DCDoug -- One more tip on 1st time valve adjusting

[patrickt]

Doug, I meant to tell you this on the last thread, but forgot it. For years I used a simple remote starter switch to bump the engine over while doing the valves. When I didn't have my switch (or just couldn't find it in the basement) I used the aluminum jack handle. After a thread last year on having to tighten the pressure plate bolts in an aluminumn flywheel (which you do through the clutch fork hole and you have to bump the engine over a few dozen times before you get the bolts lined up right), I was chastised by some of the folks on here who had chipped off flywheel teeth. And while that's never happened to me, using the jack handle method is probably the safer way to go. The tools involved are a decent half-inch ratchet wrench, a 15/16" deep socket, and the handle off your aluminum jack. That makes rotating your engine a lot easier than using a breaker bar (which doesn't ratchet). You don't have to remove the plugs either. Here are some shots I took today since it was so pretty outside.

[blykins]

Good tip.

On a Cobra, you can also pull the coil wire, and just reach in and bump the starter with the key.

[Rick Parker]

OR put it in 4th gear and rock the car.

[ERA Chas]

Originally Posted by patrickt

After a thread last year on having to tighten the pressure plate bolts in an aluminumn flywheel (which you do through the clutch fork hole and you have to bump the engine over a few dozen times before you get the bolts lined up right)...

Not to hi-jack your advice to dc but would you mind explaining this one to me? I have never heard of anyone torquing (or is it retorquing after installation?) f'wheel bolts through the fork hole. I can't imagine getting a torque wrench in there much less getting an accurate reading.

I have only done p'plate bolts on installation, obviously with the s'shield and trans out. If it can be done, I think it's corner-cutting and is not smart or safe but I would stand corrected if it's common professional practice.

Still wouldn't do it though...

[Excaliber]

Seems clear enough, it's not the flywheel, it's the pressure plate thats being referred to. Tom Kirkham mentioned something about it on another thread, the idea has been tossed around.

Maybe the alloy wheels have more trouble than the steel ones...


Anyway, it's a good tip if for nothing else than to CHECK for loose bolts occasionally. Pull the trans if you wanna torque to exacting specs I guess.

[patrickt]

Chas., here's the thread. TKO600 clutch and it has several pics, one shows my torque wrench going in through the fork hole.

[dcdoug]

Thanks Pat. That's how I was planning on doing it, except I plan on pulling the plugs to check them anyway, since I haven't done that yet.

Actually a question - I did pull one plug and it has more carbon build up on it than it should. I believe my idle mixture has been a bit rich and that could account for it, but I also found that the plugs were gapped to .045, and not .035-.040 as suggested previously. I will replace the plugs, but should I gap them to .040 or .045? Not sure if the wider gap caused carbon buildup as well? I was planning on just going with the Autolite 45 copper plugs again.

Other than that I got the valve covers off - more of a PITA than I would have thought, and got them clean and the heads clean, so will finally adjust the lash this week.

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by dcdoug

I will replace the plugs, but should I gap them to .040 or .045? Not sure if the wider gap caused carbon buildup as well? I was planning on just going with the Autolite 45 copper plugs again.

I gap mine to .040 (Champion 426 - RC9YC5) -- and the MSD instructions recommend 40-45 for a gap. Over on the FE forum the choice of plugs is a hotly contested debate. Personally, I think they're all about the same. Adjust your valves, adjust your idle mixture, put in fresh plugs, and then monitor.

[dcdoug]

Just out of curiosity, what are the signs if you plugs are gapped to tight or to large?

[Clois Harlan]

I have ran an aluminium flywheel for years now and have never done this. Each time I have my transmission out I check all my torqued bolts and have not noticed a loose bolt yet. If I am not mistaken the torque on the flywheel bolts is only 35 or so pounds.

Clois

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by dcdoug

Just out of curiosity, what are the signs if you plugs are gapped to tight or to large?

I would think that too large, or too little, gap would both cause carbon fouling because you are not getting complete combustion at the right heat-range temperature.

[dcdoug]

So maybe I'll go with .040 and see how it does.

[Ron61]

I ran a Jacobs Pro Street ignition on mine and I played with the gaps until I got the one that worked best. I believe it was .042 that I wound up using with the Auto-lite plugs. When driving slow or idling a lot they would show a little carbon, but once I got on it that went away and the pipes were a very nice tan looking.

Ron

[ERA Chas]

Originally Posted by patrickt

Chas., here's the thread. TKO600 clutch and it has several pics, one shows my torque wrench going in through the fork hole.

Thanks, I read the whole thread but am wondering why I missed that Sept '09.

It confirms that I would not use that technique for torquing the p'plate bolts. Using a universal joint with a torque wrench assures inaccurate readings. Plus the terror of dropping a bolt in or worse yet the socket. More power to you guys that like this method but I'll stick with mine. In Mar of last year when I changed my disc and surfaced the flywheel, the p'plate bolts 'broke' at the same torque I installed them in '95. Nothing had loosened after hard usage.

[Excaliber]

I do agree with Chas on the torque aspect, with a swivel and due to the angles all but impossible to get an accurate reading. In fact I'd trust my "feel" with a wrench of some kind over the torque wrench in this case. But it's a darn good trick to check for loose bolts and if no time allows for pulling the trans right then, it's better to have them somewhat tight than leave them loose.

Clois mentioned he's been running ally fly wheel for awhile and never run into this problem, so that's good news. Tom K. has run into as well as others so the potential problem can't be easily dismissed.

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by Excaliber

I do agree with Chas on the torque aspect, with a swivel and due to the angles all but impossible to get an accurate reading. In fact I'd trust my "feel" with a wrench of some kind over the torque wrench in this case. But it's a darn good trick to check for loose bolts and if no time allows for pulling the trans right then, it's better to have them somewhat tight than leave them loose.

Believe me, I was extra careful that I didn't drop the socket down in the bellhousing. But if I did, I think I could retrieve it with one of those little flexible "claw" type grabbers. I've dropped stuff down engines before, and created a tremendous amount of unnecessary work for myself -- it makes you want to break down and cry. The angle on the swivel wasn't much, but it wasn't a straight shot either. It couldn't have accounted for more than a pound or two. It sure was easier than pulling the seats, tunnel, u-joint, drive shaft, transmission, and bellhousing just to find... oh yeah, they're all tight. And now that I think about it, if I had snapped off the head of one of those ARP PP bolts from gently torquing them through the fork hole, then that would have warranted a complete removal of everything for a thorough inspection.

[Excaliber]

A long long time ago,,,,

I dropped a tiny nut down the carb, I knew I did, now the question is: Do you feel lucky? I did feel lucky, where ever it ended up I assume it blew out the tail pipe at some point, just got lucky. Lost some sleep over it though.