Friday night I spent 4 hours putting the final assembly on the Zed, and doing new horns. Although the car was ready to start, sans coolant and oil, I was getting second thoughts about starting it without a few days to think of what I needed to do to complete.

Sat AM, my best man, Steve came over to be moral support and come to PW with me. We purchased a new oil filter, oil and coolant at Wally-mart, and headed back to the house.

Soldered a new connection to my oil pressure guage, and then filled up the coolant and oil. I really started chickening out and cranked the car to build oil pressure with the PCM fuse disconnected.

Put on my serp belt (which is nearly an inch too large due to the smaller alt. pulley), and cranked her up. The dayum car roared to life in the garage after a few cranks.

I shut it down, got out shaking that I couldn't believe it sounded so insanely bad ***, and we took off to find a proper belt. (I had no belt on the car at this time).

Wallymart near me DOES NOT have all their belts on display like they did 2 years ago.

Got back to the house and tried the old belt. Rolled the car out to the driveway and started it up. The belt wobbled but spun the alternator and didn't fly off at 3000 RPM.

The car built GREAT oil pressure immediately, and the air had all be bled out of the cooling system.

Words cannot describe what this cam sounds like. The car idles with the CUTOUT CLOSED (haven't opened it yet), like it did previously with the CUTOUT OPEN!

The lump is VERY noticeable and it bumps along nicely at idle. Give it a shot of gas, and holy cow does it sound UNREAL. A rev to 3000 rpm drops the idle to 600 RPM for a second and it bounces back up.

I stopped and started the car a few times to determine whether I'd have backfires, or a hard start due to the valves not being adjusted yet.

I am stunned at how well the car runs unadjusted! I need to find another serp. belt, adjust the valves and get it tuned. I've since started it up 3 or 4 times just to hear it.... dammit does it ever sound NUTS!

I PURPOSELY had a car at the end of the driveway so I wouldn't be tempted to drive the car with the belt and valves being the way they are, but my fiance left to get gas and the Zed was on the driveway last night...

Drove it down to the end of our street turned around and came back. VERY little cam surge in 1st gear around 1000 RPM. Got the revs to 2500 and shifted into 2nd, and the dayum car felt like it was ready to break loose from the chain I had on it, so I took my foot off the gas. This car is going to be insane.....

Dyno numbers will tell the final story (3 - 4 weeks).

I have a sound clip saved on my phone... listening to it...

... over and over and over and over...

Mods:

Comp 221/227, .542/.560 112
Pro Mag 1.6RR on 7.16th stud.
Comp R lifters.
Springs, lightweight locks and retainers.

 

I know exactly how you feel....just got done installing the forged 355 with XE 224/230 112lsa, bigger valves in the heads with a port and polish job, 1.6 RR.....i even did the same thing starting it and recording it on my phone to listen and let people hear at work i haen't drove it yet due to transmission problems but i get it back today.......cant wait

 

Wicked brother. Enjoy!!!

 

Im nearing completion of my cam and LT install, cant wait for that day