As said before, the paint scheme is killer! Good luck on the fire up and break in.
CK5
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72 C10 - longbed muscle truck
- Thread starter 76k5blazerr
- Start date
1406 edelbrock for now
Well, everything is put together and it's trying to run, it coughs and sputters but won't stay running. I have reset ignition timing probably 10 times and also loosened the rocker arms. It still won't stay running. Any advice guys?
It's running! 3 mins left in cam break in. Finally got timing right
Ok. So at the end of the day, I got the exhaust put back on, haven't dialed in timing with a light yet but it's running pretty good. The rocker arms need to be re-adjusted, a few are clattering and while I am in there I will re-torque the head bolts. My only issues so far are 2 fittings on the intake are leaking coolant and there is a very small oil leak coming from somewhere, maybe the oil pressure fitting on the back of the block. I don't think my summit temp gauge is working properly, gotta check on that. Overall it was a successful weekend. Few more hours of work and it should be all good. Have only driven around the block twice but I can tell there is a huge power increase. This thing is quick. And I haven't even regeared yet. The throttle is really snappy and the transmission feels good.
when I do my cam install on my plow machine build it should be set it and forget it . . . . oh ya that's a roller cam . 
Yesterday I completely readjusted all the rocker arms, using the companion cylinder method. Also fixed a couple coolant leaks on the intake from plugs. Truck is running much better. Still haven't driven it far because my new temp gauge is a dud. New one comes today. I hit it with my neighbors harbor freight timing light yesterday and it seemed to be right on at 12 degrees btdc but I think I may want to advance it a little more. Need to tune the carb still and may have to install a starter heat shield. For some reason it is having heat soak now when hot even though I have a Ford solenoid. It didn't before. I also need to verify that the alternator is charging after being hooked back up. Overall it's running strong. Have a couple oil drops under it from sitting a couple days, would like to find out where they are coming from.
Today my new temp gauge came in, before I took the truck apart I was running the factory oil pressure gauge and a sunpro temp gauge under the dash, but I wanted to have an oil pressure gauge with numbers, so I ordered a summit double gauge panel, ones oil pressure and one is temp but the temp gauge didn't work so they sent a replacement. Got them installed tonight, both seem to work fine. Took the truck out of the neighborhood for the first time, never got over normal temperature so that was good. This was the first time I have been able to really open it up some and it pulls super strong between 2500-4000 rpm. Can't wait to get the 3.73 posi. Now, the only thing I am pissed off about through this whole build is that the engine is leaking oil, I mentioned it yesterday but today after my drive it got slightly worse. I have leaks from the front oil pan to timing cover seal and somewhere from the back, could be corners of valve covers or intake, haven't verified yet but neither should be leaking as I cleaned everything liberally when installing. I think my problem up front is that I am running a cast aluminum timing cover and a stock steel oil pan, Felpro 1 piece oil pan gasket. Do any of you have experience running a combo like this? I am kind of thinking that a cast TC is meant to be used with a cast oil pan or vice versa, steel TC and steel OP. Regardless, one of my goals with this build was to be able to park the truck on pavement without marking it all up with oil spots. Granted it is much better than before, the transmission leaked like crazy before and now the rebuilt unit isn't leaking drop (knock on wood). I am not opposed to pulling the engine back out and maybe going back to a steel TC to fix the front leak. Hopefully figure out the other leaks so I can fix them too. I would leave the trans in place and it shouldn't take more than a saturday to do since I wouldn't be messing with the dizzy at all so no headaches with retiming it. It would literally be, unhook stuff, pull the motor, reseal, drop back in, hook stuff back up and go. What say you all?
Couple of pics while I'm at it. Engine all hooked up and done in the truck.
Washed it yesterday, got dusty sitting in the shop and the hood was filthy from sitting outside for a month.
Couple of pics while I'm at it. Engine all hooked up and done in the truck.
Washed it yesterday, got dusty sitting in the shop and the hood was filthy from sitting outside for a month.
I just saw this, good work!
I have 3:73 in the back of my C10, but with a 700R4. I like the combo. I had one years ago with 3:73 and a TH350. It was good until I got close to highway speed.
But if you went 4:10 now and added overdrive soon, I bet that you would have a blast!
I will say that the gear splits on the 700R4 aren't as nice as the 350 &400 transmissions.
And I have said it before, but I have never had a starter give me problems because if headers, but I have always bought GOOD quality, high torque stuff. But I do like my gear reduction units!
I have 3:73 in the back of my C10, but with a 700R4. I like the combo. I had one years ago with 3:73 and a TH350. It was good until I got close to highway speed.
But if you went 4:10 now and added overdrive soon, I bet that you would have a blast!
I will say that the gear splits on the 700R4 aren't as nice as the 350 &400 transmissions.
And I have said it before, but I have never had a starter give me problems because if headers, but I have always bought GOOD quality, high torque stuff. But I do like my gear reduction units!
I don't have one of those high torque mini starters at the moment. This starter has been on the truck since I got it, it works fine and sounds normal, and hot starts have not been an issue with the headers up until now, thanks to the ford solenoid on the fender. I actually am starting to think my alternator is not charging since being hooked back up because tonight when I drove it the headlights/gauge lights where acting kinda funny. I need to check on that first. That would explain the hot start problem, because it did not do it before I pulled the engine. Overdrive would be awesome but it's not really high on the list at the moment, there are other things I would like to upgrade first, brakes for instance. I think I will be happy with the 3.73s, if it will cruise 65-70 on the highway thats all I need. Like i said earlier this truck is not going to see a ton of highway driving and when it does, 70mph is the highest speed limit within hundreds of miles of my house so it will be plenty fast enough of a cruising speed. I am more interested in being thrown back in the seat going from stoplight to stoplight.
On your hot start issue don't overlook the starter. On a previous truck of mine with new batteries I chased a hard start issue for awhile and it turned out to be excessive amp draw from the starter. Took me awhile and some money to figure out sadly
I'm not trying to say that you have to go with a gear reduction starter. But make sure that it is a good quality one with the high torque windings. There should be a small copper spacer on the bolt that connects the starter motor to the bottom of the solenoid. I am lucky and get my stuff from a very good rebuilder. I will not go to a parts store other than NAPA for starters or alternators, if I can't get one from Western Alternator... which doesn't happen anyway!
Double and triple check your grounds before you chase the alternator. Make sure that your grounds are paint free and this includes the alternator itself. Many guys paint everything up really nice and the layer of paint between the alternator and its mounting points causes issues.
Definetly, I did not paint the alternator or bracket though. Do you think it would have anything to do with the fact that my heads are now aluminum, and the alternator bracket and the battery ground bolt to the heads?
if so then all newer engines would have problems. . . .
That's what I thought. I know aluminum is a good conductor. I am going to get the voltmeter out as soon as I can a start checking. This is a one wire alternator and it worked fine before so I'm thinking it's a connection issue somewhere. Or maybe the alternator just doesn't want to excite anymore. Hopefully it's simple to figure out so I can start driving the old girl.
