What’d you work on today?

[kmakar]

Had some issues with the timing of the '66, always timed by ear and feel but when I removed the engine for the clutch replacement, clean up and new paint, I used a dead stop to locate TDC, which was approx. 16 degrees off.......the reason why I never used a timing light. This may be due to the Scat crank and factory balancer. I never verified tdc during the assembly....duh. Anyway, a few days ago I got to moving the timing around when major bad noises came from the starter.....so I tried to bump the engine by breaker bar on the balancer bolt, no giv. So I pulled the plugs and tried again, no giv. Finally I decided to bust the starter loose, and found this.......chinese crap!!
Motor spins nicely now, but waiting on a starter. Very frustrating as I'm just trying to wring out some issues before I list it for sale and fighting the clock a bit trying to list it before the summer.

Had the same thing on the MF tractor. Was kinda shocked, but not so much now. Never seen that happen before unless the starter had been dropped.

 

[cheveslakr]

No drop, just minimal usage and all sounded like a healthy engagement.

 

[SSuperDave]

I had a starter do that once and found out I had 55 degrees of timing and it kicked it back. Still not sure how that happened...

 

[Nashville Cat]

No drop, just minimal usage and all sounded like a healthy engagement.

Have you ever tried the new gear-reduction starters that GM switched to for the last BBC's ?
I think 2001-2006 trucks with 8.1 L BBC

2002 CHEVROLET EXPRESS 3500 8.1L V8 Starter Motor | RockAuto

RockAuto ships auto parts and body parts from over 300 manufacturers to customers' doors worldwide, all at warehouse prices. Easy to use parts catalog.

www.rockauto.com

Yesterday I changed the spark plugs in my Rav4 and stupidly assumed they were 5/8" deep well socket.
NOPE, they are 14mm (~9/16).
The 5/8 socket went down in the spark plug hole and wouldn't come out ! Spent 1-1/2 hours getting the damn thing out. Even a strong magnet wouldn't pull it out !
I made a hook on the end of some all-thread rod and pulled it out.

Today I painted the front porch stair rails and balluster posts. Bought Gloss Duration paint on sale for $70 gallon ! Ouch

 

[cheveslakr]

I'm fairly certain I was too far advanced. I have a method, right or wrong on setting static timing on a points dist. before start-up, since I pulled the dist. for a manifold re-seal. I put the pointer on 16 btdc on #1 comp. stroke, then with cap off, check continuity across the points and rotate from a retarded position counterclockwise until points break, or continuity fails. This is close if not perfect. This time I didn't follow my tried and true, but just set it close to where I pulled the dizzy, and it barely started and wouldn't run right........so I advanced it a few degrees and bleweey.

The engine is a 400 internal balanced Scat crank coupled to a T56 tranny with Centerforce conversion 158 tooth flywheel. I have to run a '93-97 Lt1 starter.....cheapest one is $80 @ Rockauto. Local parts houses want $200 for a reman.

 

[Shovelrick]

I'm fairly certain I was too far advanced. I have a method, right or wrong on setting static timing on a points dist. before start-up, since I pulled the dist. for a manifold re-seal. I put the pointer on 16 btdc on #1 comp. stroke, then with cap off, check continuity across the points and rotate from a retarded position counterclockwise until points break, or continuity fails. This is close if not perfect. This time I didn't follow my tried and true, but just set it close to where I pulled the dizzy, and it barely started and wouldn't run right........so I advanced it a few degrees and bleweey.

The engine is a 400 internal balanced Scat crank coupled to a T56 tranny with Centerforce conversion 158 tooth flywheel. I have to run a '93-97 Lt1 starter.....cheapest one is $80 @ Rockauto. Local parts houses want $200 for a reman.

I was showed how to do that using a spare motorcycle tail light in 1982 after I bought a 67 C10 with a 307 & 3 on the tree that wouldn’t start for $135, a riding friend said “Got an old tail light around?” and Wham had a running truck

 

[Shovelrick]

Got done with work a little early so went over to the Chevelle to change the oil but before starting it to warm the oil up I figured I’d pull the dip stick to check level and give it a wiff and found it about 1 Qt over full so decided to come back after it cools down (didn’t happen home chores lol) but I guess it’s the Holley 12-454-13 FP so going to put the other FP I have on and change oil to some less expensive 10w30 and see if gas gets in the oil again, if so it has to be the 2nd carb? Be kinda strange though 2 carbs dumping fuel, must of deleted the pic

 

[Shovelrick]

Dumped the VR1 with gas in it today, at least 1qt more in the oil, IIRC I only put 5 qts in last oil change and it’s a 6 qt pan but my builder rec’d not filling it since in his opinion the engine didn’t like the Summit/Moroso pan, we dynoed starting with 5 qts then added another half qt but he said run 5 so I do, dip stick was about a qt over Full, 5 QTs in dry pan put it at the Add mark and once started will probably need a little more added since I forgot to put oil in the filter before I put it on, I went a little over board with Moly paste when I put the hyd roller cam & lifters in and now I’m wondering if that’s really what’s causing the oil to turn so black?, I put a Walmart ST5 filter on it $3.45 and don’t look much diff on the inside as the $14 Napa Gold, same looking filter material and pleats but the holes are a tad smaller and a little bigger than a 1069 but about same size as a 1061 Napa filter only $10 less, still waiting on the new Holley 12-454-13 FP from Summit, this oil only had somewhere around 50 miles on it I Googled who makes Super Tech filter and read Wix were involved and thought then read on and article said Stay Away from these so glad I’mjust using this filter and oil Temp, but looking inside each filter the pleats and material looked the same only the holes were just a little smaller and I don’t think enough to matter and that person that wrote the article could be full of shit too, Champion is the actual mfg of Super Tech filter and Wix helped them in development so ??

 

[77cruiser]

I think the moly paste will make the oil look bad. You don't need it with a roller though.

 

[Shovelrick]

I’ve been reading and watching YouTube vids about Walmart Super Tech filters made in USA well at least 90% and think I’m going to start using them regularly, seem well made and comparable to Napa Gold but $10 less

 

[kmakar]

Bears noting, but I'll wait for others to test it out first.

 

[Richard150MPH]

Buddies T-Bucket, finally made it around the block.
The 327 seems a bit lazy on acceleration.
Distributor is an HEI, timing set at 8º advance with vacuum disconnected.
Engine is a warm 327 with single plane intake and Holley double-pumper that has been pro-rebuilt and hot tested on an engine after.
Typical T-Bucket roadster exhaust with short "Muffler" inserts.
Trans is some sort of trick slap-shift automatic based on a turbo 350.
Tomorrow we will try to rebuild the sticking rear brakes.
I would like better response from the engine, it is just not snappy as I would expect.
Suggestions?

 

[Nashville Cat]

Buddies T-Bucket, finally made it around the block.
The 327 seems a bit lazy on acceleration.
Distributor is an HEI, timing set at 8º advance with vacuum disconnected.
I would like better response from the engine, it is just not snappy as I would expect.
Suggestions?

Most people use more aggressive timing, like 20 degrees mechanical and 16 initial for 36 total.
The vacuum can should be limited to 10-12 total.
Is the double pumper a 650 ? 750 might be too big for a 327

 

[77cruiser]

Limit the advance in the dist. & bump the initial up a bit 18/18 if has a bit of cam.

 

[kmakar]

My suggestion is advance the timing, then check the carb to make sure it's not running too lean.

 

[cheveslakr]

 

[Derek69SS]

Bought this yesterday

 

[cheveslakr]

is that the 138 car, the L78 mate to the engine you found?

 

[Derek69SS]

is that the 138 car, the L78 mate to the engine you found?

yes.

Original SS396 bench seat 4spd. Not sure what engine it had, but assumed to be low HP 396 since it was 3.31-open coded axle housing. Only has 1 fuel line, but clips on frame are for dual lines.
Fathom Blue/Medium Teal interior. Bench seat is gone, but comes with 2 sets of buckets. '66 seats in it, and a set of '68 seats all redone with new Legendary covers ready to go in. New Legendary recovered back seat and new door panel set too.

Car is pretty solid for Minnesota. Had some rust repair with bondo in the rear wheel arches done prior to previous owner buying it in 1975. L78 swap was done before then also.
It hasn't been driven winters since then. Sat in damp storage the last 2 years and everything got pretty crusty underneath.

I'll put some effort into cleaning up underneath, putting the new interior in it, and swapping a later 454 in it to make it a good driver, then sell it.

 

[kmakar]

Maybe a dumb question, but why wouldn't you put the mating engine in, then sell it for even more as a matching numbers?