Thread: 428 valves update

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So jerry and all the rest not sure of your names I took every ones advice and I got my truck back up and running. It was a bent valve. Thank you all very very much for all the advice. It runs good but I need to move my distributor back a tooth or two because when I start it, it gives me that dead battery sound then fires up and it sounds good when it runs. So back a tooth or forward a tooth?

Have you checked your base timing with a good digital timing light? If not you're running blind, headed for a cliff. You don't need to shift the distributor on the cam unless you can't physically adjust the distributor body to achieve your base timing number.

Originally Posted by 1970 f250

So jerry and all the rest not sure of your names I took every ones advice and I got my truck back up and running. It was a bent valve. Thank you all very very much for all the advice. It runs good but I need to move my distributor back a tooth or two because when I start it, it gives me that dead battery sound then fires up and it sounds good when it runs. So back a tooth or forward a tooth?

Good to hear that you found an issue! Thanks for the reply. What is that "dead battery sound"??? A dead battery means NO sound to my ears!

Or are you saying you can hear the solenoid clacking as it engages / releases from a weak battery or bad connection or a bad cable?? Or are you saying it is struggling to crank over? Like when you have a weak battery or starter problem?

Do you have a timing light? Or can you borrow one? It really is better to see exactly where the plug is firing on the damper ,versus guessing whether to move the dizzy a tooth or two clockwise or anti-clockwise.. If you don't have a light some of the big box type auto part stores will rent them.

It could be an option for you? (I guess RSpears and I were typing at the same time..??)

I'm sorry I should have chose my wording a bit different what I meant was it sounds like a weak battery. When I back off the dizzy however it turns over strong and fast but won't start. Advance it, it cranks very hard but when it starts it runs smooth. And at that point the dizzy is advanced as far physically as it can go.

A general rule of thumb--------put it where it starts runs the best---then remove cap, mark where the rotor and/or module splines are, remove dist hold down clamp, raise the dist STRAIGHT up with out any twisting of the housing (the rotor will turn some as it comes up the cam gear),rotate the whole dist/rotoer together as a unit to rotate the advance meck away from the thermosat housing(I'm assuming that's what interfering now?)to where you want it to be, push the dist housing straight down(the rotor will turn back towards the mark)((you may have to turn the rotor (gear?) a couple (not much)degrees to start the gear teeth mesh)) and once its down as far as you can push if its now all the way you may have to bump the starter to get it to turn and line up with oil pump drive. Snug it down but leave it just loose enough that you can twist it and then try starting the engine---if need be that the dist is once again not where you want it, do over---once its where you like the looks of it, check the timing with a light-------I used to run 38* total and to check that, vacume advance hose off and carb line plugged, rev eng up til advance won't go anymore and adjust toprobably 36 with todays gas---, then check base(idle) timing--depending on the dist advance slots, should be 10-12 degrees--maybe more/less

Jerry, the only thing I'd do different is I'd check the base/idle timing with a light NOW, before I started messing with re-indexing the gears. I always like to start from a known as opposed to playing hit-or-miss, and then checking the results, especially given that he backfired the engine once already and bent a valve. Once burned, twice cautious comes to mind.....

Roger---he hasn't said that he has a timing light


He didn't bend a valve by backfiring it, it backfired because he bent a valve ------------


You've got to start somewhere when doing a build, and he has the distributor where it'll start and run but wants the distributor moved so the vacume advance unit isn't against the thermostat housing-----(assumption on my end)


And if he checks/redoes all the grounds/battery cable connections, it will probably crank better

Jerry,
I guess you & I interpret the early parts of the thread differently. 1970f250 says he changed the top end gaskets, which he later stated to be head gaskets and intake gaskets. From that I assume that he didn't have any bent valves, or other major issues. When he attempted startup the engine backfired, and then ran bad once started. He found a cylinder dead. I assume that the bent valve happened because of the backfire, but I could be wrong. If so, then to what can we attribute the bent valve??

On the timing light, in my opinion 1970f250 shouldn't go any farther if he doesn't have a light, or unless he goes through the steps to ensure that he knows dead certain that he can get the engine to #1 TDC compression, and then index the distributor right. Even then a good timing light is mandatory, not optional IMO. Given the experience to date I can't see advising him to start jumping teeth on the distributor unless he knows dead certain where he's starting from. A guy with your experience brings along a big load of confidence playing by ear, but that an cost a guy money if he misses a step.

Maybe I need to stop "assuming" and let 1970f250 explain where he's at, and then ask any added questions that he has.

Jerry, rspears i apologize its been a while since I've posted I bought a light prior to that I found #1 tdc then took the dizzy cap off the rotor was one tooth too far advanced I reset the dizzy at #1 making sure the oil pump rod went back into place. Vacuum bulb set in the center it fired right up. Using my light I was able to get it running tip top I very much so value all your help and advice.

Thanks for letting us know---------

Originally Posted by jerry clayton

Thanks for letting us know---------

Ditto, and glad you got it right!