406 Update

[wxo]

Hey Mark, Thanks for the update, but some of us have never seen your Nova. How about some photos for those of us out here in the hinterlands.
Movies are good too! (When something moves).

[markss327]

Here are some pics. These are old. Nothing showing it's current state of being.

This is old, but non the less, a favorite.



This is at Thompson, taken by the 32 valve guy



This is at 42, taken by the Tiresmoker himself.



This is real old, like 12-15 years ago. Rubber coating my driveway

[markss327]

It runs, and it runs smooooth. Finally.
So far, I only have about 30-35 miles on her. Replaced both calipers - pass side was frozen. She's seen 4000rpm numerous times. No secondary activation - yet. All this new found torque, has changed the personality of the converter. It just seems real loose. Burnouts are effortless Already have done a couple of 60 footers....
Just did the first oil change tonight. Video soon.

Oh yea, $20 of 93 octane, took me from a quarter/tank, to half/tank.
Man, this fuel price crap sucks.

[markss327]

Man, this thing runs hot. It's not the coolant (running 180 - 190), but the oil. Her first trip on RT2, brought the oil temp up to 240. The 327 rarely went past 220. I'm sure it's the newness of all the internals. I'm not really worried, just noticing some differences. Anyway, on the coolant end of things, I do have a smaller water pump
pulley, I'll hunt it up, and throw it on.

The TH400-
I think I may have a modulator issue. When left in drive, it will start out in drive - third. It'll shift fine when shifted manually. I do have an adjustable modulator, and I've wound the adjustment all the way in, and then all the way out - no change. Hummm.

Electrical-
Headlights quit. Haven't even checked the fuse..... Headlights, ya don't need no freekin headlights....

Brakes-
The new calipers are working fine. I even painted 'em red. Don't ask.

State of tune-
I haven't adjusted a thing since the initial startup. This weekend, she'll get re-timed, (currently at 30deg total) and the vacuum can on the distributor will get activated. The idle can be lowered. It likes 900rpm, now at 1100. No signs of rich/lean problems.

I'm dying to stand on it.
Don't know how long I can hold off.....

[markss327]

I know it's only been a couple of days....

The Th400 non shift saga continues.

The headlights are back. Missing, was a ground on the core support, and the plug on the hi beam switch was disconnected. Only after two hours of tracing power to the switch, and seeing how it stopped at the bulkhead connector, did I look into the grounds. Never overlook the obvious.

Vacuum advance is working, but completely understanding it's function, and tuning, has yet to happen. Yea, absence of vacuum, retards the timing, but seeing how it relates to actual driving conditions has yet to be comprehended. If one could only observe the actual timing, while driving..... An actual reduction in performance has occurred, since it's activation. I found an article, called Timing and Vacuum advance 101. Rather informative. I have yet to digest it all.

[markss327]

After about 300+ miles, the 406 seems pretty darn good. So far, $160 in gas. The tranny shift issue has been resolved. Another modulator. The governor could use some adjustment, but I'll need a kit from Summit. The vacuum advance is still a work in progress. I'll get to the bottom of comprehending it all, eventually.

New issues:

Oil leak-
The front seal, or the timing cover -to- pan seal, is leaking. It'll leave a 3in dia circle overnight. It's bad enough, it got Colleens attention. I believe, I've got enough room to pull the pan completely with the engine in the car.

Rear U joint-
All this new found torque has brought out a weak link. There is now some slop, where once there was none.... Not serious, but this will postpone any 1/4mile activity, until replaced. This may explain the funky noise I get after a brief secondary (carb) activation. I've only hit it twice, and brief is an understatement.

Oil temp-
As mentioned before, this is something new for me to watch. I'm thinking about an oil cooler. I have a heat exchanger but I don't have the filter adapter, to do the plumbing. Not an expensive item from Summit.

[Fred32v]

If your lucky, that leak is the timing case cover seal,
but the oil pan to timing case cover gasket sealing can be an issue.
Great that your on the road, now for some numbers.

[markss327]

Well, she's now burned over $250 in fuel. Ouch.
Outside of a nasty oil leak, (front seal, or pan-to-timing cover), things seem OK. I've been getting into the secondaries, and, well, I like it! Tyler Blvd, Eastbound, 'launching' at Justin Way at 7-8pm seems like the best time/place to let her unwind. I do a Westbound drive-by, first, to check for any speed enforcement. 5000rpm (MSD 'pill' is 5000 for now) in top gear, she's still pulling, and going straight.

Timed runs are soon to follow, just not sure when.

[markss327]

Well, first, let me set ya'll at ease. I'm not in the 12s - yet. Got 4 time runs in, before it rained, and it rained hard.

Run 1
R/T .906 (ZZZzzzzz...)
60 footer 1.797
ET 13.685
MPH 96.749

Run 2
R/T .499 (much better)
60 footer 1.820
ET 13.988
MPH 87.957

Run 3
R/T .579 (Its' coming back...)
60 footer 1.847
ET 13.504
MPH 97.855

Run 4
R/T .560 (Acceptable, but it still needs work)
60 footer 1.880
ET 13.664
MPH 90.924

I'm running out of gas of the top end, (gee, sound familiar...) as evident by the MPH, in the 2nd and 4th run. Also, I'm just touching 5000rpm at the top end, and that's where the MSD rev limiter kicks in. I'm impressed with 60 foot times. The best EVER with the 327 was 1.998. The converter likes the new found TORQUE. I forgot what running on slicks was about - a tad squirely. But at 18psi, they hooked.

I case some of you forgot.....
Edelborock 600
Performer RPM
Iron heads 1.94\1.5 76cc
.442\465 lift 214\224 @.05
Forged flat top pistons (10-10.5:1)
Static compression is 180-190psi
Iron 'Rams Horn' 2in exhaust manifolds
Full 2.25dia duel exhaust, to the bumper
Total timing is still conservative at 32deg

The potential to run better is there. First, I need to fix the fuel issue.

[Fred32v]

Love those 60 foot times. Wow, talk about leaving. A half a second and 2 mph must be in there somewhere.
You have to be feeling really good so far. Definitely worth the effort. It's just goin' to get better.

[wxo]

OK, I'm probably missing something here, but why are you rev limiting a SBC at 5k? Couldn't that contribute to the MPH falling off? I'm sure you have this all figgered out, but inquiring minds sometimes need reminding.

[markss327]

Good point.
However, hitting the rev limiter is VERY distinctive. There's a definite stutter. On, off, on, off, etc.
Sounds sorta like - Waaaaaaaaa,dut,dut,dut,dut....
Starving out, is a gradual fade of power. Waaaaaaaaa,blaaaaaaa,waaaaaaaaaa,blaaaaaaa..... sorry
I think what's happening, is fuel, in the line, is boiling. The suspect location, is about 18in before the pump (mechanical), and comes within an inch (actually closer) of the exhaust manifold. My bad. My theory - once that spot moves to the ump, it takes some time to pass thru. Then the carb sees a big chunk of air, hence, a momentary loss of fuel psi. To correct the problem, will be an exhaust disconnect on the pass side, possibly starter removal -just to gain access to the fuel line, and secure to new location.

I'll be upping the rev limiter to 5400. (The 'pills' come in increments of 200rpm)

[Fred32v]

Sounds familiar. Like a problem I had with my '68 Camaro 396. That was a long long time ago,
but I think I remember running the fuel line through the sub-fame away from the heat source.
I see an electric fuel pump and a fuel distribution block in your future.
I always thought they looked cool with red gas lines to a duel feed holley. OK, maybe not red.

[MostMint]

Great shakedown effort. They usually don't get slower.

How much does that car weigh?

[markss327]

The I6s with a 'glide, come in at just over 3000lbs
I figure mine is 3150.