Questions on a new rebuild?

Just finished my 429 performance rebuild for my 75 Ford F250.

After adjusting the valves prior to starting using the 3 step method I experience that it
is very hard to turn the crank with a large cresent wrench. I did verify after each piston install that it
turned over easy before the next piston install.

I am assuming that the pressure that the springs place on the camshaft is the reason that turning the engine over is much more difficult.
I do not have plugs installed yet.

Am I correct?

Is there anything that I need to check?

Bob
Tucson

I experienced the same thing when I built my first FE engine and it freaked me out. I talked to someone who I hold in very high regard and was told that because of the setup I had built (essentially a completely stock rebuild), the ring pack and the cylinder finish was most likely causing the excessive drag. I also did some snooping around on the internet to see what others had to say and I found that I wasn't the only one who had experienced this on a FE, so I went with it.

Came time to fire the engine for the first time, it started right up, I broke in the cam, heat cycled it a few times, and that thing is still cruising around with no issues. I'm not sure if that's similar to a 385 series, but it could absolutely have something to do with what cylinder wall finish you went with and what type of rings. If you're sure all the measurements are correct and you know it was put together clean I'd say you're ok... but someone might come in here and correct me. We'll see.

Edit: some of what I read on the internet in various posts, guys were saying they had as much as 75 ft. lbs. drag torque and other people on the forum told him not to worry about it. The end result on that thread was a good one. I didn't have nearly that much resistance, but it wasn't easy to roll over by any means.

75truck wrote:Just finished my 429 performance rebuild for my 75 Ford F250.

After adjusting the valves prior to starting using the 3 step method I experience that it
is very hard to turn the crank with a large cresent wrench.  I did verify after each piston install that it
turned over easy before the next piston install.

I am assuming that the pressure that the springs place on the camshaft is the reason that turning the engine over is much more difficult.
I do not have plugs installed yet.

Am I correct?

Is there anything that I need to check?

Bob
Tucson

Very definitely, with the entire valve train installed and adjusted, especially with high pressure valve springs, can require a lot more force to turn the engine crankshaft.