71supreme

It's finally out of the garage! Not that it's ready for prime time by any means, or that it is even ready for primer.

When I became a member here this poor thing couldn't leave the garage under it's own power. Therefore the only pics I could get of it were within the confines of my one car garage.

With your help, I replaced the master cylinder, the power booster, all wheel cylinders & shoes, and the headlight switch. Thank you!

I had one problem that had been vexing me for some time, a soft backfire through the drivers side exhaust. I un plugged one plug wire at a time on the drivers side hoping one would make it go away. When I pulled the #7 plug, I began to get a backfire through the pass side. I pulled out the firing order, and realized during the tuneup I did when I first pulled it from the garage in 2003, I had swapped the #7 & #6 wire. I then fired her up, & she ran like a champ with a bit of white smoke that thankfully does not smell like oil I am going to need a hand figuring out a solution to this.

Are there any coolant additives that may help, or would that be bad news? I more or less just want the car to run well enough for me to take it to someone if I run into a problem to big for me to fix, and since I am using a 1 car garage, I also need to be able to move it in and out to get to the parts I am working on with the greatest of ease. (and without a ton of exhaust fumes in the way.

anyway, I will post more later, but here are the pics. I know she needs a bath, but I had to take pics quick before the rain came. definitely more later, and I will have so many questions going forward. Thanks all!

71supreme

This is going to be a lot of work

71supreme

The last time it was registered.... I can't believe it's been 13 years!

citcapp

Just remember as said in many major build posts on this site its like eating an elephant take small bites, one at a time and you won't get overwhelmed. We are here to encourage and offer help where we can. Good luck and keep us posted with the progress on your build

olds425

It looks likeprogress and that is always a good thing.

lshlsh2

Glad things are moving along. The rust is no worse than some I've seen.Good Luck Larry

PS I hung a sign in my garage "This project is currently 3 years ahead of schedule"
I hung it up the day after I got mine. It is all in how you look at things.

71supreme

Definitely progress
I like the way you think Larry!

I was talking to my sister the other day and called it my giant 3-d puzzle.

I am currently trying to diagnose the white smoke coming from the exhaust. I am really hoping it's just a head gasket. Where it's been sitting so long I just hope it's not more serious. There is no oil in the coolant, and no oil smell in the exhaust, just white smoke.

Is there a way to tell for sure if it's a head gasket before taking it all apart?

71supreme

OK, it's looking more and more like I have to face the fact that it is a head gasket. This may have to wait until spring when funds allow, because it appears this is going to cost some money. (will continue on some other attention hungary part of the vehicle in the mean time)

I'm guestimating between $150 & $200, which is fine, but I would like to replace the manifold with a Performer 7111 while I am at it. Unless I can find a good used one, I am looking at another $250.

ON top of that, I would like to get the heads freshened up while they are off. Nothing fancy, but the car does have over 200,000 miles on it after all. (lots of trips to Maine and Canada from MA while it was my daily back in the day)

For the head gasket itself, I could use some advice. what to get. I am hearing a lot about Fel Pro and Cometics. I looked at them on line, and they list a bore size that doesn't seem to coincide with the 4.057 I should have. Any thoughts?

Also, with regard to freshening up the heads, I know I could do a lot, what would be the bare minimum I should do to them while they are out? Ballpark cost involved?

Thanks!

71supreme

Breakthrough! I spoke to a former client who is a serious gear head. Turns out his brother works at a local machine shop, and specialized in head work. I'm gonna give him a shout and see where it goes.

71supreme

I just got off the phone with a guy recommended by Jerry (toro68) about 30 minutes from here. I will be pulling the top off the engine soon, with pics for all. I'm hoping they don't find any crazy issues. I got a quote for a basic clean/check/resurface of about $200, which is perfect for my budget at the moment.

If I don't get the performer manifold I am going through with this anyway. I really just wasn't looking forward to putting the heavy original back on. Oh well, the heads will be heavier, so I may as well get used to it.

mcafjo

are you sure it's not only a leaking intake manifold gasket or some residual liquid in the intake / runner. Does it produce any pressure in the cooling system ?

71supreme

I am not sure. How do I check for pressure in the cooling system? I know the # 5 & #8 cyls showed signed of water fowl. hmmm, maybe I said that wrong, no birds were harmed during this routine check..... water or coolant fowling. light carbon on the plug contacts, & squeaky clean everywhere else.

ent72olds

Looks like a good project you have there! I like your enthusiasm! Reading through your posts, I didn't see that you checked for water in the oil? Also, when you run the car, do you notice excessive bubbling or foaming in the rad? Did the car run before putting the new booster on? If so, did the white smoke appear before replacing it?

71supreme

Thanks Erik!

All things considered I have a pretty short window of when I can really sink my teeth into the car, so I try to hit it good when possible.

As far as oil in the coolant or vice versa, nothing... until now. The coolant is still crystal clear, and when I pull the dipstick, the oil is a nice golden brown, however, I just checked the underside of the filler cap and did see a light clay like residue. nothing thick or nasty, just a light coating.

The car has sat for the better part of the last 13 years. It was my daily driver when I parked it in a garage in 1997, lost storage in 2003, and brought it to my folks house in MA, gave it a tune up, and came back to Maine. It sat outside for 3 years until I finished the garage I was building for it. Once it came up here, I would start it on occasion, and let it run for a half hour or so, then shut it off. It didn't run well, but the brakes were shot, so I couldn't do a lot of tuning/testing on it. This past spring I got the brakes done (started in spring, finished them about a month ago), and found the problem in fairly short order - 2 sp plug wires were crossed. Once that was fixed, it would idle beautifully, but I would see the light white smoke coming from the exhaust.

With this new discovery of the light clay like coating in the oil filler cap, I think it's got to be a head gasket. Hopefully I caught it soon enough. my fear is and was that it could be something worse. It does get pretty cold up here, and it has been sitting a long time, and I haven't been all that diligent on making sure the antifreeze mix stayed at %50.

Thanks Erik!

71supreme

Well, time for an update.

I backed the car out of the driveway, and it drove on the street just long enough for me to turn it around and back it in to the garage again in preparation for new head gaskets.

I drained the coolant, removed the top radiator hose, and the alternator. Tomorrow the real work (and pictures) begin. I hope it's not out of commission too long. I'd love to drive it before the snow flies! Of course, while the heads are being cleaned and checked, I have a tone of other more minor things I need to take care of anyway...

michael hilsabeck

It almost sounds like a problem i had. In the back of your intake there is a valve that goes to your heaterwith a vaccume line that comes off of it so the valve was bad because it was sitting around for along time. So it was sucking water throught the intake. So check that. I dont know your car but i thought i would give you the info.

71supreme

Thanks Michael, I'm into the head gasket thing at this point, so hopefully along the way I get it all figured out.

I'm working on getting my engine apart, and the manual recommends jacking the back of the vehicle up about 2 feet to get all the fluid out. Is this really necessary? What are the consequences if I can't get the back of the car that far up? I just don't want to damage the engine when i take the heads off. I tried something I will post in my next post, but I don't think it will do what I need it to do.

I lowered the front as much as possible by letting the air out of the tires, and raised the back as much as possible with the screw type jacks I have.

Here are some pics, including the top rad. hose I pulled with the old spectra metal hose covering, and a pic of my make shift petcock funnel thingy I made from a "recycled" styrofoam cup to keep the radiator fluid from going all over. It worked great until the car was lowered in the front....

michael hilsabeck

if you still have the same problemafter you do the head gasket check that heater valve becouse i change my intake 4 times before i found it i left the vacome off it and i seen water coming out it i spent a lot of money i change my intake and 4 intake gaskets and oil over a 20$ part so do your self the time and check that valve

michael hilsabeck

i never jack my car up i just change my oil and filter use air to get the water out of the head good luck

71supreme

I really appreciate the heads up Michael, and will make a note of it in case this does not work. It was the milky film on the oil filler cap that convinced me it had to be the head gasket.

So, here is my "solution" to trying to get the coolant out of the engine...

I noticed the coolant cap was about the same size as the thermostat housing, so I put a hole in a coolant cap, and massaged it over the thermo housing opening, then stuck the blower attachment through the hole & sealed it with tape, and hit the button. I think I may have gotten a cup to a pint of fluid out. I'd love any suggestions about getting as much of that coolant out as possible.

Thanks!

dhartley72

nice project.....looks like its coming along......good luck on everything

michael hilsabeck

the water wont hurt your motor you just got to change your oil and filter the rest will burn out when you start it when you do if it smoke the white if it take a long time turn it off becouse the water is back into your motor and if it gets to the pistons you have a chance it will throw a rod becouse of the water

71supreme

OK, so I am moving forward on this new adventure. I removed the manifold with relative ease, but was amazed at what I found when I got it off....

71supreme

That was probably the biggest single piece in there. Thank god that cover was in there. I can't believe it ran with all that crap in there. The 1st pic here is of the partial debris field from inside that tray.

When I lifted the tray, there was more of this carbon crap! Yikes! I think my biggest scare though was that I believe I can see daylight through the water jacket outlet in the 3rd pic.

71supreme

OK, now for the nitty gritty, taking the heads off...No, I haven't done it yet, I want to make sure I clean as much of that gunk out as possible. I am hoping to borrow an old college room mates vacuum. You know, the one who never returned my collection of journey CD's... payback time

What I did do , was to get the head bolts, & rocker pivot bolts loose so the job will be easier tomorrow - after I pick up more zip-lock bags...

Man those things were tough! First I tried a regular socket
Then I added a bfwrench for leverage.

Finally I realized everything goes better with music, so I took the top off a Mic stand with that really useful heavy bottom, and attached it to the back of the socket wrench. voila! I had everything loosened in a matter of minutes.

michael hilsabeck

the sluge is from not changing your oil on time

71supreme

OK, the carbon is mostly out, and the drivers side head is off, I will do the pass side tomorrow, then take them both to the machine shop for a good cleaning, and whatever else they recommend.

Here are the pics and progress. I realize for some this may be like romper room, as I have never done this before, but I am enjoying every bit of it as I learn more about the car and how it does what it does.

I like how some folks here (I first noticed it in coltonis' thread) comment on each photo. Could anyone tell me how that is done?

and now, here are the pics...

The first thing I learned is that snack sized bags are not big enough for the push rods, but the Freezer bags are perfect! Also, I'm not sure if it's entirely necessary, but I labeled them right and left, 1 thru 8, odd #s on drivers side, evens on passengers side, then mixed them up for a party game later.

All of the bolts were a nice shade of black except this one, the lower forward bolt in front of the #7 cyl. which was a light gray. I thought it might be a sign of things to come.

Other than being pitch black, I thought the heads looked decent, and like they should clean up nicely.

71supreme

Overall, I think they look alright, no cracks or funny business, but..

I was concerned when I noticed the gaskets had crud build up in what I believe are coolant passages. At least 3 of them were completely blocked. If the coolant had nowhere else to go, no wonder it was trying to sneak past the head gasket.

Why would coolant do this? carbon from the exhaust getting into the coolant maybe? It's about all I can think of. Any other thoughts?

71supreme

The cylinders look alright to me, with the possible exception of a bit of build up around the edge of each cylinder. Should I risk cleaning those edges up, or leave it for a rebuild?

Tomorrow the other side comes off, and off to the machine shop they go....

71supreme

Grrr, Machine shop just called. Heads are junk Now I need a pair of #7 heads. I just put a call in to one shop, hopefully something will turn up. If you know of anyone in the New England area with a pair, let me know!

ent72olds

Why did he say they were junk?

71supreme

Cracked between the exh ports. He did say it was common, but it gave me little comfort.

He said the carbon build up probably saved me from realizing the fullness of the situation. Once he cleaned them up the cracks showed right up.

Is it possible this is fixable? (reasonably)

442_Mustang

When you are going to change the oil, you may want to look into the oil formulated for the flat tappet cams. All of the newer engines are roller setups so make sure that you use something compatible.

71supreme

OK, update time... I got a nice set of rebuilt 7a heads from Speedrocket, had them checked out & had a fresh valve job. bought new arp head bolts, and a full engine gasket set. Then an RPM performer from eightupman. I had a broken PS brackett, so I am getting one from firefighter. I have had nothing but the best experience with these guys, and would recommend any of them in a heartbeat. This is definitely costing more than I had budgeted!

I was just torquing the bolts for the rocker bridges. I started at the back passenger side and worked my way around. Wouldn't you know, the last one snapped.

Can I just replace one? would it have to come from the same cylinder?

Thanks for checking in, and for any help/thoughts you can offer.

71supreme

Well, 4 months, and one week later...and just in time for her 40th birthday, she's running again. Fired her up yesterday for the first time since October 11. Of course, as soon as the engine reached operating temperature, water and coolant came shooting out of a crack in the thermostat housing, so I bought a new (shiny chrome) one and installed it. I've got a busy weekend ahead, so I can't do anything with it until Monday, but I am very excited, and will have pics then

442_Mustang

Very Nice to hear!!!

71supreme

Thanks 442 mustang! How's your build coming? Last I heard you were driving around with no interior

71supreme

Better late than never. Here's before and after pics. I'll bet you can't tell which is which.

I got the choke working today, and will be doing a general tune up check tomorrow, as it is running a little rough.

This carb was/is in tough shape, so I will be rebuilding it. It had no high idle adjuster screw! I was messing with the choke this morning and could not find it. I finally brought a high powered light in, and realized there was a hole where the screw shoulda been. I took one off a spare carburetor I bought to practice with, and started her up. Well didn't she scream! I have no tach, but she must have wound up over 3000 RPM Shut her down, adjusted the high Idle screw, started her back up, made a few fine adjustments, and she sounded pretty good.

I just want to make sure all the other pieces are in place before I pull the carb back off. Honestly I am just happy it runs again. This was my first time doing anything more than a manifold replacement ( on a cheby over 20 years ago, which I screwed up pretty good). After all the receipts are tallied, I think it ran me about $1500.00 About $500 over budget, mostly due to the original heads needing to be replaced, and my wanting to give it a really good valve job.

Every "new" piece here came from a fellow member, they were all awesome to me, and would recommend any of them in a heartbeat!

Coltonis

Daaaaaaaaaymn.... you got a lot done. Completely rebuilt an engine in the same amount of time it took me to remove my windshield wipers...LOL. Nice work!



PS To insert pictures in the text they have to be hosted someplace else (photobucket, picasa, Nigerian spam server, etc.) and then just use the "Insert Image" button (its up by the bold/italics buttons) instead of attaching the images. Wha-la!

junqueboi

I've enjoyed your thread. It sounds like you didn't bite off more than you could have chewed and now you have a running result (versus a bucket-o-bolts which is what I always end up with!).