$2000 budget to start

[Dad's72]

Originally Posted by In The Ten Ring

For his sake and mine, which way does the oil pump need to be turned, clockwise or counter clockwise?


Back to your plans:

Call the local radiator shops and see if they can clean up your fuel tank. (Although I think buying a new tank is cheaper).

Buy a Harbor Freight tube bender. I got mine from ebay.com. You can get Poly Armor fuel line from NAPA. You'll also need a tube cutter, Lowe's has those for cutting copper pipe.

I used the screw down hose clamps over the spring kind.

You'll also need a flare kit. I used a Craftsman model from Sears.

To flare your lines you'll also need a bench vise. I bubble flared all my ends.

I also put in a manual fuel shut off valve behind the seat. I messed up and put it down too low, so I'll have to redo that.

As you can see, this isn't going to be a quick or cheap job but if you take your time and get as much info before you buy or do anything, you'll be OK in the long run.

We want to help you!

*In fact, you and I should hang out sometime: both of our trucks came from 1972 and our dads.

Good question. I just assumed turning it to the right. I'll look on youtube to see if there are any videos on it.

[Dad's72]

Originally Posted by Coley

Sounds like you are good to go so far....and you should be set to handle everything that this start-up/roadworthy stuff is about.
One thing to consider is giving it a simple compression test to see if things are looking generally positive in terms of the engines internal condition.
I would think that you would want to see about 130psi or higher in all cylinders.
All Good
Coley

If I am going to spend that kind of money and get a new tank I would get a tank that mounts under the bed. I saw one in the LMC catalog for around $269 with sending unit and mounting hardware.

Not sure how to do that. Anything special to buy in order to do so? I'll check youtube to see if there are any videos on checking the compression.

Do y'all think the piston rings would be okay after all these years?

[67ChevyRedneck]

Clockwise.

[Dad's72]

Do y'all think it would be beneficial to drop the oil pan and clean out all that old gunk that may be in there? I am not sure what 20 year old oil will look like but I am pretty sure it won't all come out the drain plug. I am just worried about the pick up getting clogged up with sludge. What are the opinions out there?

[Mike C]

I'd get it running. Change the oil, then decide if you need to throw more money at it. My truck sat from 1998 until 2012 and doesn't appear to suffer any more than leaky old gaskets.

[Coley]

Originally Posted by Dad's72

Do y'all think it would be beneficial to drop the oil pan and clean out all that old gunk that may be in there? I am not sure what 20 year old oil will look like but I am pretty sure it won't all come out the drain plug. I am just worried about the pick up getting clogged up with sludge. What are the opinions out there?

Every step like that is beneficial...but 'dropping the pan' is not as easy as it sounds. You can't take it off with the engine bolted down into position....with the motor in position all you can do is just lower it a little bit, which is not going to lend itself to cleaning it.
To fully remove it, I think you will have to undo the engine mount brackets, exhaust, transmission mounts, etc to lift it up high enough off the cross member to get the pan to slip past the crankshaft which half hangs below the block/pan mount line..

On the other hand, some guys may have simply 'released' the pan from the block and found enough space to reach in from the sides and clean the pan?....tough to successfully get the pan gasket back on tho' perhaps...not sure.
Perhaps some of the other members can weigh in on this possible process....

All Good
Coley

[Ft.ValloniaStreaker]

I wouldn't worry about the sludge, after your get it running and change the oil use, a couple quarts of transmission fluid instead of oil and you'll clean things up on a short oil change around 2-300 miles. Let that motor smoke and get hot, if it is covered in grease and grime your better off because its been sealed up.

[Myoldtruck]

Keep it simple. Like others suggested, replace spark plugs, confirm you have spark from the distributor to the plugs. run a temporary rubber fuel line from inlet of fuel pump to a one gallon can of fresh gas. start the motor.

its a chevy small block, its going to run. might smoke some but it will run.

If no knocking from the engine. continue on with the complete flush/tuneup/rubber parts replacement.

Im going thru this now with my 70 c/10. Fix for two weeks, drive for 4 days, fix for two weeks, drive for 3 days. I think im winning the battle.

[Dad's72]

I got to work on the truck a little last night. I thought I had the starter fixed and ended up breaking another wire connection. Quick trip to AutoZone and was able to get it fixed up and reinstalled.
I put in a new cap and rotor on the distributor and got some plugs. I poured a little oil down each cylinder bore. I was able to crank the motor over by hand so that is a good sign. I also got the oil pump primed. I am hoping today I can get the carburetor installed and hooked up, throw in a battery, reinstall the plugs, and see if she'll run on her own.
If it starts and will run then I will start changing all the fluids and hoses. I ended up getting a little more budget freed up so my goal is to get it running good then make it safe by redoing all the brake systems and suspension. That will probably take up all my budget for this year. But at least I will be able to drive it. I must admit that I am starting to get excited about the truck again. Felt good to get dirty under the truck last night.

[67ChevyRedneck]

Nice!

[Dad's72]

I think I may have broke something. I am not sure what it is. Can any of y'all lend a hand? I took two pictures of it. It is on the passenger side of the intake and looks like it may hook up to the carb. It has a thin piece of metal attached to it and it is retractable. Kind of like a measuring tape.
Well, I pulled on it not knowing what it was and being old it kind of doesn't want to wind back up. I was able to push it back in but can tell it is bent up in there.

[Low Elco]

It's the expanding metal spring for your choke. NOt a huge Concern in Austin in the summer. Pop that carb back on, I bet there's a suspicious lookin' place where that stub on the end of the rod goes. Good luck!

[Low Elco]

Another good trick for priming the oil is to pull all the plugs and the power to the coil, then let the starter spin until you see pressure at the gauge. No load on it, it whizzes right over. Hook it all back up and see what happens!

[Dad's72]

An old mechanic told me something similar. He said to pull the plugs and squirt oil or WD40 in the cylinders and then crank the starter for 10 seconds at a time. He said it will turn slow enough to not mess anything up and will prime the motor with oil.
Any comments on this method?

[67ChevyRedneck]

I still prefer to prime with the distributor out first.

Like mentioned, that's just a choke. If you swap to an edelbrock or holly with an electric choke someday you won't even need that. And really, without it, you just have to pump the gas and hold the throttle until it warms up in the winter.

[Willie Makeit]

Originally Posted by Low Elco

Another good trick for priming the oil is to pull all the plugs and the power to the coil, then let the starter spin until you see pressure at the gauge. No load on it, it whizzes right over. Hook it all back up and see what happens!

the whole point of priming the oil pump before turning it over is to prevent metal to metal contact ... if you're spinning the entire engine and there is no oil pressure, guess what you got? metal to metal contact

[A1971Blazer]

Also be aware that simply spinning the oil pump with some kind of rod ain't gonna pressurize the oil passages......you need to find an old distributor, gut the rotor and all off of it and grind or machine the teeth off of the gear....
it has a couple of bosses around it that channel the oil in the proper direction to the cam bearings, lifters and main bearings. You can set it down in the hole and engage the pump drive, then spin it with a drill while you hold the outside still.

Otherwise, the oil just pumps up thru the rear main into the back of the cam and lifter galley and runs right back into the pan.....no pressure.

I put a set of lifters in my 350 a couple of months ago....I have an old "primer" that I used.....when I spun it up, it pumped oil all the way up thru the pushrods to the top of the rockers......I guess my oil pump is good.....!

[68bowtie]

this is a great thread...

[mike16]

safety first, then drivability(reliability) then after that you get to choose whether to upgrade it or restory it

[Dad's72]

Where did y'all find an old distributor? Junk yards? I'm hunting for one right now. I'll have to call a few junk yards here in town to see what they have laying around.

[Mike C]

Harbor Freight has an oil pump primer if memory serves. I know the newer ones or modified distributor is supposed to be better by sealing the passages, but I primed several motors back in the day with just the rod and got full flow to the valve train through the pushrods. I would remove valve covers and prime until each rocker filled with oil. If that was not working completely I would pour oil onto each rocker ball. Then use the cranking method. FWIW, I didn't bother priming the oil system in my short bed after its long nap. I did crank until pressure gauge moved with the coil wire grounded so engine speed was kept to max starter could generate.

[Dad's72]

I'll check out Harbor Freight right now.

[Dad's72]

Originally Posted by Willie Makeit

the whole point of priming the oil pump before turning it over is to prevent metal to metal contact ... if you're spinning the entire engine and there is no oil pressure, guess what you got? metal to metal contact

If done that way, would it destroy a motor inside?

[Dad's72]

Well....I am a dummy. I cannot find the bolts that hold the carb on the intake. I have searched every nook and cranny under the hood and in my tool box. The problem is that I ended up consolidating all my tools to one big tool box cleaning out my junk.
The problem is that some of that junk was miscellaneous screws, nuts, and bolts. I am pretty sure I trashed them. They are for a Rochester Quadrajet so it is the two short ones and the two long ones in the back.
Anyone ever ordered them online? I tried the universal ones from Advanced Auto Parts and AutoZone but they are all small bolts studs. Any advice?

[Lieferson]

If all else fails and the motor goes ti*s up, you can find complete small blocks for under 500$ carb to pan all over the place. i just sold one that i pulled from my 72 for 500, and even replaced the pan/valve cover gaskets for him.