57 GMC, frame swap, 4wd, 454 big block, 4 speed

[joedoh]

nice tools!

[Old57]

Thanks guys! Yes, I've made a lot of custom tubing lines with these tools, both in steel and stainless steel. After using this flaring tool, I don't know how I'd ever go back to the old hand flaring tools. Every flare or bulb end is nice and uniform, and looks like they were bought pre-made. I did get all of my brake and fuel lines made and installed, and filled the master cylinder with fluid, but I didn't take any pics because I was just focusing on getting them made and installed. I was looking everything over this evening, and I'm not that far off from firing the motor up for the initial camshaft break-in. I need to get a battery and make the battery cables, install and wire the Dakota Digital fan controller, get power steering lines, reinstall the radiator and core support, get radiator hoses and fill with antifreeze. Once I get that done, I can prime the oil pump on the big block and hopefully it'll wake up from its long nap.

One small thing I need to find... the 90 degree push on electrical connector for the GM Square body fuel sending unit for the gauge. Its a brass post on the sender that the connector just pushes onto. Autozone employees were baffled at me asking, so I'll try to find one somewhere. I tried the female end of a "bullet" connector, but it was too big to fit snug.

[jjzepplin]

Very nice!

[joedoh]

how about a picture of the connection? sounds like the one wire reservoir connector on some GM master cylinders.

https://www.ihpartsamerica.com/store/MBM-PVP.html




edit: looks really similar

https://www.ebay.com/itm/GM-Gas-Tank...-/372214535698

[Old57]

Originally Posted by joedoh

how about a picture of the connection? sounds like the one wire reservoir connector on some GM master cylinders.

https://www.ihpartsamerica.com/store/MBM-PVP.html

I'll get a pic when I'm in the shop tomorrow. It's different from the brake switch connector.

[joedoh]

I edited to a link to an ebay ad for what you are looking for!

[Old57]

Originally Posted by joedoh

I edited to a link to an ebay ad for what you are looking for!

That's it! Thanks joedoh. Although I didn't think it would be 17 bucks, but I guess I need the right connector on it when it's way up under the bed.

[Old57]

Joedoh, here is that pic of the wiring stud on the fuel sender. I'm going to order the connector on ebay that you found.

[Old57]

Over the 3 day weekend, I made a big push to get the truck running and break in the cam in the motor. I worked 40 hours in 3 days in the shop to get this thing started, and it seemed like everything fought me. I got all of my brake and fuel lines finished, bled brakes, ended up making a new line that had a problem fitting that wouldn't seal. It was too close to a bend at the end, so I couldn't re flare it. I got the belts and accessories lined up and adjusted, finished up the wiring on everything except the front and rear lights, and installed the Dakota Digital fan controller. I programmed the controller to run my dual fans to come on and off at the temps I wanted. Radiator hoses were a battle. The top hose I found was perfect and needed 1" cut off at the radiator side. The bottom hose took 3 trips to multiple auto parts stores trying to get something that would work. After about 4 hours of back and forth with that, I found 2 hoses that each had 1 bend that I needed, then used the copper elbow that was on the stock GMC 347 motor, and cut the bends out of the hoses to connect to it. I filled up all of the fluids, checked for leaks, and had another battle with a power steering line leaking. After that, I checked everything over and it was finally time to prime the oil pump and get ready to fire up the new motor. I pulled the distributor and put in the pump primer and connected it to the drill. I ran the pump for a bit to circulate oil at TDC, rotated the motor 90 degrees, ran the pump, rotated 90 degrees, ran the pump, and continued this for a full revolution to get oil to every lifter and the top end. I was ready to put the distributor back in and fire it up, then saw a 2' puddle of oil under the rear of the motor. I got under it and looked, and it was coming from inside the bell housing area and down the back of the oil pan. After a few choice words and getting past the feeling of being kicked in the gut by a horse, I drained all the fluids, unhooked the wiring, fuel lines, pulled the core support and inner fenders, and pulled the big block back out. I pulled the clutch and flywheel, and saw that the stainless plugs that the machine shop installed in the oil galleys were leaking, so I replaced those and put some Permatex #2 on the threads. I put in the oil pump primer and ran the drill on it while the motor was on the stand. The leaks in the galley plugs were fixed, but it was also leaking some out of the rear main area while spinning the pump... on a brand new rebuild... great. I turned the motor over and pulled the pan and the rear main. Everything looked good, crank was smooth, the seal was facing the right way, etc. so I left the new rear main seal from the rebuild in place. I have built a lot of motors and I'm pretty meticulous when I do build them. I cleaned and scraped the old sealant off of everything, added a small amount of RTV at the joints of the 2 piece seal and main cap, installed a new felpro 1 piece oil pan gasket, and closed it all up. I ran the drill on the pump again for a while and there were no leaks this time. I was happy, so I went to get a few hours of sleep before I started to put it back in the truck. When I came back in the shop, it still was dry, so I put on the flywheel and clutch, and put the motor back in. I got everything back in and hooked up, primed the pump again, and no leaks, so I put the distributor in and fired up the motor to set the timing and do the initial cam break in. It sounded great, ran great, fans turned on and off at the preset settings, etc. I was really happy... until I saw oil dripping fast out of the same place. I let the cam break in for 20 minutes above 2000 rpm, then adjusted the carb, checked timing, etc. The leak slowed to a steady drip every so many seconds. It was running perfect, so I took it for a drive around the neighborhood. I was pretty happy to drive it for the first time, and everything felt good except the used steering box that I re sealed seemed to not have power steering except for 1 small spot of the turns. I'll replace the box with a new one. After I got back from the drive, I pulled it back into the shop and let it run while I checked everything. The leak will leave about a 3"-4" puddle in 5 minutes of running now. I'm pretty mad at it right now. I guess when I get some time to work on it, I'll pull the motor back out and replace the rear main seal and another oil pan gasket. I may try to see if an engine shop will run it on a test stand to check it before I put it back in again.

[joedoh]

woo hoo! I want to know how the exhaust sounds.


and on your power steering, try cranking it lock to lock a few times while running, sounds like air for sure!

[mongocanfly]

Looking good old57......

[Old57]

Originally Posted by mongocanfly

Looking good old57......

Thanks! Long way to go, but it was good to hear it run and drive it around the block

[OutlawDrifter]

Glad it fired, bummer about the seal. I've been there before. I once chased a random misfire code in my Z28 for a year.

[Old57]

Originally Posted by OutlawDrifter

Glad it fired, bummer about the seal. I've been there before. I once chased a random misfire code in my Z28 for a year.

Thanks! Yeah, I'll get it figured out when I have time again. I sure don't like to redo things haha

[jjzepplin]

Sad to hear about your oil leak. I could give you the whole story about mine but I will skip to the end. Line honed block- new seal- one piece oil pan gasket. 3 days later and the sealant was not dry... Turned out that the brand new tube of Permatex was defective! Pissed off doesn't even come close. I know you did but I will ask anyway. You did- clock the rear seal a little off so that the split is not right in the middle?

[Old57]

Originally Posted by jjzepplin

Sad to hear about your oil leak. I could give you the whole story about mine but I will skip to the end. Line honed block- new seal- one piece oil pan gasket. 3 days later and the sealant was not dry... Turned out that the brand new tube of Permatex was defective! Pissed off doesn't even come close. I know you did but I will ask anyway. You did- clock the rear seal a little off so that the split is not right in the middle?

I hear ya there, that would be a bad day.

Yes, I did clock the seal a little off from the bearing cap parting line. Although, I have heard several people that swear by clocking them, and several people that swear by not clocking them. I've never had one do this before, and I have built a lot of motors. I also put a bit of oil on the seal lips before assembly to keep them from a dry start, but I'm thinking maybe sitting 2 years, almost to the day, between building it and starting the motor might have not been good on the seal.

I pulled off the bell housing inspection cover yesterday, and started it up. It sure does run nice and start easy! Also, the power steering must have gotten the air out, because now it all of the sudden works great. I can turn the wheels lock to lock with 1 finger, and that is sitting still in the shop with 33" tires too. I got underneath the truck with it running and the inspection cover off. The leak is the rear main seal. I was planning to pull the motor back out to replace the seal, but now I'm thinking I may try to do it in the truck. I can get the oil pan off in the truck, but might need to pick the front of the motor up about an inch to drop it past the front bearing cap, because of the cross member. As bad as it will suck to change the seal in the truck, I think it will be a lot less work than pulling the motor back out.

I have to say that the US Radiator Desert Cooler triple pass core, and the high output dual Spal fans seem to be doing a great job of cooling the big block. when the fans are on and I'm standing in front of the truck, they pull my shirt up to the core of the radiator. it will sit in the shop running and cycle the fans on and off from 190 to 183.

I may still do something to the hood (ports, vents or louvers) to get hot air out of the engine compartment though.

Maybe this weekend I'll try to get that rear main seal replaced... ugh.

[Purcell69]

You probably had a bunch of minute air bubbles in your power steering fluid. After it was allowed to settle out, no more issues.

That's a bummer about the rear main seal and you are probably right. Sitting for two years didn't do it any favors. Oil seals like to be kept warm and lubricated. Sitting causes them to get hard and dry. We'd see this in airplanes that spent too much time as hangar queens. Once we put all the parts back on that had been cannibalized for another plane, the oil leaks would start up.

-Joe

[Old57]

Originally Posted by Purcell69

You probably had a bunch of minute air bubbles in your power steering fluid. After it was allowed to settle out, no more issues.

That's a bummer about the rear main seal and you are probably right. Sitting for two years didn't do it any favors. Oil seals like to be kept warm and lubricated. Sitting causes them to get hard and dry. We'd see this in airplanes that spent too much time as hangar queens. Once we put all the parts back on that had been cannibalized for another plane, the oil leaks would start up.

-Joe

Yes, it probably is from sitting so long before it was started up. I'm hoping to get in the shop later today to tear it apart and try to get it fixed.

[Old57]

I looked over the oil pan in the truck, and it looked like everything would clear to change the rear main seal with the motor in the truck. I started in on it, and I had to lift the front of the motor about 1 1/2" to get the pan off, but it all went good. The other seal came out with no problems. I compared it to the replacement Fel-Pro seal, and it was not anywhere near as pliable as the new one. The new one also had a bigger seal lip. I installed it, and could tell right away that it fit a lot tighter on the crankshaft. I got it all buttoned back up and refilled the motor with oil, then started it up. I reluctantly got back under the truck with it running to check for leaks, and I was happy to see that it stayed dry. I even took it around the block again, and there were still no leaks when I got back. The power steering works great now, too.

Now I can get back on track to finishing the truck... slowly.

[joedoh]

looks amazing rolled outside! glad you got the leak fixed too.

[Purcell69]

I'm glad you were able to replace the seal without having to completely pull the engine. That tends to be the advantage of the earlier non-IFS trucks. I sure do like the tire and wheel combination you are using. That has always been a good look in my opinion.

-Joe

[jjzepplin]

That is one nice piece of art you have created sir. Just WOW!

[OutlawDrifter]

Awesome on the "easier" fix. Nice to get a win every now and then!

[Old57]

Thanks guys, yes I was very happy to get the seal replaced and fixed, and also glad I was able to get it done in the truck. The wheels, hubcaps, and tires are what I wanted as soon as I planned out the project. I had to track down the hubcaps one by one, and had them painted/ restored. The one thing I still need to do to complete that part, is installing the blue hub dials that I had custom machined and anodized by GMCGrim on here.

[Purcell69]

Originally Posted by Old57

Thanks guys, yes I was very happy to get the seal replaced and fixed, and also glad I was able to get it done in the truck. The wheels, hubcaps, and tires are what I wanted as soon as I planned out the project. I had to track down the hubcaps one by one, and had them painted/ restored. The one thing I still need to do to complete that part, is installing the blue hub dials that I had custom machined and anodized by GMCGrim on here.

Of all I have done with my project so far, that has to be the one regret I have with mine. My axles (1994 Dodge Ram 1500) are too wide to use the deep steel wheels and GM center caps. The offset required by my axles just barely gets the wheels under the fender lips.

Of course, this just means I get to admire yours that much more.

-Joe