66 C10 with a 283 and 2004R

[72 Cheyenne Super]

Hello,

So this project has been one I have been working on for several months. I did all new suspension, Disk brake conversion, and a nice static drop to slam it down.. I just recently finished putting all new bearings in the rear end and buttoning that all up when a Starter problem began.. I found that there was not the correct starter bolts and the starter must have shifted and it cracked on one of the bolt holes so I went out and got a new starter.

I have a 283 and a 2004r tranny, the starter (straight across bolts) with the 153 tooth flex plate and I have shimmed it every possible way I could think of, and the gears seems to still not line up right. It will turn over but sounds like it is struggling really hard (like the battery is dead, but its got a healthy 12V, even tried two batteries) and barely will start sometimes. I bought a new flex plate (made sure its not on backwards), new starter, new starter bolts and have tried everything to get this thing lined up right, but its like the bendex gets stuck in the flex plate even though there is plenty of gap in the gears. Not sure where to go from here....

To add on top of my starter problems, the Rear Main seal seems to all of the sudden picked up a huge leak and its pissin out oil now, the Holley Carb started coughing real bad and spits and stumbles when I try to Start like somebody swapped spark wires or the timing got all out of wack, so ya that so that doesnt help. Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

-TW

[PGSigns]

Are you using standard bolts in the starter or starter bolts. Plain bolts will not square up the starter in the same spot each time.
Jimmy

[72 Cheyenne Super]

I have the correct GM starter bolts with the knurled part for them. New insight though, went to check it out this afternoon and found the Battery is completely dead, went to put a fresh battery in and when I go to crank it over it just kills the battery, so maybe this is an electrical problem and it may be correctly shimmed?? I have to decide the order to fix these things, the massive oil leak, starter, or the coughing carb haha.
-TW

[72 Cheyenne Super]

UPDATE: so chasing electrical problems, put new battery in, new cables, even put ground strap on the starter to be safe. When I go to turn the key over, it drains the battery down to like nothing. So I am not sure if the starter and the flex plate are just binding to hard for the battery to turn it over, or if it is some crazy electrical problem, or if the motor is all the sudden just took a sh**. at a loss right now.

['63GENIII]

I would pull the plugs first and try to spin it over by hand. It should turn over somewhat easy. I think that the book I used when building small blocks said it should really take not much more than 25 ft lbs to spin the engine over. If it spins over by hand easy enough, try the starter with the plugs still out. Have a helper keep an eye on the starter to see if its flexing at all as well.

[blown240]

'63genIII took the words out of my mouth.

[goatless]

In the meantime, may ask ask wheel and tire sizes? I like the look.

[72 Cheyenne Super]

@ goatless----Chevy steel 15x8s and cooper cobra 235/75 r15 tires, I appreciate it. 4-6 static drop

So I took the plugs out charged a battery all night gave it a crank and turnned over nice..put the plugs back in and its like the motor is getting stuck...doesnt sound good.

[blown240]

Sounds like the valves aren't opening. Bent pushrods? Flat cam?

['63GENIII]

How advanced is the timing?. Too much and you'll hard crank all the time

[72 Cheyenne Super]

Ok going to pull the distributor and bring it back to top dead center and will go from there!

[jayoldschool]

Take the valve covers off. Check all the rockers/nuts/pushrods/springs. Rotate the engine by hand. Observe correct opening and closing of all valves.

I also agree with re-timing it from scratch.

['63GENIII]

Originally Posted by 72 Cheyenne Super

Ok going to pull the distributor and bring it back to top dead center and will go from there!

Whoa, whoa, hold on. Just get TDC comp stroke and take a look under the cap to be sure its pointing at the wire terminal for #1 cyl.

[goatless]

Originally Posted by 72 Cheyenne Super

@ goatless----Chevy steel 15x8s and cooper cobra 235/75 r15 tires, I appreciate it. 4-6 static drop

So I took the plugs out charged a battery all night gave it a crank and turnned over nice..put the plugs back in and its like the motor is getting stuck...doesnt sound good.

Nice. I already have 15x7 wheels, and I'm planning on getting that tire size. I prefer that meaty, higher-profile look on US made hot rod hardware.

[72 Cheyenne Super]

Alright,

So update. I have attempted to get it to TDC and felt like I was dead on but the SOB wouldnt start, sounds like the starter is having to work super hard too. After half a day of starting attempts my battery has became sluggish I suppose because truck barely turns over now. I feel like the flex plate and starter must not be meshing well because its super loud when I try and start it. Checked all my grounds and they are solid. Its like the starter isnt getting enough amps or something. IDK pretty frustrated!

[blown240]

The fact that it turns nicely with the plugs out makes me think is isn't the starter. Have to pulled the valve covers to make sure everything is moving properly?

Charge your battery, pull the plugs and valve covers and report back.


I wonder if the rear main leak is also a symptom...

[72 Cheyenne Super]

Ok turned it over and several times... found that two valves are not moving. the very first one on piston 1 and the second one on piston 6. So is the next step pulling the heads and soaking them in some solvent? New lifters? Or is it easier to pull the motor and get it on an Engine stand?

['63GENIII]

What gauge and condition are your battery cables? It really doesn't sound like an internal issue since it spun over by hand easily. Has the new started that you installed ever started the engine easily? What does the ring gear look like? Any weird wear patterns?

[blown240]

Pull the 2 push rods on the stuck valves and see if they are bent. Hopefully they are....

[72 Cheyenne Super]

Well, The push rods are not bent. The valve spring on the intake valve of piston one is broken though. However the valve spring on piston 6 looks fine and no bent rod either so I am thinking I need a new cam. So I am debating whether to pull the motor and just rebuild the sucker down to the rings, or just throw a new cam in there and see if that does the trick. I know nothing about this motor and havnet ever really had it run right.

[blown240]

I would pull it. You know you need a new rear main either way.

Pull it, take the heads off, have the heads gone thru. See if the lower end is good, or in need of a rebuild and go from there. No use in putting a cam in a motor that needs work either way. At least not until you know where your at...

['63GENIII]

If you do have a flat lobe or two, the metal went to the pan. Once through the pump, the bottom end is the next stop. I'd drain the oil and look for metal flecks at this point. Blown 240 is right. You needed to fix the RM leak anyway.

[72 Cheyenne Super]

Well, got the motor out! haha Now its time to begin the rebuild research. Any suggestions for this 283? nothing crazy, just want the dang thing to run! haha I have had success with COMP cams and typically get ring kits from summit. any of these kits look ok??

http://www.summitracing.com/search/y...e-rebuild-kits

Or pick up a crate like this

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/na...make/chevrolet

[blown240]

Man you work quick!

$1400 for a crate motor isn't bad! Pull yours apart and see what it needs....

Also, that motor looks REALLY clean. Was it recently rebuilt? And if so, was the cam broken in correctly?

[61K10]

it's not very clean on the inside-----buy the crate, it will cost more to rebuild the 283 correctly.