Bringing a 73 back to life. Gas in the oil?

[Jester1]

So while I wait for my BBC for my 90 to get done at the machine shop I figured there was to much room in my driveway. Me and the wife decided to drag the 73 over to the empty spot and start going through and making a check list of things to do to take it from yard art to rolling art.

Known things to fix as of now in the hour and a halh we had last night:

Go through the brakes and make repairs.

Go through axles and make sure new bearings and oil.

Go though the steering and make sure all is good and solid.

Torque converter is frozen and tranny screwed. Have a free new one from buddy with new transfer case and drive shafts.

Mouse nest in muffler. Previous owner blew it up getting it running. Have free headers and exaust from another freind.

Drained old fuel and added new. Here's where I am stuck. The PO put in some new stuff to make it run about 3 years ago. Wires, fuel pump, filter, cap rotor, and such. Upon starting it it fired up but ran raggedy and smoked. Expected that as it gets the fuel pumped through. It had new oil in it when he delivered it to me and while stored checked it occasionally to make sure no major leaking. During storage I would take a battery to it and crank about every 6 months to keep it free and slosh some oil around.

So here is my question. Could doing that have loaded the carb and then allowed the varnished old fuel to seeped into the crankcase (as the oil does have a bit of that scent to it) or would the fuel have ended up there when it was started and run shortly yesterday?

Next what may be the most common causes of this? (I know the mechanical fuel pump pinhole, and sloppy rings) just looking for other guru ideas as I have time and this will be a slow process. I plan on draining the oil this week and putting new in but if it is a hassle project then I will tackle some of the other issues first.

 

[Jester1]

Since you all like pics here ya go.

 

[Highpsi]

Drained old fuel and added new. Here's where I am stuck. The PO put in some new stuff to make it run about 3 years ago. Wires, fuel pump, filter, cap rotor, and such. Upon starting it it fired up but ran raggedy and smoked. Expected that as it gets the fuel pumped through. It had new oil in it when he delivered it to me and while stored checked it occasionally to make sure no major leaking. During storage I would take a battery to it and crank about every 6 months to keep it free and slosh some oil around.

So here is my question. Could doing that have loaded the carb and then allowed the varnished old fuel to seeped into the crankcase (as the oil does have a bit of that scent to it) or would the fuel have ended up there when it was started and run shortly yesterday?

Next what may be the most common causes of this? (I know the mechanical fuel pump pinhole, and sloppy rings) just looking for other guru ideas as I have time and this will be a slow process. I plan on draining the oil this week and putting new in but if it is a hassle project then I will tackle some of the other issues first.

First of all, great project! Looking forward to seeing you bring that K5 back to life!

If I read correctly, the truck hasn't been driven yet really since you got it 3 years ago right? When you checked the oil every 6 months or so, it never had that fuel smell to it and it just only now got that odor?

At any rate, I would definitely do an oil change very first thing. If it hasn't been changed in 3 years, you've got to do that anyway.

Maybe then you'll find it just flooded badly on that initial fire up here recently, although I suspect it probably built up over the last 3 years of your occasional starts. It could be more than that, but I don't think I'd commit to doing much more than changing out some old fuel and oil right now. If it runs and idles ok, fix some of the other things to get it roadworthy then see if you get flooding or black smoke from the tailpipe.

Good luck!

 

[Jester1]

Didn't really start it over the past couple of years just cranked it to move the oil around. I will be changing the oil, pulling the plugs and double checking gaps, and looking at the plug ends. Sounded rough when started so may have to deal with timing and double checking firing order.

Can't roll under its own power as the tranny is possibly effed, but I have a replacement with another 203 and driveshafts in place to install. May also have a line on a 205 which I would prefer. Even thought about doubler.

Also will be replacing all fluids front to rear.

Budget is tight right now because of other engine build. Starting this with the free stuff and the stuff I have accumulated to now. Most of the work in the next couple of weeks will be the strip disassemble and clean type work. I also scored a '74 2 wheel drive farm truck from yet another buddy that already stripped his parts from. Front clip and springs here we come.

Should be starting a build thread this coming week to start keeping track of myself, and makes it fun that you guys all get to laugh along.

Thanks.

 

[wasted wages]

Wow...... I haven't seen a points type dizzy in years.....

my vote would be to drop in a HEI dizzy.... cheap quick upgrade...


fuel pump may be leaking gas into crankcase.... for the 20 bucks it costs for a new pump....it's cheap insurance to change it out....

 

[Jester1]

Yep planning on dizzy change. Not some msd one but a stock gm unit. Seems like everyone is having trouble as of late with the aftermarket ignition equipment.

The fuel pump was replaced (PO) when I took possession a few years ago, but will change it out.

 

[Fordum]

You can kinda test for a leak in the pump. But you have to pull it off, hold your thumb over the output with fuel in the pump while you press the lever and watch for gas to come out around the lever.

But by that time, you are 3/4 of the way to replacing it.

Might want to check the old one though after you get it off. If its leaking, that is one less thing to worry about.

 

[livid4dirt]

Put a metal fuel filter on the beast. Those see through plastic ones..........will leak in time.

 

[blaznjon]

i put my 73 back on the road after many years too! same color cheyenne with a/c
also.

for ****s and grins wonder if they were built close to the same time.they were all built in flint michigan .my vin lists mine as f153766 according to the spec`s page here there were 44,481 built in 73 is your vin close to mine ?

 

[Jester1]

i put my 73 back on the road after many years too! same color cheyenne with a/c
also.

for ****s and grins wonder if they were built close to the same time.they were all built in flint michigan .my vin lists mine as f153766 according to the spec`s page here there were 44,481 built in 73 is your vin close to mine ?

F128934

If there where only 44,481 built and the serial number for the build started 100001 and they went sequentially. That puts yours as the 53,765th build. At lest that's the info I learned on the interweb looking it up yesterday.

 

[blaznjon]

F128934

If there where only 44,481 built and the serial number for the build started 100001 and they went sequentially. That puts yours as the 53,765th build. At lest that's the info I learned on the interweb looking it up yesterday.

thats what i was curious about. I`m guessing the build number is at the flint plant and not specific to blazers.

 

[82355]

It's been sitting for three years. Change the oil and get it running, and then go from there.

Oh, and find a set of hub caps for those wheels!

Martin

 

[Jester1]

It's been sitting for three years. Change the oil and get it running, and then go from there.

Oh, and find a set of hub caps for those wheels!

Martin

Ya mean like these...

And tonight I took these out...

Made them look like this.....

And then it did this......

So progress made.
Thanks.

 

[Jester1]

thats what i was curious about. I`m guessing the build number is at the flint plant and not specific to blazers.

If that's true then I wonder if there is a way to find out what was built when. Maybe I have the first 73 blazer ever built after they knocked out a few thousand trucks and suburbans.

Yeah right hahahahahhaaaaa.

 

[Jester1]

So the other thing I did when I first got home outta morbid curiosity was pulled the dipstick and tried to set it on fire. You know sh!tz and giggles. No flame bit I think the motor is fairly varnished and it was just a general smell wafting from under the hood.

Gonna do new pump anyway.

 

[Chief Brody]

I think that's my color...check the glovebox and see if it is 527

 

[Chief Brody]

thats what i was curious about. I`m guessing the build number is at the flint plant and not specific to blazers.

those numbers are running total of all units put out by that plant...not just Blazers but everything....not sure if monthly running total...so those numbers dodn't really mean anything specific

 

[Jester1]

It is,but I didn't want to tell you,

Because yours is near perfect, and I may change mine.







Now I won't tell you about my hood.
Can't rotate photobook with my phone sorry.

 

[Chief Brody]

why does everyone else end up with the color I want and they want to change it?

 

[Chief Brody]

got any saddle tan goodies in there you want to part with?

want to get rid of that hood....