Passenger side header during break in. #6 looks dead

 

#3 plug after 25 min break-in. Looks like it was sparking to one side.

 

Drivers side header during break in. #3 looks dead

 

Just for comparison, #1 plug after break in

 

Haven't read your thread in detail, but looking at the pics of your old rod bearings and this picture makes me wonder if water is getting into your oil somehow...via a cracked or warped block or head, The reason being is that the ~scoring on your bearings could be due to dilution of the oil and heat/pressure causing the water to turn to vapor and decrease the lubricity of the oil film on the bearings.

 

those plugs look awfully white. red hot header tubes. high idle. = vacuum leak?

 

#6 and #3 are not burning for some reason. Look for ignition wire short circuit and double check firing order. #3 and #6 are next to each other on the cap in the firing order.

Are those the 2 cylinders the ones that lost rocker arms???

You have a 6 cylinder engine as it looks from here.

 

...yeah, that would be the worst case scenario. I really hope that isn't the case, and that the oil looks that way because of the white lithium assembly lube.
I had the block and heads professionally magnafluxed, but I guess there is always a chance they missed something, or that this happened when the 2 rockers became loose.
I really hope not, especially since the temperature gauge never went above 180-190. I also checked the water level in the radiator after the break in, and it looked all the way full. I couldn't put any more water in.

I'm going to put the oil into a milk jug and see how it separates; if it is water there should be some clear separation if left to settle and hopefully it will be an indicator.

 

What would cause an ignition wire to short circuit?

The rockers came loose on #6 and #4, I can't remember now if it was exhaust or intake valve on each. So maybe it caused something on #6, but it stil doesn't explain what happened on #3.
I want to believe that didn't cause the cloudy oil or dead cylinder issue, but I'm obviously being optimistic.

I fired it up again last night, after changing the plugs (Delco R44LTS gapped at 0.045) on #3 & #6, verifying the firing order, and making sure I didnt get mixed up with the wires. It still seems to be not firing in those cylinders. I was hoping it was something simple...
I put the timing light on the wires going to cylinders 6 & 3, and both made the light flash, although this was connecting the timing light probe pretty close to the distributor. Since it was running at this point, I didnt remove the plug and check for visual spark against the block. It could be that somehow the ignition wire has a break closer to the plug, but it seems like a low possibility. The wires don't look burned or damaged.
The more I think about it and look at the first plugs I put in, the plugs look like they are trying to fire. Right?
Would closing the gap to 0.035 help?
If I can't figure it out I'll swap wires with another cylinder to hopefully rule that out.

I'll disconnect all other ignition wires other than #3 and #6 and check for visual spark tonight.

Just so I'm not crazy, firing order below.

 

I also opened up the valve covers again, and bumped the starter over a few times to check the valves are opening and closing. (With the main ignition wire going to the dizzy disconnected). The rockers didn't seem too loose either.

I double and triple checked the valve lash before, but I'll check again on those cylinders to make sure I didn't over tighten them, leaving one of the valves slightly open, and thus low compression.
During break in and last night there was back firing occurring.
When the 25 minutes of break in were over, I turned the carb idle screw back out to lower the rpm, as I didn't want to turn the ignition off with the carb butterflies open, and when I did this it backfired up the carb and out the exhaust.
Last night I tried to start it without the intention of it going up to 2000 rpm right way, but it just wouldnt start without opening the carb butterflies quite a bit. It backfired up the carb when I tried this, but once i opened up the carb butterflies a bit more it started up.

I'll also check the cranking compression on those 2 cylinders after verifying valve lash to make sure they are getting compression.


I really hope I didnt just ruin this engine I spent all this time and money on. ugh.
Any other advise is greatly appreciated.

 

If you close the gap and they start firing correctly you may have a weak coil.

 

Are you sure you are not 180 Deg out..It will run like that but not good. The back firing issue is a sure sign of being 180 out. By the looks of how you have the dizzy stabbed in the picture doesn't seem to be in the right location. I know you can make No 1 plug fire anywhere on the dizzy, but why not set it up like it should be.

 

Its not always the wires getting mixed up. Looking at your cap #3 and #6 criss cross over each other. Not much you can do about that...maybe reposition? Not saying that's the issue but hey, you never know.

 

Valve lash too tight? Pop out intake and exhaust. Need a compression check.

Distributor looks like it is clocked funny to me. Not saying it will not run there where it is but I would re-clock it to be more like it was originally.

 

As long as you are going to do a piston stop test, and re-clock all the wires, I would also check the wires with an Ohm-meter. They can break internally and not fire well and you would never know by looking at them. Much better than looking for sparking in the dark. Could be #3 & #6 are broken.

But I also agree the distrib could be 180 degrees out.

 

Maybe I'm over thinking this, but if I were to set the valve lash so tight that the hydraulic spring is fully compressed and the rocker is slightly compressing the valve spring, this would mean the valve is always just a little bit open.

I agree with you though, backfiring seems like a compression issue.
Could this be a result of installing the crank sprocket advanced, advancing the cam timing?
If the cylinders come back with low compression, is there anything else I can do, other than tear it down again?

 

If your distributor is 180 off you would be firing #6 when #1 is at tdc.
That could be why you are getting the backfire through the carb.
Once you get #1 tdc on the "compression stroke and not the exhaust stroke", pull the cap and verify the rotor is at the #1 position.
Another thing to check is to make sure there are no cracks in the distributor cap.

 

just to be clear, the backfiring only happens at low rpm, when trying to start the car or turning the car off.
i was able to bring the engine up to 2500 rpm during the break in period, and could have gone higher.
I'll be honest, I've never seen an engine 180 degrees off, but i would think that would not be possible.

I'll check compression on #3 and #6 tonight, but I'm afraid of what the result will be.

 

Check compression on ALL the cylinders so you can compare them. You might just be a little tight on the lash.

Ignition problem seems more likely to me as a guess from here. Measure Ohms across the wires from cap end to plug end.

 

It doesn't work that way. I'll try my best...

Set 'lash' when lifter is at base of cam lobe. Lash can be over tightened without opening the valves because there's very little pressure on the base of lobe. Once the lifters pump up with oil the valves may not close.