Re: 1962 GMC 305V6 4WD Slow DD Build - Cecilia (Pic Heavy)
 

Ok, now go get the water hose and sprayer and get to spraying. WHOOSH!!!
All of the nooks and greasy crannies!


http://windypix.com/?dm=SAA6.jpg


Then get the battery tray really good. It looked like cookie monster had eaten dinner in mine. Crust and crumbs everywhere.


http://windypix.com/?dm=V9Q5.jpg


While you're at it, spray the outside black area too.


http://windypix.com/?dm=HUKL.jpg


And squirt the grasshoppers out of your radiator. Feed them to the cats.


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One more thing. You're bound to notice a little paint coming off. It's likely that this paint was flaky anyway and would fall off by itself. It's not from the simple green, more from the water pressure and lack of oil and grime holding it on anymore. Don't fret. Eventually we'll paint the engine anyway, right? (lofty goals!)


http://windypix.com/?dm=4YNE.jpg


And you might just get to see little treasures like this that have lived buried in muck for ages.


http://windypix.com/?dm=Q2OM.jpg


or this


http://windypix.com/?dm=GW1L.jpg

Re: 1962 GMC 305V6 4WD Slow DD Build - Cecilia (Pic Heavy)
 

Once it's good and clean as you like it you can start putting it back together again. A word of wisdom - it won't be spotless. The engine is 50 years old. If you want to get all of the dirt off you'll need to do some serious scrubbing or just dip it in a vat of cleaner. If you just want to knock some more dirt of of her you can repeat this process since you already have the alternator and battery out.

So to put her back together you just go find your alternator and put it back in the battery tray. Be careful not to bang the pulley side around on things or you can damage the windings and/or brushes inside. Be easy with it.

While it's in the battery tray you can re-attach the little wire on the back.


http://windypix.com/?dm=4FRB.jpg


Then set the alternator back in it's slot and run the long bolt and whatever stuff the PO put in there as a spacer. Remember that the larger bolt hole goes on the bottom, the smaller on the top.


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Now place the top alternator bolt in but don't tighten it just yet. Just run it in there snug.


http://windypix.com/?dm=MJ3B.jpg


Don't forget the plug in the top.


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Then slip the belt back on, making sure it is still on the other pulleys on the engine too.


http://windypix.com/?dm=86XS.jpg


Finally just tighten the belt. To do this you put a prybar (a crowbar in this case) between the engine and the alternator, prying it out until the belt is good and tight. Then you tighten the bolt on top. It's a little tough to do both at once but if you stand on the side of the truck and pull with both hands you should make it perfectly tight and keep it there. If you start the truck and it whines you'll know you didn't get it tight enough.


http://windypix.com/?dm=Y6N0.jpg


That's about it. You just washed your first engine. If you can do it, it's a good idea to let it dry for 24 hours before driving just in case you squirted water into the spark plug holes or something.

Now, don't worry if it didn't blind you with sparkly magical powers when you finished. It's not going to - it's 50 years old. You want a sparkly engine? You gotta scrub for that. Alot. My main goal was to kick the crud off so that it looks better and doesn't color me every time I lean over to fiddle with a spark plug wire.

Lessons Learned:

• You can reapply again and do it again. I tried it a second time and it had better results.
• Dirt is like an ogre. It has layers.
• Don't expect to strip it all off at once. Baby steps.
• Scrubbing an engine with paint on it can give you an engine without paint on it.
• Don't leave a 5 year old boy and a set of wrenches alone. Ever.

Re: 1962 GMC 305V6 4WD Slow DD Build - Cecilia (Pic Heavy)
 

Now we're going to change the temperature sending unit.
On Cecilia the factory gauge said COLD regardless of what was going on so I figured it was either dead or needed a new sending unit.

My first thing to do was FIND the sending unit. Yeah, I know! Stupid newbie with his lack of knowledge! I should go die in a hole or something, right?

Instead of dying in a hole I looked for wires that go to funny places under the hood. I knew it had to be on the engine somewhere and that lead me to the first obvious place.

This wire right here!

http://windypix.com/?dm=7IY2.jpg


And that lead me right to this! It's a sending unit! Woohoo!


http://windypix.com/?dm=JADF.jpg


Heck, that wasn't so hard at all. Feeling tough and awesome now I grabbed that wire and yanked it off of the top of the sending unit, cleaned it off, and started Cecilia again. No change. Yep, it's bad.

I left the key in the ON position and had my "powder puff mechanic" in the seat ready to yell if wiggling this wire might cause the needle to jump. But something else happened (stop me if you've heard this already...lol)

The oil light went off.

Yep.


I had found a sending unit, just the wrong one. Nice job eh?


Moving on, I then ran down another wire. This one went from the alternator tangle of wire spaghetti to the top of the engine and....Hey! Isn't that the thermostat right beside this wire? Well - bingo! That made more sense than one on the bottom of the engine after I thought about it.


http://windypix.com/?dm=RCPR.jpg



So I yanked that nasty old wire off and cleaned it up. Still no good. Time to replace it!

I ran down to NAPA and bought what was recommended for my 305 V6. Napa part number ECH TS6469.

I then removed the wire again:


http://windypix.com/?dm=6XS9.jpg


And removed the old sending unit. Coolant flowed out of it pretty nicely. And be careful, this is a knucklebuster of an area to turn a wrench.


http://windypix.com/?dm=UO54.jpg


Then I carefully screwed the new one in, taking care not to cross thread it.


http://windypix.com/?dm=VSD6.jpg


Then I realized that the new sending unit has a button top....Hmm....


http://windypix.com/?dm=14ZY.jpg

Re: 1962 GMC 305V6 4WD Slow DD Build - Cecilia (Pic Heavy)
 

If you have to change out the antifreeze, be sure you are prepared! The 305 holds 32 quarts of fluid. (8 gallons) when we swapped the heater hoses, I was not expecting that much fluid, so we were scrambling trying to find something to put it all in! What a mess!

Looking good so far!

Re: 1962 GMC 305V6 4WD Slow DD Build - Cecilia (Pic Heavy)
 

LOL! Thanks for the tip. I've heard that refilling them is like filling a swimming pool heh!

Re: 1962 GMC 305V6 4WD Slow DD Build - Cecilia (Pic Heavy)
 

To address the new button top problem we'll just make a new fitting using our trusty bag o' connectors.

Strip the wire and cut off the old connector (in opposite order!), like here:


http://windypix.com/?dm=1YEX.jpg


Then grab one of your spoon looking connectors that have curled sides ...


http://windypix.com/?dm=4PEY.jpg


And one of these pokey dikes things if you have one.


http://windypix.com/?dm=QI68.jpg


The same can be done with a pair of coat hanger wires if you dont. Or a fork. As a Scotsman I never see any need to spend money. It puts my kilt in a bunch.


http://windypix.com/?dm=NT7A.jpg




Poke them in the connector where the curls are like this and pry them open slowly, just a little, until they fit the top of your button.


http://windypix.com/?dm=TKLL.jpg


Then crimp it back on the wire. Squish Squish.


http://windypix.com/?dm=LV9B.jpg


Then just place it on your new sending unit. All done!


http://windypix.com/?dm=3IOB.jpg


Just start your engine. See if it works!


As for me, nothing ever works like it should so.....GREAT CAESAR'S GHOST!!!!!
SHE'S GONNA BLOW!!!


http://windypix.com/?dm=NISS.jpg







Of course that's not my gauge. I panicked too much to take a pic.


I shut her down and went into troubleshooting mode. Cool the engine, that takes what? Think McGuyver!
Water, oil, air. Ok, let's verify...

Check the water - I opened the cap and no boiling. Nothing funny.

I grabbed the infrared thermo gun that I bought because it was cool for AC troubleshooting...Toys rule :D

175 degrees. Hmm, what the heck? That's not hot at all.

Then I hit the internet and started searching.
Lo and behold, sending units have changed quite a bit since 1962. Who'da thunk it?

They now offer less resistance at lower temps than old gauges are used to seeing. The difference is about 32 ohms.

To compensate you need to add a resistor to the wire to keep them honest so that's what I did next. Oh, and just try finding a 32 ohm resistor at any retail store. You wont.


So I bought a pack of 33 ohm resistors from Rat Shack (radio shack) for 1.19. The guy there looked like he hated life and his job. He threw my receipt in the trash instead of handing it to me. :(

What's with lousy customer service anymore? No wonder the place was deserted.


Anyway, I got my resistors home and started photographing again.


http://windypix.com/?dm=XNWX.jpg


That's when I realized it said "47 Ohm" instead of 33. Someone had mixed up the resistor bin and I had looked at the label, not at the package. Dummy.


So I ran it back and tried to swap it out. Mr Personality was like, "You wanna what? Oh.....(long pause)...Do you have a receipt?"

"You threw it away".

"Oh, I did? (long pause again) Um.....I guess it's in here then."

He glanced toward the trash can.


As Mr Friendly dug through his trash I went to get the right package and rearrange all of the resistors back to their proper cubby slots because I didn't want someone else having the same problem.

Anyway (deep breath) back at the counter he found a receipt for a resistor. It's for a 100 ohm. Different date. "Uhkay here it is." I pointed out that it wasn't the right one, but he said it didn't matter. He just needed a reciept. I was done with the whole thing so I just let it go. Punk kids today. Ugh.

When I'm elected Dictator there will be a law against idocy....but I digress.


http://longship.ca/lupusinterrupted/...h_2-708732.jpg




Out the door I hobbled with my correct resistor in tow.


http://windypix.com/?dm=VZE6.jpg


I snipped the wire in two at a point that it was bare anyway from years of under-hood abuse.


http://windypix.com/?dm=N6UY.jpg


Then I attached a connector to it. Not pretty but we're going for drivability first, then pretty when we do a complete re-wire.


http://windypix.com/?dm=QJP3.jpg


Crimp the resistor on:


http://windypix.com/?dm=I1AR.jpg


Put on another connector for the other side


http://windypix.com/?dm=T0U9.jpg


Tie it to the existing wire. Then just plug it back on to the temp sending unit and we're off!


http://windypix.com/?dm=KBZQ.jpg



And after starting her up she needed some alone time to warm up and I needed some fuel. I went inside to make myself a very tasty egg and bacon burrito.


http://s3-media3.ak.yelpcdn.com/bpho...xW6TyeDQ/l.jpg



This is how she looked when I returned:


http://windypix.com/?dm=6D04.jpg



SUCCESS!!!!!
And the temp was confirmed by the infrared reading 160 on the head. Nice!

I went back and painted it with liquid electrical tape just to be safe until I do a re-wire.



Lessons Learned:

• My wires are old and corroded. This will need addressing next spring or so.
• Reproduction parts aren't as good as original.
• Look at what you're buying, even when you're in a hurry.
• Kids that hate their jobs should find new jobs. :me2:
• Bacon and egg burritos with guacamole are delicious on a cold day.

Re: 1962 GMC 305V6 4WD Slow DD Build - Cecilia (Pic Heavy)
 

I had the same problems w/my stepside rear fender bolts. I just drilled the heads out....10 min job.

Re: 1962 GMC 305V6 4WD Slow DD Build - Cecilia (Pic Heavy)
 

I always end up burning up my drill bits if I try to drill out bolts. Maybe I do it wrong?

I just put it against the bolt and get after it with steady pressure. It turns the bit blueish and often breaks the tips off.

Re: 1962 GMC 305V6 4WD Slow DD Build - Cecilia (Pic Heavy)
 

Well boys I finally found a doctor that would cut on me and leave my back alone so I went under the knife Thursday. Almost a week in bed at this point and missing working on Cecilia in this great weather we're having.
I hope to be back outside next week on crutches and maybe toodling around in the next 4 weeks.

Till then she's on hold.

Re: 1962 GMC 305V6 4WD Slow DD Build - Cecilia (Pic Heavy)
 

Hold is over, well kinda! I'm off the crutches but still gimpy. Might be that way forever, but hopefully not. Just have to see over the next few months. Today was so pretty we did a little fiddling around with her.

Now you might be asking yourself Ok, so what'd ya do?
I'd love to tell ya, but I've moved my build to the GMC V6 forum to support the GMCs!

If you're interested in how it's going just mosey on over to http://6066gmcclub.com/forum/showthread.php?t=47321 and check it out. Who knows, she could be running on water by and have wings by the time you're reading this!