2011 at the Hammond Barn

[Phil Waterman]

Hi Bob

Thanks for the further explanation of the pairs testing had to digest your pair testing experiment a little further. I've learned the hard way not to rush to a conclusion, what I try to do now is list all of the possible causes for a problem, then take that list and put it in order of easy to confirm or check to most difficult. Saves taking the carb apart to discover the gas tank is empty go ahead laugh I did it once fuel gauge switch was left and the selector valve was right and it wasn't till I had the top off the carb to figure out no fuel.

Concerning running the engine with valve cover off not a major problem, see engine test videos http://www.canadianmilitarypattern.c...ineTesting.htm Particularly video 1 http://www.canadianmilitarypattern.c...20001_0001.wmv or 3 http://www.canadianmilitarypattern.c...20003%20--.wmv just glue the gasket to the head with gasket cement it then acts as a cofferdam to keep the oil in. Generally you don’t need to put any gasket cement on the side to the cover, that way you can remove the cover without having to replace the gasket. I have a lexan side cover for the push rod gallery, which lets me see if the lifters are actually rotating.

But back to your diagnostic test, you are doing, it would be interesting to match your pair testing with the compression test figures and think about the logic of why the engine runs with two of the pairs but not the third pair. Of course replacing the wires with known good ones will also help clarify the issues. Hopefully the problem will completely disappear.

Sounds like you are going down the line of check the simple stuff first, which is why I was reluctant to suggest one possible cause, until I check that you can check it with out taking the engine apart. That problem is cam lobe wear below is a picture of two intake cam lobes on the cam that came out of my 235 the really worn one is .08" shorter than the other in lift. Before I mentioned this pain in the ass to repair issue wanted to be sure that their was a non-invasive way of checking. Does the manual you have this section on checking Lobe Lift?

Yesterday I did this check on the 216 out of my HUP, first step in determining how extensive an over haul it needs, biggest problem I had was getting the mag base of my dial indicator to really clamp tight to the head and be in the same plain as the push rods.

Forgot to put the rest of the phrase “64K dollar question” as from the quiz program but you got my point.

Back out to the shop temperature out side high 50s F, mud season just beginning, roads look like someone had been using them for mortar practice, some of the pot holes are so big they look more like shell craters particularly when there are bits of cars laying around after hitting them.

Cheers Phil