mylow53 build

[mylow53]

couple of things to update. last weekend i took the truck to an alignment shop in T.O. and had them align the front. the biggest problem was the ride hight it was to low to fit the instruments on the wheels. so we raised it till they cleared the fenders. the guy looked at the rear and the front and the rear was pointing right 1 degree. the front how ever was miles off. in the end i asked him to max out the caster to help the the wheels returning to center after a corner. something up to then i didn't do. over all it drives sooo much better it does hover have a funky feel when i turn in a wide circle like a 180 degree turn entering a freeway. it's like a point where the steering isn't enough for the corner then it too much. i'm ok living with it but i don't enjoy onramps that much!

also i brought the truck in to north hollywood speedo to install the cable from the trany back to the speedo. we then put it up on the rack and did some speed tests. come to find out that Bow tie Overdrive shipped my transmission without the worm gear on the output shaft so no workie. I'm not that happy with whom ever forgot to include this part but chris from their tech line is sending me the gear and i have to install it my self. at least hey are trying to make up for their mistake...
GT

[youngrodder]

Nice work Greg. I dread taking mine in for an alingment for the same things that you ran into. I am aways from needing to do that.

Your truck looks better everytime I see new pics.


I just noticed,,,,,are you hinding in those pictures???

Marc

[mylow53]

nope that's patrick the tech guy he's disconnecting the back of the speedo to see if the cable it rotating (and no it isn't)
thanks
GT

[50adrod]

I like the where you ran your exhaust pipes. do you have resonance in the cab? what mufflers? also if you paint them with flat black muffler paint they wont show. looking good

[mylow53]

i have a feeling the steering angles i have to clear the headers are a bit too extreme . i think there's is a minor binding moment in the rotation. I'm hoping to ignore it till it goes away.
GT

[mylow53]

the guys at kents muffler really know their stuff, I asked for their advise and i took it. they felt this arrangment is the best choice... as far as mufflers go, i have the longest glass packs they had at the muffler shop. the cab is not quiet if you've ever owned a truck with the Gpacks on you know it's mellow till you use the go peddle. since i have no headliner and a thin layer of "rattle trap" (like dyna matt) the cab has many sounds to choose from, and i like it that way. this is a truck not a caddie' it's quite visceral
GT
thanks for the complements by the way..
i was actually thinking of chrome tips do you think that is too much?

[50adrod]

Originally Posted by mylow53

the guys at kents muffler really know their stuff, I asked for their advise and i took it. they felt this arrangment is the best choice... as far as mufflers go, i have the longest glass packs they had at the muffler shop. the cab is not quiet if you've ever owned a truck with the Gpacks on you know it's mellow till you use the go peddle. since i have no headliner and a thin layer of "rattle trap" (like dyna matt) the cab has many sounds to choose from, and i like it that way. this is a truck not a caddie' it's quite visceral
GT
thanks for the complements by the way..
i was actually thinking of chrome tips do you think that is too much?

for me I would like it black so it does not take away from the wheels, but if you like chrome go for it. nice truck

[greystoke]

Greg....I just scanned thru your build. Great job, your truck looks awesome and there's a lot to be said about keeping it in the family...man i'm getting misty How is the ride with the air??

[mylow53]

ohh thats nice....the ride.. is bumpy! i usually drive my 03 dodge diesel 4x4 with heavy duty dilivery truck wheels and i think it rides better. not sure what the reason is but i've always liked a ride that keeps you awake and shakin'
GT
50 i think your right what paint should i use? it gets pretty hot..

[youngrodder]

Originally Posted by mylow53

ohh thats nice....the ride.. is bumpy! i usually drive my 03 dodge diesel 4x4 with heavy duty dilivery truck wheels and i think it rides better. not sure what the reason is but i've always liked a ride that keeps you awake and shakin'
GT
50 i think your right what paint should i use? it gets pretty hot..

Greg--

I used paint from Eastwood once on headers that I had sand blasted. The stuff goes on with a brush and lasts. Plus you can always touch up if need be.

http://www.eastwoodco.com/shopping/p...iProductID=731

Good luck

Marc

[50adrod]

Originally Posted by mylow53

ohh thats nice....the ride.. is bumpy! i usually drive my 03 dodge diesel 4x4 with heavy duty dilivery truck wheels and i think it rides better. not sure what the reason is but i've always liked a ride that keeps you awake and shakin'
GT
50 i think your right what paint should i use? it gets pretty hot..

I just used high heat flat black from the local auto store on one of my vettes tail pipes, I checked the tailpipes with a temp gun and they were less than 200 degrees, they really don't get that hot. it has help up for years.

[54 jimmy]

i like to use grill paint. it is cheaper that the high temp engine paint has a satin look and holds up pretty well if you put a few coats on. it is rate for 1200 degrees so it is the same temp rating as the expensive stuff. the grill paint is only about 4 bucks in change compaired to 8 bucks for the other stuff. the only draw back is it only comes in black. i used it on my exaust manifolds and other various parts that are subject to varing heat.

[nuke1]

been a while since i checked in, and all i can say is Wow. it sure turned out amazing, CONGRATULATIONS.

James

[mylow53]

thought i would share this with you guys. now thats a grocery getter....

[pgf545]

Originally Posted by mylow53

thought i would share this with you guys. now thats a grocery getter....

Greg.....Totally Bad A$$....love the new grocery getter. I can't wait until I get dad's down to the store...lol.

Bernie

[mylow53]

no real issue with noise i like the glasspacks the only draw back is you will kick up dust if yours point to the ground like mine. if you can aim them more out it should help. i wouldn't get any loud mufflers this will create your problems.

[mylow53]

The truck is leaking!!! it looks like the rear main seal is dripping. it's hard to tell since i cant see where it is coming from. the transmission dust cover has motor oil dripping. I dropped the pan last night to have a look. turns out the 350 HO engine has a one piece rear main seal so i will need to pull the tranny to get to it. you would think that a new engine wouldn't leak but my dad was theorizing that it may have set in the wearhouse a couple of years before i got to it...
ok Question the factory put some silicone in the 4 corners of my one piece oil pan gasket. in fact they were sloppy at it and a very long drip ended up in the oil pump screen. do i need to put some silicone back in or should the felpro one piece gasket work with out it? if so what should i use
GT

[53lochevy]

They got smart finally with the seal instead of the wicker kind its just like a transmission rear seal, and you will have to pull the tranny out and the flywheel off to get to it, and yes put silicone on the corners where the gaskets ends.

[solidaxel]

That is one reason why I went with a NEW engine was to avoid oil leaks!
I could see if the engine was sitting for a period of time with the old style gaskets which were cork and yes they would shrink and leak, but not the new sylicone(SP) ones. Did you establish where the leak was comming from?

[kustombrad]

A little silicone in the corners should be fine. What kind of oil are you using? Synthetic will find it's way out of anything! Bummer!!!!

[mylow53]

still not sure where the leak is but lets hope it is in the oil pan gasket. the trans dust cover usually has a couple of drips after you run it. the engine is "new" and the original gasket was silicone. i have a new felppro so just maybe it will work. what silicone should i use?
GT

[54 jimmy]

i like to use the high temp red rtv i have had great luck with it.

[OrrieG]

How long have you been driving it? Moot point since you have it apart but if it is pretty low miles it might have just taken a little while to warm up and swell enough to not leak. When I got my 64 Chevelle it had not been driven much for two years, leaked and smoked like crazy the first two months I drove it daily, then everything tightened back up and was fine. Just a thought...

[mylow53]

Originally Posted by OrrieG

How long have you been driving it? Moot point since you have it apart but if it is pretty low miles it might have just taken a little while to warm up and swell enough to not leak.

thats always possible... i did have a rear freeze plug (i think) leaking and it seemed to go away. i've probably put 500 miles on it since its been installed. regardless i put the new drain pan gasket in last night. man thats quite a task tight quarters and a slippery gasket with probably too much silicone. but it's in there and tight. I let her sit overnight to dry the silicone before i put the oil in.
I did pull out a second strip of silicone from inside the oil pump screen. kind of looks like the engine builder was in a hurry.

thanks guys for the advise.
GT

[mylow53]

ok still testing and tuning. i took the truck to the tranz shop to try and figure out my squeaking issue when i shift in to second at a low rpm. craig AT CRC in Thousand oaks. said my flex plate is flexing and hitting something. maybe the starter. so i've made an appointment for him to put it on the lift monday. he also mentioned that my oil leak issues are most likely caused by my lack of valve cover vents. he thinks the engine is building pressure and it has nowhere to vent so it pushes out the oil where it can. news to me! it does make sense since when i pull the filler cap while at idle the engine exhales. he showed me where to connect a vacuum line (since the brakes stole my other access) and to also get a vent cap for the opposite valve cover. so since i had the truck running i decided to drive the 45 miles to hollywood (where i work) on the trip home from work that night the truck started sputtering and had trouble maintaining 50 mph. i pulled over expecting to see my gas leaking out of something or the fuel pump with a bad ground but none was apparent. i could limp home at 40 ok. so when i got home i tore into the fuel system. the rear fuel filter seemed free flowing and the pump when off was also free flowing. of course by now i was wearing most of the gas. turns out the second inline fuel filter was clogged. i couldn't even blow thru it... got a new one on order. The Pismo car show is 2 weeks away hopefully the truck will make the drive!