IT'S ALIVE!!!! (said in a maniacal voice)

[Longhorn Man]

IT'S ALIVE-ish!!!!

I got up this morning... well, noonish anyways, and I said to my self.. "Andy, you WILL fire that thing up today." And I responded with "Yes sir"
(when talking to yourself, you should always respond to yourself... talking to someone and not getting a response is just rude)
So, I started off with trip to the parts store # 765... give or take a few... I had to pick up a fuel filter, big block bypass hose, a remote starter trigger (got one, but I left it at work... DOH!) and a positive battery cable. (why are they ALL black now... I want a RED friggen cable!) I figured while I was at auto zone, I'll get me some breakfast. (4 small spicy slim jims.. they were out of the regular ones)
I'm still regretting that last part 10 hrs later. Spicy goin in... and spicy goin out.
Bolted up the battery tray, and the rad/shroud to the core support (a tip, bolt the tray on BEFORE the rad goes in) Filled it with water, and a few other odds and ends.... I'm ready to go, I wanna hear it roar.
Grab my dad to sit in the truck while I fire it from outside (no front clip or body harness... no power to the inside of the vehicle) I mostly just wanted him lookin at the oil pressure guage.
Well... I gots fuel... I see it in the new fangled glass filter... I got air... obviously, and I gots spark... I know that becouse i see it shooting out the carb.
Hmmmm, something ain't right.
I double check that I have the fire order right... I already looked 3 times, but hey... 4th time is a charm, right? Well, it's good. Then I realize... I'm not 100% sure which way it rotates. I mean, I THINK it goes clockwise... but I'm not 100% sure.
Well, instead of popping the cap off, I call fine69. He's a wuss and won't answer his phone at 60 MPH on his motorcycle, so then I call longhair. He confirms, and offers to come over and make me feel stupid. (those weren't his exact words)
He only lives like 4 miles from here, so after I fix the small coolant (water at this point) leak on the T-stat, I ask myself... what's he gonna do to make me feel stupid.
I pulled out the #1 plug. The whole time I am screwing it out, I am mumbling to myself... "I've stabbed distributors a dozen times on my old junk... and WAY more than that at work, theya re ALWAYS dead on. I bump it over, get it to #1 on the blow stroke, pop the cap off...
I can't type the word that was yelled loud enough for the neighbors to hear.
About this time, i hear a car pull up and the toot of a horn from the remote lock. I walk out with my head hung low and told Jim what he already knew.
Yep... 180 degrees out.
So we pop it in, and it fires right up. I mean, 2 seconds on the starter, and it came to life. Like I said... I normally install them properly.
No oil pressure.
Crap.
Pull the dipstick out, and it's reading a little lower than it was... so I KNOW the filter got filled. (I know... don't tell me, I already heard it)
So why the heck don't I have oil pressure? It's a mechanical guage... that's pretty much full proof... right? I know for a fact the guage worked when I backed the truck into the driveway.
We remove the line up by the firewall at the little union. Fire it up... no oil.
hmmm....
I remove the oil filter. I want to SEE the oil in it. If the filter is full, then I KNOW the pump was working. However, by this time, I am starting to second guess myself... did I fill it? I never do that... but I knew I should... but why would I start now..
Well, it turns out, I musta had a big 'ole bowl of weaties the day I put that filter on... and my filter wrench is at work... interstingly enough, in the same drawer that the remote starter is in. So we end up ripping the filter up with channel locks and a pipe wrench.
Oh yeah, it was fill alright.
I prefilled the next filter... the one that was there for AFTER cam break in, and installed it. I have 2 witnesses... 3 if you include that pesky voice in my head.
So WTF? Why don't I have a guage reading? There was a nasty rocker click when it was running too, and in my mind, that verified I was getting no oil. I mean, it makes sense... right? Guage says zero, clanking up high in the engine... no oil pressure. Even my mother knows that.
Jim tells me to remove the oil tube and blow some air through it.
So, 30 min later, after shoving some wire through it, I can blow through it.
Put it back on, fire it up, instant reading. Jim said that as it was rollin on the starter, the needle was quivering, as soon as it fired, it pretty much pegged.
The oil pressure was fine all along.
sweeeeeeeeeet
Set the timing, hold the throttle for 20 min... all is good with the world.
I still need to readjust the valves.... esp that loud rocker on the passenger side... I suspect that'll clear up the misfire it has...
So... it ran for 20 min or so... sure, on 7 cylinders, but it was running. Wasn't overheating, the only oil leak was where I didn't snug the oil line down enough, the only coolant and fuel leaks were taken care of before the oil pressure problem was fixed... nothing fell out the bottom of the engine...
So I would say today was a success.
Another first... no exhaust leaks. Installing full donuts on the down pipe will do that.
Jim... Thanks for coming over... esp on a moments notice. I might have figured out the oil line without you, I may have just sat in the corner of the yard crying like a little girl.

I gotta go... this beef jerkey is still killin me.

[Cyclone44]

Glad you got it running again Andy...

[FleetsidePaul]

[jeffspower]

'Bout time you got that thing fired up! I hear ya on the battery cables. All of them have cheesy ends on them too. The only place I have found that sells real cables in black & red with good ends anymore is NAPA. Of course, they are proud of them. I want to go side post on the boys '68. NAPA is the only place I've found that still have the OE style rubber shrouded battery end.

[Riveted1]

When I was trying to get my beast started back up after sitting for 3 years, I was having all kinds of problems. Just little stuff, but something just wasn't right and it wouldn't fire. My neighbor came over one day (I think he was tired of me yelling cuss words at my truck) and said "If you get that thing to fire up today, I'm buying Frosties!" (You know the delicious ice cream treat from Wendy's?) Well, that was all it took. Had that thing running in no time!

Gratz on getting it fired up. Progress feels good, doesn't it?

[odog]

Congrats on gettin it to fire. Little problems always suck.

[stllookn]

I figured while I was at auto zone, I'll get me some breakfast. (4 small spicy slim jims.. they were out of the regular ones)

I about blew beer out my nose on that one...been there done that...too many times...LOL! How about some pics!!!!!!

[Longhorn Man]

Mike.... your comment made typing all that out... while holding the jerkey in...all worth while!

[Longhorn Man]

I was gonna wait till tomorow to post this, being that it is almost 12:30 and I have to be up @6... but mike made me laugh so hard I HAD to do it.
That, and the grilled cheese I just ate is still burning the roof of my mouth. I figured a grilled cheese with double cheese would possibly cancel out the number the jerky has been doing on me.

This was taken when I *thought* it was gonna run... moments before the fire went the wrong way and exited the engine via the carb.

[CG]

Thank goodness you got her running. Now I dont have to buy that truck off ebay and have you drive it out here. Now you can drive the burb out for the one year anniversary party out at the barn.

There has actually been some interest from folks wanting to attend...should I get to work on this Andy?

[Longhorn Man]

Dude... I'm still paying off the loan that I got to pay for the gas to make it one way... couldn't imagine the fuel bill for a round trip... at $4 a gallon verses $3 last year.
Actually, I am already considering my next road trip, but it'll be in the other direction.
I said it to you last year, and I'll say it again... I love the way you PNW guys (and ladys) work out there. You have a tight knit group, get together on a regular basis, and not just for events. I kinda wish it was like that in this reigon.

[Spray-Bomb]

Gee Andy, you coulda saved some time & lessened your chance of carpotunel if you woulda just posted a few pics in the beginning

Oh, I love you source of tunes

Still have eyebrows ???

[5150.4.67]

Originally Posted by Longhorn Man

I was gonna wait till tomorow to post this, being that it is almost 12:30 and I have to be up @6... but mike made me laugh so hard I HAD to do it.
That, and the grilled cheese I just ate is still burning the roof of my mouth. I figured a grilled cheese with double cheese would possibly cancel out the number the jerky has been doing on me.

This was taken when I *thought* it was gonna run... moments before the fire went the wrong way and exited the engine via the carb.

Moments before the fire went the wrong way....... damn thats funny. I'm recovering from the stomach flu and I laughed so hard I almost left fiarrhea in my shorts! Your dialog is good stuff!

[FRENCHBLUE72]

Congrats andy looks like we both had good days..

[fine69]

Wish i could have been there to bust your balls. Wuss.

[texanidiot25]

Man, my truck just fired up on the 1st try....

Longhorn man must make an adventure, of course.

[GREASEMONKEY72]

cool deal andy, its always nice to hear an engine fire

[rambler]

Great story!
BTW I was wondering..

"Jim... Thanks for coming over... esp on a moments notice. I might have figured out the oil line without you, I may have just sat in the corner of the yard crying like a little girl."

maybe he could have brought you some more flowers to cheer you up, if that happened?

[lks dcvn]

Congrats! And I hear you on the install battery tray before the radiator - just experienced that on Saturday - what a PITA...made it work after trying to tighten up those bolts on the side for 20 mins...

I wish somebody lived close enough to me to help me every now and again...

[Longhorn Man]

lks dcvn,
there is at least one other member in the Toledo area, he hasn't been on in a year or two, cheesewagon, real gool cat.
Matt,
Actually, that radio is so pathetic, it only picks up the local stations at night. It was goin all weekend at norwood, out in the sticks. go figure huh?
texanidiot25
I like the new siggy quote! thanks!
Like I said, this is pretty much the first time I didn't get it right the first time.
Mike
I'm not the wuss... you are.

[byrd]

Congratulations!!!! Andy I knew you could do it, just didn't think it would take this long!! hehe

It looks nice and I bet you are still feeling the HIGH of the satisfaction of hearing her running again!!!!
Now get the body parts on and drive b 4 the weather gets crappy!!!

[bad6772]

Randy your toooooo nice........you know he is a slacker..........Wont even answer his phone.......lol At least when i call............

[LONGHAIR]

Andy, you left out the most important part of what I said when you called.
"I can make it work for you by simply offering to come and help. That will make it so you have it done before I can get there".

Things always seem to work like that....as soon as you go to help someone or walk across the shop to get a specific tool, by the time you get there, it's done anyway.

It did fire instantly once it was back in.

He confirms, and offers to come over and make me feel stupid. (those weren't his exact words)
He only lives like 4 miles from here, so after I fix the small coolant (water at this point) leak on the T-stat, I ask myself... what's he gonna do to make me feel stupid.

I didn't say anything like that. The only other comment that I had was, as always "I don't trust anything". Refering to the oil pressure line to the gauge, this time. "Just because it isn't kinked...does not mean that it is flowing". We also pulled the distributor back out to 100% confirm that the oil pump drive was in place (it was of course) It really had pressure from the first hit, the gauge just couldn't show it.

Just for anyone following this, remember....Confirm everything that can have an effect on whatever problem you may be having. Don't take anything for granted...Just because a part is "new", does not mean that it is good, just because "it worked before" doesn't mean it will now.

[Longhorn Man]

I didn't mean to imply that you said anything like that. Sorry.
I guess I shoulda said;
What OBVIOUSE thing will he point out tome that I should know already that will make me feel stupid... like 180 out on the timing.
You were right on the missfire/rocker adjustment too. looks like I forgot one when I was running the valves when it was on the stand.
I took a short video of me reving it up... lame, but it still makes me giggle a little. I sent it to Liz to see if she knows how to chainge the format on it to where it can be posted. My computer doesn't even recognise the extention on the file.
So I drained the oil, installed a new prefilled filter, popped of the passenger side valve cover and fired it up and adjusted the valves.
I've honestly never seen an engine spit oil like this one. I've done a few valve adjustments like this, and they always just drooled. This sucker spits the oil.
Realized I forgot to tighten the distributor down when I bumped it and it turned on me. (took the timing light back to work, thought I wouldn't need it now)
Did discover that the vac advance is shot, so I'll need to pick one up on the way home tomorow... I'll just swing by jegs and get the adjustable one.
Went through the body harness and made the needed repairs too. Just a few more issues to sort out, and it'll be out cruisin again.

[stllookn]

There has actually been some interest from folks wanting to attend...should I get to work on this Andy?

I missed the last one so sign me up! I can bring the "Cardboard Andy" if he can't make it. I have been saving my Longhorn shirt for this event!!!!!!