Project Vitamin C-10

[Alan's Classic]

Originally Posted by Strodder

Doin really good, but bored to death. All the work I have to do right now is heavy duty, and very dirty. I started to work on light stuff trying to use my left hand only. I'm even thinking of doing a little on my truck. Stuff that won't hurt my right hand. Can't even post pictures though. My build thread is still CLOSED.
I might have to start a new thread to continue with the documentation.

Glad your healing well.

Originally Posted by daverod

I always wondered what happened to old threads. People must be getting sick of the guy in the orange truck driving around with a big silly grin on his face. Have you used up all your insured miles yet? Have you picked any dates for your first car show? You know, like a deadline that you have to have everything by.

I haven't got one mile on it yet.

Originally Posted by McMurphy

I got one of those discount postcards from Year One.
Everything I wanted and need from them is discount immune. After a week of pouring thru their online catalog I just tossed the coupon.
I was pretty disgruntled with them by that time LOL.

I am seeking the parts now from other vendors or original manufacturers because of it.
I guess I should go uncheck the email options from my CI account now, 20% would almost cover the some of the shipping up to Alaska.

Congrats on the progress, those sail trims look good!!

I saved $40 just on the sail trim

Originally Posted by Strodder

Wow I just looked. That side trim is expensive $192.00??

Yes it is. The long trim down the side is @ $400.

Well the time has come after nearly 5 years of nuturing she will be leaving my care for some one else.














Got ya. I'm having a roll back come get it and take it to K & C Muffler in Dawsonville. Then if I'm brave enough I might drive it 10 miles back to my work to finish up a few things. I feel there is something amiss with the engine. I need to recheck the valve adjustment to see if it's right.

[McMurphy]

Originally Posted by Alan's Classic

[COLOR="Blue"]
Well the time has come after nearly 5 years of nuturing she will be leaving my care for some one else.






Got ya.

Yep, you got me.
I been holding my breath on your build for over a month now, expecting each time I log in to see your last post on this truck.
Some video of you zipping down a country lane into the sunset, big smile on your face, and waving out the window shouting "good bye and good luck!" to the rest of us on our builds.

The idea of you selling it before you really drove it is enough to make Conan cry.

[Strodder]

Originally Posted by Alan's Classic

Got ya. I'm having a roll back come get it and take it to K & C Muffler in Dawsonville. Then if I'm brave enough I might drive it 10 miles back to my work to finish up a few things. I feel there is something amiss with the engine. I need to recheck the valve adjustment to see if it's right.

You didn't fool me ..not one bit.

[Alan's Classic]

My cam is wiped out.
Posted via Mobile Device

[greg65]

Originally Posted by Alan's Classic

My cam is wiped out.
Posted via Mobile Device

Sounds like a good weekend project. Are you going with the same size?

[Strodder]

Originally Posted by Alan's Classic

My cam is wiped out.
Posted via Mobile Device

Did you use a break in oil additive?

[padresag]

I hope that you didn't contaminate your motor. sorry to hear that Alan
ron

[Alan's Classic]

I did the break in process with break in oil.

I really don't k ow what's going on. I started it to load it on the rollback and it was popping out of the exhaust and would t pull itself on the roll back. When I got to the muffler shop it ran and didn't pop. It also pulled up on the lift at the muffler shop. I'm not sure what I is yet. Once I get it back to my shop I'll pull the valve covers off and check the rockers
Posted via Mobile Device

[daverod]

That sucks. I thought that motor already had some miles on it?

[flips72]

are you sure its the cam? cam usally wont stop missing when they start, lets hope for condesation in the dist. cap.

[Alan's Classic]

Originally Posted by greg65

Sounds like a good weekend project. Are you going with the same size?

For now I think I jumped to conclusions. It quit popping, but now that the exhaust is quiter it has revealed a knock.

Originally Posted by daverod

That sucks. I thought that motor already had some miles on it?

It's got about 500 miles on it.

Originally Posted by flips72

are you sure its the cam? cam usally wont stop missing when they start, lets hope for condesation in the dist. cap.

I don't know what it was. It quit popping. But have another problem.

When you install the 400 crank the oil pan has to be clearanced. I did that, but I don't remember spinning the crank once I boltedthe oil pan down. It's hard to tell in the video what it exactly sounds like. It's kind of a hollow sound.

engine knock.MOV - YouTube

Here are the pics of the exhaust. He does really nice work. He had a hard time getting over the long pan hard bar. That's why they aren't symetrical over the axle.

[likaroc13]

well, that sucks about the motor...i really hope it's only minor setback and relatively easy fix...on another note, the exhaust looks really nice! definitely looks like quality work

[allaboutchevelles]

Exhaust looks great alan. Sorry to hear about the motor. I know this wouldnt cause the poping or power loss but a cracked flywheel can make a knocking noise also. My buddy had one crack on his camaro when we were in high school and it sounded like a rod bearing knocking. Just a thought. Hope it turns out to be something simple. good luck.

[66ChevyMax]

Exhaust looks great. Good luck with that motor gremlin.
Posted via Mobile Device

[Alan's Classic]

Originally Posted by likaroc13

well, that sucks about the motor...i really hope it's only minor setback and relatively easy fix...on another note, the exhaust looks really nice! definitely looks like quality work

Originally Posted by allaboutchevelles

Exhaust looks great alan. Sorry to hear about the motor. I know this wouldnt cause the poping or power loss but a cracked flywheel can make a knocking noise also. My buddy had one crack on his camaro when we were in high school and it sounded like a rod bearing knocking. Just a thought. Hope it turns out to be something simple. good luck.

Originally Posted by 66ChevyMax

Exhaust looks great. Good luck with that motor gremlin.
Posted via Mobile Device

Thanks for the comments and suggestions. I'm still leaning towards a connecting rod bolt hitting the pan. I did a google for 383 hitting pan and came up with a lot of hits.

I stuck a screw driver to the block with it running and put my ear to it, nothing abnormal. As soon as I touch the pan I could feel it in the screwdriver. I had to stick my ear to it and it sounded like a machine gun.

I'll pull the valve covers first and check things out there to make sure my cam is ok.

[hemifalcon]

...I'm by far an expert in the matter or methods of diagnosing engine issues.. But, that definitely has that "hollow" sound that you mention which sould not be indicative of anything in the valvetrain.. I think you should just pop the oil pan off and see what's going on..

[chad64chevy]

alan, i was thinking that it might be something in the oil pan, but i dont know what kind of oil pan you are using! if its a stock oil pan then its going to rub, the stroke on a 400 is different then a 350

[padresag]

I would chk the flex plate for cracks first as that is a lot simpler than pulling the pan and finding nothing wrong there and then find it was the flex plate
ron

[cjracing15]

Eaxust looks awesome! It's hard to tell from the video bu, that does not sound like a loose rod or main. That does sound like something is hitting something low. Sorry u haveing this trouble. But I think it's going to be easy to fix once u find the noise. Good luck man.

[McMurphy]

Alan if you shoot me a PM with a good mailing address I will send you an old sthescope. People rotate thru Military hospitals every 6 months, new in-old out and providers tend to leave things like these behind so I have quite a few of them.
I use it every once in a while with a long metal rod just to "listen in" on my engines.

If you would like I will shoot one off to ya.

[Strodder]

Don't ignore that noise. This could happen.

[awbrown]

Alan , I diagnose that stuff all the time and a 3 ft piece of hose heald to the ear and touching the areas that you think the sound is coming from will tell you real quick where it is coming from .. also a handy way to find loose rockers ... but if it is hitting the pan or the baffle you should be able feel it with your hand on the pan... good luck my friend ,I have been through that before...

[McMurphy]

Originally Posted by Strodder

Don't ignore that noise. This could happen.

Just out of curiosity Dennis, what exactly happend there. Obviously it blew out the bottom of the block (like WOW) but what caused that much damage ...... ???

[C@rnut001]

Probably revved over 10,000 rpms....these big, expensive drag engines take a lot, but most don't like the over rev....and they tend to scatter pretty big when they blow under power....

[Strodder]

Originally Posted by McMurphy

Just out of curiosity Dennis, what exactly happend there. Obviously it blew out the bottom of the block (like WOW) but what caused that much damage ...... ???

I have no idea. I stoled the picture from FACE BOOK.
I'm sure it has to a race cars engine with gobs of HP.