urgent, need help fast

[maxb45678]

well, its getting late and tomorrow I'm suppose to drop the 360 back in my car. only i have about a billion problems and dont know how to solve all of them, so here go the questions. 1. One of my valve springs has a small piece of cylindrical metal that appers to be compressed into it. It doesnt look like its a broken piece of metal, its smooth on all sides, and i didnt take apart the springs, so it was there before i took the engine apart. Any ideas? 2. My headers wrap around the center link and I need to remove the idler and pitman arms in order to take the old ones off and put the new ones on. I read in my haynes maual how to do this but couldnt quite understand the directions. So whats the easiest way to do this and what tools will I need. 3. My pushrods are not symmetrical. One end is a normal rounded end but the other end is a weird flare that kinda looks like an old bicycle horn. So my question here is what end goes to the lifter and what end to the rocker arm? 4.(told you i had a lot of problems) I've heard about priming an engine by spinning the oil pump with a special tool. Is this a tool I would have to buy or could I rent it from a parts store? Or is there another way to do it with something I would already have? Sorry about all the questions. I should have got this done a lot sooner but I've been very busy. So deadlines have snuck up on me. Thanks very much for all the help. Matthew

[maxb45678]

Oops, one more for ya. I didnt rebore the cylinders and I'm using the old cam. I'm also using the old pistons and rods. The only new parts are the crank and the piston rings. Would I still have to use the same engine break-in procedures? Oh and if it helps, I forgot to say the the car is a 1974 Plymouth Duster 360 .030.

[Clair]

I'll try... for a fellow Texan, after all...

1- if the metal in the spring was there before, ignore it now, especially if you're using the same cam. Now that you know about it, keep your eye on it, though.
2- you'll need a tie rod puller that you can rent from Auto Zone. I bought one years ago, and it's paid for itself many times over now. It's a great too to have in the garage.
3- sounds like you have solid lifter pushrods, or at least pushrods for adjustable rockers. If you have adjustable rockers, the "horn" end goes up, and seats on the ball end of the adjuster screw. It should be obvous once you look at the rockers.
FYI, adjustable rockers look like THIS.
4- The oil pump priming shaft is a 5/16"? hex shaft that is about 18" long. AZ may have one of those, too. They're good to have if you can get one. If not, fill your oil pan by draining the oil over the rocker arms so that it runs down the push rods and to the lifters. Do this slowly or oil WILL run out of the rockers and all over the exhaust. BTDT. If you used assembly lube on everything, you should be fine even if you don't prime the engine. Note also that it takes a kick-butt drill to work the pump. You can also generate about 70 psi cranking it by hand. It is very helpful to spin it the right direction... don't ask...
5- break in procedure is critical for the cam. IF you have the same lifters in exactly the same holes, you probably DON'T have to idle it at 2500 for 20 minutes (I didn't) but might still want to keep it up there for 10 or so, just to make sure everything is oiling properly.
Good luck!
Clair

[rumblefish360]

1. I'd take it easy with the new rings. They need to seat. They'll seat right quick if there Moly. Otherwise, I'd say no.
Follow the break in steps like normal. It can't hurt. A few extra mins doing a slow breakin and 2 oil changes saves 10 X the time and anger, not to mention the money.

2. Got a pic of the valve springs? If it was there before, it'll probably stay there again. Still would like a pic cause I really don't know what your talking about.

3. Headers. You need a pickle fork and a BFH.
(Big Freakin Hammer.)
You do not need to remove the parts, just seperate them.

4. The pushrods are mech. units. The "bike horn" end goes to the pushrod.

5. the tool is special BUT, an old distrib. taken apart will do.
If you hand out a serious coating of oil on everything AND it starts right away, you'll not need it.

[MoparMarcIdaho]

Is there any ring ridge on the cylinders?If there is thr new rings will hit it and either break the rings or compress the ring lands on th pistons.Did you check end gap on new rings?They will still seat on nonhoned cylinders but it will take longer.

[maxb45678]

How exactly do I use the priming tool and the pitman arm puller?

[sixpackgut]

priming tool goes down in the hole where the distributer goes. it engages the oil pump. using a drill.

you dont need to pull the pitman arm do you? check out harbor freight, they have lots of great tools for cheap. pullers,forks, and hammers.

i think the thing in the spring is a damper.