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Shawn
Gen III
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6/11/2001
12:53:51

Subject: Dak died, need help
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Ok folks, This is long but I REALLY need some help. I bought and received 7.1 Crower Roller Rockers, MP HP Springs, MP HP Pushrods, MP HP Guide plates, and a new set of Silver Mopar valve covers.

Well, all is well. Setup my shop bench with ALL the new parts layed out and very organized, I had all my parts. Prep the car, disconnect the negative n batt terminals. Tied the wiring harnesses and removed the current valve covers. I pull the valve cover, marked the Valves that seemed to be pushed down for later reference.
I removed all old rockers and rods, then used a Craftsman overhead valve compressor to remove the others in the following fashion:
Pull plug for the cylinder of the 2 valve I’m removing and replaceing, insert Air 5/8’s compressor fitting. Connect to Air, compress old spring and retainers, get retaining clips out of each one then do the other valve for that cylinder. I compressed the new mopar springs/retainers and drop them on, put in the retaining clips and removed the spring tentioner. Did this for all 16 valves, moving the air to which ever cylinder I was working on.
Next I put a little thread lock on the crower studs, torque them to 26’#’s for good measure.
Now I put the roller rockers on and hand tighten the 9/16’s retaining nut, turn the engine over (no wires and the coil wire was off. Went back and tightend all of them again, reapted this 18-20 times till I was SURE they were on there and there was 0 lash.
Next I installed the Crower retaining screws and tightened them.
Popped the new Valve covers and gaskets on, put a few bolts in, put all the spark plug wires back on (In order, quadruple checked), made sure all was clear, everything was connected properly, including the coil wire, and nothing else was in the way. Then…….
I tried to fire her up. Ran the starter for 5 second intervals and after 3 tries waited a while to make sure I didn’t fry my starter too. The damn thing won’t start, it turns over, doesn’t even rumble like it wants too, I can smell a little gas after doing this a while so I know she is getting fuel. But I can’t get her to run. So, I thought the coil free arching earlier might have been the problem, so I switch to a BRAND new MSD SS Coil and have the same results. I sat and check everything over and over but can’t find anything wrong.
I know you guys can help get me running again! Any ideas???
Thanks,

Shawn
98 5.2L4x4 CC
PowerDyne @ 10PSI
Gibson Dual Cat Back
JBA Ceramic Headers
And a lot of other goodies

Jason
Dodge Dakota
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6/12/2001
20:13:53

RE: Dak died, need help
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Get a cheap circuit tester. Looks like a screwdriver with a point instead of a blade, and has a wire with a clamp on it. Hook the clamp up to your engine block or some other ground. Then stick the pointed end into one of the sparkplug wires (not through the wire! just unhook it from the plug and stick it up inside where the contact is). Have someone turn over your engine. If you see the circuit tester light up (it has a small light bulb in the handle), then you got fire. If not, work your way back to the coil. I am sure you made sure the coil was wired correctly. You may need to reset your PCM, or possibly replace a fuse or relay that may have fried for your ignition. Sounds definately like you are not getting fire. Hope you get it fixed.



Shawn
Gen III
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6/12/2001
21:02:46

RE: Dak died, need help
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Well,
She's alive again;-). I sort of mixed all the instructions that I received from everyone on the DML. Here is the way that finally worked best for me.

1) Pop the spark plugs out, take off the valve covers, zip tie the radiator hose and heater core hose out of the way.
2) Take all the Hex nuts out of the 9/16's lock down nuts, put them all in a magnetic dish if you have one.
3) Rotate the alternator pulley counterclockwise while facing the engine, keep going until the Intake valve on cylinder 1 compresses and then releases and the Exhaust valve compresses and releases, turn the alternator a bit more but the valves your working on shouldn't move anymore.
4) Unscrew the 9/16's roller rockers until COMPLETELY loose. Then, tighten the 9/16's on these two valves until there is no more up and down movement on the pushrod and you can barely turn the pushrod, using a 9/16's wrench hold the it in place while you put the locking nut into place then lock it down making SURE not to tighten the 9/16's anymore. Do this same thing for the other valve on the cylinder your working on.
5) I chose to keep turning the alternator until cylinder 3 compressed the intake, then exhaust, then they leveled out and I adjusted them. You could just go to the next cylinder in the firing order but I wanted to do the whole drivers side first starting at Cylinder number 1, then I did 3, 5, and 7. Went to the passenger side and did 2, 4, 6, and 8.
6) With the coil grounded I turned the engine over for 10 seconds, waited, then turned it over for another 10-15 seconds. Wash, rinse, repeat.
7) I started at cylinder #1 again by turning the alternator and rechecked every valve, found a couple that were to tight or to loose and fixed them.
8) Did step 6 and 7 again until everything was perfect.
9) Buttoned everything up, put the plugs back in, wired it, got rid of the zip ties, air hat on, and......
10) Fired it up. Tap tap tap, let her go for a minute, shut her off for a few then fired her up again. After about 4 times the tap's were completely gone.

Many thanks to everyone for their help on this. I know some of you are building web sites with this information, I am as well as time permits. All of your help was invaluable to me. I'm not stupid, I've just never touched the valve train before, a web site with this info will save others many a headaches in the future. I ended up tearing the top off the motor 4 times to get this right.

Thanks everyone,
Shawn
98 5.2L 4x4 CC
Crower 1.7's;-)


Shawn
98 5.2L4x4 CC
PowerDyne @ 10PSI
Gibson Dual Cat Back
JBA Ceramic Headers
And a lot of other goodies

Blizzard
Gen III
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6/12/2001
21:41:58

RE: Dak died, need help
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Message:
Nicely done, Shawn! Good job!

'01 QC 4x4
5.9L, 3.92 LSD, loaded
www.geocities.com/blizzzzard69

Chuck
Dodge Dakota
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6/12/2001
23:46:05

RE: Dak died, need help
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Shawn, my 93 5.2 is going back together after a total overhaul and I too have a set of the 1.7:1 rollers from crower. I bought into the "uses existing pushrods and springs" business until I read about others who've had problems and so now I'd like guideplates and pushrods but crower wants TOO DAMN MUCH! How much were they from MP? Part numbers?
Thanks



Shawn
Gen III
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6/13/2001
09:29:25

RE: Dak died, need help
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Marty ay KRC hooked me up. I didn't get guideplates, I wished I had. The rods I got are the EXACT same length as the old ones. I don't think I would waste the money on rods, plates, and springs unless you go with the longer rods. Check Marty out at http://members.spree.com/business/krcperform/.


Shawn
98 5.2L4x4 CC
PowerDyne @ 10PSI
Gibson Dual Cat Back
JBA Ceramic Headers
And a lot of other goodies

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