I've been driving this for a week now, and it is a big improvement over the old engine. Hills that I lost speed on, I can gain, although slowly. Better on fuel. Smoother. No wonder I loathed that engine at the last of it. If you guys feel your stock, heathy 223 it slow, you would have to experience my old one to understand my amazement. No doubt this current engine is down on power a bit, but I'm sure my snowblower engine would give the last one a run for it's money. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" />
I changed the oil and filter this morning, and had a chance to check the valves. They were a bit loose, nothing like the old powerplant the first time I checked them. I also installed the intake silencer and pipes that were on the parts truck, and that made it more quiet again by quite a bit. So much so that the four speed isn't as annoying as it was, though the 5 spd is going back in it anyway. I am going to work on the tranny tomorrow.
Oh yea, the glow plugs worked fine. I was sure I would have to get a couple of new ones, but nope. It still needs a timing belt, for reliability's sake (and mine <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/ignore.gif" alt="" />).