She moves and kinda stops on her own.
I am wiped and have to drive to Jacksonville, so full update later but here she is next to Dad's shop.
She moves and kinda stops on her own.
I am wiped and have to drive to Jacksonville, so full update later but here she is next to Dad's shop.
Awesome!!!
Ok.
Let's start the day. 4 tires, mounted, balanced, and a reminder that I have GOT to make friends with someone that had a mounting and balancing setup. Damn near $50 per tire.
Get to Dad's swap M.C. (no pics cause ya'll are grown folks. You know what that looks like.) It went as smoothly as the other one didn't.
Then it was time to swap wheels as I bled the brakes (cause I wanted to poke around at the brakes and see what there was to see.)
Color match is better than anything off the shelf has a right to be.
Then the first snafu of the day. Old speed bleeders. I berkeleyin hate old speed bleeders. I've never seen one not get rusted solid between bleeds. So the rears are hosed, I'm gonna have to go into town to get new bleeders. "Ok," says I, "rear brakes don't do much in the grand scheme of things. Let's try the fronts and at least have front brakes for an around-the-field test drive."
Finish putting the wheel on. Step back, immediately realize that Rosie is doing a Detective Baby Legs impression. I might hate it. I'm not sure yet.
And move on to the front right wheel. Bleeder promptly snaps.
I say some choice words and breathe for a minute. I put the new wheel on and move onto the shift linkage. And it works. It's not ideal, it doesn't get 2nd or 1st (3 inch throw Vs 4 inch) but it was $20 instead of $80 or so, and it works.
There are areas of it that could be tweaked, things that could fit better, but that's for Future Mr. Asa.
I finish the wheels, test the brakes. They hold. I set up the old wheels as barriers ~5 feet in front of me, put it in drive while holding the brakes and the truck falls on its face and dies.
A lot of messing and there is obviously something very wrong with the carb or ignition settings. I set idle at about 2k and it doesn't die, but it barely lives when I put it in gear.
A good thing as the brakes barely stop her. I drove around the field then went and got ~14 gallons of gas to put in the tank. It brought the level up to 3/8 or so, so I'm gonna have to budget fuel like a boater does.
Had to fight to get her backed into that spot, died three or four times but finally got her there. Shut off the engine and could hear the coolant boiling. Looked at the temp gauge and was at least at 230.
So. That was the day.
I desperately need to figure out the carb/ignition setup and how to get her running well. Along with that I need to figure out the coolant. Gonna check levels and make sure fan is kicking on (don't think it was)
Safe, reliable, amd cool. In that order.
So it seems fixing brakes are first, and that starts with bleeder screws. After all, not running is an inconvenience. Not stopping will kill you.
Then, idle in gear. Then coolant temp. Then yard drive.
But you're making huge freaking gains!!!
So, thinking about how to get the bleeder out.
If I can figure out an argon tank in the tallahassee area, I'm thinking I'll bring my tig setup in the Miata. Start with a washer and weld that to the bleeder. Bigger washer on top to allow a bigger puddle and more heat, then weld a nut on the bigger washer? After weld is done, but before cold, apply wax to whole mess so it gets down into the threads?
Otherside should be easy, I'll just bring a MAPP torch and more wax. If that doesn't work it'll snap off and I'll repeat the procedure.
Didn't you determine that the brake calipers are 70s gm truck stuff? Why not toss calipers at it?
Calipers, likely, will be a more cost effective method. But I feel like I'm throwing a lot of money at this truck recently. Trying to think of ways to do it cheaper than parts cannon.
I should look for calipers, though.
Honestly I think welding on the bleeder screws to get them out is going to bake the seals out of the calipers. And factoring in time and travel costs to fight with E36 M3ty broken bleeder screws sounds like a losing proposition. If I remember right the mid-70s GM truck calipers are like 20 bucks a piece on Amazon
Mr_Asa said:Calipers, likely, will be a more cost effective method. But I feel like I'm throwing a lot of money at this truck recently. Trying to think of ways to do it cheaper than parts cannon.
I should look for calipers, though.
I get the reluctance to spend money but I'd spring for calipers. That's been sitting for a while and there's a good chance that one of them is going to stick or leak (or maybe even both) sometime soon even if you do get the bleeders working.
Fair point.
Looks like there are two or three options for the calipers. (I'm searching for calipers on a '79 K20 as a reference.)
Anyone have any input on the differences?
Also for reference.
The options you were seeing is for the different weight capacity package. Personally I'd go for the highest weight option. That would be the one with 13 inch rear drums according to RockAuto
JB6 calipers have a 2 15/16" piston, JB7 calipers have a 3 5/32" piston.
Both calipers share a bolt pattern and will work with the same size rotor. You may need to change the MC if you go with the JB7s due to the difference in piston area, unless the old calipers are already JB7s.
Ok. Brake calipers on order.
Someone give me a primer on the engine falling on its face? The fact that there's a timing wrench that has lived in front of the driver's seat since I've seen the truck makes me think that someone has been messing with something.
Mr_Asa said:Ok. Brake calipers on order.
Someone give me a primer on the engine falling on its face? The fact that there's a timing wrench that has lived in front of the driver's seat since I've seen the truck makes me think that someone has been messing with something.
I can't remember if you did anything with the carb. If you haven't done anything with it I would guess that it needs some attention from sitting. In fact, I'd be shocked if it didn't.
The one thing I did was plug a cracked vent cap. That and checking the plugs (slightly rich, but not bad) are the only engine things I've done.
Stick a vacuum gauge on the thing. It will tell you a lot about the core condition of the engine.
My GUESS on carb is that it needs a good cleaning and kit, and fresh ignition parts and tuning.
Most carb problems are ignition.
Stampie has a carb rebuilder near him that does amazing work cheap if you decide to go that way.
I realized I don't have a good pic of the ignition. It's a GM HEI unit. I assume those are all the same cap and rotor?
The plug wires are at least two different sets, so those can be fairly safely labeled as problematic at best.
I wonder if the vacuum advance is hooked up properly.
I know the carb folks you're talking about. I'll have to see if they mess with Edelbrock stuff.
Yeah, pic of distributor will help. But large cap hei is pretty much all the same.
Disconnect vacuum advance for now, use as fi e tuning aid later.
Make sure cap and rotor contacts clean, the coil button isn't burned out, and the advance mechanism isn't stuck (its under the rotor). New plug wires and fresh plugs probably a good idea. I have a set of wires ill give you at the challenge if you are coming.
Gonna try to get to the Challenge for Saturday. Won't be staying the night. If I don't make it there will be enough Florida people I'm sure we can figure something out. Stampie if all else falls through, I'll see him at some point
New fronts are drying.
The rears appear to be El Dorado calipers. Hopefully I can just search for rear El Dorado bleeders, but I've been bitten before and had the aftermarket make the screws metric when they should be standard (and vice versa)
Grab a full assortment?https://www.autozone.com/nuts-bolts-and-washers/brake-bleeder-screw-set/p/dorman-brake-bleeder-screw-set-799-443/1185811_0_0
Mr_Asa said:
In reply to Mr_Asa :
Interesting they chose those. 76-78 Eldorado only. O'Reilly's has them reman. I'd research for a more common replacement.
The eldorado integral parking brake caliper were industry standard for a LONG time in rear disc conversion kits.
I berkeleying hate them.
I don't know a good interchange.
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