Test stand running 70's 350 water hook up

[salvageyard saviour]

Ok, it's not really a test stand. It's sitting with it's mounts on a heavy duty dolly.
I want to start it to test compression and adjust timing and rocker arms.
Question is; how to get water to it?
My idea is to connect a garden hose with a Y to both hoses at the back of the exaust manifolds. Will that be too much pressure?
Any suggestions for anything else?

 

[kenny nunez]

That will work, you may want to just watch that the water coming out the manifolds is about the same on both sides. Pinching off the discharge hose on the top of the thermostat housing will do that.
Use a Chevrolet service manual or the internet that shows how to adjust the valves without running the engine. That is the easiest, cleanest and best way.
That way you just have to run the engine to set the timing.

 

[salvageyard saviour]

Thanks for the reply,
Yes, the valves while running is messy
I went by the book after stem seal replacement, but when finding TDC, #1 exaust seemed a bit tight. I want to recheck after the run.

The main goal is the timing and once warmed up, the compression test.

I have an infrared temp sensor but I may wire an old Merc instrument cluster to it so I can get rpm and oil pressure

 

[salvageyard saviour]

Oops! Flooded the cylinders with water
The motor was not leveled, front was lower. Everything was fine at first with hose barely turned on but after getting bugs out of carb and thinking she was really going to start I turned the pressure higher.
There's a little hole in each elbow I guess for pressure bypass, the water must have swirled and ran back up to the front in the exaust manifolds. Made matters worse by turning the flywheel by hand and got water "blow by " into the oil.
Stripped the motor completely down to get all water out. Don't want any left in at all as it may sit for another year while I finish hull work.
Next time I'll start engine and turn water on immediately after

 

[kenny nunez]

I would start with a small amount of water to get the thermostat to open quicker then just a little more so that steam starts coming out with the water. That way if there are any oil leaks they will show.

 

[Bt Doctur]

My idea is to connect a garden hose with a Y to both hoses at the back of the exaust manifolds. Will that be too much pressure?

Thats where the water comes out not in.Connect a hose to the water INLET connection

 

[salvageyard saviour]

The 2 hoses are the small ones that go from the top of the intermediate housing to the side of the elbows. The first picture shows them. The big water/exaust hoses are attached to the flywheel cover, thought it would quieter with those installed.

 

[Bondo]

The motor was not leveled, front was lower.

Ayuh,...... Rule #1 with boats,...... Bow Up, Plug Out,......

 

[Scott Danforth]

garden hose to T-stat housing inlet bung

garden hose on full

start motor

 

[salvageyard saviour]

success
front of motor up higher than back, started motor then immediately started full water flow at Y connector. Temp reached about 180. Compression 145 on all but #1 135 (replaced cracked exaust valve on that one ,probably didn't hand lap enough)
idle is a little high, from drippy Qaudra jet, but got timing pretty close.
Very happy considering this thing hasn't ran in over 20 years and I repaired on the cheap

 

[kenny nunez]

success
front of motor up higher than back, started motor then immediately started full water flow at Y connector. Temp reached about 180. Compression 145 on all but #1 135 (replaced cracked exaust valve on that one ,probably didn't hand lap enough)
idle is a little high, from drippy Qaudra jet, but got timing pretty close.
Very happy considering this thing hasn't ran in over 20 years and I repaired on the cheap

 

[kenny nunez]

A drippy Quadrajet can be caused by a plugged air bleed in the Venturi. Or a vacuum leak also. A tiny piece of wire, carburetor spray or compressed air To clean it. Or if the idle is too high. Try to get the engine to idle as slow as possible when setting the timing. What is the timing set at, you might need to give it 2* more advance. Qudrajets like the idle mixture screws around 3 turns out from seated. The throttle stop screw should only be 1-1.5 turns from fully closed.

 

[salvageyard saviour]

Didn't get any gauges on it yet.
I'd guess it's idling about 7-800 and timing is just on lead edge of plate maybe 20 btdc.

The carb was a mess inside! The idle and air passages were plugged. Power pump was stuck. Cleaned it pretty good, but probably needs more. Used an acid cleaner but not a sonic bath.

Noticed the bushings for throttle plate rod is leaking. Will be doing a rebuild over the winter.