Rock n Race 2019 348/409 class

Phalen409

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 6
This "on the road again" journey has 3 separate stories. 1st part..............car ran .....OK......not good, but OK and progressively deteriorated to the point I was backing out of the Dragway 42 event. Very aggressive battery drain......easy start, but ran rough.......disturbing metallic sound, etc. ALL beyond my pay grade to solve. I called Carl McQuillen to ask a few questions and he suggested that I bring it to him to look at. Arrived there today at 8:14 am. Battery drain......defective (but new) voltage regulator. Carl had one .....problem solved.

Carbs looked good and no debris in bowls.

Decided to look at distributor and reposition the vacuum advance so I could get a wrench on the lock collar bolt (Tough on a Z-11 Intake). Decided to look at the Rev limiter on the Pertronix and noticed the red indicator light would not come on when checking the limiter setting. So.....a new Pertronix goes in......Tweak plug wires and in with new plugs....and bingo......starts right up.
....HOWEVER....metallic sound is quite clear now.

Off with the valve covers............No. 7 exhaust valve spring in pieces!!!!!.......Rocker a bit dinged.....valve spring seat a little beat up on lower RH quarter. But.....valve is good!! Cylinder leak down was perfect. ........Held @ 90. .......No damage!!!!

Replaced ALL valve springs with a little beefier set.

Carl takes me to lunch while the new springs are being installed and tuning is done.

This is much too long a story to tell you that a Pertronix can fail gradually. It is not necessarily an "either it works or you get nothin" as most folks have told me. The engine is VERY much an animal, now since Carl and Chris have done their magic.

It would have a bad day if the Z-11 had bitten the dust. Thanks to Carl......it still lives!!!

I cannot thank Carl McQuillen enough for INSISTING to bring the car in, and his crew (esp. Chris) for taking the time to help this less skilled mechanic solve several discouraging problems. Carl is a true gentleman to take the time out of his day to help me thru this!!! Totally unselfish in sharing his knowledge and help me sort thru the BS and answered all my foolish questions with patient explanation. Thanks Carl McQuillen!!!

Now......OFF to the ROCKIN' RACE


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