Milwaukee Midget

[Dr Goggles]

The video series which you mentioned, and Mike posted, is a presentation using David Vizard's book, "Tuning the A Series Engine" as a framework - a book I have all but torn the spine off of, lo these past few years.

I had two well dressed young men at my door asking if I was familiar with the Bible and in particular the book of Mormon

I began to tell them about Tuning for Speed by A.Graham Bell. They left?
G

My approach is to let them get started , then ask to interupt and say" OK, look if I was interested in buying what it is you're selling I'd go to one of the recognized retail outlets"

[Milwaukee Midget]

My approach is to let them get started , then ask to interupt and say" OK, look if I was interested in buying what it is you're selling I'd go to one of the recognized retail outlets"

I'd just as soon see the musical . . .

http://www.bookofmormonbroadway.com/home.php

Around here , you see someone on your doorstep, you lock and load
G

Keeping Preston tidy - Carry on, citizen.

[Milwaukee Midget]

I’ve often said, “It’s a grand experiment".  But for an experiment to be valid, one must have repeatable, documentable and verifiable results.  Dialing in my valve clearance has been a test of my patience in that regard, and this particular aspect of the engine build has to be spot on.  

It goes beyond the cost of the components involved – nobody wants to drop a valve, bend a rod, crunch a piston – but this has become, for me, anyway, a test of my ability to build a genuine, no compromise, no excuses, single purpose racing engine.  Given the enormous aero disadvantage of this car, and the restrictions that competing in a production category places on what I can do to improve the body, my only prayer of making it work pivots primarily on maximizing this engine.

After trying 3 different methods to correctly suss out precisely how much valve clearance I have, I’m delighted to report – plenty.

I tried measuring with testing springs and the valves in place with feeler gauges, the valves in place with a dial indicator, and with the testing springs removed and checking clearance with the valve riding on top of the piston with feeler gauges (verticle valves).  All of these methods gave me wildly differing results.

So I called my dad on Thursday – before he went into purchasing at Rockwell, he was a parts inspector for Collins Radio.  Collins had the NASA communications contract during the heyday of Apollo, and it’s my understanding that there are parts he’s handled that are still sitting on the moon.  If it can be measured, he knows how to do it, or who to ask.

He contacted an old family friend, Ray Burke, who I understand builds off road racing trucks, and has a lot more hands-on experience than I do.  Incidentally, my first racing experience, the Soap Box Derby, included axle trees with channels cut by Ray.

“Go with clay” was the response – which was, of course, the consensus of most of you – McRat, wil6er, Gwillard, specifically.

I mentioned repeatability – I did it twice.  Bear in mind, I’ve got a .029 Cometic headgasket sitting downstairs – which I WILL be able to use . . .



.060 on the intake side, .100+ on the exhaust.

I’ll be buttoning this one up tomorrow, boys and girls.

K I S S.  

[38flattie]

Great news!

[Milwaukee Midget]

Oh, for pity’s sake . . .

Solve one clearance problem, discover two others . . .

The pan that covers the oil pump . . . oh, please . . . no . . .


Hammer, please . . .



Thank you . . .



And this?     I thought I had the rockers dialed in last year . . .



Rubbing on the head nut - shims on order – going to bed.  Good night, Fastenal.com . . . 

I’m constantly being reminded that I’m not playing with Legos.

[Milwaukee Midget]

Okay, boys and girls, let’s go down the laboratory and see what doesn’t fit today.

Of course - the head gasket.  Why should a CAD developed gasket from a world renowned maker of competition gaskets just drop into place?
 


To Cometic’s defense, the outer headstuds were tapped by C&S, using the Longman head as a template . . . and as per my instructions . . . 

Three layers – a precision ground layer of stainless sandwiched between two outer layers of softer steel.  I can’t chuck it up in a vise to hold it steady – a couple of spring clamps, perhaps?



The Dremel, a chainsaw sharpening stone, a little patience . . .



After a thorough washing to remove all the grit, including flushing out between the sandwich of steel, I think we’re good.



Running down to Walgreen's for more Tylenol . . .

[Tman]

Grab a sixpack while you are there to chase the Tylenol!

[38flattie]

Haha! Hell, Chris, you're past the worst of it!

Glad to see you're past the head scratching, and down to simple 'tweaks'!

[Milwaukee Midget]

Short block - done.



I'll be waiting for a few shims to come in to finish off the head.  Until then, my buddy Tim, the electro-musical wizard will be popping by to help me set up the wiring for the crank trigger.

Need to have it up and running no later than October 9.  Tune and test - Great Lakes Dragaway.

SUNDAY! SUNDAY! SUNDAY!

[grumm441]

Okay, boys and girls, let’s go down the laboratory and see what doesn’t fit today.

Of course - the head gasket.  Why should a CAD developed gasket from a world renowned maker of competition gaskets just drop into place?
 

Couldn't you have taken the studs out, put the gasket on, put the studs back in?
Or are the holes in a different spot?
G
{I'm still waiting for someone to pick me up on "tuning for speed".... }

[Graham in Aus]

{I'm still waiting for someone to pick me up on "tuning for speed".... }

OK Grumm you got me out of my chair and over to the bookcase, A.Graham Bell book was Performance Tuning in theory and practice. I've got his two stroke one as well!

Was 'Tuning for Speed' Phil Irving ?

 

[grumm441]

{I'm still waiting for someone to pick me up on "tuning for speed".... }

OK Grumm you got me out of my chair and over to the bookcase, A.Graham Bell book was Performance Tuning in theory and practice. I've got his two stroke one as well!

Was 'Tuning for Speed' Phil Irving ?

 

Sure was
G

[Milwaukee Midget]

Couldn't you have taken the studs out, put the gasket on, put the studs back in?
Or are the holes in a different spot?
G
{I'm still waiting for someone to pick me up on "tuning for speed".... }

Stacked tolerances and a bad decision on my part.  The two outside head studs are only standard on the Cooper "S" blocks, but every head gasket you can buy for the BMC A-block has these holes.  It's standard practice when modifying a head for an A-block to drill these holes into the head for the additional studs, which is what Longman Engineering did.  With a standard head gasket, the holes are bigger, and location is not as critical.

But there is no stretch in a stainless steel gasket.

20 years later, Cometic comes around, enters the exact locations according to blueprint information into their CNC machines, and tightens up the hole diameters - precision - can't argue with it.

My mistake was dropping the head and block off and saying, "Use the head as the guide to tap the studs".  Had I dropped off the gasket instead, all would have been hunky dory, as the holes in the head would have easily cleared the spacing the gasket provided.

I was disinclined to pull the studs because the night before, I clamped the head down with locktite on the threads and drew it up to preload the studs.

Cost of an education.   

[SPARKY]

Being 18 years older does not lessen the number nor the costs of the education 

[Milwaukee Midget]

Okay - shipping confirmations on IN STOCK PARTS (WHAT???!!!  NO BACKORDERS???!!!)

Shims on Wednesday, header studs on Thursday.

Tim will be here Tuesday - we'll get the central nervous system wired.

And the decals are on -



Let the Stop Sign jokes begin . . .