Acquired a Mess 1980 K10
 

Hey Guys,

Just to start, this site and the contributors are AWESOME! Ive used this site as a resource many times in the past couple of weeks.

Here's the story. Acquired a 1980 k10 shortbox project that the previous owner got over his head on. Came with a basic 350 chev crate engine in the box of the truck, and the old engine out. Unfortunately, prev owner decided it was a good idea to cut most of the stuff away from the engine to get it out rather than disconnect.

I've slowly re-wired, and re-plumbed the engine bay, and have the engine dropped in. I've come across a few oddities that i haven't been able to solve as of yet.

1) Old engine had a mech fuel pump that i fit to the new engine, but it doesnt have a return fitting on it, even though the truck appears to have two lines on the frame rail. Did the prev owner swap in the wrong fuel pump at some time?

2) Single orange wire coming out of the firewall below the throttle linkage. It has a rubber "hood" on it similar to the oil press connection. No idea where this one goes as temp and oil are accounted for

3) Prev owner mounted the water pump on the new engine before i bought it, and i should have checked it before install i guess, but didnt. Started to fill up the rad yesterday, and it would start leaking out of what appears to be an empty mounting hole on the right side, right below the main mounting point of the pump. Hard to tell exactly where the water was coming from, but is there a passage i need to block there or is there something else im missing. Maybe just replace the gaskets and the pump to be safe?

4) Prev owner plumbed in a t vacuum fitting at the back of the intake, but I cant seem to figure out where the one side would service. I have the other side plugged in to the cruise control system, vac advance from the dist direct to the carb. I did notice a line coming from the trans that appears to be vacuum, but it was disconnected and crimped awhile ago by the look of it. Could that be the missing line for the other side of the T?


Any help or advice you guys could give me would be greatly appreciated

Thanks!

Re: Acquired a Mess 1980 K10
 

Welcome! If your not the first owner, or know the first owner, you stand a good chance the "chainsaw mechanic" got it at some point.

I'll try to help, but by the time I'm done typing, 4 other folks will probably reply. (I'm a little slow ;))

1) May not be a return line, but a vent to the charcoal canister?

2) Orange wire I'd have to trace (or one of the smart ones can chime in)
Just for giggles, what do you have for a trans?
3) I'd pull the pump and look, I don't believe that there's a port there. Thinking more like missing gasket or unsealed bolts.

4) what trans? Think that it does go to the trans if automatic.

Re: Acquired a Mess 1980 K10
 

#4: Yes, assuming it is an automatic trans. The small tube coming up from the trans needs to go to the vacuum source or it won't shift out of first gear.
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Re: Acquired a Mess 1980 K10
 

Orange wire is TH400 kick down signal wire. Goes from gas pedal to transmission.

Re: Acquired a Mess 1980 K10
 

Thanks very much for all the replies!

I knew I forgot a details...yes, auto trans, so that line will get some new plumbing and get connected to the extra vacuum source.

The orange wire would make sense for tranny as well. Probably a dumb question, but where is the sending unit on the tranny for this? I felt around both sides, and couldnt come up with a sending unit anywhere.

Fuel pump still concerns me a bit. There are two lines coming from the back of the truck, and both hoses end up right where I would expect for a source and return for the fuel pump. Did this year of truck come with a return line? None of my manuals have that info, and no one really talks about it that i can find.

Water pump leak is still a mystery. Need to find a buddy to watch while i pour fluid in to see if he can see the leak. It doesnt appear to be coming from any of the main mount points, as all those gaskets are dry and the bolts are tight. I'll continue to investigate that one

Re: Acquired a Mess 1980 K10
 

Hey Guys,

Just a quick update on the engine install. Found the leak from the water pump area. PO had partially installed too short bolt, and it was just sitting in the hole. Easy fix on that one!

Vacuum line and the orange wire seem to be related, so I had a question hopefully someone can help with. This truck has a cable kickdown, which I have attached to the edelbrock carb. If I have an orange wire, is it safe to say that the th400 with electronic kickdown, was swapped out for a th350 with cable? From what I've read, it seems I shouldn't have both

Now that the engine is all installed, I ran across the normal things requiring a bit of massaging. I bought an edelbrock throttle bracket kit to match the intake, but it seems the bracket sits too low and the kickdown/throttle don't line up in a way I would expect (steep angle). Does anyone happen to have a picture of a edelbrock intake and carb that I could use as reference or advice on this? I'm also having trouble finding a place for the return springs. Any suggestions on that front?

Thanks guys!

Re: Acquired a Mess 1980 K10
 

my 79 stock 305 has two line fuel pump
3/8 main.5/16 vent.1/4 was return from pump
my 78 stock 305 has one line pump

if its a th350 it will need that vac line to manifold
capped off is bad, can't be workin right
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