What did you do with your truck today, Part 3

[mick53]

Originally Posted by Steeveedee

Looks like a freaking jet engine! That's amazing! I wouldn't want to have to polish all that shiny stuff, though.

I have found with todays polishing compounds they are good for a couple of years if you don't strip them off with solvent when your done. It's not going to sit in the weather all the time

[Rickysnickers]

One word, WOW!!!!

[nvrdone]

Well, today I started the maintenance needed to get the truck back on the road. Did an oil change but cant get the filter off. My filter wrench just bends the filter. Got all the grease fittings lubed. Went to change the gear oil in the trans. Discovered I have no drain plug so now I need to find my suction pump in this move in mess. Removed the diff cover and cleaned out the housing, Gears looked good, so new gasket & gear lube. Replaced the spark plugs. Took off for a " short" run. Came back about 1.5 hrs later. Truck ran good. Looking forward to some road trips this summer.

[dsraven]

sounds like fun. (well, maybe not the oil filter part.
on my stuff I always weld a bung into the trans pan for future maintenance. I will make or source a thin nut that fits a standard LS engine style drain plug and drill a hole in the low end of the pan where the drain plug won't interefere with anything internal. some trans pans have the depression in them already where they would have had the drain from factory. then put it all together on the bench with the nut on the inside and a dummy bolt and a solid flat washer, instead of the normal drain pan plug with the rubber gasket, and tighten up the plug so the nut will be sucked down tight to the pan. then weld the nut in a few spots on the inside so it can't spin. then swap the dummy plug with the LS engine plug and you're good to go. this system doesn't fully drain the pan because the thickness of the nut doesn't allow that, but I am usually gonna be taking the pan off to change the filter and inspect for anything abnormal. it just makes way less mess and is easier than trying to take down the pan thats full of oil.
when I do the rear axle I always source a gasket first, then pull the pan off and drain the housing, clean the gasket surfaces off wtc. then I use a pump up garden sprayer that has viton seals to flush the housing with solvent, let it drain and dry. inspect the guts and then install the new gasket and clean cover. as a side note, the garden sprayer is a bit of a pain to always be pumping up so I drilled a hole the size needed for a metal tire valve stem and installed one so the cannister can be pumped up with the shop air line-gently-about 10 psi. it works great. I replaced the hose with some urethane fuel line used for sleds, dirt bikes etc so I have more reach and can see the solvent in the line.
anyway, sounds like you had fun. thats great.

[dsraven]

sounds like fun. (well, maybe not the oil filter part.
on my stuff I always weld a bung into the trans pan for future maintenance. I will make or source a thin nut that fits a standard LS engine style drain plug and drill a hole in the low end of the pan where the drain plug won't interefere with anything internal. some trans pans have the depression in them already where they would have had the drain from factory. then put it all together on the bench with the nut on the inside and a dummy bolt and a solid flat washer, instead of the normal drain pan plug with the rubber gasket, and tighten up the plug so the nut will be sucked down tight to the pan. then weld the nut in a few spots on the inside so it can't spin. then swap the dummy plug with the LS engine plug and you're good to go. this system doesn't fully drain the pan because the thickness of the nut doesn't allow that, but I am usually gonna be taking the pan off to change the filter and inspect for anything abnormal. it just makes way less mess and is easier than trying to take down the pan thats full of oil.
when I do the rear axle I always source a gasket first, then pull the pan off and drain the housing, clean the gasket surfaces off wtc. then I use a pump up garden sprayer that has viton seals to flush the housing with solvent, let it drain and dry. inspect the guts and then install the new gasket and clean cover. as a side note, the garden sprayer is a bit of a pain to always be pumping up so I drilled a hole the size needed for a metal tire valve stem and installed one so the cannister can be pumped up with the shop air line-gently-about 10 psi. it works great. I replaced the hose with some urethane fuel line used for sleds, dirt bikes etc so I have more reach and can see the solvent in the line.
anyway, sounds like you had fun. thats great.

[leegreen]

nvdone's sig said he has M21 trans. GM in it's wisdom never drilled the cast lug where a drain plug would go on some generations of Muncie. It was common back in the day to drill and tap them on the car. Same trans had a low area at the bottom of trans that would not drain regardless, GM tossed a magnet in there. The only way to clean that was take the trans apart.

if your willing to drill and tap for a drain plug, I'd try using one of the small super magnet on extendable wand pickup tools through the drainplug hole to see if you can pull the shavings off the magnet.

[nvrdone]

leegreen - you're right an m21 does not have a pan. I think it was about '68 that gm finally got smart and put in a drain plug. You can drill and tap a hole for a plug with the trans in the vehicle but that scares me. I may just have to drop the trans and do a refresh including installing a drain plug this winter. Using a magnet on a wand might be a good idea.

[leegreen]

I'd probably drill and tap it in place rather than pull the trans apart. Drill pulls shavings out of the hole the most part. A tap with some grease in the lands will catch most of it's shavings. Then you can flush with solvent/oil and fish around with a magnet if it is a ferrous casting.

To be really sure, one of the $20 HD USB snake cameras from Amazon would give you a peak inside the hole. Get one with the little 45 degree mirror attachment.

[dsraven]

yeah, ok, I was talking automatic trans. I have done the drill on the casting on a reart axle. haven't had the opportunity to do that on a standard trans, all the ones I've done had a drain plug or a pto cover

[nvrdone]

Well, for the most part the landscaping on the new house is finished. So now its truck time. Saturday I walked out in the garage and the oid girl - the truck not my wife !! must have wanted some attention because there was a big puddle of coolant under the front end. I knew the radiator was old and had some small leaks, but this was huge. Fortunatly I had a spare radiator in storage, so today I dug it out & got it installed. Ran it for about 1/2 hr and didnt have any leaks. Hope it holds.
I did talk to a local radiator shop who will rebuild mine - coper / brass performance at a fair price. So off to the shop it goes tomorrow. Hope to have a completly rebuilt radiator soon. Then off to other things.

[fauXGT]

Got the primer on this weekend

[dsraven]

that color reminds me of the old red oxide laquer based stuff from the '70's.
nice to see it all one color, eh?

[lgh1157]

About to crank this up for the first time

[fauXGT]

Originally Posted by dsraven

that color reminds me of the old red oxide laquer based stuff from the '70's.
nice to see it all one color, eh?

Red oxide epoxy is the color.
Yep. After 3 years of weekends and vacations messing with the modding to finally see less than 8 colors and weld patchwork all over is heartwarming.

[nvrdone]

This morning I went to Coffee and Chrome here in Yakima. Its an early morning gathering at a popular drive thru coffee place. Then this afternoon went to a big truck show in Union Gap. Enjoyed both shows. With the replacement radiator the truck ran fine until it didn't.
On the way home she started missing and finally died. Let the truck sit and cool off. After about 15 min she restarted and ran fine for about 20 yards. Died again. Figured out she's not getting any fuel to the carb. Checked the electric fuel pump and its working, So I'm guessing it's a plugged fuel filter. Called for a tow and got home. So tomorrow I will pull the fuel filter and check that. Wish me luck.

[nvrdone]

Here's the latest. Pulled the fuel line at the carb. Turned pump on - got a small trickle. Removed fuel filter and blew air thru it. Nothing came out - totally plugged. Went a big box auto parts store. Asked clerk to check stock by part number. He told me he could only check by year and model. Gave him that info. He couldnt find that vehicle in the computer and asked me if I was sure the info was correct. I said the info is correct and he started to argue with me. I picked up my parts and went home. Got on Napa's web site and the filter is in stock at the local store. So I will pick it up tomorrow. Glad I dont have to drive the truck tomorrow.

[nvrdone]

Well, I got the fuel filter in and still no start. Removed the filter and hooked up my pressure tester. have 1.5 psi max. Did an internet search and found carbs need 6 - 8 psi to work properly. So looks like its new fuel pump time. Fortunatly the pump is an external unit mounted on the frame rail.

[Tempest67]

I don't know the history of your truck, but just in case, remove the gas tank cap and check your fuel pressure..... maybe the system can't breathe and the vent has become clogged? long shot, but may save you some grief (and money)

[nvrdone]

Hey Tempest: thanks for that heads up. some how I forgot about removing the cap. I have the filler in the left rear fender with the tank under the rear of the bed. It has a non vented cap with a vent hose going from the filler neck to a vent valve mounted under the fender near the top. So the next step will to be to check all the vents.

[leegreen]

I've owned this truck since about 1979 and today I drove it for the first time.



made a few laps around the block and to the local gas station and back, nothing broke! My list of things to do got longer, but this was a good day.

[dsraven]

That's awesome. Your truck looks great.
I wish I still had my 63 GMC long fleetside. 64 Pontiac, 72 v8 vega, 77 chevy short step, monza spider, 58 chevy long fleetsiide, and a few others in between. They would likely all be ls powered by now, lol.

[Rickysnickers]

That's great!! Hopefully it was enjoyable

[Tempest67]

That is great, congratulations.

Sure does help with motivation when you can 'take it for a spin' after you have worked on it.

Well Done, looks great

[nvrdone]

Yesterday I started watching videos on how to align my hood and front fenders. My hood doesnt fit flush against the cowl and the center fi the grill doesnt line up with the center of the bumper. Doesnt look like the adjustment is a hard jub - just takes time so that may be this weeks project.

[Daze57]

leegreen
congrats on getting it on the road ---my own had sat for a v v long time (health issues) ---now almost bk on the road