Buinicorn my 1964 wagon

Discussion in 'Drag'n Wagons' started by superbuickguy, May 21, 2017.

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  1. BennyK81

    BennyK81 Well-Known Member

    Now that it's out you can still change your mind :)
     
  2. superbuickguy

    superbuickguy Well-Known Member

    as I said, I take donations - about 20k should cover it.
     
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  3. superbuickguy

    superbuickguy Well-Known Member

    a bit worn
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    I think I bought the wrong flexplate
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    pan fits well, though
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  4. superbuickguy

    superbuickguy Well-Known Member

    first step, clean the motor
    reminder
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    cleaner applied
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    and clean
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    going to paint it a Detroit diesel green because, why not?
     
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  5. superbuickguy

    superbuickguy Well-Known Member

    more cleaning
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    I got quite a bit done today but this little Fiat engineering lunacy took a bit of time
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    you have to remove the alternator bracket to change the belt.....
    oh yeah, and hold the tensioner over with pry bar and strap
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    because fing Fiat
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    back to GM.... only one broken exhaust bolt.... only not out yet
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    I also did photoless work on my Colorado (wired lights and installed a pedal commander - to remove the lag)
    So pretty much it was a day of dealing with the professional automobile engineers and fixing their efups.
    and I scoped the pistons - lower compression so 300 hp not 345 - but the bright side is it's better for the turbo that is inevitable..... that said, it was pinging a bit too and has brand new knock sensors..... my guess it was due to the excessive carbon .... it had a lot
     
    Last edited: Dec 8, 2019
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  6. superbuickguy

    superbuickguy Well-Known Member

    a bit of heat
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    and out it comes
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    not sure on the color....
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    that was a test panel, those parts are getting wrinkle black
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    rockers off and pushrods out
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    rockers need a rebuild....

    GM doesn't put the dot on the bottom gear
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    and yes, it's 180 degrees off.... so what

    disassembly of the rockers
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    and an issue....
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    can you spot it?
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    count from the right - the number 2 and number 3 journals look terrible. it literally looks like it was chattering in both of those bores - guess the low oil pressure was starting to cause issue.... but that creates a problem.... or rather a decision. Weigh in, I'm leaning towards ignoring it and going with the 'I have a high volume pump for this reason'.... I do not want to pull caps... though I suspect they're fine since it does the mains and rod oiling first

    back to this
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    I don't trust the newfangled holders but I do trust gravity
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    I'm going to run the cam by a couple friends tomorrow and see what they say...
     
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  7. superbuickguy

    superbuickguy Well-Known Member

    Notes for myself:
    317 heads 71.6 cc
    243 heads 65 cc*

    need head bolts
    Fel Pro makes a .048 MLS gasket (stock is .054)

    Use LS7 lifters
    *note, I am concerned about the stock lifters - so this a footnote to why rebuild

    IF I can save the 317 heads with new seals and basic clean up, if not $500 for remans
    ARP bolts are $75
    head gaskets are 65/ea
    bearings/rings are 376 for Hastings or comparable
    LS7 lifters are $170
    New pushrods
    I'm sure machine work will be $500
    rebuilt or new rockers $170

    budget then is $1300 in addition to what I already bought worse case is 2k.

    *243 head and FelPro gasket raises the compression to10.5 which is optimal for a no-boost motor ....
     
  8. superbuickguy

    superbuickguy Well-Known Member

    wrinkle finish
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    timing gear off
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    and here we go, disassembly
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    only interesting thing, the push rods were rattling against the heads
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    all in all, other then that wonderful ARCO fuel look, it looks really good
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    the lifters were worn, so changing these is a good thing
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    the bearings look new
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    a lot of carbon, but still no ridge, no gunk in the oil passages
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    mains look as good as the rods
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    and bagged for its trip for a clean and new cam bearings
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    both halves of the mains
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    crank looks great
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    in other news... the transmission guy said pull the filter and look to see if there's crap.... notice anything missing?
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    and the plug is broken
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    I'm not sure if I'm mad, I'm seriously considering buying the parts and rebuilding it.... why not?
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    the clue was the leaky pan - when I got it off there was no sealant, so it's been off
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  9. superbuickguy

    superbuickguy Well-Known Member

    parts are coming together. I bought fresh 317 heads today.... $300... but there's a distraction because my '40 is back to get back on the road.
     
  10. superbuickguy

    superbuickguy Well-Known Member

    I'm supposed to get the block back tomorrow, and have most of the parts (except the heads, they're in Portland) to assemble it
    in the mean time, time to clear a bench
    fix the wiring harness (with a new one)
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    and the new one in place
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    and assembled (pan isn't tightened but at least it has a seal there now (rubber)
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    AN fittings for the cooler
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  11. superbuickguy

    superbuickguy Well-Known Member

    ugh, machine shop.... I thought we were on the same page. hone and knock the cam bearings in place. I get a call today that "you have a problem"... apparently .002 taper is bad. - while I admit that .002 is not optimal, for a cheapass motor, knock the glaze off and have a nice day - it ran fine before, it will run fine again.... guess I'm doing this myself.
     
  12. superbuickguy

    superbuickguy Well-Known Member

    It was right to knock the bearings out....
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    what's interesting is it's only the middle bearings where there is issue however the chatter happened on the ends

    top of the bearing looks brand new
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    middle 3 are at copper ends are fine
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    So I don't know, I may buy a rotation kit/stroker - they are amazingly cheap... I beam rods, forged pistons, steel crank with bearings for $1700 delivered and all name brand stuff.... gets me 403-408 ci.... feel free to weigh in, and again, I'm not building this motor for the Buick, I'm building it as my 'stock' motor to make stuff run quickly....
     
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  13. 300sbb_overkill

    300sbb_overkill WWG1WGA. MAGA

    Nothing wrong with a few extra cubes I always say!

    Is the rotating assembly balanced or do you have to have that done? If not, sounds like a great price.
     
  14. superbuickguy

    superbuickguy Well-Known Member

    picture of head gasket kit that I think is poorly described (thought I was only getting MLS head gaskets, not a set)
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    hmmm.... anti-gravity device is faulty
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    electric requires moving '40, which would mean opening the door (it's 20 degrees outside), and letting the heat out of the shop
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    wait, I have another option
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    anti-gravity enabled
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    time to hit my thumb...err... mark rods
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    plan b, I'm still artistic with my dremel
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    forgot about this catch basin on my washing cabinet.... filled with sludge but very little sludge in tank (win)
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    clean pistons
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    and honing
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    then clean oil passages
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    which brings me to a question... why 2 holes in the cam bearings? there are not two galleys....
     
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  15. superbuickguy

    superbuickguy Well-Known Member

    new, rebuilt heads arrived
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    I'll leave these original size, sorry for the slow load times

    two holes... why? only one oil passage
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    here's the weld/connection point - I am guessing but it may be part of the problem of the wear because that would divert oil from the bearing - especially if it was tight up against the oil feed hole
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    in this picture, you can even see where the oil was diverted out of the bearing
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    this surface has a very rough texture
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    and then what about the high and low spots of the bearing? presumptively it's a round hole so why would there be pressure points (the shiny)?
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    anyway, puzzling and something I've never seen before
     
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  16. superbuickguy

    superbuickguy Well-Known Member

    yep, rod goes in those holes to guarantee they stay up...

    washed pistons today
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    painted the block Buick red
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    it will get another coat tomorrow - to preserve the paint...
    push plastic down onto the paint (to keep the air off)
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    then smack the lid on
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  17. sean Buick 76

    sean Buick 76 Buick Nut

    Good job! It is always nice to read your posts and see the pics. The LS engines sure are easy to work on.
     
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  18. superbuickguy

    superbuickguy Well-Known Member

    updated bearings....
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  19. superbuickguy

    superbuickguy Well-Known Member

    one of the videos I watched used carb cleaner to clean the pistons... as I'm not thrilled with the solvent method, here we go
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    then time to knock cam bearings in place... what a pita
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    then slid the cam in place
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    and set the crank in place....
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  20. superbuickguy

    superbuickguy Well-Known Member

    Pistons are coming out nice from the carb cleaner - first I put them in a solvent soak and wire brushed them.... probably would have been just fine doing the carb cleaner only
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