I started working on the engine this past weekend. The adapter fitting arrived to allow an oil filter to screw directly into the block. I was about $16 shipped but I didn't have many options. The local parts store had a Wix 51374 and it fits well.
The valve cover had a leak at the bottom front corner so I got a new gasket with an imprinted seal bead. While it was off I decided to check the rocker arm lash. It had a bit too much tick tick for me so I took the opportunity to check them. I didn't check them all to see what they were at before but I know a few were .012 or more. A little bit of searching revealed .010 is the recommended clearance with some suggesting as tight as .006 Intake /.008 Exhaust. I went with .007/.009 since I don't have the spring tool to create consistent tension. This car had more than enough low end power for what we do with it so it won't bother me if it shifts the power band up a bit. Several were at the end of adjustment and one of them wouldn't adjust tight enough. The eccentric just isn't big enough. I don't see any obvious damage and I know its not a factory cam so I will order a few oversize eccentrics from Ireland and give that a try.
I can't say its fun trying to get the feeler gauge down in there.
The next project was to finish up the brake conversion over to manual. I had some scrap pieces of 1/4" aluminum plate and one was just big enough to make a firewall adapter plate. It's roughly 4" square. Some quick rounding on the belt sander followed by some measuring and I was ready to drill the first holes.
To get the correct 6:1 pedal ratio I measured 11.5" from the pedal pivot point to the center of the pedal foot pad. That meant I needed to mount the brake rod roughly 1.9" down.
To do this I had to cut off the factory rod mounting bracket
and grind it down
I found a 3/8" female heim end and a fine thread bolt I could lock into it with a jam nut to make the pushrod.
Here is the finished product
I had to offset the master upward to make the rod align with the hole so it doesn't bind when it goes through its stroke.
From the firewall side
That's it for now. I have a battery cutoff switch, manual water temperature gauge, and a M14x1.5 to 5/8" UNF adapter fitting so I can use it in the factory temp sensor hole.
The valve cover had a leak at the bottom front corner so I got a new gasket with an imprinted seal bead. While it was off I decided to check the rocker arm lash. It had a bit too much tick tick for me so I took the opportunity to check them. I didn't check them all to see what they were at before but I know a few were .012 or more. A little bit of searching revealed .010 is the recommended clearance with some suggesting as tight as .006 Intake /.008 Exhaust. I went with .007/.009 since I don't have the spring tool to create consistent tension. This car had more than enough low end power for what we do with it so it won't bother me if it shifts the power band up a bit. Several were at the end of adjustment and one of them wouldn't adjust tight enough. The eccentric just isn't big enough. I don't see any obvious damage and I know its not a factory cam so I will order a few oversize eccentrics from Ireland and give that a try.
I can't say its fun trying to get the feeler gauge down in there.
The next project was to finish up the brake conversion over to manual. I had some scrap pieces of 1/4" aluminum plate and one was just big enough to make a firewall adapter plate. It's roughly 4" square. Some quick rounding on the belt sander followed by some measuring and I was ready to drill the first holes.
To get the correct 6:1 pedal ratio I measured 11.5" from the pedal pivot point to the center of the pedal foot pad. That meant I needed to mount the brake rod roughly 1.9" down.
To do this I had to cut off the factory rod mounting bracket
and grind it down
I found a 3/8" female heim end and a fine thread bolt I could lock into it with a jam nut to make the pushrod.
Here is the finished product
I had to offset the master upward to make the rod align with the hole so it doesn't bind when it goes through its stroke.
From the firewall side
That's it for now. I have a battery cutoff switch, manual water temperature gauge, and a M14x1.5 to 5/8" UNF adapter fitting so I can use it in the factory temp sensor hole.
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