Quote:
Originally Posted by mgarblik
Glad you are up and running. Couple things to consider. First timing. I would verify TDC is TDC with a piston stop or at the very least a camera to look at the piston and the timing marks. That should get you close. I hate to pick on an engine builder I don't know, but a Pontiac V-8, especially with closed chamber heads won't run it's best at 2-3 degrees retarded timing.
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I verified that it was before installing the distributor - my only concern is if I was off by 180-degrees but, having never done that, I don't know what it does. I assume it wouldn't run if the rotor was on #1 and #8 cylinder was at TDC.
Your comment about the builder resonates, especially after the oil pump shaft issue. Maybe that's conventional wisdom for the big blocks that he's seeing on the regular. I have every confidence that he set-up the static timing correctly - that's a fairly standard thing on any engine at rebuild - but the Pontiacs have their quirks, and that timing issue may be one of them.
I was not as surprised by the bearing scrubbing - the car could sit for weeks or even months in the winter (in a heated garage) before I'd start it again, and I did have lifter clatter occasionally until the oil pumped up, so it's my use pattern that did it.
I've looked into pre-oiling systems but damn, they are expensive. Pulling the distributor to spin it is a job on these things. Shop owner suggested using synthetic to alleviate these, and yeah, starting it & warming it up once a week in the winter would probably help. What I need for that is one of those heavy hoses that shops used to use to pipe the exhaust outside with the door shut. I'd cut a port in the garage door.