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Off Season Maintenance |
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WesternRed
AMC Addicted Joined: Aug/03/2010 Location: Australia Status: Offline Points: 5787 |
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Posted: May/28/2021 at 10:20pm |
So down here in the southern hemisphere, the local track has just closed for winter and won't reopen until September. I'm thinking I should be doing some maintenance tasks and I'm interested in what sort of intervals people run on the major stuff, running high 11's FWIW.
I have about 270 passes on the transmission, might have changed the oil once. I have around 200 passes on the engine since a basic rebuild. Major focus will be doing some rust repairs on the body, but I probably want to do some work on the heads for a little more power and maybe a cam swap. PB is 11.6 now and low 11's would be the target, so I don't want to go crazy as I will need a cage to go under 11.0. I'm thinking the engine could come out for a quick re-ring job and to check the condition of the bearings and other internals, it has a little blow-by at high RPM, which I think is to be expected. I'm not really up for a major rebuild at this time, although not sure how far I can push the factory rods and aftermarket cast pistons either. Transmission could probably use at least service, or is it time to tear it down to check the condition of bands and frictions, I'm not sure how long these things last in a racing environment? Maybe the convertor could use a tweak? |
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I've finally given up drinking for good...........now I only drink for evil.
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WesternRed
AMC Addicted Joined: Aug/03/2010 Location: Australia Status: Offline Points: 5787 |
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Just keep running it until she blows up then????????????
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I've finally given up drinking for good...........now I only drink for evil.
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mixed up
AMC Addicted Joined: Jun/16/2015 Location: Monroe mich Status: Offline Points: 2156 |
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the old saying if its not broke then dont fix it but you could run a compression test to see if any attention is needed . i would do normal oils and filter changes and any up grades and that would be it
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69 amx 290 auto
65 220 290 4spd 80 ford fairmont |
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PROSTOCKTOM
Supporter of TheAMCForum Joined: Jun/20/2010 Location: Indiana Status: Offline Points: 2427 |
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Not to be negative, but at the times you're running I think fluid changes is all I would worry about along with checking the valve springs. When you service the transmission and the fluid is red and you have little to no dust in the pan there is no need for overhauling it yet. If you don't already have a magnet in the pan place one in there when your're doing the service.
Tom
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Molnar Technologies Full Service Dealer - Crankshafts & Connecting Rods
1969 AMC Rambler Rouge Race Car 1974 AMC Hornet Hatchback, Wally Booth Outlaw Nostalgic Pro Stock Race Car Project |
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WesternRed
AMC Addicted Joined: Aug/03/2010 Location: Australia Status: Offline Points: 5787 |
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I wouldn't call that being negative Tom, that's probably a good thing. I have brought a deep pan for the transmission, so dropping the pan and checking what's in the bottom seems like the best advice there as part of the process of changing the pan.
I did have a boresope down the plug holes recently and thought it might be burning oil on a couple of cylinders. I'm thinking the heads will come off to either do a bit more work on them or to install the Edelbrock heads I have. Seems I am at the limit of the current valve springs even after shimming them (Comp 926-16), so probably need to machine the guide bosses for positive seals and put some dual springs on as a minimum.
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I've finally given up drinking for good...........now I only drink for evil.
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mixed up
AMC Addicted Joined: Jun/16/2015 Location: Monroe mich Status: Offline Points: 2156 |
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now your on the right path to a faster car with the head work and cam
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69 amx 290 auto
65 220 290 4spd 80 ford fairmont |
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PROSTOCKTOM
Supporter of TheAMCForum Joined: Jun/20/2010 Location: Indiana Status: Offline Points: 2427 |
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Tom
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Molnar Technologies Full Service Dealer - Crankshafts & Connecting Rods
1969 AMC Rambler Rouge Race Car 1974 AMC Hornet Hatchback, Wally Booth Outlaw Nostalgic Pro Stock Race Car Project |
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WesternRed
AMC Addicted Joined: Aug/03/2010 Location: Australia Status: Offline Points: 5787 |
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That's what I'd be hoping for, now that I understand that I was having a valve float issue, shimming the springs has only shifted the point of valve float up maybe 200 rpm and not eliminated it, so it does need a better solution. I also know I left a bit on the table when I ported the heads, so there is a little bit to gain there if I decide to stick with the iron heads.
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I've finally given up drinking for good...........now I only drink for evil.
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mbwicz
Supporter of TheAMCForum Joined: Feb/20/2019 Location: Buffalo, NY Status: Offline Points: 1983 |
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Not sure what brand cam you have, but its probably not a bad idea to reach out to their tech department to see what springs they recommend. There may be a beehive or other spring that may be a better match for your application. Worst that can happen is that they confirm the dual springs that you were planning on.
Mike
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1970 AMX, one step forward, one step back. Both steps cost time and money.
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WesternRed
AMC Addicted Joined: Aug/03/2010 Location: Australia Status: Offline Points: 5787 |
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Cam is a mystery re-grind from a local workshop, it didn’t even come with lift and duration specs let alone spring recommendations. Seems to work well enough, somewhere around 230 @ 0.050” and 0.540” lift with 1.7 rockers from my measurements.
I’m thinking beehive springs would need to same mods to the valve stem seal area as dual springs?
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I've finally given up drinking for good...........now I only drink for evil.
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