57 GMC, frame swap, 4wd, 454 big block, 4 speed

[joedoh]

bed floor will look juuuuussst right. I love using the donor bed floor and the mounts, makes it bolt right on and is super strong

[Old57]

Originally Posted by joedoh

bed floor will look juuuuussst right. I love using the donor bed floor and the mounts, makes it bolt right on and is super strong

Yes, and I think it looks better than a wood floor. I'll do the spray liner in the bed like I did in the cab too. I want to use the truck when it's done.

[Old57]

I got most of the dash done. All interior wiring is done, heat/defrost, wiper motor, gauges installed. Still need to install the dome light and 2 under dash lights, and install a glove box insert. Slow progress, as time allows.

[jjzepplin]

That looks FAAABulous! Very clean!

[joedoh]

I wondered about the gauge panel but now that its painted and in it looks great

[Old57]

Thanks guys. Yes, I went back and forth about what I should do with the gauge panel. I ended up deciding to paint it, and I like it.

[wrenchtwister2]

super nice job !!!! i love it

[Old57]

Slow progress lately between work, and being gone on vacation for 8 days last week. I started on making my fuel lines and brake lines. I buy 25' rolls of the tubing, then straighten the tubing and form the ends, and measure/mark/bend the tubing to shape. Here are the tools I like to use for this to get professional results on custom made lines. The rolled tubing straightener works on tubing from 3/16" to 1/2", and makes nice, straight tubing to start with. The hydraulic flaring tool is a great thing to have, and will make flared ends, bulb ends, and even the GM quick disconnect ends. I have a few different benders that I use, depending on the size and radius I need. Hopefully I'll have all of my lines made before long.

[jjzepplin]

Very nice!

[Purcell69]

Originally Posted by Old57

Slow progress lately between work, and being gone on vacation for 8 days last week. I started on making my fuel lines and brake lines. I buy 25' rolls of the tubing, then straighten the tubing and form the ends, and measure/mark/bend the tubing to shape. Here are the tools I like to use for this to get professional results on custom made lines. The rolled tubing straightener works on tubing from 3/16" to 1/2", and makes nice, straight tubing to start with. The hydraulic flaring tool is a great thing to have, and will make flared ends, bulb ends, and even the GM quick disconnect ends. I have a few different benders that I use, depending on the size and radius I need. Hopefully I'll have all of my lines made before long.

Man that makes nice flares!

I don't know what changed, but back in the 1980's, I could use a hand held flaring tool, you know, the cheap one at the parts store, and make good double flares with no problem at all. Now all of the sudden they mushroom over and I am one for four. I guess my luck ran out. Lol!

With that setup, all of your hard lines will look like they came from the factory.

-Joe

[joedoh]

nice tools!

[Old57]

Thanks guys! Yes, I've made a lot of custom tubing lines with these tools, both in steel and stainless steel. After using this flaring tool, I don't know how I'd ever go back to the old hand flaring tools. Every flare or bulb end is nice and uniform, and looks like they were bought pre-made. I did get all of my brake and fuel lines made and installed, and filled the master cylinder with fluid, but I didn't take any pics because I was just focusing on getting them made and installed. I was looking everything over this evening, and I'm not that far off from firing the motor up for the initial camshaft break-in. I need to get a battery and make the battery cables, install and wire the Dakota Digital fan controller, get power steering lines, reinstall the radiator and core support, get radiator hoses and fill with antifreeze. Once I get that done, I can prime the oil pump on the big block and hopefully it'll wake up from its long nap.

One small thing I need to find... the 90 degree push on electrical connector for the GM Square body fuel sending unit for the gauge. Its a brass post on the sender that the connector just pushes onto. Autozone employees were baffled at me asking, so I'll try to find one somewhere. I tried the female end of a "bullet" connector, but it was too big to fit snug.

[joedoh]

how about a picture of the connection? sounds like the one wire reservoir connector on some GM master cylinders.

https://www.ihpartsamerica.com/store/MBM-PVP.html




edit: looks really similar

https://www.ebay.com/itm/GM-Gas-Tank...-/372214535698

[Old57]

Originally Posted by joedoh

how about a picture of the connection? sounds like the one wire reservoir connector on some GM master cylinders.

https://www.ihpartsamerica.com/store/MBM-PVP.html

I'll get a pic when I'm in the shop tomorrow. It's different from the brake switch connector.

[joedoh]

I edited to a link to an ebay ad for what you are looking for!

[Old57]

Originally Posted by joedoh

I edited to a link to an ebay ad for what you are looking for!

That's it! Thanks joedoh. Although I didn't think it would be 17 bucks, but I guess I need the right connector on it when it's way up under the bed.

[Old57]

Joedoh, here is that pic of the wiring stud on the fuel sender. I'm going to order the connector on ebay that you found.

[Old57]

Over the 3 day weekend, I made a big push to get the truck running and break in the cam in the motor. I worked 40 hours in 3 days in the shop to get this thing started, and it seemed like everything fought me. I got all of my brake and fuel lines finished, bled brakes, ended up making a new line that had a problem fitting that wouldn't seal. It was too close to a bend at the end, so I couldn't re flare it. I got the belts and accessories lined up and adjusted, finished up the wiring on everything except the front and rear lights, and installed the Dakota Digital fan controller. I programmed the controller to run my dual fans to come on and off at the temps I wanted. Radiator hoses were a battle. The top hose I found was perfect and needed 1" cut off at the radiator side. The bottom hose took 3 trips to multiple auto parts stores trying to get something that would work. After about 4 hours of back and forth with that, I found 2 hoses that each had 1 bend that I needed, then used the copper elbow that was on the stock GMC 347 motor, and cut the bends out of the hoses to connect to it. I filled up all of the fluids, checked for leaks, and had another battle with a power steering line leaking. After that, I checked everything over and it was finally time to prime the oil pump and get ready to fire up the new motor. I pulled the distributor and put in the pump primer and connected it to the drill. I ran the pump for a bit to circulate oil at TDC, rotated the motor 90 degrees, ran the pump, rotated 90 degrees, ran the pump, and continued this for a full revolution to get oil to every lifter and the top end. I was ready to put the distributor back in and fire it up, then saw a 2' puddle of oil under the rear of the motor. I got under it and looked, and it was coming from inside the bell housing area and down the back of the oil pan. After a few choice words and getting past the feeling of being kicked in the gut by a horse, I drained all the fluids, unhooked the wiring, fuel lines, pulled the core support and inner fenders, and pulled the big block back out. I pulled the clutch and flywheel, and saw that the stainless plugs that the machine shop installed in the oil galleys were leaking, so I replaced those and put some Permatex #2 on the threads. I put in the oil pump primer and ran the drill on it while the motor was on the stand. The leaks in the galley plugs were fixed, but it was also leaking some out of the rear main area while spinning the pump... on a brand new rebuild... great. I turned the motor over and pulled the pan and the rear main. Everything looked good, crank was smooth, the seal was facing the right way, etc. so I left the new rear main seal from the rebuild in place. I have built a lot of motors and I'm pretty meticulous when I do build them. I cleaned and scraped the old sealant off of everything, added a small amount of RTV at the joints of the 2 piece seal and main cap, installed a new felpro 1 piece oil pan gasket, and closed it all up. I ran the drill on the pump again for a while and there were no leaks this time. I was happy, so I went to get a few hours of sleep before I started to put it back in the truck. When I came back in the shop, it still was dry, so I put on the flywheel and clutch, and put the motor back in. I got everything back in and hooked up, primed the pump again, and no leaks, so I put the distributor in and fired up the motor to set the timing and do the initial cam break in. It sounded great, ran great, fans turned on and off at the preset settings, etc. I was really happy... until I saw oil dripping fast out of the same place. I let the cam break in for 20 minutes above 2000 rpm, then adjusted the carb, checked timing, etc. The leak slowed to a steady drip every so many seconds. It was running perfect, so I took it for a drive around the neighborhood. I was pretty happy to drive it for the first time, and everything felt good except the used steering box that I re sealed seemed to not have power steering except for 1 small spot of the turns. I'll replace the box with a new one. After I got back from the drive, I pulled it back into the shop and let it run while I checked everything. The leak will leave about a 3"-4" puddle in 5 minutes of running now. I'm pretty mad at it right now. I guess when I get some time to work on it, I'll pull the motor back out and replace the rear main seal and another oil pan gasket. I may try to see if an engine shop will run it on a test stand to check it before I put it back in again.

[joedoh]

woo hoo! I want to know how the exhaust sounds.


and on your power steering, try cranking it lock to lock a few times while running, sounds like air for sure!

[Old57]

Originally Posted by joedoh

woo hoo! I want to know how the exhaust sounds.


and on your power steering, try cranking it lock to lock a few times while running, sounds like air for sure!

I had it up in the air 2 times turning it lock to lock and topped it off with fluid. I'll mess with it sometime and see what I can figure out. The rear main leak is my big concern for now, because I need to pull the motor back out for that.

I'm real happy with how it sounds. I took a gamble with this muffler hoping that it would sound good and not be too loud, and it worked. It has a nice big block tone, but is subtle. Idle sounds clean, reving it up has a deep tone but not loud to make the neighbors hate me. I like it. And it was 93 degrees when I was running it at 2000 rpm, and the desert cooler US radiator kept it cool. I have a 180 thermostat, and programmed 1 fan to come on at 190, off at 183, and the other fan on at 195, off at 185. They cycle on an off and the gauge stays right there. I'd be a happy man right now if it wasn't for the rear main seal leak.

[joedoh]

Originally Posted by Old57

I had it up in the air 2 times turning it lock to lock and topped it off with fluid.

I think it has to be on the ground to bleed, you need the resistance of the tires to force the air through. plus you get those cool black donuts on the floor.

[mongocanfly]

Looking good old57......

[Old57]

Originally Posted by joedoh

I think it has to be on the ground to bleed, you need the resistance of the tires to force the air through. plus you get those cool black donuts on the floor.

Ok I'll give it another shot, thanks man

[Old57]

Originally Posted by mongocanfly

Looking good old57......

Thanks! Long way to go, but it was good to hear it run and drive it around the block

[OutlawDrifter]

Glad it fired, bummer about the seal. I've been there before. I once chased a random misfire code in my Z28 for a year.