What did you do with your truck today, Part 3

[svr]

Firewall

[MiraclePieCo]

Originally Posted by svr

Firewall

Your work is always so clean. I'm eagerly anticipating the finished project.

[oldman3]

Mine is now back on the road, after repairs from a deer week...Jim

[MiraclePieCo]

Originally Posted by oldman3

Mine is now back on the road, after repairs from a deer week...Jim

Better than new - just in time for deer season! Have you been working on it since way back when that happened?

[oldman3]

Originally Posted by MiraclePieCo

Better than new - just in time for deer season! Have you been working on it since way back when that happened?

Yes and No Put it back together in primer and drove it all through 2017.
Took it apart in Jan 2018, then my left side went num for 6 months, then finished up from that point...Jim

[crossfire84]

Great work.

[oldman3]

Originally Posted by crossfire84

Great work.

Thanks...Jim

[svr]

Did the turkey yesterday so had some time this morning. Cleaned up the shop a bit, needs more, then got my cab mounted on the frame and moved it all back to the warm side of the shop, think ill catch a football game.

[Black_Sheep]

Originally Posted by svr

Did the turkey yesterday so had some time this morning. Cleaned up the shop a bit, needs more, then got my cab mounted on the frame and moved it all back to the warm side of the shop, think ill catch a football game.

Looks great!

[Black_Sheep]

I took the cover off the '58 today so my sis could see it. I'm going to leave the cover off for a few days just so I can look at it. Man, I love this truck...

[MiraclePieCo]

Originally Posted by Black_Sheep

I took the cover off the '58 today so my sis could see it. I'm going to leave the cover off for a few days just so I can look at it. Man, I love this truck...

I used to like to attend car shows - until I got my own truck. After that, all the other vehicles seemed boring in comparison. Ya think I'm prejudiced?

[Black_Sheep]

Originally Posted by MiraclePieCo

I used to like to attend car shows - until I got my own truck. After that, all the other vehicles seemed boring in comparison. Ya think I'm prejudiced?

I think for most of us it's a labor of love. When you put your heart and soul into something it's understandable how a person could develop an emotional attachment. I plan to hit a few shows and cruise nights next summer but I'm most happy just tooling around.

[evilokc]

pulled it out of the garage so I could do some work in there. however it felt so good to be in it I took it for a short drive through the neighborhood.

[mikebte]

Installed the new fuel filter system and AN fittings, filters nice but still have a flat spot under quick acceleration more diag to come. Also took the wife out for coffee in the 59. Met some folks with a 58.

[DransportGarage]

Finally got all the wiring run to the roof. Wires everywhere. (CHMSL, cargo light, dome light, radio, equalizer, DVD player, lighted vanity mirrors in sun visors. Antenna wire from the power antenna went through there too. Hope I didn't miss anything. Who decided to put the radio and equalizer in the roof? Oh, I guess that was me...)

[MARTINSR]

I got home from Idaho (actually leaving Winnamucca) after the 400 mile drive today and got out to the garage to move some things, plan some things and get her ready for getting the cab off the cart so I can do the underside of the floor. I will be getting the frame off for powder coating soon, not sure when. But I have the money to do it from selling stuff and am ready to rock! I'll have to take half a day off and use the company tow truck to make it happen so one day over the next few weeks I will get it over there.

Brian

[MiraclePieCo]

Ready for my fourth attempt to get my NPT head plug to seal. Tried once with Permatex Hi-Temp thread sealant - held a few weeks. Tried again with 3 wraps teflon tape - didn't hold at all. Tried again with a different plug and 6 wraps teflon tape - didn't hold at all. And yes, I've chased the threads with a tap.

This time I've got a new brass plug (the others were steel) and I'm going to try Permatex Form-A-Gasket #1 hard curing sealant. If that doesn't work, I may as well try to JB Weld the plug in, because I'm going to need a new head anyway. :-(

[DransportGarage]

Originally Posted by MiraclePieCo

Ready for my fourth attempt to get my NPT head plug to seal. Tried once with Permatex Hi-Temp thread sealant - held a few weeks. Tried again with 3 wraps teflon tape - didn't hold at all. Tried again with a different plug and 6 wraps teflon tape - didn't hold at all. And yes, I've chased the threads with a tap.

This time I've got a new brass plug (the others were steel) and I'm going to try Permatex Form-A-Gasket #1 hard curing sealant. If that doesn't work, I may as well try to JB Weld the plug in, because I'm going to need a new head anyway. :-(

I'd be concerned about how well the Permatex hard stuff would do in your heat-cycling environment. ...cold...hot...cold...hot... Maybe go straight to the J-B Weld? Unless you add a sensor some day you won't have to take that plug out again. This is really a bum deal for you.

[mikebte]

Originally Posted by svr

Did the turkey yesterday so had some time this morning. Cleaned up the shop a bit, needs more, then got my cab mounted on the frame and moved it all back to the warm side of the shop, think ill catch a football game.

That is a really cool set up. I enjoy when the 235 is still in place and spruced up.

[DransportGarage]

Originally Posted by mikebte

That is a really cool set up. I enjoy when the 235 is still in place and spruced up.

Yeah, especially with the dual carbs and split exhaust!

[svr]

Been out of town all weekend, got back about an hr ago, thanks for the comments guy's, much appreciated

[MARTINSR]

No actual work ON the truck but I got some wood to prepare the attic in the garage to hold the hood while I get the cab off the cart and laying on it's back so I can do the floor. I plan on doing this over the next couple of days.

The other thing I did was to go through models I had up in that attic so sell them. Got to get rid of stuff for the move and it will get me a few dollars for the truck too, win win.

I will be keeping all the six models of my truck though. I have always planned on building a model of every version it's lived, that would be a hilarious collection.

Brian

[dsraven]

miracle,
first, ensure the leak is actually the threads and not a crack in the head which can happen when a steel plug has been over-tightened at some point in it's history. as you know npt is a tapered thread and when forced into the hole, by over-torquing to get a seal, it acts like a wedge. the wedge action can cause the head to crack because the steel plug has no "give". the plug will either strip or keep forcing itself inward. sooner or later the hole can start to crack. the crack may not be visible with the naked eye especially if there is a nice coat of engine enamel on the area. of course the best way to check for this is to remove the head, dissassemble, hot tank, and then magnaflux or use some other type of crack detection method. there are some spray methods that could be used while the head is stil on the truck but the area still needs to be cleaned down to bare casting.
alternately, I suggest to clean the area, run the engine up to temp and shut off. then use compressed air to start drying the area. a crack will possibly show up as a spot that just doesn't want to dry. it may be just a bad thread seal, in which case I would use the recommendations in the links below, but if it is a crack then you may be in for some jbweld or another head casting. I guess you could try drilling it out to the next size of pipe thread and see if you capture the crack that way, if it is cracked.
from what I have picked up over the years, pipe dope thread sealants contain solvents, which offgas and can cause the sealer to shrink over time, especially on hot joints like an engine would be. with that said it is my go to npt sealer and my son, a proffesional plumber, also uses it for most of his day to day pipe connections. teflon tape is more of a lubricant and the sealing part of this is simply whatever gets stuck in the threads can fill a few voids plus the joint can possibly be tightened easier due to the lubricating qualities which causes the tapered thread to be forced further in to seal better. the anaerobic sealers rely on the sealer filling any voids in the thread contact areas and then hardening in a chemical reaction with the metal in the lack of oxygen environment when the parts are assembled. it seems to me that the anaerobic sealer may be the best for use in your case this time. it would fill any voids in the threads and harden there to form a seal. since you are only sealing 15 psi it may be the best sealer to use. this is assuming the leak is actually coming from the threads and not a small crack.
if the head is good and you want to try a new plug, I would try a new brass plug but be sure to check, if using an anaerobic sealer, if the anaerobic chemical will react with the brass to cure the product or if a steel based plug would be better for that. the cast iron in the head may be enough to make the anaerobic sealer work, not sure though. pull the block drain to ensure the hole is cleared of any coolant. then use some brake clean and a small brush (like a tooth brush) to clean deep into the threads all the way around so you know they are clean-clean. blow dry with compressed air. ensure the plug is cleaned of any oily residue and then apply some anaerobic thread sealer. then screw the plug in hand tight and add 3 turns with a wrench. walk away and let it sit overnight. this will allow the sealer to cure. then pressure test the system with air at 15 psi, or whatever your rad cap is rated for, before adding any coolant. a pressure tester is a handy tool for anybody who works on cars and could be resold after if you don't see yourself using it. the alternative is possibly you can borrow one. some tool rental places carry them as well.
on another thought, you may be able to find a pipe threaded plug with a flange that you could put a gasket under to seal against the head surface on the outside, or a special, possibly custom made plug that would thread into the npt in the head but have a normal thread on the outside part that you could use to install a gasket under a nut/washer on the outside of the head. maybe not that pretty though. it would be a conversation piece for sure. see the first pic in the last link where it compares different thread sealing methods. it would be like the parallel thread style. maybe accomplished with a long fitting and a thin npt nut with O ring, like a bulkhead fitting would use.

the first article below explains the different types of thread sealers and their properties. the second shows a few different ways to seal pipe threads of different sizes. both are industrial applications so they deal with this stuff every day.
hopefully this helps somebody somewhere.

https://www.plantengineering.com/art...hread-sealant/


http://www.jgbhose.com/technical-ref...aling-tips.asp


https://www.permabond.com/technical-...ermabond-a131/


https://www.adaptall.com/info-tutori...ng-methods.php

[MiraclePieCo]

Originally Posted by dsraven

miracle,
first, ensure the leak is actually the threads and not a crack in the head which can happen when a steel plug has been over-tightened at some point in it's history. as you know npt is a tapered thread and when forced into the hole, by over-torquing to get a seal, it acts like a wedge. the wedge action can cause the head to crack because the steel plug has no "give". the plug will either strip or keep forcing itself inward. sooner or later the hole can start to crack. the crack may not be visible with the naked eye especially if there is a nice coat of engine enamel on the area. of course the best way to check for this is to remove the head, dissassemble, hot tank, and then magnaflux or use some other type of crack detection method. there are some spray methods that could be used while the head is stil on the truck but the area still needs to be cleaned down to bare casting.
alternately, I suggest to clean the area, run the engine up to temp and shut off. then use compressed air to start drying the area. a crack will possibly show up as a spot that just doesn't want to dry. it may be just a bad thread seal, in which case I would use the recommendations in the links below, but if it is a crack then you may be in for some jbweld or another head casting. I guess you could try drilling it out to the next size of pipe thread and see if you capture the crack that way, if it is cracked.
from what I have picked up over the years, pipe dope thread sealants contain solvents, which offgas and can cause the sealer to shrink over time, especially on hot joints like an engine would be. with that said it is my go to npt sealer and my son, a proffesional plumber, also uses it for most of his day to day pipe connections. teflon tape is more of a lubricant and the sealing part of this is simply whatever gets stuck in the threads can fill a few voids plus the joint can possibly be tightened easier due to the lubricating qualities which causes the tapered thread to be forced further in to seal better. the anaerobic sealers rely on the sealer filling any voids in the thread contact areas and then hardening in a chemical reaction with the metal in the lack of oxygen environment when the parts are assembled. it seems to me that the anaerobic sealer may be the best for use in your case this time. it would fill any voids in the threads and harden there to form a seal. since you are only sealing 15 psi it may be the best sealer to use. this is assuming the leak is actually coming from the threads and not a small crack.
if the head is good and you want to try a new plug, I would try a new brass plug but be sure to check, if using an anaerobic sealer, if the anaerobic chemical will react with the brass to cure the product or if a steel based plug would be better for that. the cast iron in the head may be enough to make the anaerobic sealer work, not sure though. pull the block drain to ensure the hole is cleared of any coolant. then use some brake clean and a small brush (like a tooth brush) to clean deep into the threads all the way around so you know they are clean-clean. blow dry with compressed air. ensure the plug is cleaned of any oily residue and then apply some anaerobic thread sealer. then screw the plug in hand tight and add 3 turns with a wrench. walk away and let it sit overnight. this will allow the sealer to cure. then pressure test the system with air at 15 psi, or whatever your rad cap is rated for, before adding any coolant. a pressure tester is a handy tool for anybody who works on cars and could be resold after if you don't see yourself using it. the alternative is possibly you can borrow one. some tool rental places carry them as well.
on another thought, you may be able to find a pipe threaded plug with a flange that you could put a gasket under to seal against the head surface on the outside, or a special, possibly custom made plug that would thread into the npt in the head but have a normal thread on the outside part that you could use to install a gasket under a nut/washer on the outside of the head. maybe not that pretty though. it would be a conversation piece for sure. see the first pic in the last link where it compares different thread sealing methods. it would be like the parallel thread style. maybe accomplished with a long fitting and a thin npt nut with O ring, like a bulkhead fitting would use.

the first article below explains the different types of thread sealers and their properties. the second shows a few different ways to seal pipe threads of different sizes. both are industrial applications so they deal with this stuff every day.
hopefully this helps somebody somewhere.

https://www.plantengineering.com/art...hread-sealant/


http://www.jgbhose.com/technical-ref...aling-tips.asp


https://www.permabond.com/technical-...ermabond-a131/


https://www.adaptall.com/info-tutori...ng-methods.php

Wow, thanks for the extensive answer. Coincidentally I'm draining the cooling system now in preparation for my fourth attempt, this time installing a brass plug with anaerobic sealer. The main problem is inaccessibility - it's down on the passenger side below the exhaust manifold, access blocked by the inner fender - all my work is being done by feel. If this doesn't work, I must concede that the head is cracked and the truck goes to a shop for new heads :-(

Edit: Finished the installation. Chased and cleaned the threads, used new brass plug coated with Permatex High-Temp anaerobic sealant, will give it at least a week to cure. Fingers crossed, but I'm not optimistic; the fact that it hasn't sealed yet shows something is amiss. Maybe the brass plug will have better tolerances or conform better than the steel. No pressure tester so will just check it the messy way - fill with coolant and fire it up.

[MARTINSR]

I got out to the garage and added a few more strips of wood than I had up in the attic in the garage so I could put the hood halves up there until I am ready for them.
I then removed some bolts from the gas tank brackets and a crossmember. It's the first time I have actually touched the truck in over a week and it felt good.

Brian