Project "My Happy Mess"

[litew8]

Here's a list of things I can manage to read. In no order.

1991 - Sherbring Chevrolet Co., Ogden, IA
Explains the professional work - a dealership in rural IA.
The 1991 previous owner, who installed the crate engine owned a car lot, or worked for this dealership. He also stole the original engine out of it. He told me during the telephone conversation. Now that I look at the papers, I guess it says. Where they installed the "Goodwrench". He must have known that the block was high quality (original 71'), and he said it had low miles.

To the best of my knowledge, this isn't who did the C10 conversion. C10 conversion predates these items. The PO in 1991 below said he bought the truck already converted. But that doesn't mean it wasn't converted professionally by the dealership listed below - since they were all (farmers/neighbors prob.) rural residents who previously owned this truck.

01) Replaced 2 motor mounts
02) Replaced front shocks (my rear shocks were original spirals )
03) Replaced 2 valve cover gaskets
04) Changed trans filter & pan gasket
05) Replaced RH Lower Ball Joint (the LH failed on me )
06) Replaced Shaft Assy / Support (RH) Upper ??
07) Repack front wheel bearings
08) Lubrication
09) Replaced master cylinder assy
10) Replaced choke pull off
11) Some sort of Carb assy (no chg)
12) Replaced trans mount (no chg)
13) ?? Removed Engine and replaced with Goodwrench
14) Welding on exhaust system
15) Rebuild RH front brake caliper
16) Rebuild LH front brake caliper

1992 - Sherbring Chevrolet Co., Ogden, IA - New owner

01) Lubrication
02) Replaced Diff Cover plate gasket
03) Remove & Replace cylinder for repair (?? brake)
04) Replaced battery

Looks like the new owner in 1992 had to get the little things done the PO didn't do. I might have a few more receipts I'll look at. Don't think the POers used this truck as "projects", they just kept it up dated and took good care of it. Until the PO horse ranch girl took possession (after 92') and neglected it. That's when I saw it and convinced her to sell it to me (cheap at the time).

[Mike Bradbury]

Originally Posted by litew8

To the best of my knowledge, this isn't who did the C10 conversion. C10 conversion predates these items.

It would be cool to find the guy who converted it.

[litew8]

Got the transmission dipstick in yesterday. It gave us some grief.
Hope it holds fluids in, and we can commence finishing up.

[litew8]

So far so good.

[oldman3]

Allright, that gets the old blood pumping, sound great.....Jim

[FRENCHBLUE72]

Congrats on getting her fired up..

[Mike Bradbury]

Great to hear it come to life, what oil did/are you using to break it in?

[hgs_notes]

The standard oil press guage is just 0-60 psi. There is a 0-80 psi OEM part available, which I have been using. Might check with livrat about getting one. He rebuilds/restores clusters and sometimes has parts available.

Oh, and congrats on the running engine. It's a great feeling, one of the best ever.

[litew8]

Thanks everyone! It's strong and very responsive.

@ Mike - just plain ole Valvoline. It's prob. a waste to buy expensive stuff for a roller engine. P.S. I'll gather up the alt. bracket info I found a while back and send it to you.

@hgs_notes - Thanks man. This is a cluster from Classic Truck. The pump is just basic/stock, not HO. Do you think it might have something to do with priming earlier? Or an air bubble in the line or something (or is that how it actually registers?). Looking back at a previous pic, the gauge is at L (not connected). But now when the truck is OFF, the oil pressure needle sits in the MIDDLE and not at L. When the engine is running, the needle moves up and past H, and cannot be seen when at 1,000/2,000. When it idles at 800/700, it can be seen sitting on H (which I think it should be sitting in the middle or just below). Thoughts?

More movies made/uploaded tonight.

[hgs_notes]

Gauge is probably bad. It should be at or below the low mark when off. Air bubbles don't effect the readings much, would read lower than normal if it did. As for break in oil, I used diesel engine oil in mine. It has more additives, comparable to the regular break in oils at a much better price.

[litew8]

I mentioned "roller setup" earlier - defined: roller components; a set.
Friction considerably less - not require break in oils, due to that fact.

[litew8]

..

[litew8]

wasted bandwidth

[litew8]

edited: movies deleted

[Mike Bradbury]

Uh, cannot play the vid, it says it was "a duplicate video that was previously uploaded"

What about break in oil for the crank and pistons?

[litew8]

Originally Posted by Mike Bradbury

What about break in oil for the crank and pistons?

Don't think they're critical. I'm sure someone will disagree.

[litew8]

damn it

gee, I accidentally deleted vid #3 in my first vid post and now I can't
go back and edit to correct it due to the time out law and no privileges.
I'll add it back below.

----

Movies better than pictures, any day.
These clips are self-explanatory.
Also, the temp. gauge didn't register. Giving it attention.

Part 3

MVC-816W.MPG - YouTube

Part 4

MVC-819W.MPG - YouTube

Part 5

MVC-820W.MPG - YouTube

Part 6

MVC-822W.MPG - YouTube

Part 7

MVC-823W.MPG - YouTube

Part 8 - The End

MVC-824W.MPG - YouTube

Supposedly there's a wire on the backside of the oil pressure gauge.
I'll need to disassemble the cluster to check and see if the needle can be adjusted.

[litew8]

Today -

Double checked transmission fluid, oil and anti-freeze levels since First Fire (which was approx. 20 minute duration). Added a little transmission fluild and anti-freeze coolant. Oil level looked right on mark. The Fixer took a valve cover off the other day to verify oil distribution - Check.

Took the instrument cluster out and removed the oil pressure gauge.
Snapped some pictures that I'll post later.

[litew8]

I wanted to wait and send Classic Truck an email with pictures first,
before tampering with the gauge.

I was mistaken earlier when I said I didn't have a High Volume oil pump. Guess that's what I actually ended up buying, a Melling oil pump. The extra pressure must have stretched the element, expanding it to where it wouldn't contract back to normal. I'm going to try and move the needle back down. Just got done consulting Classic Truck, they say the bend in the wire is suppose to be there (and to try and bend the wire itself to correct it). They only sell the 60psi version, which is what this is for stock pumps.

If my mod doesn't work (good enough), I should prob. look into getting an 80psi gauge like hgs_notes mentioned. We'll see what happens. If I can move the needle, it should save face and be ok. The element being expanded due to pressure - doesn't necessarily mean the gauge is busted, just stressed. If I can adjust it, it should be okay to give me a good enough reading.

[Tyz082]

you have more patience than i do man, i would have just replaced it. good luck hope your engineering works out. I agree with mike overall though just get the correct gauge, just another reason to Aint it fun!

[litew8]

Thanks tyz082. It isn't a rush, and I personally don't consider it to be busted. Since I've moved the needle (itself only) back to the L position, I've ran the engine a couple of times. The needle rests back on L when the engine is turned off - indicating it (element) hasn't expanded anymore. If it had, it'd read 5 or something on the dial. If in the future it expands, and the gauge reads something other than 0 when the engine is off, I'd consider replacing it.

Right now, on a cold start - it reads H. And then moves down to just below the 1/2 point when warmed up (normal). It has performed like this both times since I readjusted the needle.

I know nothing about oil pressure gauges like this other than they are VERY ELEMENTARY in design - I'm thinking the only difference between an 60lbs and 80lbs gauge is the curvature of the element that contracts under pressure (meaning the element is the same, just shaped differently). I'm just guessing here - that the 80lbs doesn't have any heavier duty parts in comparison and essentially, I've turned my 60lbs into an 80lbs manually.

Disclaimer: DO NOT ATTEMPT AT HOME

[hgs_notes]

The bellows in an 80# guage is probably a small percentage thicker to offer more resistance to pressure so for the same distance of movement of the needle a higher pressure is needed. If your guage will read consistantly that is all you really need.

When you get a reading that is abnormal you will have to think about whether it's the guage or sloppy bearings. I wiped a couple bearings on an engine once, still had good pressure at cold start, just slightly less than normal. Then as it warmed up the pressure was noticably lower. This was on an aftermarket guage. Frankly, the originals are not a hell of lot better than on off switches. They are not graduated or calibrated. Thats why I would suggest using a good test guage along with it just once so you have an idea of what your actual pressure is now, note it and it can be checked later if you suspect something out of wack.

It's been about a week now. Getting anything done?

[litew8]

We're still intending to connect an external gauge to get an actual reading, as mentioned before. A decrease in pressure is normal under normal operating conditions. Not much of anything else accomplished recently. Planning the second phase/course. Since painting cannot be done, we've got some time.

Edit: Temp. gauge working after replacing sending unit w/new. I think it's inaccurate though. Need more time to observe, but I think it measures too high. We've got an inferred reader to shoot it with. I've read how aftermarket sending units are inaccurate.

[Tyz082]

Forgot to say congrats on the 1st fire!!
Sounds good!! cant wait till i hear mine turn over

[litew8]

Thanks!
----------
The Fixer has had a cold; shop closed for a few days.
Can't afford catching something. Good to take a break.

Still contemplating exhaust, pipes and all.
I've been consulting with The Pit Boss.