Going to Crank It.... Finally

[Ballard]

Thanks to everyone in the Forum for all the suggestions, corrections and the help, I am finally going to crank my 451-W tomorrow! It has been a 2-year journey for me after completing the rolling chassis and then, completing it again and again and again..... My brake lines are finally leak free (once again, thanks to the Forum), I have rolled the engine after putting some lubrication on the cylinders, installed the muffler, wipped the headers and mufflers down with rubbing alcohol (understand that will keep from having finger prints permanently tanned onto the pipes), rechecked the fuel system (since it has been so long since I completed it) and all is left is to put fuel in the tank....... Hopefully tomorrow I will hear the engine roar to life one more time (crate engine, so it should....).

Thanks again to everyone's threads and coaching so a dummy can get this far along!

More to come!

[Lawler]

Thats good news. I hope all goes well.

Kinton

[Ballard]

Thanks Kinton. After the journey you have had with power plants, I am definetly concerned...... I just hope I did not let it set too long in the garage waiting to stretch its legs!

[Brian]

Be sure to check your fuel filters before and after crank up. A lot of small trash can accumulate over time. I've even seen insects stop one up. I hate dirt dobbers!! If your using an electric fuel pump be sure to let it build pressure to the carb by turning the key on and off before cranking. Its also a good idea to take your coil wire off and turn the motor over for a few seconds to get everything lubed up well first.

Brian
LSC

[Ballard]

Thanks Brian for the coaching! I need every bit I can get. Should light off today around 11:00 if everything goes as planned!

[Skuzzy]

If it has been sitting or quite a while, it would not hurt to pull the plugs and give a quick spritz of WD-40 into the cylinders. It will burn off fast, but it will prevent instant gauling of the cylinder walls if the engine has been sitting for while.

Brian covered the rest nicely.

[Ballard]

I did put a little Marvel Mystery oil on the cylinders and rolled it over (plugs out). I assume that should lubricate the rings well enough. Right?

Thanks again for the coaching! Very much appreciated.

[Prof]

A can of "Sea Foam" in the first tank of fuel might help; that stuff is amazing!
Paul

[Skuzzy]

If you rotated a couple of turns by hand and the engine felt smooth to rotate, I would say you are ready to go.

[Reptyl]

If its been setting for a while, I would also pull the distributor and valve covers and run the oil pump with a drill to make sure the top end is getting oil. Remember to run the drill in reverse and you may have to turn the motor over by hand to get oil to all 16 rockers.

RT

[Ballard]

Well, at officially 11:45 AM today, my 351-W sprang to life although I still need some help.... As usual, I know..

I hooked the starter switch as follows:

battery connection - directly to battery hot

ground connection - directly to battery ground

Ignition connection - to the solenoid "S" connection (remote solenoid not on the starter)

Accessory connection - not connected

Problem: the starter ingages when I turn the switch to the 1st position (I will call this the run position), so the starter stays engaged when the engine cranks.......

What did the dummy do wrong?

P.S. I have not installed the wiring harness in the car so I am just trying to verify the rolling chassis is 100% complete and the engine has not froze up.

P.S.S. it sounded sweet although I had to kill it due to the above issue!

P.S.S.S. (if there is such a thing) thanks Kinton for supplying me with the starter switch! Could not have heard the engine run without it which is a huge milestone for me!

[Lakeway Cobra]

What starter do you have? Do a search. I think it was the mini starters / ones that have solenoids on them that need a different type of wiring. Was a thread on this recently.

[Ballard]

Good news..... Just a dummy I guess. I re-checked everything and re-tried it to show my Father-in-Law and everything worked as designed! I am off to the races now with wiring!

Thanks again to everyone for the support and ideas.

[Lawler]

YooHoo! Excellent news....and no blue smoke. Even better.

Kinton

[Ballard]

Thanks again Kinton for the help with the starter switch and the wiring! COuld not have done it without you!