First (re)start & go-kart after change in direction

[ram_g]

About a year ago I had my first start and go-kart milestones, using a 2004 4.6 SOHC modular. As documented elsewhere on this forum, I had a nasty smoking problem from one bank of cylinders that never went away, despite trying a number of fixes. Eventually it started to look like I might need a substantial re-build of the engine, which had been untouched since I got it from a junkyard (one of the pallet suppliers to this community). Aided along by Texas' passing of SEMA legislation (implying that I did not need to worry about emissions), I decided to chuck the whole modular approach and go buy a standard Ford 302 (306) crate engine + T5 combo from Forte's. I chose to go completely opposite from the modulars and went with a Holley 670 SA carb, mechanical fuel pump, and manual choke.

Initially I assumed it would take me 3-4 months to get back on track. But life gets in the way of these builds! A year on, my first (re)start and go-kart happened today...





It feels great to be back!!

I only had (have) a few of problems to sort out.

• Initially the engine refused to idle, it would die unless I continually feathered the gas pedal, regardless of choke setting. I played with the idle mixture screws some until it idles, but not very well. Clearly more work here.
• I am also having difficulty purging the coolant system. I guess I will order a Forte de-gas tank in the near future.
• And finally, "high heat barbeque paint" is apparently not sufficient for the sidepipes!
  

All in all a success - finally!!

[cwrandolph]

Congratulations Ram! Good progress. You'll be happy with this setup.

[Big Blocker]

Ram,

Your idle and paint issues might be tied together . . . a vacuum leak will make the engine run very lean, causing it to run hotter. I'd be looking for a leak first to settle the idle down to where you don't have to "wiggle" the throttle to keep it running and then check your initial timing to make sure it's not set up wrong. All of the above will cause your pipes to run hotter then normal.

Just my 2¢

Doc

[AC Bill]

Congrats on getting it on the road!

There is definitely a heat issue, unless the pipes weren't prepped properly for pain?. Decent quality BBQ paint should easily stand up to normal running temps, without doing that!
A new engine does tend to run hotter than normal, till it breaks in a bit..but that hot..hmmm?

[trichardson]

Ram,

Congrats on the go carting. I used a group here in Houston to put a ceramic coating on some of my engine parts and I'm planning on using them for my exhaust system too, when I get it built. They did a pretty good job as far as I could tell. I won't ever get my bearings and piston skirts coated again, though. I had a couple of clearance issues. I think they quoted something in the $200 neighborhood to prep (blast) and coat the side pipes and headers and their samples looked great (especially the black coatings if that's what you want to stay with). The ceramic coating should easily handle the heat and it cools a lot faster so you shouldn't have to worry about snake bites.

[G-Pete]

Good to see you here again - looks like you will button that baby up this year...

BTW:

Pretty soon I will make a trip to Galveston - on the way back i could pick up your dust collecting 4.6.

[ram_g]

Thanks guys!

Ran it again today a couple of times, including a spin around the entire neighborhood...

• Did manage to burp the coolant fully. So maybe I'll hold off on the degas tank for right now...
• I think the paint flaking off the sidepipes is because I didn't do much of any surface prep. Trichardson - thanks for the local Houston ceramic coating contact - I will give them a shout this week.

The thing still idles poorly until it's pretty warm - maybe that's just to be expected and I'm spoiled with not remembering how a carb works? It's also backfiring occasionally - so far haven't yet determined exactly what triggers it. I tried to spray some WD-40 in various places to determine if there was any vacuum leak - doesn't seem to be any around the base of the carb and MAYBE there is a tiny leak at one point along the intake manifold seal - tough to tell because the idle is not that constant anyway. So anyway I will take a stab at re-torqueing the manifold bolts and see where that takes us...

I didn't mention before, but the engine was run in and dyno'd by Forte before delivery, so things like timing and such should be dialed in (more or less) already.

I don't have any of my gauges wired up, so I can't tell how hot it's running or what rpm it's backfiring at, etc. Next up is to get all those things working. I've also sent away for a non-contact thermometer so I can tell exactly how hot it's getting.

G-Pete, I'll send you a PM in a couple of days. Yes, the 4.6 is collecting dust! I plan to remove and sell things of value (e.g. 3650 trans, Champ oil pan, sensors and electronics, etc.) before getting rid of the shortblock for core value - but maybe we can do a package deal??

[AC Bill]

Originally Posted by ram_g

The thing still idles poorly until it's pretty warm - maybe that's just to be expected and I'm spoiled with not remembering how a carb works? It's also backfiring occasionally - so far haven't yet determined exactly what triggers it.

Does it have an automatic choke? If not that could be a factor in rough idle till warmed up. If it does have one, perhaps it not adjusted correctly?
Is the float level set to specs?

Backfire through the carb, or via the side pipes?
If carb, it could be from hot deposits in the combustion chamber, (they can also cause dieseling). I would think timing would be the other factor, but you say it's been timed correctly so..?

If it backfires through the side pipes, check the sealing on the headers to head, and the headers to side pipes. Leaks at either could cause that.

[Thumper135]

I’m sort of with Ram g and AC Bill on this one. If it was at Forte’s, I’m sure it was right before it was sent out, but it doesn’t hurt to check things like timing anyway, everyone makes little mistakes from time to time, and it could have moved durring shipment. Sorry Mike, but I’m still getting my parts from you anyway…… I guess to start with, when is it backfiring, cold, hot, idle, throttle and how much if any, all of the above? This information can get you closer to where you need to be and knowing the engine temp after worm up can be a help as well. If it is popping out the pipes, the first place I look (after timing) is the seal on the gaskets for that area. If it comes through the carb, Timing, and carb adjustment is a good place to start. I set my choke secure at wide open to start with, stay with it for worm up, get all the carb adjustments set, then do the choke (after it cools off again) to get it set accordingly. I know that is a little out of the norm, but I ran into a situation some time ago along these lines that I was able to straighten out by doing the carb this way and isolating the two processes. (it was the choke)
Keep us posted. We'll be thinking.....