SRv8 questions

[milanomonster]

Just bought an SRv8 with a 351 Repower windsor engine in it. Car has been svaed and is on the road. I read these forums many times before I purchased, found it extremely helpful. I am a new member so go easy....

1. I adjusted the timing over the weekend. After giving up with my first timing light that was multitriggering due to the msd, I finally got a decent one. My timing should be 10 deg btdc at 850 rpm. I disconnect the vacuum from the distributor and set the idle to 850 rpm then set it up. After this I reconnect and reset the engine to 850rpm, timing has changed. I.E at 850rpm with distrib vac advance connected there is significant advance in excess of 10 degree btdc. Now I thought that the vac advance wasn't supposed to kick in till higher revs... Any thoughts.
Car still runs rough at idle, I know it has a fancy cam etc but I thought it would be better. It also still pops thru the carb at heavy load. I tried 10 degrees with vac connected, its worse. I also seperated all my plug leads as I see in another forum the msd can have an issue with close run leads, no difference though.The choke does nothing but over rich it. It feels like it is rich all the time?It is a bugger to start from cold...

2. I changed the plugs, boy it aint easy, after spending 1.5 hours on plug #8 I find that that plug has had the bottom 3 threads removed to ease insertion. Is this a special plug or was it a one off. I got the new ones in but that #8 is within 2mm of the bulkhead, is this normal on an srv8?

3. Where can u get the c spanners for spax adjustables, the rear on my car is way high, its also skitty at 90mph. Can anyone advise on tyre pressures?

4. Any good engine tuners in Scotland just in case I don't get any inspiration here?

5. I have a little play in both rear jag hubs, I tried to tighten the axle nuts but no change. I think I need new shims, has anyone got a procedure for checking and adjustment I can have?

6.Will a Europa roll bar fit an srv8, i heard the srv8 chassis tubes are wider than anyone elses, its just £95 on Europa sounds better than £240 at Madgewick. Can any comment on their experiences with Europa on roll bars and hoods, they seem very cheap?I know you normally get what u pay for....

7.Where is the best place for oil cooler kits are they easy to fit- I already have a spin on filter conversion?

8.Radiator looks very vulnerable, are these grill kits any good or are they a no no..

9.Are all cobra clutches like working out on a sunday, mine is hard as hell, and seems to have a last inch that is essential but quite often not quite reached (no sexual comments please)!

10. Any guides for hood and tonneau fitting available. I will be doing this soon aswell as the roll bar.

Thanks in advance.

Brian

[TINKA]

Wow Brian that is a lot of questions, first the Timing. I'm no expert but you set the timing with the vacuum hose disconnected for the very reason you mention. If you have the timing light on with everything connected up you will see if you blip the throttle that the timing will actually return to you original settings as you loose the vacuum before advancing again with the mechanical advance.So it sounds as though you are fine on that point.
as far as the roll bars go you need to measure the diameter of the sockets on your car to see what size roll bar you need. I think you will find the ones from Europa are 2" or 51mm diameter, then the gap between centers. If you ring Europa they will tell you if they will fit or not. I personally think that there roll bars are on the expensive side I had 2 single bars made up instead for £72 each made of 3mm stainless they are now braced so that they will act as actual roll bars instead of just for show.

Martin

[MarkT]

Brian,

You will be better off setting the maximum advance rather than the static or idle advance.

Remove the vaccuum advance hose and plug it. (you could remove it completely and just plug the hole in the carb)

Set the timing at 32 degrees advance at 3200 rpm.

If you are going to use the vaccuum advance, make sure that you have it connected to a timed port on your carb.

I run my 454 without the vaccuum advance.

Hope this helps.

Best regards


MarkT

[milanomonster]

Mark,

Im a bit confused. There are two advances, 1 is bob weights in the distributor (a), the other is vacuum via the distributor (b) and with an msd 6a there may be a 3rd advance (c)?

How do you know the total advance should be 32 degrees and how can it be ok to run it with no vacuum advance, I mean if 32 degrees is made up of a+b+c if you leave one off then surely it isn't correct.

Sorry if it sounds stupid!

thanks,

Brian

[milanomonster]

Mark,

I just checked my vac port connection,it is connected to the manifold vac port on the performer carb, in the instructions it says the timed port is only for emission controlled engines which mine is obviously not. So here is the question, should i be connected to the manifold port or the timed port, if you use the timed port do you need to plug the other one?

I found a few things wrong on the car so far, fan blowing the wrong way, only 1 pin in the front lhs brake caliper etc. I just wonder if this is why the car runs so rough below 2000rpm?

Thanks,

brian

[MarkT]

Brian,

You should be connected to the timed port, the other port should be blocked off.

take a look at:-

http://www.chevyhiperformance.com/ho...38/index1.html


Brgds

markT

[MARTIN123]

you better check the compresion you may have a burnt valve that leaks past when on idle ,but when you increase the revs the there is more volume of compresion which will make it run smoother, ie on all 8, had this once with a customers car, SD1

[graham]

>Just bought an SRv8 with a 351 Repower windsor engine in it.
>Car has been svaed and is on the road. I read these forums
>many times before I purchased, found it extremely helpful. I
>am a new member so go easy....
>
>1. I adjusted the timing over the weekend. After giving up
>with my first timing light that was multitriggering due to the
>msd, I finally got a decent one. My timing should be 10 deg
>btdc at 850 rpm. I disconnect the vacuum from the distributor
>and set the idle to 850 rpm then set it up. After this I
>reconnect and reset the engine to 850rpm, timing has changed.
>I.E at 850rpm with distrib vac advance connected there is
>significant advance in excess of 10 degree btdc. Now I thought
>that the vac advance wasn't supposed to kick in till higher
>revs... Any thoughts.
>Car still runs rough at idle, I know it has a fancy cam etc
>but I thought it would be better. It also still pops thru the
>carb at heavy load. I tried 10 degrees with vac connected, its
>worse. I also seperated all my plug leads as I see in another
>forum the msd can have an issue with close run leads, no
>difference though.The choke does nothing but over rich it. It
>feels like it is rich all the time?It is a bugger to start
>from cold...
>
>2. I changed the plugs, boy it aint easy, after spending 1.5
>hours on plug #8 I find that that plug has had the bottom 3
>threads removed to ease insertion. Is this a special plug or
>was it a one off. I got the new ones in but that #8 is within
>2mm of the bulkhead, is this normal on an srv8?

Yep a common problem on these cars do to bulkhead design. You may have a short reach plug there, but what I fitted on mine were shortie spark plugs whereby the main body is 5mm shorter than stoc so should help you, also jacking the car up and undoing the sparkies from underneath is also easier.

>
>3. Where can u get the c spanners for spax adjustables, the
>rear on my car is way high, its also skitty at 90mph. Can
>anyone advise on tyre pressures?

Demon tweeks page 293 part no. C101 £5.53. Yes mine was high with 10" springs so went to 9" on the same G841 spax. and ride height is more appropriate on the 15" rims, also rerated poundage to 450lb per corner (SBC)
>
>4. Any good engine tuners in Scotland just in case I don't get
>any inspiration here?


>
>5. I have a little play in both rear jag hubs, I tried to
>tighten the axle nuts but no change. I think I need new shims,
>has anyone got a procedure for checking and adjustment I can
>have?

interesting as mine has been advised at MOT test of the same thing on allfour but also at rear the hub carrier asembly has free play as well so check that it is bearing and not lower carrier bearings.

>
>6.Will a Europa roll bar fit an srv8, i heard the srv8 chassis
>tubes are wider than anyone elses, its just £95 on
>Europa sounds better than £240 at Madgewick. Can any
>comment on their experiences with Europa on roll bars and
>hoods, they seem very cheap?I know you normally get what u pay
>for....

Remember the original and maybe current full width SRV8 roll bar is 2 3/8ths diameter to fit into the two chassis mounts however at some point SR factory inserted (on my chassis anyway) an insert on one side so that it would only accept the narrower roll bar which is in my opinion a bit thin. Remember the hood wont utilise the original sRV8 roll bar as a support.

>
>7.Where is the best place for oil cooler kits are they easy to
>fit- I already have a spin on filter conversion?

Think Automotive (mocal) can supply everything you need.

>
>8.Radiator looks very vulnerable, are these grill kits any
>good or are they a no no..

I fitted a front grill mesh to stop the worse stones getting in and engine temp is unaffected.

>
>9.Are all cobra clutches like working out on a sunday, mine is
>hard as hell, and seems to have a last inch that is essential
>but quite often not quite reached (no sexual comments
>please)!

My last srv8 was fitted with a remote servo fitted to the n/s bulkhead and made for a light action. Current car is easier anyway so I poss. wont bother.


>
>10. Any guides for hood and tonneau fitting available. I will
>be doing this soon aswell as the roll bar.

I am fitting an original tonneau soon that accomodates (small cut outs) the roll bar mentioned earlier. So chose carefully your roll bar and tonneau.

>
>Thanks in advance.
>
>Brian

If you need to see some pics of the roll bar etc then I can do this, email me your email address,

Graham

[milanomonster]

Graham,
Thanks for the feedback, my email address is ichaile@supanet.com, if this doesn't work try brian.haile@kla-tencor.com I would really appreciate the pictures.

From what you say it seems Madgewick are reducing the roll bar diameter and using an insert. If this is the case then I would rather either get one made as per original sr spec or go to Europa. Europa = £95 +vat, Madgewick is £240=vat!

Where can I buy shortie plugs?

I already have a tonneau. It has no cutouts for a roll bar!. I was hoping I could fit the studs in front of the bar so it wouldn't be an issue. Can't this be done. I have a triumph with a tonneau with roll bar cutouts, it leaks like a seive.

Mark,

Thanks for the website. Great stuff and well explained.. but I still have an unanswered question? The figure of 32 or 34 degrees at 3000rpm that you quoted and that is quoted in the 351w repower specs, is this mechanical only advance (i.e bob weights) or does it include the vacuum advance. If it is mechanical only then I am now ok, if it includes vacuum then I am way advanced still at 3000rpm and need to disconnect the vacuum advance completely.

Sorry to be a pain but I am keen to get it set right. The repower spec sheet quotes 3000rpm 34 degrees +mds6a. What the hell does that mean?, 34 degrees total INCLUDING msd6a (distributor) or 34 degrees mechanical and then whatever the msd6a adds regardless.

I know the acid test is pinking under load but for the first time in my life I can't even get a sense of that, I am either too terrified to focus on whether the engine is pinking or there is so much noise I can't hear it!I still can't believe the engine runs so rough and is still terrifyingly quick!

Thanks to all of you.

Brian

[TINKA]

Brian when your engine is going at that rpm there is no vac at all in effect, so yes it is mechanical only.The vac is generated when the butterflies in the carb are nearly closed but the engine is eager to suck all the air in it can get. This is also why when you initially apply the throttle, the butterflies open and the vac is lost, hence the answer to your earlier question why the ignition timing changes on initial acceleration.


Martin :tu :tu