Clearance

After finally finding the best way forward to deal with controlling the cam button, the engine was largely assembled today.

This double-roller chain was a really great find and allowed for the cam button to be installed without any modifications.

Many engine builders say that a double-roller timing chain will locate the cam and reduce or eliminate the need for a cam button, but both together seems like the way to go to be sure the cam stays put.

The button was machined a bit to achieve the desired end play for the camshaft and everything was put together save for the intake manifold. The timing cover and oil pan were both installed, making this look more like an engine again.

Next on the list is to begin the process of measuring for push rods. This requires a push rod checker and a caliper long enough to measure it. The one I have had for years is only six inches long, so an eight-inch caliper was ordered.

Put a stamp on it

The only thing obvious standing between this $40 reproduction idle solenoid and a Delco-Remy original is the part number stamped on the GM part - and about $150.

So we made a rubber stamp for around $10 and presto! Looks great and seems to function really well.

More small stuff

This oil gallery plug right above the oil filter housing was removed by the machine shop to clean the block and then replaced with a modern plug.

The original is a 1/4-inch square-drive plug and it looks distinctive, so an NOS plug was found and purchased. This will have to do for a while until the cam button comes in next week.

Stopping point

The engine is assembled to the point of having the heads on and the cam installed. In order to install the timing set fully and close up the timing cover and oil pan, the cam gear needs to be machined to accept a cam button.

Once the cam button comes in, it along with the cam gear will be taken to the machine shop for machining.

The new Comp valve springs were installed after the cheap valve spring compressor was modified a bit so it would work better.

The shim-style head gaskets got a light coat of copper gasket spray before they were installed and the original head bolts were reconditioned and installed.

Everything went together well, though I do wish the guy who redid the heads would have blasted the heads instead of spraying them with orange paint, but we'll deal with that after the engine is together.

Play-Doh

It was time for the old Play-Doh trick to get the depth of the oil pickup correct. Looks like 1/4 inch with a gasket, just like it's supposed to be.

Grounded

A NOS ground cable, which grounds the starter and the engine to the frame, was found, purchased and installed this weekend as well.

Rotating assembly

The rotating assembly is installed in the block and everything feels really good.

The second set of rings showed up to replace the one that was delivered cracked and all the pistons installed with no issues.

The rod bearings went together well and the rods have the correct amount of play on the crankshaft that they are intended to have.

All in all, the machine work from Luna's was really very good so assembling this engine was like hitting a series of hanging curveballs.

Once the pistons were installed, it was time to calculate the distance they are beneath the height of the deck of the block so the thickness of the head gasket can be decided.

The pistons varied from being 0.017 to 0.030 in the hole, which is a very wide variation. A shim-style head gasket would get the quench to the desired 0.035-0.045 range and would raise the compression ratio a bit as well.

This variation is a product of this crankshaft being poorly machined from the factory one would think. This is not shocking given the year this was manufactured and machined not exactly being the height of General Motor's quality-control era.

The made-in-the-USA Melling oil pump is installed, but a special tool had to be ordered to install the pickup screen.