my wintertime time killer

[Sammy]

Amazing how the weather has such an effect on the desire to get this thing on the road. If I had known about the possibility of someone could have installed the rear main seal backwards it would have been so much easier to do on the stand. ohh well learned for future. (knock on anything wood) Thinking of a small sign for the glove box worded something like "Maintain grip on all belongings while ridding in this truck, Owner not responsible for lost items". The thump at a idle while the truck is aired out makes it almost impossible to drink any hot liquids and maintain anything for the future. And only slightly better with air in the bags. Somebody stuck some serious coin in this rebuild for more than a trip to the 7-11.

99% sure the leak is at the upper arch of the rear of the oil pan and not the cam seal indicating rear main seal. should handle this this w/e.

[Dieselwrencher]

I'm guessing you'l just remove the trans and repair it in the truck? Or are you going to pull the engine so you can replace the pan gasket too?

[Sammy]

First time we spotted a oil leak the starter was removed the pan dropped with the engine installed. On a 2wd there is plenty of room to do that. Suggested troubleshooting was to disconnect the torque converter and using good flashlight, start it to determine for sure the oil is comming from above the pan seal and not the cam plug itself. If it is the main seal, drop the pan, oil pump and replace the main seal a hour or so job. Cam plug would require dropping the tranny, removing the flywheel for access. If the engine wasn't installed it could have been checked by simply using a drill to run the oil pump thru the distribitor in the intake. Which will not be forgotten on any of my future installs.

[Dieselwrencher]

You win some and lose some. Atleast it isn't a big deal though.

[firedog]

Just Agravating when you want to take that ride down the road in it an you have a few more goodies to do to the truck and can't...
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[Dieselwrencher]

I hear that! We busted our butts last week getting the race car running to go race in Ky and couldn't due to an oil leak. Go figure!

[firedog]

Well crawled under the truck again today pulled the pan, and the oil pump, and the rear main, first notice the rear main seal wasn't ofset like the book suggested, and noticed no rtv at the mating surfaces, so thinking yes we found the leak! Put it all back together and it is still leaking wth!!! Anybody else have any ideas?? Guess next to check is the cam plug ?? Is there anything else it can possible be? The freeze plugs were replaced in the back also but they would leak coolant right?? The oil drips while running only from each corner of the tranny next to the engine... If you get under the truck the flywheel is covered in fluid and it is slinging a mist of oil with the inspection pan off... Any further ideas or thoughts would be appreciated
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[firedog]

good news however sammy scored a short bed fleet side bed from a 71 chevy, some guy just walked up to him a cruise saturday night and said "do you know anyone that would buy a short bed for one of them trucks" we took a look today it seems to be decent for this neck of the woods a lil rust in the wheel arches but it is all there and pretty straight we forgot the pics but should pick it up next sunday

[Dieselwrencher]

Sorry to hear about the oil leak problem. Nice score on the box! You're right, only coolant should come out of the freeze plugs for the water jackets. However, if I remember correctly there are 2 soft plugs and a pipe plug above or below the cam bore soft plug. Any of those could cause an oil leak like you describe.

[firedog]

so long a long overdue update:

so i pulled a muscle in my back, its been too hot for a fat man to work in a garage without air, and with my son and stepsons baseball, i havent been to dads to mess with the truck.

i know excuses excuses,

so today i am on a short family vacation in gulfport ms before heading to southhaven ms for my sons baseball tourney and i chat with my dad (sammy) he says he has my engine out and the cam seal is missing!

finally a reason for the oil leak, so my dad slaves over my truck while i am on the beach

Thanks dad!

so hopefully next weekend its back on the road again!
thanks everyone for your help and ideas on problem solving

[firedog]

once again today i was on the beach and dad spent the day working on my truck its alive with ZERO leaks now! he sent me a pic with the spot in the garage empty and the floor all cleaned up to prove it!

[Boog]

Attaboy Dad! It's the little things that usually bite you n the ash. Glad you got it going.

[firedog]

Isn't this backwards, dad gives son father's day gift??
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[C20-67_N_MO]

So did you put an aggressive cam in the new engine and how does it run now?

Glad you got all your problems worked out.

Hoping to get my old 'Burb running soon, then I'll have to come pay you guys a visit!

[FRENCHBLUE72]

Good to see the problems resolved now go do some burn outs..

[firedog]

Not sure on the specs of the motor yet however dad did get some numbers from the cam this last time it was out to try an figure it out, all we do know is it is a 77 chevy truck 4 bolt main block with 400 heads and double roller cam, I added my serpentine setup, edelbrock intake and carb, and installed a new skip white distributor.
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[Dieselwrencher]

I'm glad to hear you guys got it figured out! You better take care of your Dad tomorrow!

[Sammy]

Cam seal wasn't installed in the block. Pulled the engine with intent on either finding a leak or dropping it the mighty river for a trout line weight. Rented a oil pump primer connected to the air drill after installing the new cam seal..Now to find out if it has solid or hyd lifters to get the valves quieted down. Wish I knew what those numbers on the cam mean....So nice to have a clean spot under the truck on the floor. Had to check twice n see if it still had any liquids at all left in the truck..This truck has always marked it's spot in the garage the last three or better years.
Can anyone make any sense to these numbers on the back of the Cam 18398 0 A4?

[firedog]

So spent Friday cleaning up the garage with pile of parts in the way for the last 6+ months it had really gotten to be a mess, then we tackled the valve adjustment, I loosened em all the rockers up followed the instructions as read on 67-72chevytrucks.com fired it up and it sounds so much better, yesterday I cleaned up the dirty old beast and took out a ride, found some bugs to be worked on but bit it sure was nice to get out an enjoy it! Thanks everyone on the suggestions and encouragement, up next interior time but I think that will be a new thread! It includes buddy buckets and custom door panels!
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