Junkyard Jimmy Super Low Buck Build Thread

[Tynee]

I like one of my local O'Reily's stores really well. They've got a guy who goes by the name of Mopar, seriously. It's what's embroidered on his shirt. If he's working, he know's more about auto parts than just about anybody I've ever worked with, and most of the young guys have been around a couple of years. It appears they pay more than the other local stores, because they get better help who want to stick around.

[hgs_notes]

Just taking a little break. Progress is going well today, with just a small set back, waiting for parts again. Power steering pump this time and I'm thinking about just using the old part for now rather than spend another $55.

So far, oil pump is primed (here's a tip, make sure you hook up the pressure gage first), the water pump is on, distributor is in, power steering pump brackets cleaned up and painted, same with alternator brackets, radiator hoses replaced, vacuum lines all replaced, carb installed (though no fuel lines or throttle yet).

Time to get more done, wife is napping.

[67chevy1series]

great so you will be driving by uum ,TOMMOROW! lol

[VA72C10]

sounds like great progress....hope there are no other holdups for you...

[hgs_notes]

Originally Posted by 67chevy1series

great so you will be driving by uum ,TOMMOROW! lol

Originally Posted by VA72C10

sounds like great progress....hope there are no other holdups for you...

There's always something...

Pics from the day. First one shows, dizzy in, carb on, vac lines on, etc.


Brackets and such painted




Had a little trouble removing the power steering pump pully


I got the front brackets on, but I'm waiting for the power steering pump to come, the pullies paint to dry, and I need a sleeve for the alternator mounting bolt. See the long bolt holding the bottom of the alternator? If someone could tell me how long the sleeve is that goes between the alternator and head I would appreciate it.


What's left? Pullies, pump, fan, fuel line, tranny cooler lines, throttle, cap and wires, spark plugs, reconnect exhaust to headers, heater hose or bypass, fuel tank fill line, wiring, and other things I'll remember after it doesn't start up.

[VA72C10]

looks like good progress....guess the pulley was a LITTLE siezed on there....

make sure to add bolting down the valve covers to the list

[Tynee]

Needed something out of the truck anyway, so I took a tape with me, I measure ROUGHLY 3-3/8" on that sleeve. YMMV!!!! If it's like everything else on the front end of my engine, it could be anywhere from 3" to 3-1/2"

[ERASER5]

The pulley bent because you used the wrong tool for the job. The correct tool engages the groove at the hub and will not bend the pulley. AZone rents them. Easy peezy to use.

[Tynee]

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/acc...fier=2075_0_0_
Guess that explains why I chipped a couple places off of the last pulley I pulled off a power steering unit, too.

[hgs_notes]

Originally Posted by VA72C10

looks like good progress....guess the pulley was a LITTLE siezed on there.... make sure to add bolting down the valve covers to the list

Sure will, and gaskets too. I need to adjust the valves once it's running though, so that part waits 'til the end.

Originally Posted by Tynee

Needed something out of the truck anyway, so I took a tape with me, I measure ROUGHLY 3-3/8" on that sleeve. YMMV!!!! If it's like everything else on the front end of my engine, it could be anywhere from 3" to 3-1/2"

Thanks for the info, but what does YMMV mean?

Originally Posted by ERASER5

The pulley bent because you used the wrong tool for the job. The correct tool engages the groove at the hub and will not bend the pulley. AZone rents them. Easy peezy to use.

I know. That pulley was a rusty junker. I have another pulley all painted up nice. I did actually get my puller in those grooves and got it off. I just thought it was funny, a potato chip shaped pulley.

I have a mechanic friend around the corner from my place and he lets me borrow tools, like the inch-pound torque wrench for the intake bolts for instance. I need to add that to my wish list. Maybe that pulley puller too.

[Tynee]

Originally Posted by hgs_notes

Thanks for the info, but what does YMMV mean?

Your
Mileage
May
Vary

[swamp rat]

Originally Posted by hgs_notes

I got the front brackets on, but I'm waiting for the power steering pump to come, the pullies paint to dry, and I need a sleeve for the alternator mounting bolt. See the long bolt holding the bottom of the alternator? If someone could tell me how long the sleeve is that goes between the alternator and head I would appreciate it.

You have a short water pump in the other picture and normally that alternator mounts to the driver side with a bracket, did you order a long water pump?. If your going to mount the alternator with just a bolt and spacer be sure its a grade 8 bolt, regardless i don't know if its going to be able to take the abuse without bending/breaking, i don't know if GM did it without a bracket of some kind like they did on the driver side?

[hgs_notes]

Originally Posted by swamp rat

You have a short water pump in the other picture and normally that alternator mounts to the driver side with a bracket, did you order a long water pump?. If your going to mount the alternator with just a bolt and spacer be sure its a grade 8 bolt, regardless i don't know if its going to be able to take the abuse without bending/breaking, i don't know if GM did it without a bracket of some kind like they did on the driver side?

I wasn't leaving it like that. I made a spacer to support it properly from some aluminum tube for now. Yes it was originally on the driver side, but thos brackets are long gone, see short story above.

The next bit of trouble came from trying to get the correct length belts, since I really don't know what combination of pulleys and brackets they match up with. One alt/fan belt was a bit short, the next a bit too long (but will work) and the store closed for the night, and tomorrow too. I'll have to see what's open tomorrow to find the in-betweener. I did get a good power steering belt on the 2nd try.

For all intents and purposes, the front accessories are done, the fuel line is done, cooling system done and mostly filled, tranny cooler lines connected, exhaust re-assembled. Probably a few more things done, but that's it for tonight.

The biggest mistake so far today? Forgot that the spark plugs I have are for old school heads and not the vortecs, which is the primary reason I'm done for today. I hope there's a parts store open tomorrow.

Pics:

[67chevy1series]

nice job !!!!!!!!!!! the power steering pullie didnt want to come on

[hgs_notes]

Originally Posted by 67chevy1series

nice job !!!!!!!!!!! the power steering pullie didnt want to come on

Thanks

I just spent an hour or more investigating spark plugs. Here's what I learned, the old style Champion R44T plugs will fit the vortec heads, it's just not the recommended plug. They are a 14mm thread with .460" reach, which is the same as some of the recommended plugs (accel 574 u-groove). Most of the recommended plugs however are a longer reach .708" style, which really confused me.

So I used a cross reference for Accel plugs I found on the jegs.com site and crossed the recommended plugs and found about 75-100 different plugs that match 3 accel plug numbers(574, 526, 274), in both a short and long reach, various cores and ground designs, different heat ranges, etc.

Basically there are at least 20 different standard plugs for the heads, and you could substitute just about any other plug that fits and find a cross reference chart that says it's ok. What I am going to do is see if I can find a set of the long reach plugs this morning.

Happy New Year!

[ERASER5]

Is extending the fan shroud on the punch list?

[hgs_notes]

Originally Posted by ERASER5

Is extending the fan shroud on the punch list?

Do I do that or use a different fan? I may switch to electric, I have one laying around the garage somewhere.

Got the spark plugs this morning. The only one I had trouble getting a socket on was #7. I found an old impact socket in the toolbox that was shorter than my regular ones, so I just groung off the corner a bit and it slid right in.


I had to order a fuel filler tube to go from the fill nozzle to the tank nozzle. One nozzle is 1-5/16" and the other is 1-3/8". I had a piece of 1-1/4" and used a funnel to stretch it enouogh to get it on. It worked good enough to get gas in the tank. New hose should be in monday.

Installed a nice heavy ground strap.


Got some of the electrical worked out, but still need to swap the ignition switch. The one installed doesn't have a key. Got the throttle hooked up, got the correct fan belt installed, radiator filled, oil level checked, etc.


Seems like it's ready to go.

[hgs_notes]

Oh yeah. She's a runner...click on the image.

[67chevy1series]

sweet i wish mine was runnin

[RCbowtie69]

It's alive, sweet!!!

[hgs_notes]

Got a little more done today, but first, a reminder for those who worked on the gas tank and fuel lines. Before you start the engine, you want to make sure the pump will get gas to the carb and that you flush the line a bit. This is what came out of mine yesterday.


I got the old keyless ignition switch out today. For now I can use the back end as a working switch. I have a good one up in the garage attic and it's not easy getting up there right now. I hooked up the wiring for the alternator. Still needs cleaned up some, but it'll work. I thought briefly about putting the heater back in, but the core has a busted nozzle (good on in the attic), so I didn't.

Then I got the front clip back on, and as an added bonus, put the grill in too.


I like it. Might do the cam break-in monday when the wife is back at work.

[hgs_notes]

Yesterday I had some time and thought I could get a couple things done. And I did, but it did not go easy.

First task, change the tranny filter. Simple enough right? I dropped the pan and find this:


There is a lot of sludge, and I see some chunks, but it's not metal or tranny pieces...


That, my friends, is corn. In the transmission oil pan. I move on and clean it out. Fresh paint on the pan.


The obstacle of the day? Broken pan bolt left in the tranny case, which may have contributed to the seriousness of the leak. Probably blew an hour trying to fix that. Ended up just drilling the whole thing out and using a longer bolt with a nut on the back side.

I also cleaned up the better rear bumper, sprayed a little paint on the licence plate frame, but didn't mount it yet. And I pulled the front bumper out of the storage. I have to reweld a nut to the bumper bracket for the front bumper. So sometime soon the bumpers will both be on.

Then I did the cam break-in procedure. I starts and runs fine, but everytime I drop it in gear, it stalls. The timing is way too far advanced, but if I bring it back down it stalls. The one thing from the old motor I used here and it had a similar problem, was the distributor.

I'm going to verify my timing marks for top dead center and see what that shows (BTW, I put the damper timing tape on backwards, yep I'm a dummy). If that's ok, I'm swapping the distributor out. I have another one in the attic to try. If it's not, I'll swap the damper from another engine.

If I can get some large enough diameter hose, I can run the exhaust outside and work inside.

[Tynee]

Wow, I was proud that I got 2 oil changes done over New Years...

Good progress. I'm impressed.

How does one get corn INSIDE the tranny pan?

[hgs_notes]

Originally Posted by Tynee

Wow, I was proud that I got 2 oil changes done over New Years...

Good progress. I'm impressed.

How does one get corn INSIDE the tranny pan?

I wish I could have really drove it, but there are still "issues". The only possibility I could figure was that the tranny dipstick was gone. So an enterprising rodent thought the tube might make a nice safe depository, but later found the accomodations less than ideal.

[VA72C10]

Trying to use an ethanol mix with the tranny fluid possibly?