Ol John Lee gets Prostate Surgery, Live from the Garage

[Sharps40]

Unlike ageing men that tighten up and leak less, Ol John Lee has loosened up and leaks a good bit. Time for some automotive prostate surgery, front seal and snout race style. My first time unbuttoning so much of this engine...I'd say from the grease, its not been unbuttoned at all in near 49 years. Lets hope for no broken fastners, PB blaster standing ready.

The leak, every shut down and while running, about 1 quart per tank of gas or every 230 miles.



Battery, fan and shroud out. I always pull the battery or at least a terminal when working around a motor....plannin on keepin my hands and arms.



Lower fan pully off and I dimple the screw holes to assure I use the right holes later. I'll clean it and the bright spots on the washers will still show but I always like index marks too.



$16 snout puller from O'Reillies. Hope its up to the job, we'll see in a minute. Comes with the right threaded bolts and some extras for lotsa snouts, works with 2 or 3 bolt pattern. Natch, the bolts are between metric and SAE so, if it slips, Big Adjustable Wrench time. I greased all the threads and the center button on assembly, less wear on the threads I suppose, course it'll catch all the dirt, so then it'll have to be cleaned too.



Snout is off, it needs cleaning, watch the woodruf key in the crank, mine stayed in the crank, I'll make sure its there for assembly too. Felpro timing kit comes with a snout race, I bought a spare from National too, it comes with a flange to tap it on and a tapper onner. I checked, its long enough to cover the many grooves worn in the snout, should work slick....guess i'll clean up the snout while I'm at it...sucks, gonna have lots clean spots on Ol John Lees motor....I'll catch hell for not cleanin it all but I spect mucha the grease is keeping things sealed up and leak free, cept for this spot.



The evidence, a wet snout cover and a rotten snout seal. Nice countersink in the crank nose, should help line up and start that tap drill later. I'm adding a snout retention bolt and washer, ala Mr. Gasket. I understand the early V8s had press fit snouts and the later hi pro 327 (not the low pro 327) and 350s went to a crank bolt for additional security. In any event, it'll help pull the snout back onto the crank nose and keep it there. New radiator, don't need a big hole in it yet.



Only drill I have is 3/8" but the tap bit comes from O'Reillies with a reduced shank. Bless Chevy, no room for a drill with a long bit, so out comes the radiator. Now I gotta push it outta the garage and back in cause it'll spill and I ain't spending 3 hours layin in cold coolent in November. Maybe my boy will get outta bed and help push for a quarter.



Back later with more pics. This'll be one of them take breaks, work slow and carfull, clean as I go and smoke cigars furiously kinda jobs.