, but I would recommend using a drip tab if possible.
If you can't find a bolt with a hole in it, and not be able to drill one, then I would leave the top hole for the oiling open, and then try to use a bolt in the other lower hole where the anti-rotation tab goes. I would open the hole in the thrust plate a little more and re bend the rotation/lock tab so it will fit with the bolt in...
pishta
I know I'm right....
Bingo, explained it better than the instructions. :cheers:
I was just looking at this thread and wanted to add the photo of a 68 273.It is without a bolt with a hole or a drip tab.It did have the crank oil slinger. Behind the thrust plate there were no plugs the oil galleys are open using the thrust plate to seal them off.I have heard of drilling the plate with a small hole to squirt oil on the chain. Has anyone done this? If it was mentioned above I may have missed it. Great thread !
View attachment IMG_2273.jpg
View attachment IMG_2273.jpg
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This is what most look like in my experience. MT:burnout:
dart1
69
Excellent info and great write up.
Does your top passenger side bolt for the thrust plate have the oil hole in it?
If not, I would recommend just taking that one out so you get oil to your timing chain.
That is the oil feed hole for the timing chain that I pointed out on page one that needs to let oil get to the timing chain, so you don't want it blocked... You can get away without the drip tab and only three bolts, they built some from the factory that way.
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