Yesterday was the day. I started the new engine, 405, and began the tuning and break in process. First I want to apologize. I wanted to do a video but to be honest with a completely new system, a very custom build, and two carbs to worry about...I wanted all my focus on the engine and I didn't want to worry about the camera.

Here's a pic of the engine not long before this process started. I did finish a few things not seen but for the most part this is what I have.




First off I turned on the electric fuel pump and let fuel run through the system for the 1st time under pressure. With such an almost non existent viscosity, the fuel found a few leak points. I needed to re-seat a few of the flares and the system pressurized with no leaks.

Second, I disconnected the IGN and spun the engine a few seconds to re-prime oil through the cooler lines and cooler. Oil started puking from the cooler...seems there is a crack in the cooler just down from the fitting port. I bypassed it for now, and I will replace it with a new one soon.

Finally, fired the engine up.

I set the timing at 10 degrees.

I used a tool used to tune old motorcycles to sync the two sets of barrels on the two carbs. It's a cool old relic that tells me how much air is sucking in through the single barrel. Great for multiple carbs. For the most part they were bang on symmetrical.

Issue #1: I immediately heard an exhaust leak. Aluminum heads are perfect for determining where the leak is. The blackened surface around #4 exhaust port clued me in.
Solution #1: I will separate the header, file the flange flat, install a new gasket, and re-install.

Issue #2: Rich. VERY rich. The unburned hydrocarbons were so thick my eyes burned immediately.
Solution #2: I replaced the # 90 jets with #57 jets. The engine was MUCH happier...as were my eyes. LOL.

Issue #3: The rich condition fouled #7 and #8 spark plugs.
Solution #3: Blasting all plugs to clean them to new condition for next cycle of startup.

Issue #4: The accelerator pumps are not squirting. One seems clogged and the other needs adjusting.
Solution #4: Rebuild one pump and adjust the other.

The engine ran GREAT once I changed the jets. I need to fine tune it with all plugs firing but it ran smooth and strong. I couldn't be happier with it.

This has been a five year process with 3 different plans, and many hours of plotting. I'm hoping to take it out for a shakedown run tonight, or tomorrow. I can't even tell you how good starting it felt...certainly different than any other startup I have done before. This one has been my baby.

Very Nice!! I'd love to see the whole package in person!

Damn that's shiny! Looks intimidating just sitting there.
good work.

Oh by the way, the huge blue filter assemblies do in fact fit under the closed hood.

I do still plan on some cooler looking alternative air intake system but this will work until it's done.

Looks cooler than the other side of the pillow! Hope your shakedown run leaves you grinning ;-)

way cool! Congrats!

Are those Webers?

Very unique and impressive engine art and if it runs as good as it looks, wow!

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The carbs are Japan made Mikuni carbs. Very similar to Weber carbs. I tend to think these are easier to tune than Webers and they're a lot more unique.

Thanks everyone.

Congrats on getting it fired.

Seeing those Mikuni carbs bring back some memories of when I was in Jr High School.

Back in the mid/late 80's my mom had a 83 Capri 5.0L with a B&M supercharged 306 (that later became a 410 inch Windsor) my dad built for her that used a similar adapter and 2 Mikuni's like that, so it would fit under the stock hood. B&M sold it all in the supercharger kit. Pretty cool set up.
Will

That looks amazing, Matt! Congratulations with getting it going.

what are the gauges on the firewall? Just curious

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Obviously I have all of my functioning electronic gauges inside, but for things just like this engine startup, there are times where you just don't have time to peer in and check how things look. Not to mention you don't have a second opinion of sorts.

With the firewall gauges...both mechanical, oil pressure and water temp, I can check two vital engine readings at a mere glance. It comes in very handy.

Not to mention, the second opinion. If both gauges are telling me the same thing I am more inclined to trust the readings.

Awesome!

Got home and went straight to work.

I pulled and cleaned all 8 plugs, and re-installed them.

I pulled both accelerator pumps out of the bottoms of the carbs. There's a check ball in each assembly and both were still gummed up from when the carbs were rebuilt. Took some squirts of carb cleaner, some tapping on the work bench, and some probing with some VERY thin needles.

Long story short I got both check balls rattling. I got them reinstalled and tested. They both squirt half way across the room now.

Carbs are back on and everything is hooked up ready for the next start.

I'll tackle the exhaust leak in the morning, and hopefully follow that up with some tuning and...***fingers crossed***...a drive.

Matt,
That thing looks awesome!!!! I wish I could see it in person, but that isn't going to happen. I won't be making the trip to the show at the end of the month. Anyway congrats on getting the engine built and the beast running.

Congrats Matt! Wish I could have been there. You need a hand tomorrow? I could get up to Columbia for some time. I'd love to hear it in person. Just let me know (PM, e mail, and you have my number).

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Thanks Andrew. I'm going to spend a little time doing some wrench work fixing some of the remaining issues before I light it up again.

Once I'm on the final leg of the procedure I'll call you and see if you want to come check it out and 'maybe' go for a ride.

Sounds good Matt.

Folks, I saw this car about 2 weeks ago and the motor looks just as good as the pictures. There's also a bunch of little touches that you don't see in the pictures. Great job! I see lots of polishing in Matt's future : ).

Yikes! That thing looks great! I like the Mikuni's......back it the day when Harley was still using soup cans for carberators we would put on a large bore Mikuni and enjoy easier starting and better performance. They should work well for you.

Got a bit more work to do today...hopefully wiping out the last of the issues keeping me from a tst drive.

Will report in a bit.

Just in time for the nice weather

Enjoy the ride!

Did you get your test drive yet?

Yeah Matt I finally got to drive it yesterday. A few issues to work out but man it was an amazing feeling. The 405 is a beast compared to the 350 that used to sit under the hood. Every issue I fix brings me closer to how it truly feels and it feels GOOD.

Glad to hear that. I hope the bugs are just minor and they get worked out without any problems.

The biggest is exhaust leak. The header flanges haven't seasoned themselves flat yet and they still have just enough arc to let 2 - 3 exhaust ports leak.

At first I had massive leaks out of just #4 and #6, with a minor leak out of #8. With constant tightening, those leaks seem to have closed up as the flange went through a few heating and cooling cycles.

After day one of running and tuning however, the gasket on the driver's side suffered greatly and for day two I had massive leaks from #3 and #5 with a minor leak out of #7.

On day three, those leaks closed substantially but there are still some minor leaks on a few cylinders. I'm going to re-tighten again and get it through a few more heat cycles.

Finally, maybe tomorrow or Tuesday I'm going to replace both gaskets. Hopefully by then the flanges should be seasoned straight and everything will seal up and be leak free.

I'm a big advocate of tightening the header bolts before and after every heat cycle. Seasoning new headers sucks.

That's my biggest issue and even that isn't anything to worry over unless they just won't seal up.

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You'll get them to seal. Did you put the headers/pipes on as a whole unit, or the headers then the side pipes. I'm wondering if a bracket from the side pipe was pulling on the header not allowing it to seal proper.

What brand headers again?

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These are brand new Hooker side mount headers and side pipes.

I've never had a problem this bad, though I have dealt with the 'seasoning issue before where it takes a few heat cycles to get that flange to lay perfectly flat on the head.

You really have out done yourself on this one. I thought you did a kick ass job on my motor, but this thing is out of this world crazy! As usual, nice job DB............

Great work Matt! Hope to see it in person someday.

Thanks everyone. I took the Vette on a road trip this last weekend down to a large car show. It was a 1.15 hour drive and the Vette performed beautifully. Temps stayed between 200 and 210. Oil pressure was consistently around 60 unless at idle which was between 40 & 20.

The TH2004R lowered my 70 MPH RPMs from 3,000 to 2,000. The lockup functioned but I had it turned off. With it on the RPMs were in constant fluctuation. I'm guessing that when I sort that out the lockup will drop the 70 MPH RPMs down to around 1,700. I'm quite excited about that.

However, the new engine burns a lot more fuel than the old 350. I still averaged around 11 MPG even with the lower RPMs.

I still have some work to do but I would consider the trip a huge success. Being such a long project I'm really happy.

Thanks.

How was the show Matt? My family had a postponed Easter celebration in the Branson area all weekend, so I was out of town and didn't get to make it. The good news is that I saw you Thursday, ~6:30 by the Tan-Tar-A exit, you were heading North toward town on 54. Was that you? If so, car looked and sounded great!

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That might have been me alright. About that time I was heading back to the hotel after registering my car at the school which tops the strip.

There were quite a few C3s but I'm pretty sure I had the only black one with side pipes and chrome wheels.

Ironically, more people stopped to look at my Vette and ask the front desk at the hotel about my car, than at the show. LOL. The manager said the line was longer, of people asking who owned the black Vette outside, than the line for people checking in. I found that to be quite amusing.

Hey how was the show this past week-end? I was so looking forward to going, but things happened and was unable to get off work, someone beat me to the date and they won't let two people off at the same time. Any way hope you took some pics and can post them up.