'Mater - '77 Cherokee S 4-door
- Thread starter bigwalton
- Start date
- City
- Dexter
- State
- MI
Ok guys, back on topic 
Got the engine plate thing (between block and tranny, flexplate and TH400 spacer sleeve installed (had to grind the leading edge of it down to get it started in, I was sure I was going to break the damn thing).
Cleaned up the exhaust manifold flanges and then found out that the heads on the old engine had all 3/8" bolt holes for the manifold bolts and the new engine is 3/8 for the center outlets and 5/16 for the outer outlets. Google search found that the 304 heads had all 3/8" and the 360 heads had the smaller outer holes. Didn't have the right length 5/16" bolts, so going to get them today (from what I've seen searching around, the special gun-drilled bolts were not needed once you use anti-seize, easy enough to put a wrench on them to check that they're tight every so often.
Cleaned up my Mean Green starter to have it ready to install.
Getting there, slowly. Had to fight the urge to stay inside and warm vs. getting at it last night. Just above freezing in the garage, it was around 10° outside last night.
Got the engine plate thing (between block and tranny, flexplate and TH400 spacer sleeve installed (had to grind the leading edge of it down to get it started in, I was sure I was going to break the damn thing).
Cleaned up the exhaust manifold flanges and then found out that the heads on the old engine had all 3/8" bolt holes for the manifold bolts and the new engine is 3/8 for the center outlets and 5/16 for the outer outlets. Google search found that the 304 heads had all 3/8" and the 360 heads had the smaller outer holes. Didn't have the right length 5/16" bolts, so going to get them today (from what I've seen searching around, the special gun-drilled bolts were not needed once you use anti-seize, easy enough to put a wrench on them to check that they're tight every so often.
Cleaned up my Mean Green starter to have it ready to install.
Getting there, slowly. Had to fight the urge to stay inside and warm vs. getting at it last night. Just above freezing in the garage, it was around 10° outside last night.
- City
- Dillsboro
- State
- IN
Great progress my friend. I'm trying to force as much warm air your way as I can.Ok guys, back on topic
Got the engine plate thing (between block and tranny, flexplate and TH400 spacer sleeve installed (had to grind the leading edge of it down to get it started in, I was sure I was going to break the damn thing).
Cleaned up the exhaust manifold flanges and then found out that the heads on the old engine had all 3/8" bolt holes for the manifold bolts and the new engine is 3/8 for the center outlets and 5/16 for the outer outlets. Google search found that the 304 heads had all 3/8" and the 360 heads had the smaller outer holes. Didn't have the right length 5/16" bolts, so going to get them today (from what I've seen searching around, the special gun-drilled bolts were not needed once you use anti-seize, easy enough to put a wrench on them to check that they're tight every so often.
Cleaned up my Mean Green starter to have it ready to install.
Getting there, slowly. Had to fight the urge to stay inside and warm vs. getting at it last night. Just above freezing in the garage, it was around 10° outside last night.
- City
- stafford
- State
- va
Nice , congrats !!!!!
- City
- Dexter
- State
- MI
Well, I think that I found out why the PO might not have installed the Mallory dizzy. Looks like they didn't drill the hole for the gear right in the shaft (it comes undrilled). Instructions state it should be done with an .02" feeler gauge between it and the body of the dizzy so that you end up with between .01-.03" of play once it's pinned in place.
With the hole that they drilled in it, there's more like .05-.055.
I could shim it out more with the other shims that came with the Mallory and get it into that spec in terms of the amount of play, but I'm guessing that the issue will be that the gear sits to low relative to the cam gear. Last thing I need is to add a reason for their to be a problem with the dizzy/cam gear.
If I were to try to turn the gear and drill another hole, it's going to hit the one already drilled because they're not off that far. I can't think that it would be good to criss cross the shaft with intersecting holes.
With the hole that they drilled in it, there's more like .05-.055.
I could shim it out more with the other shims that came with the Mallory and get it into that spec in terms of the amount of play, but I'm guessing that the issue will be that the gear sits to low relative to the cam gear. Last thing I need is to add a reason for their to be a problem with the dizzy/cam gear.
If I were to try to turn the gear and drill another hole, it's going to hit the one already drilled because they're not off that far. I can't think that it would be good to criss cross the shaft with intersecting holes.
- City
- Dexter
- State
- MI
Went a long while without laying a hand on it, finally got out there for a while on Sunday and got the exhaust reconnected, tranny filter changed and pan sealed up, radiator reinstalled and a start made on reconnecting the tranny cooler lines. Fingers were so cold I realized I couldn't feel the bolt in my fingers, so I gave up and came in. I need a heater in the garage 
- City
- Dexter
- State
- MI
Daddy daughter garage time. She's working the interior.
I'm working on firing this beast up. Just have to prime the oil system, get to TDC on 1, triple check everything and try it. I think.
Priming tool from old dizzy.
Where it sits now.
I'm working on firing this beast up. Just have to prime the oil system, get to TDC on 1, triple check everything and try it. I think.
Priming tool from old dizzy.
Where it sits now.
- City
- Dexter
- State
- MI
I'm a moron, forgot to buy the damn oil.
Thought I got it a while back at the local part store, now they're not open until Monday. Called around to the places that were still open later in the afternoon on Sat, no one has Brad Penn.
I'm a moron.
Sent from my iPad HD
Thought I got it a while back at the local part store, now they're not open until Monday. Called around to the places that were still open later in the afternoon on Sat, no one has Brad Penn.
I'm a moron.
Sent from my iPad HD
- City
- Dexter
- State
- MI
Soooooo close, found oil this morning, oil pump primed great, triple checked everything, primed oil again, had Kate try it and it stumbled and tried to start and Kate quit when she thought it was going to run.
Tried again and got a horrid screeching from starter. Turned engine a bit with a wrench to see if it just didn't like that spot, and got it close to starting again before it quit, tried one more and got screech again and quit.
Used my mean green starter from the postals 258, which the mean green people said would work. Will swap it out for stock starter and retry.
Sent from my iPad HD
Tried again and got a horrid screeching from starter. Turned engine a bit with a wrench to see if it just didn't like that spot, and got it close to starting again before it quit, tried one more and got screech again and quit.
Used my mean green starter from the postals 258, which the mean green people said would work. Will swap it out for stock starter and retry.
Sent from my iPad HD
Last edited:
bobbysjeep
Legacy Registered User
- City
- Charlotte
- State
- NC
Sounds like its close to coming to life.
- City
- Colorado Springs
- State
- CO
- City
- Dexter
- State
- MI
See if this link works. Fired it up earlier today and things were going well until two plug wires melted on the exhaust manifold. Thought I had them tied up well enough, but guess not. The HEI came with wires that had 90° plugs and they just don't fit well at all with the depth of the spark plug holes relative to the head/valve cover/manifolds. Have to get new ones that are either straight or just the slight bend.
Also need to get a block off for the fuel pump, it was making loads of noise running dry (have an electric pump wired up temporarily on the passenger fender right now just to get it running).
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B_mIK_8G0O94Mi1IZ2tOZ3ZPZnM/edit?usp=sharing
At least nothing blew up, popped, or caught (much) fire.
Also need to get a block off for the fuel pump, it was making loads of noise running dry (have an electric pump wired up temporarily on the passenger fender right now just to get it running).
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B_mIK_8G0O94Mi1IZ2tOZ3ZPZnM/edit?usp=sharing
At least nothing blew up, popped, or caught (much) fire.