Found the Leak

Body mobility was non-exsistant this morning.  The workout yesterday has me moving like some of the rusty bolts in my truck.  Eager to see the cam freeze plug, I ingested enough lubricant (coffee) to get the bolts moving.  

As I suspected, the lip below the plug had seeped out oil.  That plug had to go.  So in thinking how to get the plug out, I used the "weld a lever to it" method.  I took a piece of 1" pipe and welded it to the freeze plug and with very little effort, it popped right out. 

It was obvious that this was the "real" problem to my oil leak.  The lower side showed gapping areas (dark areas were it wasn't sealed) and looked to have a manufacturing flaw in it (the silver dot visible in the photo).  

The crankshaft had absolutely no grooves in it.  The main was easy to install as was the oil pump.  The oil pan and gasket I had ordered are going back to Summit due to an additional drain sump at the bottom of the pan that I feared would not give me clearance for the crossmember.  

The freeze plug became its own challenge of the day.  I had it narrowed down to 2 part numbers, both of which I could get my hands on today.  Dorman part numbers 555-050 and 555-051.  050 was a deeper plug that appeared to be the right diameter and 051 was a larger diameter with the right depth.  After studying each I realized King Kong couldn't drive the 051 plug into the block.  After multiple checks on the depth of the 050, I decided to drive it with JB Weld as a sealant.  It ain't coming out or leaking.  

Afterwards I slowly worked the motor back in and have it mated with the transmission again.  Now I can do small re-attachment tasks during the week if I get time.

3, 2, 1, Go!

So here's a new exercise challenge for you:

1. 8:30 am - run a 5k
2. 9:30 am - drink a few free beers after run 
3. 10:30 am - eat an early lunch
4. 12:00 pm - pull a motor out of your truck
5. 3:30 pm - take a shower
6. 5:00 pm - drive 30 miles for a dinner
7. 8:30 pm - drive home

Last Tuesday I decided to wait until dark and do a cannon ball run down I-30.  In the dark, and with numerous citations looming, Doug and I drove out a few miles west and back.  At 65 mph we were turning 2,000 rpm and the truck was pretty smooth.  

This gave me a chance to figure out several issues.  The PCV valve that came with the motor was not letting enough vacuum into the crankcase so the filter cap on the air intake side was puking out on the valve cover.  I got a specified one for the motor and no more puking.  The belt squeak was still pretty bad but seemed to be calming down towards the end of the run.  I am thinking that the high volume of belt conditioner that I put on prior to fixing the bottom pulley is causing this.  But my larger concern was the oil leak at the rear of the motor.  

That evening I ordered parts from Summit; rear main seal, oil pump, oil pan, oil pan gasket.  The motor is coming out.

So we yanked the motor out and got to the vitals at the back of the motor.  The oil pan gasket that I installed looked like it was in good shape and doing its job.  The rear main looked to be leaking BUT the camshaft freeze plug had oil on the bottom of it.  Hmm.

On our way home from dinner a thought occurred to me so when we arrived I immediately wiped of the cam freeze plug edges really good and went to bed.  

Running With Rattles

Today was not all that exciting, NOT!  We got the truck back from Phoenix Transmissions yesterday and drove it down to the bar at the end of our street for a beer.  The squealing serpentine belt was so loud I could hardly hear the motor so I doused it with a half a can of belt conditioner and that wasn't working.  My guess was the bottom pulley.

So today I went to the local pick and pull for a lower pulley and an AOD female plug so that I can hook up reverse lights and a neutral lockout.  I put the pulley on and it still squeaked but not as bad.  Then I hit it with a little more belt dressing and it quieted down for the most part.

Being able to hear the truck move down the road only facilitated the ability to hear other issues going on.  One issue was the rattling noise that stopped when the brakes were applied.  After a long session of truck shaking and listening, we pulled the wheel off and discovered that the brake pads were making the noise.

Readers meet Mr. Anti Rattle Clip.  He mates with the Mrs. Inside Brake Pad on the lower side.  However Mr. Clip has no association with those on the outside.  Those pads must be tuned with a hammer and a slight wallop.  Now that noise is gone.

Alaina and I drove around the neighborhood and on an access road.  The more we drove it the quieter it got and my guess is that the belt is settling in to comfort zone.  I still have lots of things to do and correct.  The biggest issue being the pesky oil leak at the rear of the motor.  If this doesn't stop, I could be pulling the motor out to fix it.

Trailer Up

Where do I start?  Today was one of those days that just happen and you look back and say "that's just nuts".  It started out with me preparing for the worst, a bad motor that was locking up and ended with me driving the truck on a trailer to head to the transmission shop.  

I started the day trying to study for a financial exam and it was going no where cause all I could think about was a 351w that wouldn't turn over.  Then Doug shows up with some 1/4 inch steel that needs to be welded up for his carport.  There isn't much that will calm you down and give you a sense of accomplishment like good old stick welding (when it goes right).  I haven't used a stick in a while but it was prefect timing.  

Afterwards Doug and I attacked the truck.  First, we checked to see if the bowels of the motor were locking up.  No.  Then we checked all the starter connections.  No.  Then the starter solenoid.  No.  Finally, the brand spanking new starter that I have used about a dozen times.  Something didn't look right.  The shaft going in to the nose cone was out of center and the bushing had worked it's way out.  Remanufactured in CHINA.  

Went back to O'Reily's,  lifetime exchange, and WOW!  Completely different starter action.  I must have started it 10 times cause I couldn't believe it.

Afterwards we got the seat in, then the hood on.  Alaina and I got in and "accidentally" squeaked the tires just before loading it up on the trailer.  We are headed back to Phoenix for some AOD setup and tune in.

I think she spent 20 minutes sitting there with her seat belt on.

Note: you can still see where mom had junk stacked on the hood for 20 years.

Indefinite Hold Looming

After getting a trailer and installing a throttle cable for preparation for getting the truck back to Phoenix transmissions, an issue that has been an annoyance over the last several weeks has come into full consideration.

After chalking it up to a possible weak battery and replacing that battery with a new one, I am in the process of pin pointing why the truck won't crank over after it has been running.  It seems to have extra resistance due to expansion, somewhere.  I posted the below message to some of the forums and got some good responses for things to try to figure out what is going on.  

I am to the point of getting this rig on the road, but there is one issue I can't seem to figure out. After the motor gets warm and is running good, if you turn it off, it will not crank over like it did when it was cold. It is as if the battery is dead but it is not cause I got a new one today. It just won't spin fast enough to start and eventually stops.

So process of elimination:
Solinoid - NewBattery Cables - NewStarter - New

The motor is a 351w that the previous owner said was fresh and after seeing the carbon build up on the back of the intake valves, I knew it was about as fresh as a camels a$$. BUT my goal was to get a few months out of it and rebuild or replace it anyway. When it is cold and it gets started, after it warms up it runs pretty dog gone good. It is as though the heat is swelling up the motor and it is locking down.

If this turns out to be a lower end issue in the engine, I might have to put this project on hold to save up for a rebuilt engine*.

*See post "Trailer Up" post for what was causing this.

Weather or Not

The temp was in the mid 70's yesterday and was suppose to be (according to the scientist who think they can out smart mother nature) in the high 60's to day.  The best we saw was high 50's for half an hour.  After a failed attempt at painting the steering wheel, I bundled up and with help of Doug we worked on the front lights.

One of the things I first saw starting this project was a heavy duty harness and relays for the head lights in LMC Truck.  The decision was made a long time ago that this was going to happen because of my fond memory of weak head lights back in the day.  The made in China harness was simple to install but difficult to install properly.  We ran the wires from the battery through the radiator support thus causing a couple of attempts at fishing the wire through.  If you don't run the wire into the hole for the horn speed nut on the passenger side, it won't make it to the other side with slack enough to plug into the light.

Grounding the driver side light almost caused us to take the grill off but I was able to sneak in through the grill to get the parking light nut off.  I spent about 30 minutes trying to get this done.  The relays were tucked in front of the battery as was the power wire.  Unless you knew what you are looking for, you wouldn't know it was there.  And HECK YEA the lights are much brighter.

The parking lights got new gaskets, the head light doors got new plastic anchors, and the wires were wrapped.  I put some time in on the automatic choke and I am having a difficult time understanding why it doesn't seem to be working.

I put on the return spring on the carburetor and now realize that I am going to have to find some kind of linkage for the throttle because the one that was on there ain't going to work.