Danny Boy is BAACK! w/ '55 Big Window

[MIKESAD50]

Dan can you get into the Holley injection system and read oil pressure out of that sensor?
I can go into the GM ECU and read oil pressure out of it using the sensor at the back of the manifold.
My Dakota Digital sensor is in the the cooler block ff plate as pictured above. If in doubt get a manual gauge on it to verify the electrics.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Mike, Yes there is a hand held monitor under my seat I can use to check the readout on the main HDX. Mike suggested I do that too.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Just an update for my own records:

I haven't had the time to even hook up the oil pressure gauge to the truck because we're prepping for a weekend camping trip with the extended family, BUT I did pull it out of the garage.

Took it for a ride around the block, went to back it into the driveway and at idle it died. It restarted but ran like crap. It was coughing and struggling. Managed to get it up the approach but it died again and would not restart.

I know it has gas because the gauge says it's full and because I filled the tank before installing the bed wood - I haven't cut the access door to refill it yet. The fill hole is taped shut but since it ran for maybe 2-3 miles before the oil pressure thing made me shut it down I assume the lack of a vent isn't the issue(?)

Anyway, it got pushed down the driveway into the garage and will stay unaddressed until after this weekend's outing. It had been starting and running absolutely fine before. Any ideas come to mind anyone?

[Kim57]

Sounds like a bad fuel pump.
Hope you get it figured out.
Kim

[dsraven]

if it wasn't carbed I would say check your maf sensor or the connection to it.
pull the air filter and see if you get gas from the accell pump when you pump the lever. if good, pull a plug and see what it looks like, clean or sooty.
maybe you had a mouse drag a nest into your exhaust. had that problem with the brother in law's scooter, finally got it fired up and it backfired and blew popcorn and rice all over the place. sister in law said the mouse displaced almost a whole bag of rice while they were away for the winter, didn't know about the popcorn, lol.
also check all the vac fittings, hoses and wires to ensure something didn't come loose or burn on a header etc. you come this far, you'll figure it out

[Dan in Pasadena]

Originally Posted by dsraven

if it wasn't carbed I would say check your maf sensor or the connection to it.....

It's NOT carbed. That's a Holley throttle body but I like your thinking. More things to check - thanks!

PS: Man, you're terrifying me with the mouse suggestion. Why? Because I DO have issues with rats in our detached garage and shop. I've snap trapped them, poisoned them, etc. and they eventually come back every time. I wish there was some way to train a rescue cat to live just in my garage/shop. Of course my little dogs wouldn't like it! Back when the truck was in it's shop truck look I'd just totally cleaned, repainted the engine Chevy orange, put on a new aluminum manifold and finned valve covers and it was looking good, I had it parked in front of the garage for two weeks and when I went back rats had nested on my new manifold and peed on it, etc. SERIOUSLY pissed me off!

The thing that lessens the mouse/rat concern is that I was able to easily start it and run it out of the garage and around the block before it suddenly died at idle/won't restart. But I will definitely be taking a look down the throttle body.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Originally Posted by Kim57

Sounds like a bad fuel pump.
Hope you get it figured out.
Kim

Funny you say that because I stopped to talk to Mike and his first question was if I could hear the fuel pump when I keyed it? I honestly haven't noticed.

Then he reminded me (I should have remembered) there is a handheld screen for the ECM under my seat. I just have to pull it out and it will likely tell me what the issue is. Supposedly it's intuitive like a smart phone so I should be able to use it.

I've been prepping our RV & new "toad" (2012 Fiat 500) for an upcoming camping trip so I moved the '55 into the garage and haven't messed with it. again. Possibly tonight after work.

I'm hoping it's fuel starvation from the lack of a vent on the filler neck. I have tape over it (still haven't installed the in-bed fill door/cap), the fuel pump fuse, or the pump has crapped - though it's brand new so I kind doubt that. As I'm typing this the thought that it drove 2-3 miles before the oil pressure issue surfaced makes me wonder if the pump was pulling against the vacuum created by the taped filler and either drew too much power -fuse blown OR actually pulled the tape off the filler into the tank and clogged the feed tube - UGH.

[G&R's57GMC]

Sorry to hear about your problems.

Be sure to check the wiring under the hood for chew marks, those pesky varmints love wire insolation .

An other trick is to keep the hood fully up to keep them from nesting in a closed space.

BTW do vent the tank when running the engine.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Originally Posted by G&R's57GMC

Sorry to hear about your problems.

Be sure to check the wiring under the hood for chew marks, those pesky varmints love wire insolation .

An other trick is to keep the hood fully up to keep them from nesting in a closed space.

BTW do vent the tank when running the engine.

Thanks Glen. Good idea on leaving the hood open. Anyone know what that does to the pneumatic shocks on my billet hinges? Anything of concern?

No chew marks or evidence of any damage but I don’t want to wait for it to happen. I’ve heard that mint oil and mothballs work for mice.....but not indefinitely. No idea if they do anything at all to rats?

I’ve used snap traps with SOME success. Some because I once had one get partially snapped and it screamed running off with the trap on it. Weirded me out. I want them gone but I don’t want to torture or maim one! I still feel bad about that.

Poison has worked til i started finding dead ones in my dog’s water bowl. I guess they get a morbid thirst trying to neutralize it so that’s out.

[nail pounder]

Originally Posted by Dan in Pasadena

Thanks Glen. Good idea on leaving the hood open. Anyone know what that does to the pneumatic shocks on my billet hinges? Anything of concern?

No chew marks or evidence of any damage but I don’t want to wait for it to happen. I’ve heard that mint oil and mothballs work for mice.....but not indefinitely. No idea if they do anything at all to rats?

I’ve used snap traps with SOME success. Some because I once had one get partially snapped and it screamed running off with the trap on it. Weirded me out. I want them gone but I don’t want to torture or maim one! I still feel bad about that.

Poison has worked til i started finding dead ones in my dog’s water bowl. I guess they get a morbid thirst trying to neutralize it so that’s out.

I have 3 dogs, 2 medium (50lb) and 1 small (10lb), we got this tough orange cat from the shelter a few years ago. It has brought be home 100's of mice, probably 30 gophers, unknown amount of birds and lizards. It lives in my garage and outdoors only. My neighbors said they've seen it hunting their yard too. Anyhow, no rodent issues here. Just saying, the cat idea works.

[G&R's57GMC]

Happy Holidays everyone ☃️
From Glen and Jane ��

[idbeast]

Originally Posted by G&R's57GMC

Happy Holidays everyone ☃️
From Glen and Jane ��

Same to you and Jane!

From Jim and Lois

[JSavoie]

And Seasons Greetings from "La Belle Province" (Quebec)!

[Dan in Pasadena]

How do you teach a cat to stay in your yard - well, most of the time anyway?

If I bring home an adopted adult male cat and feed & water it in my garage only, will it necessarily stay or just walk away? I have two small dogs. One 11lbs, a little male toy poodle and a female low-to-the-ground 25 lb dog. Neither has an issue with cats but I suspect that might change if they suddenly have one in THEIR backyard/garage.

[dsraven]

adult male cats are like teenage boys. they have one thing on their mind and come and go as they see fit. usually come home to recuperate after a fight over a female or their turf. cut ears, scratched noses, torn claws etc.
stick with a fish if you wanna have another (reliable) pet. they are always home and don't make a lot of noise at night, haha.

[G&R's57GMC]

Well if the male cat is a good mouser and you want to save on vet bills get him fixed. He will stay home more.

[svr]

Wife has 3 cats around here, 2 males that i think are the laziest still breathing animals i've ever seen, they eat and sleep, and a spayed female that is a mouse killin machine. She likes to leave the heads and left overs on the door step along with the occasional bird. She will be sitting on the door step and decide to take off and be back in 10 minutes with a fresh mouse, not many mouse problems since she showed up, may she live a long time. All are outside all the time, had to build a cat house so wife was happy.

[Dan in Pasadena]

So I still haven’t heard if an adopted adult cat - male or female - will stay or run off if I bring it home, give it a bed, food, water, a scratching post and sandbox in my garage....or will it just wander off?

[nail pounder]

Originally Posted by Dan in Pasadena

So I still haven’t heard if an adopted adult cat - male or female - will stay or run off if I bring it home, give it a bed, food, water, a scratching post and sandbox in my garage....or will it just wander off?

Ours is a spayed female. I would think that any semi intelligent cat will come back where the food is. We've left on a few 2 wk vacations over the last few years, always came home to several carcasses on the front porch and Ginger (the orange cat). I suppose if your cat moved on just adopt another? I figure you're giving them a second chance on life so if they go or stay at least they're not incarcerated any longer

[svr]

All depends on the cat, female would probably be best bet, some will and some are travelers

[G&R's57GMC]

What’s the mater ? Cat got your truck !

Happy New Year ��

[MIKESAD50]

Dan hows the truck coming? figure out the possible oil pressure issue?
Got get that figured out soon so you can enjoy that awesome truck this year.

[G&R's57GMC]

Dan .... Hello Dan ?

Are you there ? Hello ?

Helllllloooooo ?

[Dan in Pasadena]

Hi Glen, I’m here. Thanks for asking.

The “rest of the story” (so far) proves I am occasionally/probably always, ha ha a frickin moron:

Took truck back into shop this morning to address the fuel pump issue - it was out of gas!
- I couldn’t hear the in-tank electric pump working (64 year old ears?)
- The ground was faulty so the gauge was reading full
- I didn’t do the most basic thing: bang on the tank! DUH.

The tank tucks up too close to the bed wood and I haven’t yet cut in a fuel filler door. They’ll do that this week and while they’re at it they’ll modify the filler neck to center it on a board instead of over one of the stainless bed strips.

A few other things as well but finally getting her ship-shape- I HOPE!

[oldman3]

Glad to hear it wasn't something bad...Jim