HEI installation

Removed the spark plug wires, distributor cap, rotor, and spark plugs.

Disconnected the lead from the old distributor. Loosened the distributor clamp, removed the distributor.

Rotated the engine by hand-turning the fan until valve #2 (counting from the front of the engine) is closed (up). Then keep rotating until ball in the flywheel lines up with the needle in the flywheel window.

Installed the HEI distributor. Checked the oil pump tang engagement by rotating the engine with the fan to the next TDC (not sure if this was the correct procedure).

Aligned the internal star wheel with the stationary pole, and tightened the distributor clamp. Attached the vacuum line to the HEI, not to the mechanical advance. Marked the #1 place on the distributor and installed the cap.

Disconnected the wires from the old coil & replaced it with the new one. Disconnected the blue wire from the ballast and installed a new connector, hooked directly up to + terminal on the coil (no ballast needed on the 12V coil). Hooked up the distributor wires to the coil: pink to +, black to -.

The plugs are Champion RJ18YC6, need a gap of .060-.080 -- I need a bigger gapper tool!

Okay, gapped to .060, and made up some custom spark plug wires. Installed the plugs with anti-sieze...and she won't start.

There's spark at the plugs, what next? Compression! Compression tester shows no compression.

Which is because the clearances were waaay off. Set them to .016 exhaust and .006 intake.

Valves: Front - EI IE EI IE EI IE - Back
Noted marks on the pulley for TDC.

Now compression is: 180, 175, 175, 170, 180, 170

And she fires right up! Woohoo! This is the first time she's been running since, well, before I moved to Seattle!

What next - the manual says to tighten the head bolts after warming up for 30-35 minutes.

Cranking to 95 ft-lb on the head bolts -- one of them broke! Broke the threads on another! Fuck this.

Re-adjusted the valve clearances. Installed the valve cover with a new gasket and Permatex Red between the gasket and the cover to hold it in place.

Leaving the timing at 0 advance for now.

Hmm...sounds like something's loose in the engine. Maybe that's the oil pump tang not engaging? Maybe the bottom of a head bolt? No, the head bolts aren't thru holes.