overheating problem

[RPM]

Kinda like going to the doctor and telling him you hurt, but can't say where or when, or how bad.

 

[oino]

Yes, it was posted in Post #120, back on 6 September. And went completely ignored. For another 100+ posts and the lion's share of an entire month.

When people are ignoring suggestions and questions, the rest of us have no idea of knowing whether or not the supplied information has been considered, or not. Which causes these help threads to drag on, well beyond everyone's frustration level.

Effective immediately, we are going to start using some structured guidelines for this forum. If people cannot ask for help without providing details on their situation, too bad about them. If people cannot take advice on board and report back on their findings, too bad about them. If people cannot provide answers to question put to them, then too bad about them. I know, that sounds cruel, harsh and mean-spirited, but enough is enough. If people cannot comply by some very simple guidelines in asking for free help, then let them go pay for professional assistance.

There is really no reason a help thread should ever go on beyond two pages, if everyone is holding up their end of the stick. When they stretch beyond that point, then it starts getting painful to go back and ferret out details, which only adds to the frustration. On the part of everyone involved.

Now it wasn't completely ignored. He didn't minchin the cap in his post. It was the shaft. I checked that and I checked the wires, rotor, and check the cap for any damage.

I thank everone for there help.
Sorry if I missed a few things or left out a few things. Did the best I could. If that isn't good enough will sorry.
I was checking everthing everyone was posting, may not have posted back that I check it or already checked it. But I did check it.
I been on this site for a long time and alway gotten the help I need with no problems. But on this issue because a few of you know a lot more then I do feel you need to belittle me and make me feel like crap, and that I don't know what I'm doing.
I haven't been doing this for years. I'm not a engine builder. I didn't go to school for any of this stuff. I'm always learning, and just a do it your selfer. This is my first/kinda second car. I think I've done a pretty darn good job.

 

[Mike]

Now it wasn't completely ignored. He didn't minchin the cap in his post. It was the shaft. I checked that and I checked the wires, rotor, and check the cap for any damage.

And that is a prime example of why this thread went to Hell in a handbasket. No, SM did not "minchin" [SIC] the cap in his post, he made the mistake of assuming you were wise enough to understand what spark scatter is and what can cause it. You never let on that you really have no clue what causes spark scatter, so please, tell me how SM somehow failed to help you. But isn't it amazing that you are now telling me you checked the distributor cap, yet waited until now to discover something actually was wrong with that very same distributor cap.

And since you want to split hairs with SM's mention of spark scatter, counselor, let's do take a closer look at exactly what SM suggested -

It almost sounds like from the symptoms, spark scatter, like the distributor endplay is way too much (distributor shaft riding up and down as the distr. gear meshes with the cam gear)

Did SM say ..."spark scatter, caused only by distributor endplay, to the exclusion of all other possibilities..."? Yes, or no, counselor?

Are you aware that a loose timing chain can also cause spark scatter? Are you aware that using a big block oil pump in a small block Chevy can reduce spark scatter? Are you aware that excessive cam end play can cause spark scatter? Are you aware that oil pump bypass 'bumping' can cause spark scatter? Are you aware that excessive valve spring pressures on small diameter camshaft cores can cause spark scatter? Are you aware that incorrect rotor phasing can cause spark scatter? Are you aware a dirty distributor cap on a humid day can cause spark scatter? Are you aware that high output ignitions often require vented distributor caps to prevent spark scatter, because of excessive ionization within the cap? Are you going to blame SM, or anyone else, for not mentioning those causes of spark scatter, as well?

There is a level of assumption that must be made in these forums, one being that if you are able to assemble a custom automobile, then you must have at least a modicum of understanding and mechanical ability. And if someone does not possess those qualities, it is certainly not another person's fault for not recognizing that, no matter how much you want it to be that way.

Sorry you feel anyone is belittling you, but facts are facts -

1. This thread is titled "overheating problem", yet it has morphed into a 200+ post monster, that ultimately was about you having a bad distributor cap, causing a misfire. Oh, and oil leaks, let's not forget about the oil leaks. (Hint - don't let yourself get too caught up in the need to add any dyes to your oil, when a can of brake cleaner, or a trip to a car wash can clean everything off, which will them allow you to see from where the oil is leaking.)

2. Whenever users asked you for details about your problem, in an effort to offer you free tuning advice, you picked and chose to whom you were going to respond. And you further picked and chose to what questions you were going to respond.

3. one finger john asked you about your cylinder heads, how many times? How difficult would it have been to simply answer his questions? Yes, the cylinder heads are brand-spanking new, or no, the cylinder heads are rebuilds from XYZ Cylinder Heads?

4. Look at what your wrote in Post #156 - "Test fitted the manifold and gaskets. Gaskets do line up with the head fine and if I hold them to the manifold they line up fine. But together it's a no go. Misses the intake ports." Huh?? If a gasket matches an intake manifold and also matches the cylinder heads the manifold is going to be bolted onto, then how in the world can these pieces ever be a "no go"? When intakes and heads are gasket-matched, that is exactly what happens, the manifold runners and the head ports are matched to the gasket to be used. But you had a gasket that matched your intake, also matched your head, yet they wouldn't match, when the parts were bolted together?!? Whisky Tango Foxtrot???

5. No one is trying to suggest you have not done a good job on your car. Actually, I am not suggesting anything of the sort. What I am saying is that when you were in over your head, you should have made that clear to everyone, rather than forcing us to learn it on our own. What I am saying is that by failing to respond to pertinent questions that were put to you, that was not doing a good job. Because we had no way of knowing what you were taking on board and what you were not.

Yes, you have made it painfully obvious that nearly everyone here has more experience than you. But what that fails to explain is why you failed so miserably at taking advantage of that experience, by actually communicating with those who were taking their own time, to offer you help. All at no expense to yourself, mind. I can't be bothered to go back and count the number of people who have been trying to help you sort things out, in just this one thread, but on the surface, it seemed you really were taking very little of it on board. Heck, just 27 hours ago, you were saying you didn't think yur problem could be fixed, at all. Is it somehow going to be someone else's fault that you were proved wrong?

There is nothing wrong with approaching a car without any knowledge or experience. That is how we all got started, aye? But when you are in over your head and do not or cannot understand what is happening and/or cannot understand what others are asking, there is also nothing wrong with putting up your hand and admitting you need more comprehensive help. SM was also questioning your valve settings, clear back in Post #120, but it was Post #215 before we learned you were using a questionable technique to set lifter pre-load. Instead of just responding to SM in a timely manner, we all had to run umpty-eleven laps around the mulberry bush, to learn your settings were suspect.

If you still have issues to sort out, then feel free ask away. But read this post before doing so. And ask all new questions in a new thread, so we are not forced to read back through this massive thread to glean the details we need. Fair enough?

 

[Neshkoro]

After all that, I would run and never look back!!!