Jump to content

PhilAndrews

Members
  • Posts

    1,016
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Everything posted by PhilAndrews

  1. Tangent! Back to the engine. I made an oil pump adapter and filled up the oil pan. After a brief Exxon Valdez as the oil filter adapter plate didn't seal, I got it set up and holding a steady 68psi on relief. Not getting anything up out of the top end yet which is a little concerning but the lifters did pump up so there's oil throughout the block. Phil
  2. Yeah, the carb has been dropped several times, it's missing the choke mechanism and I don't feel like pulling the casting plugs to clean out the emulsion tubes. That being said, the ultrasonic cleaner does a moderately good job of removing the worst of it, so it'll be good enough to get it going and eventually just move the car about with.
  3. Icky, icky, icky. I hate ethanol fuel. That is all. Phil
  4. Rodney, Well, there's a couple reasons I don't just throw money at it. I don't have that much of it! I find the experience is worth the cost saved. That and you are right- there are a lot of high quality reproduction items but in contrast there are a lot which are not. At least what's on the car is a known quantity. As for the gearbox- well, not many opportunities to pull apart a 70 year old marvel of modern engineering, are there? Also, like I mentioned above, knowing how something works both satisfies my curiosity and also serves to better understand how it works and therefore be able to repair it when it inevitably ceases working properly again. As for the waterfalls, that's a good idea, I should try tape. I've had a couple of cars with the cousin to the Buick 215, that's about the limit of my Buick-icity, but I'm also now entering the realms of Mopar history via Plymouth..! Some days I'm not sure if we keep them, or they keep us but either way I'm glad you enjoyed reading. Phil
  5. Measured across the flats, just under 3/8" so I can get a length of round 3/8" rod and file a hex end onto it to use to prime the pump. Couldn't resist, set the ancillary parts onto the engine. Someone hacked it all about, I need a spacer, some carb bolts, the valve cover gaskets too. Phil
  6. A hex rod would work, one end clamped in a drill. I may do that, dropped down through the distributor hole. The engine had a complete oil seal set, I'll keep an eye on it. Thanks for the tips. Phil
  7. Got the pistons in, aligned correctly this time. Bottom end torqued down correctly too. Cleaned out the oil pump and refitted it. Got the heads back on, valvegear installed in the correct order and the intake on. Need to get some bolts for the lifting points and exhaust manifolds. Does the oil pump self prime on the 318? I cleaned it out and lightly oiled it all back up with engine oil before putting it back on. Phil
  8. Got a new pair of tail light lenses. Needed a jolly good clean in the ultrasonic bath. Much better. Brighter, too. Phil
  9. DMV task done, I now hold a temp title in my name. Just waiting for the official one to arrive in the mail. $337.60 poorer for that privilege too.
  10. Yeah, that would be nice... ...being as my other daily driver has this badge!
  11. Cleaned a couple pistons up in the ultrasonic bath. They came up clean but upon inspection they aren't new. Looks like they've honed the bores to death with a dingleball because a few of them are well, WELL outside spec. The ring gaps are grand canyon-esque. Piston slap ahoy. At least it won't have rod knock. Bottom end is good. Rods are the correct way round now. I'll see just how bad it is when I've got it all back together. My figuring is this will be good enough to putz about with for a short while. I'll probably look at either building up the spare block or sourcing a different engine altogether long term. Phil
  12. 40 rings doesn't look like a lot when you start pulling them off... I'm going to clean them, gap them and refit them ready to go back in. Phil
  13. I found my calipers, put a new battery in and checked the big ends on the crank. All a uniform (thrust and slack faces) 2.125"-2.129". Wow. So the crank is good on that, I didn't feel like fighting the main bolts tonight, l will pull those and check the mains too (and bearing fitment) another day. Going to try to to the DMV and get the title put in my name tomorrow. Phil
  14. I'll pass, I'm quite happy with my modem Pelican on the back- it's properly reflective, more for people to see at night!
  15. Interesting, all the documentation and jobsworths at the DMV said that you cannot take a retired, age-related plate and re-use it on any vehicle.
  16. Well, I don't plan on this being anything near a high performance engine. If it runs, that's good.
  17. The old poly pistons from the other block are what I'm used to- the wrist pin is a tight fit in the piston and the conrod floats on the wrist pin. The new ones the pin is an interference fit in the con rod and the wrist pin floats in the piston. The latter feels.. wrong from an engineering standpoint; is that correct for this? I'm used to the wear point being the rod, not the piston. I've never had an engine with press fit pins before. I guess it's the choice for higher redline RPM builds? (No chance of losing a retainer?) Phil Edit: "Pee hole to the cam, numbers/locks to the outside" is apparently the rule on this, forgot that rule with old V8's.
  18. Left bank picayune pistons. All good apart from the rod on 7 is backwards. Yup, they've transposed 7 and 8. Rings and lands are a bit grubby. I'll pull the rings, check gaps and reassemble. Main bearings are acceptable. Phil Edit: I don't have a 318 manual- the cast in squares on the rods, all towards the front of the engine?
  19. Yeah, been there, done that with interference engines. All the lifters are totally pumped down so that's not a good indication, however I had a thought and the valve that's stuck open allowed the engine to rotate so that much lift is clearance to the crown. Stock cam should be fine in that case. Looking at it I'm going with your assumption for the clearance divots. Phil Edit: I guess I need to stamp an A in the engine number now...
  20. No, more the clearance from the top of the valves to the piston crown. Did Dodge do a 32 valve hemi? Those are 4 valves per cylinder pistons. That's been machined and it's still mediocre. I haven't pulled the other head off yet. Phil
  21. Ok, so 318 gurus- a question. +0.040" 32v hemi pistons + wedge heads. Is that a workable combination? Pulled the engine and lifted a head off. Been stored damp, one valve is locked up solid. The wedge head pistons appear to have a slight dish to the crown. I'm not sure if the valves on these will foul...? Hard to tell with hydraulic lifters. Phil
  22. I got a lifter with a chewed up adjustment thread that likes to shift over a thousand miles or so, it opens up. It's got a gentle click to it right now,and I think it needs lapping in more on the intake valve but I really don't feel like pulling the head off right now...
  23. Agreed here- #3 on mine is 105psi- the rest are 115-120 average. If you see the pressures within 10 psi of min to max it'll run nicely. You can hear #3 on mine with a gentle THUB each exhaust stroke but it's not enough to warrant doing anything drastic.
  24. It's been fun! They're well engineered vehicles, with repairable parts.
  25. You spotted that, huh? Yes, the previous owner attempted to convert the car to 12V, burned all the gauges, radio etc up. So, I rewired the car, I re-wound the gauges for 12V, converted the guts of the radio to 12V, clock etc. It's easier if I need parts when out on the highway, not many places have any 6V stuff in stock, but mid 60's 12V parts are plentiful still. Phil
×
×
  • Create New...