[Vol]

I have my rolling chassis complete. Want to fire the engine for the first time in the chassis. Read a ton about the start up procedure. But my questions come from hooking up before start up.
Here's what is done so far.
Headers on no pipes or mufflers.
Core support with radiator shroud and 7 blade fan, hoses and tranny cooling lines hooked up.
Looped a heater hose from water pump to head.
Rubber fuel line from mechanical pump to gas can.

Here is where I have questions.
HEI what do I need to hook up?
Vacuum lines?
Carb vacuum ports. Just plug?
PCV from valley pan to carb hook up?
Starter. Besides battery cables any other electrical.

I can get gauges for water, oil, and tach for the start up procedure. The tach not sure how to hook that to the HEI.

[Goatracer1]

Switch between battery and HEI power terminal. You might as well hook up you vacuum hoses now including pcv. Plug power brake vacuum hose if booster not in place. There is a tach terminal on the dist. cap.

[Old Man Taylor]

Put mufflers on it so you can hear what the engine is doing.

[cdrookie]

get another set of eyes to check for leaks while you monitor the gauges, and have a fire extinguisher handy just in case.

[Schurkey]

And a garden hose to mist the radiator if the temp climbs.

Don't forget belts/pulleys. At minimum, you'll want to drive the water pump/fan, and you'll probably need the alternator to tension that belt.

You'll want temp and oil-pressure gauges.

[Squidward]

I ran an alternator when I fired up on an engine stand. I ran from battery to alt + terminal, battery to starter, and battery + to a pair of single pole light switches to switch +12v to hei and starter solenoid. I also connected + terminal of alt to the sense connection, and wired a 12v lightbulb in series from the alt + to the field connection.

And like OMT says, try some mufflers if possible.

Once you fire it up, run your rpms up to 2k-2.5k, and adjust your timing to about 30 degrees without vac advance.

Do you have enough tranny fluid present?

Just be careful with that gas can so it doesn't get knocked over and we read about you on the web!

[blykins]

Is it a flat tappet cam?

[Vol]

Originally Posted by Old Man Taylor

Put mufflers on it so you can hear what the engine is doing.

I have some pipes and mufflers to put on. Check.

[Vol]

Originally Posted by Squidward

Do you have enough tranny fluid present?

Yep I will more on hand. Check.

[Vol]

Originally Posted by blykins

Is it a flat tappet cam?

Yes.

[Vol]

Should the alternator even be wired for initial startup? I have it on.

I paid to be a son of a bodyman but the electrical is where I get tripped up the most.

Pictures coming tonight to highlight my ignorance in this subject.

[Bob-o]

I just went through the same situation this summer and I couldn't get the car to run well for any period of time without having the alternator wired. It would start right up and run but as the battery lost voltage it's my belief that the ignition wasn't getting enough power. After I halfassed the wiring to get the alt going the problem seemed to go away. (I was running electric fuel pump and fan off the battery as well as the ignition)

[Squidward]

I would. You only need one belt: water pump, alt, crank.

The electrical is pretty easy. I can draw something up if you want. Just like plumbing, but with wires instead of pipe.

[Vol]

Thanks for all the suggestions from above.

This is just the engine tranny in the rolling chassis with core support and radiator at this time.

Here is the latest.

Because my wiring harness was so bad I purchased a new engine harness from M&H. I have every wire within the harness accounted for. I have a set of gauges wire up (water oil tach). I have battery cables and a new battery.

Now what I need is spark. With everything hooked up what do I need to get the starter to engage? All the wires lead to the bulk head connection, less the gauges.

[Vol]

Got spark from using a jump wire on the bulk head connection, red wire to purple wire. Same as if you placed a wire from the large terminal to the S terminal to engage the starter.

The starter engaged but there is another issue. I could hear the gear go out but it did not engage the flywheel. I will have to pull the inspection cover to see if the gear is missing the flywheel, hitting it or just not aligning. Any help trouble shooting this?

Found the attached diagram as it helped a lot from american autowire.

[nytrainer]

Thanks. I found the schematic you posted very interesting. Here's the rest of it.
http://www.americanautowire.com/PDFL...20IN%201.0.pdf

[Schurkey]

Originally Posted by Vol

The starter engaged but there is another issue. I could hear the gear go out but it did not engage the flywheel. I will have to pull the inspection cover to see if the gear is missing the flywheel, hitting it or just not aligning. Any help trouble shooting this?

If the starter motor cranked, the starter drive gear was pushed into engagement with the flywheel. If the starter motor whines (often sounds like a siren) but the engine doesn't crank, you've almost certainly got a failed starter drive.

Once upon a time, folks would throw a new starter drive into the starter--but often found that the shift fork was worn, the bushings and brushes were worn, and the replacement starter drive was a cheap four-roller unit instead of a "good" five-roller job. Often easier to just install a rebuilt starter, or buy a mini-starter.

[Vol]

Originally Posted by nytrainer

Thanks. I found the schematic you posted very interesting. Here's the rest of it.
http://www.americanautowire.com/PDFL...20IN%201.0.pdf

I have the whole pdf as well. Just saved out the jpg so I could attach. Yes agree it is a nice diagram and the rest of the pdf explains everything very well.

[Vol]

Originally Posted by Schurkey

If the starter motor cranked, the starter drive gear was pushed into engagement with the flywheel. If the starter motor whines (often sounds like a siren) but the engine doesn't crank, you've almost certainly got a failed starter drive.

Once upon a time, folks would throw a new starter drive into the starter--but often found that the shift fork was worn, the bushings and brushes were worn, and the replacement starter drive was a cheap four-roller unit instead of a "good" five-roller job. Often easier to just install a rebuilt starter, or buy a mini-starter.

Everything I have is new, starter, battery wiring harness the works. It is possible its a bad starter. I will be working on it over the weekend to trouble shoot it some more.

[Vol]

Took off the inspection cover. Starter gear was still on the flywheel. So I thought I had an issue with the starter spacers. Checked it because it was under an ⅛ of an inch so I thought maybe the starter gear is pinching. Added another spacer so i am at a hair over ⅛ of an inch. From what I read here and from an all original block I have completely together this is close to what it should be.

Bought a starter button and wired up to my engine harness junction box with two alligator clips to grab the tabs. Purple wire and black with red stripe. Hit button starter engages with flywheel but it won't turn over. I was under the car watching it and it engages with the flywheel then just click click clicks. I rechecked to make sure the gears on the starter and the gears on the flywheel were spaced right. I used a paper clip as my gauge. That checked out. I put the battery which is brand new on a trickle charger and it is at 100% charge.

The engine is a 71, 60 over 455=469 with 6x-8 heads. Mild street. I have a new factory starter. But I feel it does not have enough power to turn the engine?

I turned the engine over three times by hand to make sure it is free. I tried to start it again. It winced and groaned trying to turn it over then started to click click click.

What else can I check?