Restoring Rusty

[Gregski]

Originally Posted by green72s

Wow, that looks great. You're doing a fantastic job.

Thank you, projects like this make me feel like an Automotive Archaeologist!

[Gregski]

Originally Posted by Chaplain

Just to make sure we're all on the same page what did you use to get results like that?

Hammer and a chisel of course

[Gregski]

Originally Posted by Chaplain

Just to make sure we're all on the same page what did you use to get results like that?

OK, seriously I used Mineral Spirits from Home Depot and paper towels mostly. But this was the toughest thing I ever cleaned so I used the different flat screw drivers sort of like chisels but not Gorilla like and the putty knife. Cheap single use wire brushes from Harbor Freight $2.00 bucks for the set. Cleaning a part like this on the truck or inside the truck is tough. You can't reach things easily I did slice up my hands a bit.

Here is the key, work on it for an hour or two then walk away. I did this over a three day period, I am not bragging the results are OK, but it is tedious work. So Saturday I think I started and did 4 hours, then on Sunday 2 hours before the football games then maybe another 2 at night, and then today after work maybe a good 4 hours on it.

[Chaplain]

Alrighty then...

[Gregski]

so I remembered why I cleaned the transmission in the first place, I needed to unplug the TCS system wiring harness and reroute the neutral / backup lights wiring harness

the light green / dark green neutral/reverse wiring harness runs under the transmission tunnel up the fire wall in the engine bay and enters the cab under the brake booster... why?

I ran mine out the transmission cover and directly into the cab then made a left to where it plugs in under the dash, to do so I had to take off the plug to be able to feed it through the small hole in the firewall

here I show you how to carefully remove the flat blade wire connector from the plug without damaging it or having to cut the wire and re crimp, just press on one side of the blade and it comes right out, good to know

[motornut]

tranny came out real nice

[MikeB]

Originally Posted by Gregski

got this 20% Off on All Fenders ad in the mail from our local Pick n Pull junk yard so I had no choice but to go pull one

with tax ($4.73), an environmental fee ($4.24), and some BS core charge ($4.99) it came out to be just under $60 bucks...

Environmental fee? I mean it's not like your dumping off some used tires or a battery. And a core charge on a junkyard part? Both are rip offs by the state and the junkyard.

[Super_Dave]

Originally Posted by MikeB

Environmental fee? I mean it's not like your dumping off some used tires or a battery. And a core charge on a junkyard part? Both are rip offs by the state and the junkyard.

Yeah... our Pick-n-Pull has core charges on almost everything, from motors to mirrors, you name it.

[slotard]

Yep, Pick N Pull does core charges. Maybe they want to sell the scrap metal after, who knows.

[Gregski]

Originally Posted by slotard

Yep, Pick N Pull does core charges. Maybe they want to sell the scrap metal after, who knows.

Correct, my friend and I guestimated their business model, and basically they buy the cars for scrap metal and anything they part out to us is gravy, ie icing on the cake, ie their profit margin, that's how they keep the prices down, especially if they sell us the interior, rubber, plastic parts, seats, tires, glass

[flashed]

You got to admit they are pretty sharp ,they sell used anti freeze for cheap instead of paying a company to take it ,they sell the used oil to recycling companys .Im glad they are there as it does keep prices pretty affordable .I just wish they would open one near me ,Heck I would lease them the land for certain discounts as I have 40 mostly unused acres in pasture .

[y5mgisi]

It is a perfect crime... er... business model...

[rusty76]

The tranny looks good.

[Gregski]

Originally Posted by rusty76

The tranny looks good.

thanks rusty

[Gregski]

replaced the stock points distributor with an HEI model made by ProForm

for now I just connected it using the stock pink resistance wire until I pull a 12 gauge OEM one from a junk yard to replace it with (seems to be running just fine even if it is only pulling 9 volts instead of 12)

the pink wire was spliced into a yellow wire running down to the starter which I just cut off (and will delete at a later time)

set the initial timing (no vacuum advance to 6* at 900 RPM) then I connected the vacuum and it started idling at 1,400 RPM so I backed the idle speed down to about 800 (not sure what I am doing exactly)

[y5mgisi]

I bet you will like it better if you bump the timing up more like around 10-12*.

[Gregski]

Originally Posted by y5mgisi

I bet you will like it better if you bump the timing up more like around 10-12*.

Thank you I will try that, at what RPM?

[Gregski]

In addition to an oil change I always perform an old fashion Tune Up to any used car I buy.

In this case I held off on the tune up (aside from visual spark plug inspection and re gap to .035) because I knew I was going to be replacing the distributor with an HEI design, which dictates new (different) spark plug wires anyway

did you know HEI is not a company that makes these distributors but actually just a GM acronym for High Energy Ignition. I did not know that till recently I thought some company called H.E.I. which maybe stood for Something Something Inc made them, LOL

I used the ACDelco R44T Mexican spark plugs like the manual calls for, and Duralast (made in USA) new plug wires deisgned for the HEI distibutor (difference being the dizzy end is a female, on the traditional points dizzy the plug wire end is a male)

I also regapped the new plugs from .035 to .045 cause you can run them hotter with an HEI distributor

[MikeB]

Originally Posted by Gregski

using the stock pink resistance wire until I pull a 12 gauge OEM one from a junk yard to replace it with (seems to be running just fine even if it is only pulling 9 volts instead of 12)

I once worked on a 64 GTO where the resistance wire was coiled up under the dash. I can't remember if it then went through the firewall into the engine compartment, or if it connected to a regular wire. Are you sure the pink wire is, in fact, resistance wire?

I have no idea why GM just didn't stick with an under-hood ballast resistor. Guess they must have had a reason. On the GTO, the resistance wire's heat had begun to melt insulation on other wires in the underdash bundle.

On another note, what are your impressions of the Proform distributor?

[Gregski]

Originally Posted by MikeB

Are you sure the pink wire is, in fact, resistance wire?

Yes absolutely, 100% sure it says so on the wire itself, it's written with white letters on the pink wire every foot or so. My buddy and I verified it with out own four eyes, LOL, we also were looking for a cylindrical resistor mounted somewhere.

[Gregski]

Originally Posted by MikeB

On another note, what are your impressions of the Proform distributor?

Hi Mike

Very good question and I am holding off on any disclosure as it is clearly too early to judge. I was skierd by some posters saying don't buy these cheap distributors made over sees, buy a used GM one from the junk yard then replace every single part on it with name brand parts, that didn't make much sense to me.

I picked Proform for two reasons:

1. I am stupid and don't like the "look at me" red MSD distributor everyone and their mother is running, I also think they are grossly over priced

2. I happen to call Proform and speak with their Technical Support staff, and
A. They have a Technical Support team (unlike LMC Truck catalog folks)
B. They were very kind, professional, and helpful, I hung up the phone and ordered the part.

So more on the performance of the dizzy later.

[rusty76]

I was thinking that cylindrical thing you were looking for was actually under the cap along with the points. I don't know for sure but this is just what I thought. When my uncle got first got my '76 it had points. Somebody had swapped out the HEI for a points distributor. Soon as he replaced it with the HEI he was very happy. Oh so many years ago that was.

[bnoon]

Nothing at all wrong with the Proform unit. Sure, stock HEI units work fine for stockish engines, but the problem for me has been finding them with advance mechanisms still in good shape in the salvage yard, plus you still buy new cap, rotor, mechanical advance kit, adjustable vacuum advance... by that time you may has well gotten the aftermarket cheap new one and avoid the headaches. I bought the Accell one though for $119.

[Gregski]

so this is what the new HEI distributor looks like installed, it sits rather low

pardon the wiring harness mess, it was all tidied up and then I tore into it again

[Gregski]

decided to drop the tank to see if I can fix the following two problems

1. fuel gauge not working

2. tank difficult to fill up at the gas station, acts as if it is already full and stops every 5 seconds or so

so first I removed the three phillips screws from the filler neck, and learned you can drop the tank with the filler tube attached there is enough wiggle room