billmerbach

OK I asked before but what does past I gauging provide other than clearance and such if its a reman I trust enough that the beating and crank will fit could I just use a micrometer and check my measure ments. And yes Skype would be awesome I get 2 bars of WiFi in my shed where I will build

billmerbach

Also a 455 hei will work right I found one that's obo brand new on eBay and I'm gonna see if I can get it for 30

billmerbach

Anyone on the plastigauge topic

oldstata

Basically your checking clearances, just because the crank was reman doesn't mean it was done correctly or that the main on the block didn't have wear or correct from factory. yes I would check every bearing twice and take pics while doing it, because once assembled you might question your self and all you have to do is flip thru some pics

billmerbach

Is it a simple process to plasigauge and what do I do if its not good crank only had a 90 day warranty and I wouldn't want to have to have it reground

oldstata

I haven't built a olds yet, but in my experience you proble won't have a problem and if you do you can usually fix it with a over size bearing or by having the block machined if I remember correctly you didn't have any machine work done correct ?

pogo69

plastigage is only ok ifyou dont have any other means to check but if you can borrow a 2-3 micrometer and a bore gage to measure your journals and bearings. plastigage should be fresh not old and dried and its not precise

billmerbach

So basically pogo69 you're saying make sure measurements are exact what's this 2-3 micrometer you speak of my dad has a micrometer looks like a ruler and slides and its a digital can I use that

pogo69

your caliper might be ok(it has to read the center of the journal remember mains are 3'') but its not a micrometer...these clearances go to the 10ths so....0001 you can usethe plasigage but if it looks questionable your better measure it, especially if your going to push the engine a bit

billmerbach

Yea not gonna push it lol just a little runner for a dd is all that's happening lol. Sorry for all these questions I'm stressing out about what I do/don't have what I do/don't have to do etc I don't see how you guys do it lol. And I'll look up how to measure the clearances on YouTube just so I see what to do

pogo69

if you just have the caliper you still need something to measurse the torqued bearings like a bore gage or inside micrometer if you want to be as accurate as possible but i would think you *should* be close with plastigage

billmerbach

Yea I do believe I will need help when I get to this looks like a daunting task. From what I know to start off with is put all bearings in without crank and torque to spec after that I'm lost

pogo69

i didnt mean to add to the stress level i know there is so much information out there and sometimes its best to just keep it simple ...people have relied on plastigage for years with perfectly good results i just mentioned the measuring because its pretty much the way to confirm how accurate your parts were made and machined

billmerbach

Don't worry bout it. I need to know this so its cool the only thing really confusing me is how to use the bore gauge I'm watching videos but not comprehending

pogo69

yes put the bearings in torque with whatever lube you want oil/moly are different torque settings... measure inside bearings diameter then subtract from what journal size is the way i measure the bearings is to set my micrmeter to exactly 3'' then set my bore gage to that standard then measure... so for a main my total bearing might be 3.002 on the bore gage so if i measured my journal at 2.9995 i have .0025 clearance

billmerbach

That's all that is to be done? Jeez people spend 10 minutes on YouTube stressing me out with all the measuring they do pheww seems easier that I was making it out to be

billmerbach

As of stress want high enough gotta go through h#$@ to get an indemnity bond since I can't find the owner with all the title info just f&$#@&$ great

billmerbach

I guess I will just splurge on engine until I get a job to do title and bonds and junk may splurge on some tools and stuff gotta rethink some things and lower this stress lol

MDchanic

Hi, Bill. I meant to answer your questions as best I could earlier today, but work was too busy.
Here goes:

"Trust, but verify."


If it needs to be reground, then it needs to be reground - you either get it or the original reground. No way around it. That's why it's good to check parts as soon as you get them if at all possible.


+1.


To expand, Pogo is talking about a micrometer caliper with a 2" to 3" range, as that is the size of your bearing journals.
It sounds like your dad has a vernier caliper, which is useful, but, as Pogo says, in this case only useful if the jaws can get down the the center of the journal.

That being said, also as Pogo points out, you are measuring to 0.0001" here. That's a ten-thousandth.
This may not seem like a big deal, but it is actually very difficult to do this right, every time.
Most people require a good deal of practice and trial-and-error to be able to do it consistently.
Because of this, I would recommend using the PlastiGage, which is good enough for your purposes, much easier to use, and much harder to do wrong.

By the way, this is a micrometer caliper:



This is a roughly 3" micrometer caliper:



This is a vernier caliper:



And this is a very nice bore micrometer:





A 455 HEI will work, but I don't recall why you need a distributor.
Remember that an HEI will need to be recurved, while a points distributor probably won't.


Oh, you've gotta be kidding.
You bought a car without a title, and have been working on it?
I hope you don't have any problems getting the title information you need.
Meanwhile, I agree: focus on the engine, as you can't be sure that you actually own the car.

- Eric

billmerbach

Well it was a parts car so I figured get a salvage title and all will be well.....its not and its not stolen I checked vin history no reports or anything so I gotta track down owner I was so dumb when purchased it

MDchanic

And you will be so much smarter when you buy your next one.

That's the beauty of life, you keep learning. And the beauty of youth - you get a pass when you do something dumb.

Apropos of that: Do expect to do several really stupid things when assembling this engine.
If you don't do them, be happy and count it as Divine intervention, but expect to be telling people ten years from now about some crazy-dumb thing you did to this engine, and laughing about it.

- Eric

billmerbach

Haha thanks so on the tools part of my splurge what should I acquire I keep looking on eBay for a bulk amount in hope to hit the gold mine for a good deal again on the same engine splurge what should I do know should I go stock still or do a little bolt on stuff. When I go to test it out can I test on stand of course with added reinforcement

MDchanic

For this one, my personal advice would be to keep it really simple. You can always add bolt-ons later, and you are planning to build your internals stock anyway.

As far as a stand, yes, you can build a run stand. I never have, but others here can advise you.

I would keep an eye out for torque wrenches and measuring tools (micrometers, dial indicators, various pressure testers, etc).
Look at yard sales and flea markets - if you can get a bunch of stuff from an old guy who just died, that's your best bet - if his wife or children can see that you'll really use the stuff, they'll usually cut you a good deal.
Wooden machinists' tool boxes full of tools are the holy grail.
Also, if you happen across any antique ivory folding rulers, you can turn $5 into several hundred.

- Eric

billmerbach

Thanks for that hopefully I can go to jamestown flea market up here in morganton with my cousin soon they have lotttts of stuff

redoldsman

Eric, I can't help myself, this just sounds funny: "if you can get a bunch of stuff from an old guy who just died". Does he need to get there within an hour after he died?

Thanks for helping Bill out. I think he is coming along very well. He has two or three good mentors.

billmerbach

Hahaha redoldsman and yes these guys are great really helping me out and giving me learning curves lol

MDchanic

Well, I won't say any of the funny things that just entered my mind, but I will say that, sadly, present company excepted, the older generation that was able to do anything, that read Mechanix Illustrated, Popular Mechanics, and Popular Science, that had a workbench and shop in every basement, with custom shelves and cabinets made from scraps, that was out every Saturday fiddling with the car, that fixed whatever broke, is mostly gone now, and I always keep an eagle eye out for their stuff, and when I buy it, pause for a moment to pay my respects to someone who probably knew more than I ever will, and whose like won't be seen on this world again.

- Eric

billmerbach

That was deep Eric real deep. In other news I'm gonna read my manual which I slacked off on the Clymers Olds Cutlass 1970 to 1984 shop manual I find their engine rebuilding is very illustrated and easy to comprehend plus they have a page dedicated to torque specs

MDchanic

You should also read the engine section of the Chassis Service Manual (available for free from WildAboutCars, remember).
It is probably the best source, and also has a page of torque specs, though your Clymer's may include "general information" that may be helpful to you, and that is not in the CSM.

- Eric

billmerbach

Ok thanks for that can I ask does anyone here work in the DMV and might be able to help me locate the owner of my car ik it'll cost does anyone know what it will cost

oldcutlass

IMO, I would call or go down to the DMV with what ever docs you have for your car and ask them directly. I would also not do anything else to it before you get that info.

billmerbach

I ain't gonna I'm gonna go down soon and give them the vin and see of they could search it

oldcutlass

There may be a way around the previous owner thing by filing for a lost title you just have to ask. If you have a bill of sale from the guy you bought it from.

pogo69

maybe with a car that old they will let you register it with just a bill of sale, thats how they are in my state...hope its goes ok

billmerbach

That's what I was wondering as well I really would hate to have to go through all this hassle

billmerbach

I'm looking at buying an edelbrock carb. Olds packrat has two a 1405 and a 1406 for 30 each I can choose from I've heard these have problems wasn't told what only that I'd hate them.can anyone offer me some insight. Which one should I get if any. I would do a qjet but lemoldsnut said they have to be rebuilt and drill some things and such cause of leaks a any help will be greatly appreciated.

oldcutlass

The Edelbrock carbs are ok but if your using a stock manifold you will need a square bore to spread bore adapter, it's an inch thick. The 1406 is an electric choke and is jetted leaner than the manual choke 1405.

oldstata

There the same carb only one has manul choke while the other is eletric both 600cfm

billmerbach

What should I go with if I don't do edelbrock what are you guys running and how is it eco wise I want something with a tad bit perf and a tad eco as far as mpg

billmerbach

380867175389 EBay item lots of machine tools looks like a dial bore gauge should
nvm not gonna get it