[SD421]

Originally Posted by Greg Reid

Got it. I had heard of this but never heard it by that name. Thought it was something I'd missed.

Found the pic of the 421 cooling mod.

[tom s]

Best to have the flywheel and balancer zero incase you ever want to change them.Rotating assm at zero without the balancer and flywheel then its all zero when put together.Tom

[gtofreek]

That crank should have been neutral balanced. When you go to the lighter rods and pistons, the amount he was off is very common, thus making the crank easy to neutral balance. He had the flywheel on, which probably wasn't neutral balanced thus making it off even more in the rear. I personally don't like counter-weighted flywheels because, even though they "technically" balance the crank, you still have an out of balance flywheel spinning around. That "out of balance" in my mind, try's to pull on the flywheel out of round as it spins faster and faster.

Like Tom S said, in light weight cases like this, it is much better to neutral balance the flywheel, then neutral balance the crank. The balancer is already neutral balanced, but are usually off a few grams and should be tuned in.

Looks like your machinist has some nice equipment.

[SD421]

Ahh, ok. I will talk to him tomorrow about the neutral balance thing. I hope he hasnt started to remove any of the metal yet.
Thanks guys for the advice.

[SD421]

Originally Posted by Greg Reid

Got it. I had heard of this but never heard it by that name. Thought it was something I'd missed.

Greg, here is an interesting article on reverse cooling.

http://www.pontiacsafari.com/EngineCooling/index.htm

[Greg Reid]

I'll check it out. Thanks for the link.

[geeteeohguy]

What Paul said, IMO. You don't want an out of balance crank if you ever have to change the flywheel! Also, are you going to have it running in time to race me at Eagle Field in May?

[SD421]

Originally Posted by geeteeohguy

What Paul said, IMO. You don't want an out of balance crank if you ever have to change the flywheel! Also, are you going to have it running in time to race me at Eagle Field in May?

Jeff,
I spoke to the machinist and he said that he was balancing it nuetral. He was just shocked at the amount that he has to take off.

May???? Hmmm, well see. That would be pretty cool unless someone decides to challenge me with a Chevy 265!!

[PONTIAC LARRY]

Updates? I look forward to you getting it on the road with old Goat

[SD421]

Originally Posted by PONTIAC LARRY

Updates? I look forward to you getting it on the road with old Goat

Hey Larry,
THe block is still at the machine shop. I'll be going there today after work. I guess the block has now been honed as well but still needs the line hone work to be done.

I'll take more pictures tonight.

Thanks for the kind comments.
Don

[PONTIAC LARRY]

Cool, I like the pistons you got and you always have the option of putting back a correct appearing set of 093's on tops as well if you chose too.

[SD421]

An update:

Thursday afternoon got my Best Gasket Rear Main Seal Rope Kit#6212-S off of eBay for $22. Comes with instructions and tools.

I went to the machine shop on Friday to take some more pics and pay up the difference and no one was there. (I got a call yesterday morning from John the machine shop owner. He was sick so he was closed), so I went to the local parts place and ordered the ARP 135-7101 rocker studs. Got those for $55.
(The 670 heads that I got didnt come with the rocker studs nor the rocker arms.)

I could have gone with the stock arp studs but I wanted to upgrade for down the road. These are the 7/16-20 x 7/16-14 studs that are a stock replacement BUT with a 7/16" versus 3/8" thread at the top.

I have read in some other posts on here that some guys have had problems with the stud bottoming out but I didnt have that problem. The stock guide plates are nice and tight.

In the pics you can see that I have a rocker arm stud nut threaded on, well its actually a wheel stud nut. I wanted to be able to install the VS-11 HO-Racing/Norris springs so that I can cc the heads & so that meant I needed the nut to hold down the manual valve spring installer tool.

I still need to buy the rocker arms. I understand I cannot reuse my stock ones (due to the 092 heads having the different valve angle at 20 and the 670 heads having 14 degrees) and nut/polylock nuts.

Hopefully on Monday I can get over to the shop again and take more pics.

Don

[SD421]

Another update!

Stopped by the shop after work today. The cylinders got their final hone & the mains have been line honed. NO problems with that since that was what started the whole rebuild. The #3 main was out one & one thousandths compared to the other mains. The block has also been deburred.

The crank is finally balanced. The steel billet flywheel was balanced separately and needed material removed and then the crank was rebalanced. Total of 325 grams were removed. Crank has also been polished. There was no need for the journals to be turned. They will remain at STD size.

The front oil galley holes have been tapped for 3/8" NPT pipe plugs.

John the machinist/owner still needs to drill a 0.0030 hole in the rear oil galley plug before I install it.

Tomorrow I will be dropping off the cam for fitment regarding the cam bearings & the rear cam plug. I will also drop off the factory full windage tray. It will need to be trial fitted over the main caps due to the 4 bolt ARP main studs.

Almost there,

Don

[VettenGoat]

I also built a 1965 WJ 421 for my 65. I made the decision to keep it as stock looking at possible but to build it into the best 421 Pontiac never built. So we opted to go to 428 pistons so we could use 1967 #62 heads and RA exhaust manifolds. Used a crank from Ohio and pistons from Keith Black. When with Comp Cam Xtreme Energy #XE268-H with a duration at 050 inch Lift of 224 int./230 exh.
Valve Lift with Factory Rocker Arm Ratio: 0.477 int./0.480 exh. lift with stock rocker 1:50 rocker arms. Vacuum is a little low at 12-13lb. Still running stock points but may go with M&H's stock appearing electronic ignition. Used the Viton 3.25" rear main seal but am unhappy with the amount it leaks. For competition I'd go with a double-pump Holley, but for now just cannot part with the factory tri-power. The motor has a true compression rate of 10.5 (down from factory 10.75 on original WJ) Car runs OK on on premium, but I use a xylene based additive if there is any chance of romping on it. Just broke it in last fall so have yet to have it dyno'd or run at the track. (I (think) I attached a photo of the motor. Have fun with your 421 and recognize that "build creep" may end up taking you in a whole new direction. Good luck! Mike

[geeteeohguy]

Don, great to see the progress and that you are 'doing it right'. Ought to be a heck of a runner.

[SD421]

Originally Posted by geeteeohguy

Don, great to see the progress and that you are 'doing it right'. Ought to be a heck of a runner.

Jeff, being that you were the one that turned me on to GTO's and you know what I have been thru, that means alot to me, thanks!!

[geeteeohguy]

OK, Don, it's been 8 days.....do you have it in and fired up yet?

[brut4s]

X 2

[geeteeohguy]

OK Don.....it's now going on two weeks. What's the story? You drivin' that thing yet?

[geeteeohguy]

Ok Don...now it's three weeks. What's going on? Surely it can't take 3 weeks to assemble and engine?......