My Own Vice Grip Garage - Getting the 250 i6 Running Again

[Luke87gt]

Haven’t yet bolted on the carb but managed to get to the plugs.

Looks to have been running rich but no oil on the plugs thankfully.

[Getter-Done]

Originally Posted by Luke87gt

When I replace the spark plugs, should I give the spark plug holes a spray of any oil since the car been sitting for so long? If so, what oil and amount is advisable?

I use this for long storage.
It would be good for what your wanting as well.

Link: https://www.amazon.com/STA-BIL-Rust-...000H7CKAY?th=1

Most parts stores carry this also.

[Luke87gt]

Originally Posted by Getter-Done

I use this for long storage.
It would be good for what your wanting as well.

Link: https://www.amazon.com/STA-BIL-Rust-...000H7CKAY?th=1

Most parts stores carry this also.

Yes, that’s exactly the fogging oil I gave each cylinder a squirt of before I reinstalled the new spark plugs.

Also, how do the points/condenser look to you guys? I found some weird white material inside the rotor, what can this be?

Strangely, the Blue Streak replacement rotor feels totally loose when I set the rotor onto the distributor. I’m gonna head to the parts store and pick up another rotor as there is no way this one should be wiggling around this much. The old one I pulled off was nice and snug.

['68OrangeSunshine]

Fresh Points, Rotor and Condenser are always good insurance at this juncture. New points
take an .035 gap. [.045 for HEI]. Dwell meter and Vacuum Gauge are best tune up tools.

As my L6 blocks aged [gained miles, that is] I gradually increased the oil viscosity. I went from Valvoline 30 weight Racing [VR1 -- formerly P/N 223] -- Thru 40 weight to 50 weight when mileage got around 250.000. That was a 25 year process.
Back to VR1 SAE 30 on rebuild.
I took off my Monojet in 1978, so I'm no help there.
Good luck.

[MikeB]

Rotor is beyond terrible. I would also replace the condenser, because they can go bad just sitting on a shelf. What do the points contact surfaces look like?

[mr48chev]

Blue streak was and still may be Standard Ignition's budget brand. What you put in back in the 70's when you didn't have the money for the good stuff or were working somewhere that did cheap tuneups.

I'd at least run a point file or emery board though the points if I didn't change them.

[Luke87gt]

Thanks guys

Im still puzzled at why a brand new Blue Streak DR314 would be so wobbly. The new Blue Streak cap looks good and fit just fine.

[Luke87gt]

Originally Posted by '68OrangeSunshine

Fresh Points, Rotor and Condenser are always good insurance at this juncture. New points
take an .035 gap. [.045 for HEI]. Dwell meter and Vacuum Gauge are best tune up tools.

As my L6 blocks aged [gained miles, that is] I gradually increased the oil viscosity. I went from Valvoline 30 weight Racing [VR1 -- formerly P/N 223] -- Thru 40 weight to 50 weight when mileage got around 250.000. That was a 25 year process.
Back to VR1 SAE 30 on rebuild.
I took off my Monojet in 1978, so I'm no help there.
Good luck.

I’ve read new points should be 0.019” gap? Can anyone confirm?

[Steeveedee]

Originally Posted by mr48chev

Blue streak was and still may be Standard Ignition's budget brand. What you put in back in the 70's when you didn't have the money for the good stuff or were working somewhere that did cheap tuneups.

I'd at least run a point file or emery board though the points if I didn't change them.

Blue streak was the premium part. The points, for instance, have an extra conducting strap that ran with the spring. It is made out of copper for better conduction of electricity, to keep the points spring from getting too hot. Not that that was really needed, IME.

Looking at that "new" rotor, that thing's beat, and I'm not sure if it is even the right one. I've never seen a "new" rotor that was all chipped up like that. Maybe it was sent by USPS in a previous life?

Point gap of .019 is good.

[Luke87gt]

Originally Posted by Steeveedee

Blue streak was the premium part. The points, for instance, have an extra conducting strap that ran with the spring. It is made out of copper for better conduction of electricity, to keep the points spring from getting too hot. Not that that was really needed, IME.

Looking at that "new" rotor, that thing's beat, and I'm not sure if it is even the right one. I've never seen a "new" rotor that was all chipped up like that. Maybe it was sent by USPS in a previous life?

Point gap of .019 is good.

Apologies if I wasn’t clear, the new rotor is the blue one… that’s the one that doesn’t fit snug and wobbles.

The black one is the one that I removed from the truck today. That white thing, is waddled up paper, or tissue rather. Scratching my head on why in the world that would have been there…

Did you mean that the blue one looks beat? Sort of does from the picture now that you mention it lol.

And to check the gap, feeler gauge after rotating the engine and finding the high spot (max gap) ? Is that right?

[Luke87gt]

By the way, wonder if anyone can guess how old the coil is that I pulled off today

[Steeveedee]

Originally Posted by Luke87gt

Apologies if I wasn’t clear, the new rotor is the blue one… that’s the one that doesn’t fit snug and wobbles.

The black one is the one that I removed from the truck today. That white thing, is waddled up paper, or tissue rather. Scratching my head on why in the world that would have been there…

Did you mean that the blue one looks beat? Sort of does from the picture now that you mention it lol.

And to check the gap, feeler gauge after rotating the engine and finding the high spot (max gap) ? Is that right?

Bolding mine. Yes. No idea on the paper. If that rotor doesn't fit tight, it is junk. Period.

As for the coil, I can't tell. Have you downloaded the service and overhaul manuals for your year truck? All the specs for ignition parts are in them.
https://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/...ghlight=hatzie

[jumpsoffrock]

Originally Posted by mr48chev

Blue streak was and still may be Standard Ignition's budget brand. What you put in back in the 70's when you didn't have the money for the good stuff or were working somewhere that did cheap tuneups.

I'd at least run a point file or emery board though the points if I didn't change them.

I agree with steeve, Blue Streak was their flagship. Standard Plus was OK, and their "T series" was their budget brand.

Originally Posted by Luke87gt

The black one is the one that I removed from the truck today. That white thing, is waddled up paper, or tissue rather. Scratching my head on why in the world that would have been there…

Maybe this sounds insane but I wonder if it was a poor mans antitheft, they stuck that paper in there so it wouldn't start and would be very cumbersome to diagnose in a quick way--if the person letting the truck sit for a long time didn't want their truck messed with or stolen.

[Luke87gt]

Yes, I’ve always understood Blue Streak to be their top of the line.

And regarding the paper/tissue, interesting theory. However, the truck did start and run in this condition last year when it was driven off the transport company’s trailer and into my garage.

So that paper didn’t prevent the engine from firing and running. I’m not sure what it impacts but you can see burn marks on that paper if you zoom in.

['68OrangeSunshine]

Originally Posted by Luke87gt

I’ve read new points should be 0.019” gap? Can anyone confirm?

.019 New

[MikeB]

Originally Posted by Luke87gt

By the way, wonder if anyone can guess how old the coil is that I pulled off today

Older than dirt! Might have been on vehicles one generation newer than Fred Flintstone's.

[Luke87gt]

Originally Posted by MikeB

Older than dirt! Might have been on vehicles one generation newer than Fred Flintstone's.

You sir made me spit out my coffee lol

[RichardJ]

Paper ?
I'd have to inspect that rotor in person, but from that photo, I would bet money that is a spider nest.

Point gap is .019" and should produce a dwell of 31* , but only if you use the feeler gauge correctly.
I read on this forum and other 60's era vehicle forums where individuals fail to manipulate the feeler gauge properly and cannot get the proper dwell.
The gauge most be held perfectly parallel with the point contacts AND cannot allow any movement of the point arm and still provide a slight drag.
I've never seen a set of points where the gap didn't change slightly when the screw is tightened, the final time. The gap must be checked and rechecked.

[Luke87gt]

My initial thought was some sort of a nest… however, it seems to not rip apart very easily, I actually had to tug on the tweezers to get it rip apart.

Also, not sure that the distributor is very accessible with the cap on…

The mysteries of purchasing a 50+ yr old car

[Rust_never_sleeps]

Originally Posted by Luke87gt

My initial thought was some sort of a nest… however, it seems to not rip apart very easily, I actually had to tug on the tweezers to get it rip apart.

Also, not sure that the distributor is very accessible with the cap on…

The mysteries of purchasing a 50+ yr old car

Make sure that's not asbestos before you go ripping it apart. Never seen it used on a rotor and that one doesn't look old enough, but...

[Luke87gt]

Picked up another Blue Streak DR-314 rotor this morning, fit nice and snug this time.

The first one looked to simply have been defective (rotor bore diameter that sits on the distributor shaft was simply too large causing the rotor to wobble/wiggle).

[Steeveedee]

Cool. It could simply have been for a different car line ignition and boxed wrong. When I was in the parts and mechanic biz, that was quite common.

[Luke87gt]

Originally Posted by Steeveedee

Cool. It could simply have been for a different car line ignition and boxed wrong. When I was in the parts and mechanic biz, that was quite common.

Possible…

Just glad that part is behind me.

Next up is to replace the ignition condenser and check the points gap (and contact condition). I did pick up a points file at the auto parts store.

Then radiator/thermostat replacement, bolt on rebuilt carb, replace gas tank/lines and try to fire her up!

[Luke87gt]

One other unexpected surprise…

a.) The Blue Streak ignition coil has a slightly larger diameter than the old coil. It was larger than the stock bracket could support…

b.) The stock 250 i6 coil bracket that came on my truck was a single bolt hole mount design (my engine block only has one single bolt hole available to hold the coil). I ordered a replacement bracket from Rockauto but it arrived with a two bolt hole design. I’m not sure why every brand available on Rockauto shares the 2-bolt design.

I notice that LMC carries a single bolt hole design bracket. It’s cheap, so I’ll order one and hope that it’ll work with the large diameter Blue Streak coil.

Has anyone encountered this?

[MikeB]

Originally Posted by Luke87gt

One other unexpected surprise…

I notice that LMC carries a single bolt hole design bracket. It’s cheap, so I’ll order one and hope that it’ll work with the large diameter Blue Streak coil.

Has anyone encountered this?

I've encountered that problem with an MSD coil, but you'd expect a factory replacement would have the same diameter as OE.

You might want to try Pertronix. They have pretty good customer support.