I only wish I could have been there today when my dad started it so I could've screamed "GIVE MY CREATION LIFE" like Gene Wilder in 'Young Frankenstein', but oh well.

I also wish he'd ran it at the correct rpm's. I took care of that when I got home. I hope it's good enough.

The massive oil leak was due to the plug missing right above the filter housing.

The timing was also waaaayyyy off at first. Enough that the headers started to glow a little. That was when I realized my dad hadn't really timed it yet. He didn't know how on that car actually. So I got it timed and that was better. I wish I had someway to grab the dist-cap and turn it while running. I get shocked everytime.

I suppose I should run it again tomorrow and pull the valve covers to re-torque the heads too.

I was also hoping tomorrow he could take it to the tranny place, but that probably won't happen until thursday. I really need to give that nova a rest. It's running worse and I noticed yesterday one of my rear shock mounts is broken.

I can't wait to start driving it, but then I still have to break it in.

 

if u cant crab the dizzy without getting a shock u have something wrong,check all the plug wires for cracks,and make sure all the boots are pushed down tight.

congradulations on getting it running

 

Yeah, you got a spark leak! Used to happen to me all the time while timing my 84 Z. Damn HEI will give ya a good jolt!

Congrats on the new engine!

 

ill never forget that shock, it sucks doesnt it? lol. bad plug wire or crack in the cap, check it out.

 

If I remember right... I would get shocked if I wasn't careful right after I installed those wires and cap. They're 8.5 superconductors. Maybe the blaster coil and msd6a put out a little too much spark. I dunno.

Drove the car up the road and back today after work. Wow, that thing is quiet.

No more ticks and clacks and exhaust manifold leak sounds. Just the exhaust sound. Nice.

After driving that old 66nova with the horrible running sick cyl, steering pull, boiling over ready to explode radiator, no heater, drafty interior, exhaust leak filling up the cab under hard acceleration, turn signal that won't self-cancel, no instrument lights, no gas gauge, etc etc.... for the last two weeks, I'm ready for the firebird.

 

your wires and such should be very well insulated, theres a small crack/break somewhere in the the wire, or cap. you should not get shocked by touching it.

 

so how is it runningh/how are you enjoying it??

 

I was curious since I'll be doing the same thing this weekend. Did you follow KEDS85(R.I.P.) boggie to the tee? Just want to make sure I don't do anything extra b4 I get into it. Its pretty straight forward so I think I'll be good to go.

 

i just did the 3.4 swap not to long ago i thought the same **** at first it's such an easy swap tho it sure beats rebuilding a 2.8.

 

I was enjoying it for the first 380 miles. Then it died.

I followed his instructions fairly close. I was using a rebuilt 3.4 from a 5spd, and ran into a problem or 2 with the flexplate. There were a few other small issues, missing bolts and such.

 

Hmm, that would mean that you had to go hunting for an automatic flexplate right? Did you get it running again yet?

 

Cool so that answers 1 of my questions. the 3.4 I am getting is from an automatic and mines is a 5 speed. SO now I know it will bolt up. So I am also guessing that I will nee to get a flexplate also. I hope thats all I will run into.

Thanks for the input.

 

does he mean that he used a automatic flexplate cause he has me worried their with that cause we were trying to figure out what flexplate to use at the time. I decided since everything is the same i used my 5 speed flexplate from the old engine for the 3.4.

 

Yes of course I was gonna use my flexplate from my 5 speed. But check this out, the guy wants to sell me the tranny too which is a 5 speed. So now I don't know what to do. He had 2 engines and trannys but he sold the auto 1 and now the 1 I want to buy is the 5 speed. I just might get the whole setup.

 

well if ur staying with the 5 speed and no messing around with an auto at all then u will be alright everything should be the same

 

Yep, you'll have to find yourself a flexplate if you're going from a 5spd to an auto. I ordered a 3.4 flexplate from cut-rate, but it was the wrong one. Since I had the engine balanced, the guy found a flexplate out back with a weight on it, removed it, and then balanced it.

It turned out to be the wrong plate when I finally put in on, but by then I had the 2.8 apart, so I took both plates back to the guy and he matched the balance to the first one.

You'll also have to remove a bushing from the back of the crankshaft to get the TC into it.

My dad and I cut the head off a bolt, put it in a drillpress, and held a file on it until it would just fit inside the bushing. Pump some grease in the bushing and insert the bolt, trying to keep airpockets to a minimum. Wrap a rag around the bolt to keep grease from spraying out, and hit the bolt with a hammer.

The bushing popped right out.

(edit) Oh wait, you're taking the 3.4 from an auto, and bolting it to a 5spd. I had it backwards.

Well, I guess you'll have to remove the bushing from the 2.8 crank, and install it in the 3.4 crank. Might be easier to go buy a new bushing.