The 283 Rebuild Begins

[protrash64]

Glad to hear your truck is doing its job!! I see a lot of them running around lately. I guess many people have figured out its still cheaper than a 20k new truck; provided you can put up with the little stuff.

[jason65]

Glad to hear it Mac. You did a good job breathing some life into your ol pick-up.

[MacAttack]

Originally Posted by protrash64

I guess many people have figured out its still cheaper than a 20k new truck; provided you can put up with the little stuff.

Well, that's the thing. After all the bone-headed mistakes I made during the build (as basic as it is) and the $7,000 I spent on this ol' truck - the little things don't bother me at all!

We've got a little chalk board out in the garage for the 65' C-10 and the 65' Chevelle (both daily drivers) and we just put issues up on that, and come the next Saturday we hit them one at a time.

A year ago - these kind of things drove me up the wall, but now it's like water off a very old duck's back. Guess that's what comes with a bit of experience.

Hope that makes sense.

[MacAttack]

Originally Posted by jason65

Glad to hear it Mac. You did a good job breathing some life into your ol pick-up.

Thanks, Jason - it'll never be a show rig, but that's okay - she's quickly paying her way back now. The only very minor glitch is you can't make corners too tight, because the front springs I bought are over two inches shorter and I'm running 235's (60's) T/A radials all the way around. Not a biggie - may go to 195's (60's) in the front for a bit more clearance.

Mac.

[MacAttack]

Going on eight months now after rebuilding the 283 and my boy's using the old C10 six days a week in his landscaping business - and now we've started hauling the boat to the ocean on Sundays. So far - everything's running great and I'm really glad I put the time and money into the old girl.

Thanks for all your help, guys.

[daverod]

Sorry about the 12 years. Good to see the trucks getttin it done. So your about ready for another project huh?

[jason65]

Thats the proof of a job well done Mac. Glad your happy with it and enjoying it.

[Alan's Classic]

Originally Posted by jason65

Thats the proof of a job well done Mac. Glad your happy with it and enjoying it.

[MacAttack]

Originally Posted by daverod

So your about ready for another project huh?

I have a bone-stock 327 on an engine dolly in the garage that's calling to me.

[VDOG]

Originally Posted by MacAttack

I have a bone-stock 327 on an engine dolly in the garage that's calling to me.

If you decided to do another 283, I just pulled mine out, that has maybe 6000 miles on it in the last 11 years. Had a nice Isky cam. In the meantime, the next local So Cal meet we have, we will be looking for you and your truck.

[MacAttack]

Originally Posted by VDOG

In the meantime, the next local So Cal meet we have, we will be looking for you and your truck.

Outstanding!

[MacAttack]

Guess it's been a while, eh?

My C10 has been getting her butt worked off six days a week - with my boy's landscaping business, which is really kicking in now and the rig's been running like a champ!

The only thing I've done since the last post - many, many months ago - was changing out that silly smog valve "T' contraption I had running from the triangle air cleaner with two small (1/4" ID) rubber tubes. NFG and never created enough suction for the PCV.

Bought some brass plumbing pieces and made a little "tree" going into the intake manifold behind the 2-barrel, that originally operated just the power brake booster. New set-up is clean - no leaks - and the brakes are fine.

Mac.

[VDOG]

Glad to read that your 283 is getting a workout. LOL
Are you going to the Brothers Truck Show?
Also check out the SoCal Checking in post under the California section.
You might find a few neighbors.

[Alan's Classic]

Glad to see a post from ya Mac. Glad things are working out well with the truck.

[MacAttack]

Rear end is making noise on tight turn corners. Put a post in the Engine & Drive-line Section to try and get some information. It's more annoying than anything. Doubt if it's really tearing anything up in the Posi.

Mac.

[protrash64]

I would add GM posi additive. Only one that works as far as Ive heard.

[daverod]

Good to see ya still kickin. miss ya . When's the next build?

[MacAttack]

Originally Posted by protrash64

I would add GM posi additive.

Yep - everybody says that.

Unfortunately, from what I've heard - it's not compatible with that Valvoline synthetic that's in the pumpkin presently. Friday the truck's going to H.B.Trans and they'll flush it out - put the normal hypoid in and, of course, the GM posi additive.

You know I can't just have a simple fix and there has to be much blood-letting, teeth gnashing and screaming tears before everything settles back down anyway.

[MacAttack]

Originally Posted by daverod

When's the next build?

Well - I've got the 327 on an engine dolly - buried in the back of my garage that's been calling to me. I picked it up - complete - for a hundred bucks, some time back from a guy at the shop. It might be an anchor or - with any luck - something to throw a great deal of money at, again.

We'll see this winter.

Mac.

[MacAttack]

All is right with the world again and "The Tan's" back on the road.

That additive is the s*%t!

[4dranch]

Congrats Mac...

[MacAttack]

I'm back - sort of - been sick for a bit.

Truck is doing fine and now that the weather is warming up my son and I are starting to go fishing, towing my boat - sometimes on the freeway - like this last Saturday.

60 mph is fairly easy, although I've got a minor problem of a slight pre-det knock, despite running premium and '104' additive, just in case (remember my paranoid nature).

The pinging only happens going up grades - so I'm hoping it's a timing thing.

Any advice you guys can give will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks, Mac.

[justcuz]

It is probably timing. What is it set at initial? It should be somewhere between 4 and 10 degrees. Need to check a book if you have one. 8 is a good place to start. Basically if you are going up hills the vacuum advance is supposed to allow you to keep a constant speed without the pinging. As you accelerate vacuum drops retarding the timing as you climb the grade. If the vacuum advance is working you have too much advance. You can check the vacuum advance by using a vacuum pump on the advance mechanism and seeing if it moves with the distributor cap off.

[MacAttack]

Originally Posted by justcuz

It is probably timing. What is it set at initial? It should be somewhere between 4 and 10 degrees. Need to check a book if you have one. 8 is a good place to start.

Yeah - that's what I thought. The distributor is a GM HEI unit and the rebuilt engine has about 3.500 miles. Runs fine on the street unless it's towing the boat and pushed hard - then it starts to protest a bit. Will the timing change mess with the starting? Fires instantly now.

[justcuz]

No it should not hurt it. Modern TBI engines are set at zero and start instantly too. As long as you are not retarded you should be fine. I would back the timing off a couple degrees at a time and see when the pinging stops. If that does not help, put it back to where it was and check your vacuum advance.