I need to check the valve timing on my 360. It is not runing correctly, has
not been "quite right" since I reassembled the engine. It lopes while at
idle, the vacuum is low, the compression on at least five cylinders is low.
I've all but ruled out things like; rings not seated, bad lifters, head
machined too much, vacuum leaks, distributor timing off... basically all of
your most common causes. I'm leaning towards the timing chain being off a
tooth. But, I'm really just guessing at this point. (If I want to guess,
I'd also guess that the wrong camshaft and lifters were shipped out to me -
not very likely.) I dont really want to guess where it takes considerable
time and money. Is there a way to determine if the timing chain is a tooth
off without removing the front of the engine (again). I'm going to remove
the valve covers and witness the rockers while it turns over to see if I can
recogize a problem, but I'm not going to hold my breath.
The cam is from Summit Racing stock. I've had suggestions of the cam
lobes being "rubbed off", which does not make sense to me. When I
re-assembled it, I followed all of the lubrication procedures and pumped up
the oil pressure before the battery was ever connected.
I've recently checked the compression dry and wet. The vacuum gage has
been a permanent fixture under my hood for a while. Common sense points to
a timing problem, so I'm looking in that direction.

Thanks,

Chip

 

Hi Chip,
Have you driven it a hundred miles yet? As something is big time
wrong if over ten pounds difference between cylinders.
If you are running hot, too you may be retarded with your spark
caused by a slipped harmonic balance changing what appears to be be TDC.
Check it by following the piston with a screwdriver. If good put a
feeler gauge under the intake rocker and see where on the balancer it
becomes tight, Like about thirty degrees for anything out of Summit,
about fifteen stock: http://www.----------.com/73AMCvalveTime.jpg You
will have those exact specs somewhere in your sales receipt.
God Bless America, Bill O|||||||O
mailto:--------------------

Chip wrote:
>
> I need to check the valve timing on my 360. It is not runing correctly, has
> not been "quite right" since I reassembled the engine. It lopes while at
> idle, the vacuum is low, the compression on at least five cylinders is low.
> I've all but ruled out things like; rings not seated, bad lifters, head
> machined too much, vacuum leaks, distributor timing off... basically all of
> your most common causes. I'm leaning towards the timing chain being off a
> tooth. But, I'm really just guessing at this point. (If I want to guess,
> I'd also guess that the wrong camshaft and lifters were shipped out to me -
> not very likely.) I dont really want to guess where it takes considerable
> time and money. Is there a way to determine if the timing chain is a tooth
> off without removing the front of the engine (again). I'm going to remove
> the valve covers and witness the rockers while it turns over to see if I can
> recogize a problem, but I'm not going to hold my breath.
> The cam is from Summit Racing stock. I've had suggestions of the cam
> lobes being "rubbed off", which does not make sense to me. When I
> re-assembled it, I followed all of the lubrication procedures and pumped up
> the oil pressure before the battery was ever connected.
> I've recently checked the compression dry and wet. The vacuum gage has
> been a permanent fixture under my hood for a while. Common sense points to
> a timing problem, so I'm looking in that direction.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Chip

 

Hi Chip,
Have you driven it a hundred miles yet? As something is big time
wrong if over ten pounds difference between cylinders.
If you are running hot, too you may be retarded with your spark
caused by a slipped harmonic balance changing what appears to be be TDC.
Check it by following the piston with a screwdriver. If good put a
feeler gauge under the intake rocker and see where on the balancer it
becomes tight, Like about thirty degrees for anything out of Summit,
about fifteen stock: http://www.----------.com/73AMCvalveTime.jpg You
will have those exact specs somewhere in your sales receipt.
God Bless America, Bill O|||||||O
mailto:--------------------

Chip wrote:
>
> I need to check the valve timing on my 360. It is not runing correctly, has
> not been "quite right" since I reassembled the engine. It lopes while at
> idle, the vacuum is low, the compression on at least five cylinders is low.
> I've all but ruled out things like; rings not seated, bad lifters, head
> machined too much, vacuum leaks, distributor timing off... basically all of
> your most common causes. I'm leaning towards the timing chain being off a
> tooth. But, I'm really just guessing at this point. (If I want to guess,
> I'd also guess that the wrong camshaft and lifters were shipped out to me -
> not very likely.) I dont really want to guess where it takes considerable
> time and money. Is there a way to determine if the timing chain is a tooth
> off without removing the front of the engine (again). I'm going to remove
> the valve covers and witness the rockers while it turns over to see if I can
> recogize a problem, but I'm not going to hold my breath.
> The cam is from Summit Racing stock. I've had suggestions of the cam
> lobes being "rubbed off", which does not make sense to me. When I
> re-assembled it, I followed all of the lubrication procedures and pumped up
> the oil pressure before the battery was ever connected.
> I've recently checked the compression dry and wet. The vacuum gage has
> been a permanent fixture under my hood for a while. Common sense points to
> a timing problem, so I'm looking in that direction.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Chip

 

Hi Chip,
Have you driven it a hundred miles yet? As something is big time
wrong if over ten pounds difference between cylinders.
If you are running hot, too you may be retarded with your spark
caused by a slipped harmonic balance changing what appears to be be TDC.
Check it by following the piston with a screwdriver. If good put a
feeler gauge under the intake rocker and see where on the balancer it
becomes tight, Like about thirty degrees for anything out of Summit,
about fifteen stock: http://www.----------.com/73AMCvalveTime.jpg You
will have those exact specs somewhere in your sales receipt.
God Bless America, Bill O|||||||O
mailto:--------------------

Chip wrote:
>
> I need to check the valve timing on my 360. It is not runing correctly, has
> not been "quite right" since I reassembled the engine. It lopes while at
> idle, the vacuum is low, the compression on at least five cylinders is low.
> I've all but ruled out things like; rings not seated, bad lifters, head
> machined too much, vacuum leaks, distributor timing off... basically all of
> your most common causes. I'm leaning towards the timing chain being off a
> tooth. But, I'm really just guessing at this point. (If I want to guess,
> I'd also guess that the wrong camshaft and lifters were shipped out to me -
> not very likely.) I dont really want to guess where it takes considerable
> time and money. Is there a way to determine if the timing chain is a tooth
> off without removing the front of the engine (again). I'm going to remove
> the valve covers and witness the rockers while it turns over to see if I can
> recogize a problem, but I'm not going to hold my breath.
> The cam is from Summit Racing stock. I've had suggestions of the cam
> lobes being "rubbed off", which does not make sense to me. When I
> re-assembled it, I followed all of the lubrication procedures and pumped up
> the oil pressure before the battery was ever connected.
> I've recently checked the compression dry and wet. The vacuum gage has
> been a permanent fixture under my hood for a while. Common sense points to
> a timing problem, so I'm looking in that direction.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Chip

 

Also if it is valve timing, you have to expect the same effect on all
cylinders. What I got from Chip's post is that "the compression on at least
five cylinders is low". If "at least five" is "eight", then it might be
valve timing. But if "at least five" is "five", then no.

Earle

"L.W. (ßill) ------ III" <----------@***.net> wrote in message
news:43506396.6DE72D5C@***.net...
> Hi Chip,
> Have you driven it a hundred miles yet? As something is big time
> wrong if over ten pounds difference between cylinders.
> If you are running hot, too you may be retarded with your spark
> caused by a slipped harmonic balance changing what appears to be be TDC.
> Check it by following the piston with a screwdriver. If good put a
> feeler gauge under the intake rocker and see where on the balancer it
> becomes tight, Like about thirty degrees for anything out of Summit,
> about fifteen stock: http://www.----------.com/73AMCvalveTime.jpg You
> will have those exact specs somewhere in your sales receipt.
> God Bless America, Bill O|||||||O
> mailto:--------------------
>
> Chip wrote:
> >
> > I need to check the valve timing on my 360. It is not runing correctly,
has
> > not been "quite right" since I reassembled the engine. It lopes while
at
> > idle, the vacuum is low, the compression on at least five cylinders is
low.
> > I've all but ruled out things like; rings not seated, bad lifters, head
> > machined too much, vacuum leaks, distributor timing off... basically
all of
> > your most common causes. I'm leaning towards the timing chain being off
a
> > tooth. But, I'm really just guessing at this point. (If I want to
guess,
> > I'd also guess that the wrong camshaft and lifters were shipped out to
me -
> > not very likely.) I dont really want to guess where it takes
considerable
> > time and money. Is there a way to determine if the timing chain is a
tooth
> > off without removing the front of the engine (again). I'm going to
remove
> > the valve covers and witness the rockers while it turns over to see if I
can
> > recogize a problem, but I'm not going to hold my breath.
> > The cam is from Summit Racing stock. I've had suggestions of the
cam
> > lobes being "rubbed off", which does not make sense to me. When I
> > re-assembled it, I followed all of the lubrication procedures and pumped
up
> > the oil pressure before the battery was ever connected.
> > I've recently checked the compression dry and wet. The vacuum gage
has
> > been a permanent fixture under my hood for a while. Common sense points
to
> > a timing problem, so I'm looking in that direction.
> >
> > Thanks,
> >
> > Chip

 

Also if it is valve timing, you have to expect the same effect on all
cylinders. What I got from Chip's post is that "the compression on at least
five cylinders is low". If "at least five" is "eight", then it might be
valve timing. But if "at least five" is "five", then no.

Earle

"L.W. (ßill) ------ III" <----------@***.net> wrote in message
news:43506396.6DE72D5C@***.net...
> Hi Chip,
> Have you driven it a hundred miles yet? As something is big time
> wrong if over ten pounds difference between cylinders.
> If you are running hot, too you may be retarded with your spark
> caused by a slipped harmonic balance changing what appears to be be TDC.
> Check it by following the piston with a screwdriver. If good put a
> feeler gauge under the intake rocker and see where on the balancer it
> becomes tight, Like about thirty degrees for anything out of Summit,
> about fifteen stock: http://www.----------.com/73AMCvalveTime.jpg You
> will have those exact specs somewhere in your sales receipt.
> God Bless America, Bill O|||||||O
> mailto:--------------------
>
> Chip wrote:
> >
> > I need to check the valve timing on my 360. It is not runing correctly,
has
> > not been "quite right" since I reassembled the engine. It lopes while
at
> > idle, the vacuum is low, the compression on at least five cylinders is
low.
> > I've all but ruled out things like; rings not seated, bad lifters, head
> > machined too much, vacuum leaks, distributor timing off... basically
all of
> > your most common causes. I'm leaning towards the timing chain being off
a
> > tooth. But, I'm really just guessing at this point. (If I want to
guess,
> > I'd also guess that the wrong camshaft and lifters were shipped out to
me -
> > not very likely.) I dont really want to guess where it takes
considerable
> > time and money. Is there a way to determine if the timing chain is a
tooth
> > off without removing the front of the engine (again). I'm going to
remove
> > the valve covers and witness the rockers while it turns over to see if I
can
> > recogize a problem, but I'm not going to hold my breath.
> > The cam is from Summit Racing stock. I've had suggestions of the
cam
> > lobes being "rubbed off", which does not make sense to me. When I
> > re-assembled it, I followed all of the lubrication procedures and pumped
up
> > the oil pressure before the battery was ever connected.
> > I've recently checked the compression dry and wet. The vacuum gage
has
> > been a permanent fixture under my hood for a while. Common sense points
to
> > a timing problem, so I'm looking in that direction.
> >
> > Thanks,
> >
> > Chip

 

Also if it is valve timing, you have to expect the same effect on all
cylinders. What I got from Chip's post is that "the compression on at least
five cylinders is low". If "at least five" is "eight", then it might be
valve timing. But if "at least five" is "five", then no.

Earle

"L.W. (ßill) ------ III" <----------@***.net> wrote in message
news:43506396.6DE72D5C@***.net...
> Hi Chip,
> Have you driven it a hundred miles yet? As something is big time
> wrong if over ten pounds difference between cylinders.
> If you are running hot, too you may be retarded with your spark
> caused by a slipped harmonic balance changing what appears to be be TDC.
> Check it by following the piston with a screwdriver. If good put a
> feeler gauge under the intake rocker and see where on the balancer it
> becomes tight, Like about thirty degrees for anything out of Summit,
> about fifteen stock: http://www.----------.com/73AMCvalveTime.jpg You
> will have those exact specs somewhere in your sales receipt.
> God Bless America, Bill O|||||||O
> mailto:--------------------
>
> Chip wrote:
> >
> > I need to check the valve timing on my 360. It is not runing correctly,
has
> > not been "quite right" since I reassembled the engine. It lopes while
at
> > idle, the vacuum is low, the compression on at least five cylinders is
low.
> > I've all but ruled out things like; rings not seated, bad lifters, head
> > machined too much, vacuum leaks, distributor timing off... basically
all of
> > your most common causes. I'm leaning towards the timing chain being off
a
> > tooth. But, I'm really just guessing at this point. (If I want to
guess,
> > I'd also guess that the wrong camshaft and lifters were shipped out to
me -
> > not very likely.) I dont really want to guess where it takes
considerable
> > time and money. Is there a way to determine if the timing chain is a
tooth
> > off without removing the front of the engine (again). I'm going to
remove
> > the valve covers and witness the rockers while it turns over to see if I
can
> > recogize a problem, but I'm not going to hold my breath.
> > The cam is from Summit Racing stock. I've had suggestions of the
cam
> > lobes being "rubbed off", which does not make sense to me. When I
> > re-assembled it, I followed all of the lubrication procedures and pumped
up
> > the oil pressure before the battery was ever connected.
> > I've recently checked the compression dry and wet. The vacuum gage
has
> > been a permanent fixture under my hood for a while. Common sense points
to
> > a timing problem, so I'm looking in that direction.
> >
> > Thanks,
> >
> > Chip