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alini

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The car is the most complete it has been in 14 years.  I need to finish making the spark plug wires and put the hood back on.  Fill the gas tank (and carb) and we're ready to start.  My nerves are a wreck, all I keep doing is running through everything, thinking what have I missed.

 

Filled all the fluids today (except gas) so far nothings leaking.  I verified throughout the car that I have connectivity between grounds and the negative cable.

The headlights will need a final adjustment since I took them apart again when I pulled the engine.

 

Crank it up, set timing and idle, get it to temp do a little engine break in, then start running through the systems.  I havent filled the AC yet, will wait til I get a few miles on the road.  Dont want to fill it and then need to drain it.

 

Not sure when I will turn the key yet, but its nearly there.

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  • 1 month later...

After hours of pain staking searches, phone calls and emails.   I found a low mileage 65 (LT) 401.  Its original bore/crank cut.  I just spent the last hour or so tearing it down.

 

It did have a lip, but nothing to get too worried about.  Taking it to the shop tomorrow to get cleaned, bored .010 over and get the crank cut .010 under, and the crank balanced.  Once we get it back and confirm the sizes are good, we will order the rebuild parts and start the process...using what we learned.  The shop here is very reputable, and we know what to look for when we get it back.

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Here's a short blurb on balancing nailheads.  If the shop has never done one before, it would be wise to call someone who has done this.  Even the harmonic balancer/damper can be out of balance if the outer ring has slipped.  This is from Russ Martin's website.  I only picked a couple of sentences to copy and paste from the original 3 -4 paragraph write up.

 

Engine Vibration Problems  We get many calls on this subject. We balance ALL engines we rebuild. ALL Buick engines are counter balanced externally , that means one part of the flexplate/flywheel is heavier, the same goes for the Damper/Balancer. To make things worse different Nailheads have different counter weights.

 

Good luck,

 

Ed

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  • 4 weeks later...

Im still at it, just been going slow due to parts constraints and time.    The replacement block and crank have been worked.  The block bored .030 over and the crank will be standard journals.  I ordered all the parts and the final pieces arrive Thursday.  Then its back to the machine shop, they will mate the rods and pistons for me and balance the crank.  I have all the bearings, a new oil pump, the gasket set, new pistons and rings.  The new cam I had in the old engine barely broke in so its still usable and the lifters, heads and timing chain are still all in good condition.  So sometime next week we will begin assembly and within 2 weeks I hope to have it all back together and ready for a final fire up.   Wish me luck

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13 hours ago, alini said:

  Then its back to the machine shop, they will mate the rods and pistons for me and balance the crank. 

Remember, the "Nail" is externally balanced.  The balancer and flexplate are part of the reciprocating assembly.  And, there are six ways to bolt the flexplate to the crank but only one way is correct.

Edited by RivNut (see edit history)
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  • 3 weeks later...

After about three weeks at the machine shop due to parts delays mostly  we now have the engine and parts back.  Replacement block bored .030 over with standard crank.   Balanced with a new harmonic balancer.   Assembly starts tomorrow.   I'm estimating two weeks to have to back ready to start

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  • 2 weeks later...

I am glad I notice the update to this post as I am getting ready to fire up the new engine. Never heard anyone mention that these engines are externally balanced. How does one go about getting this done?

I take it this is something I am going to need a machine shop to do?

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1 hour ago, coOverwatch said:

I am glad I notice the update to this post as I am getting ready to fire up the new engine. Never heard anyone mention that these engines are externally balanced. How does one go about getting this done?

I take it this is something I am going to need a machine shop to do?

                      What this means is that when the  crank is balanced at the machine shop the flywheel and flexplate must be bolted to the crank during the balancing procedure

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The machine shop will bolt the flex plate and balancer to the crank shaft and spin the assembly balancing it together.   They will drill out some material from the counterweights to make it lighter in some spots and in others they will drill out a spot and insert some tungsten slugs in the holes to add weight (tungsten is heavier than the steel of the crank)

 

If all the parts are factory original and uncut you dont need to worry about balancing, but if its a different flex plate or dampner or you dont know...get it balanced.

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Spent an hour last night and got he crank and cam installed.  Spent 4 hours today, timing cover, balancer, pistons, oil pump and pan all installed.   Slowly getting there.  It was 105 in the garage today.

 

For the record, I found a good way of torqueing the crank balancer.....I installed the crank, cam, chain and cover.  I grabbed a 2x3 and wedged it between the counterweights and engine block wall.  The wood was soft enough it didnt score the metal but firm enough to hold it so I could get it torqued.  Doing the old screw driver on the flexplate teeth wasnt enough.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Im still trying, should be done soon and out of everyones hair ;) ....I have the engine assembled, I installed it Saturday back in the car.  Ive spent a few hours each day since putting the other stuff back in and hooking it up.  Not much more left, I may get to start her again this weekend but the summer heat has arrived and my motivation is slipped.  I need to be in the right mind to turn the key to make sure I dont miss something and ensure its all right, so I may put the starting off a bit.

Edited by alini (see edit history)
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