Which manual are you using? Chilton's? Hayne's? Take them and chuck them, then go buy yourself a factory service manual.

Zero lash is the point when there is no lash in the valvetrain. This is very easy to feel when you're moving the pushrod up and down. Not so easy to feel when you're rotating the pushrod. I'm hoping you didn't wipe out a cam lobe by overtightening them.

 

Starfury, I referenced both the factory Service manual and the Chiltons. Below is an excerpt from the Service Manual that I used...I'll certainly follow your feedback and relash the valves...Out of curiosity, what symptoms would I have if I wiped a lobe? She idles fine, no irregular noises from the engine or lifters, Vacuum readings are steady at 20 Hg at Idle. I agree that if the cam is wiped, it would certainly explain the very poor performance, but I would also think I'd have other symptoms as well....I'll try anything to get her to wake up, so I'm not disregarding your recommendations..

Valve Lash adjustment
With mark A aligned with the timing pointer, adjust the valves on No. 1 cylinder by backing off the adjusting nut until the pushrod has free-play in it. Then, tighten the nut until there is no free-play in the rocker arm. This can be determined by turning the pushrod while tightening the nut; when the pushrod can no longer be turned, all clearance has been removed. After the clearance has been removed, tighten the nut an additional 1/4 of a turn

 

singerso

You can watch rocker arms by removing a valve cover. watch the valves for each piston move.

remove the coil wire and have someone bump engine over with the key. look to see if there is any noticeable lack of movement in any of the rocker arms.

if its serious you can spot it quickly...I guess its worth a shot.

Happy hunting

-Gun

 

Hrm, odd that the FSM recommends that. It's just not a good way to do it=/ It works if you're really, really paying attention, and if everything's super clean, but it's very easy to overtighten the rocker nuts with that method.

If you're getting a steady vacuum, I don't think you wiped a lobe. Valvetrain issues usually show up on a vacuum gauge. I'd still go recheck everything, though.

 

Which leads to the next question, how much vac at idle in gear?

 

Sorry guys, had to leave out of town on business...So I have yet to check the vac in gear, so I'll check that when I return to the States...What am I looking for and why am I checking this? What will the readings indicate? Currently, I'm at 20 Hg steady at startup in park...

 

I strongly believe it is your timing. Vacuum shoul be around 20-22 Hg. Start the car, and rev the engine up to about 3500 RPM and hold it. the timing should go up way past the marks. Honestly, it shouldn't be more than about 30-34 degrees. 40 is too much and will hurt your power. Base (initial)timing should be about 8-10 degrees with that cam. No more than that. Look into this. If the advance for the timing isn't working, it will really make theengine lack a lot of power. I strongly reccomend you look into this more. It sounds like everything else is right on the money to me.

 

yah. check timing first. that is always the first thing to check when you have misfiring or back firing.
as Tad says it could be improper valve seating, but your compression numberws seem fine.
Again a very good idea was to check if your carb linkage actually open the butterfly fully.

1. do you have a timing light? If yes:
- disconnect vac advance at vacuum canister side and plug the hose
- idle advance should be around 8
- when you rev slowly up the mark should move to further advance (this checks mechanical advance).
- back to idle. Plug the vacuum advance hose back on. If your idle mark moves away from the 8 or whatever you set it to you might have plugged the vacuum advance hose to the wrong port in carburator (use ported vacuum not manifold vacuum connector on carb for ignition advance)
2. get rid of aircleaner
- car off
- when the car was warm step the accellerator fully once only
- the choke plates at top of carb are fully open look down the carb you should see the throttle plates (butterflies)
- ask someone to step on the accellerator fully (slow) in the car. when the foot is down the plates should be fully open (vertical)

3. if the car backfires, don't drive without aircleaner. friend of mine just had to fix a dodge charger trhat burnt

I'm quite sure that your powe problem is related to the backfiring. So check on ignition first!

hope its any help

 

Kalli/Tyler, I appreciate the responses and also seem to think it's timing related...As soon as I get back in the country, I'll perfrom the steps both of you have recommended...That said, would my 0 to 60 time of 13 seconds be explained by timing off by a few degrees?

 

not a few degrees. i'd say you're a bunch off.
Sometimes the harmonic balancers slip as well so the timing mark TDC is actually not where TDC of #1 piston is.
Check on that as well. That might be an explanation for it (there's another post running at the moment. timing mystery or misery as title that explains it
Did you ever check your timing _before_ you did all the swaps? if you did that before and it run good with 8 degrees on idle it might not be a wrong timing mark