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Carl 61 Fleetwood Phyllis

Started by Clewisiii, January 20, 2020, 09:10:55 AM

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Clewisiii

I am issuing myself a challenge.  I am going to fire up my engine this year. 

Engine rebuild is done
Carb is restored
Fuel pump done
Water pump done
Generator done
Starter is done

I ordered a rebuild kit for the transmission
I need to recore my radiator
I will cerokote the manifolds in advance.
I will need to buy an engine wire harness.

Let me know what else I am missing.  It will be on frame with no body and no drive shaft attached. I will just run from a gas can.
"My interest is in the future, because I am going to spend the rest of my life there."  Charles Kettering

The Tassie Devil(le)

How long has it been since the engine was last started, or built?

If it has been a while, before you do actually fire it up, remove the Distributor and insert an Oil Pump Drive adaptor and spin the drive to pre-lube the engine.

If you aren't going to do this, remove the Spark Plugs, and Ignition Coil Lead, put a couple of squirts of oil into the cylinders and spin the engine visa the Starter Motor to get oil through.   Don't leave the plugs in or you will be putting too much strain on the bearings.

Bruce. >:D
'72 Eldorado Convertible (LHD)
'70 Ranchero Squire (RHD)
'74 Chris Craft Gull Wing (SH)
'02 VX Series II Holden Commodore SS Sedan
(Past President Modified Chapter)

Past Cars of significance - to me
1935 Ford 3 Window Coupe
1936 Ford 5 Window Coupe
1937 Chevrolet Sports Coupe
1955 Chevrolet Convertible
1959 Ford Fairlane Ranch Wagon
1960 Cadillac CDV
1972 Cadillac Eldorado Coupe

Clewisiii

The engine has not been started since it's rebuild in 2020.  So starting fresh.  IMG_20200718_202116285.jpg
"My interest is in the future, because I am going to spend the rest of my life there."  Charles Kettering

The Tassie Devil(le)

Okay.

What I do is firstly place the crankshaft in TDC, in the correct firing order for No. 1 and remove the Distributor, insert my home-made priming tool, and place a mechanical Oil Pressure Gauge in the Oil Pressure Switch spot, and then turn it in the direction of the distributor rotation.

After gaining Oil Pressure, rotate the crankshaft 45 Degrees, and prime again.   Rotate the Crankshaft another 45 degrees, and prime.   Keep doing this till you have completed two turns of the Crankshaft, and gone back to the original BTDC mark, and replace the distributor.   As the oil pump has been turned, you will have to manually position the pump using the priming tool so that the Distributor simply drops down and engages the pump, with the Rotor facing in the correct position for No. 1 and you should be right to go.

The idea of rotating the crankshaft this way is to ensure that all the areas of the engine has been provided with oil, especially the Hydraulic Lifters.

Don't forget that if the Cam and Followers are new, you will have to do the running-in procedure for these parts.

Bruce. >:D

PS.   I made my primer out of a piece of tub, and created a copy of the Distributor end on one end, and put an old Socket on the other end to enable the use of a Speed Brace to rotate it.   The roll pin is placed in the tube to stop the possibility of the tool from going too deep onto the shaft, and getting caught, lifting the shaft up as the tool is withdrawn.
'72 Eldorado Convertible (LHD)
'70 Ranchero Squire (RHD)
'74 Chris Craft Gull Wing (SH)
'02 VX Series II Holden Commodore SS Sedan
(Past President Modified Chapter)

Past Cars of significance - to me
1935 Ford 3 Window Coupe
1936 Ford 5 Window Coupe
1937 Chevrolet Sports Coupe
1955 Chevrolet Convertible
1959 Ford Fairlane Ranch Wagon
1960 Cadillac CDV
1972 Cadillac Eldorado Coupe

Snibbor

Incredible Carl. Thanks for sharing!

Clewisiii

Seals and clutches arrived for my trans today.  IMG_20230306_173101074.jpg
 
"My interest is in the future, because I am going to spend the rest of my life there."  Charles Kettering

Eldovert

Carl,
Beautiful engine!
To add to what Bruce has written.
You might need to put the driveshaft yoke in the back of the trans to keep the fluid from coming out.
Use good break in oil such as Lucas or Brad Penn.
You want to have the engine fire immediately and keep the RPM at around 2000 for 30 minutes for cam break in.
Cheers,Pat MacPhail

Clewisiii

Well I am dropping the trans off at a rebuilder next Wednesday.
I plan to drop off my manifolds for ceramic coating the same day.
"My interest is in the future, because I am going to spend the rest of my life there."  Charles Kettering

Clewisiii

Well it is in the back of the truck.  Drop it off tomorrow morning.  We will see if the 2-3 week timing holds IMG_20230314_182036392.jpgIMG_20230314_182036392.jpg 
"My interest is in the future, because I am going to spend the rest of my life there."  Charles Kettering

Clewisiii

Managed to drop the trans off and drive out to West Michigan Cerokote to
Have my exhaust manifolds ceramic coated. 

I am going to pull out my Radiator to get it ready to recore. And I may disassemble my frame again and have it powder coated.  It has been sitting 7 years since I painted it and it is rusting again in spots. 
"My interest is in the future, because I am going to spend the rest of my life there."  Charles Kettering

James Landi

Thank you Carl for sharing your "journey" with us.  I am especially impressed that you're not cutting corners, specficially regarding those "areas" that might come back and haunt you when the car is all assembled.  Recoring the original radiator is truly a great choice.  I've had bad experiences with aluminum replacements that, in my optinion, don't have the necessary design and build quality to hold up under load, with a/c on, in the summer heat.   James

Clewisiii

I also reached out for a powder coat quote.  I have a couple of areas on my frame that rust has come up through epoxy primer and supposed ceramic paint.  But it has been sitting for 7 years. 

So I will see if I can swing the price this summer.

image.pngimage (1).png 
"My interest is in the future, because I am going to spend the rest of my life there."  Charles Kettering

Clewisiii

My quote for powder coating my Frame was just $1200.  I was expecting a lot more. 
"My interest is in the future, because I am going to spend the rest of my life there."  Charles Kettering

Clewisiii

So what do you think about the need, or desire, to replicate the markings on the radiator.  IMG_20230316_200450605.jpg
"My interest is in the future, because I am going to spend the rest of my life there."  Charles Kettering

Clewisiii

#434
Inline tube quote for stainless, brake lines, fuel lines, trans cooler, vacuum advance, choke tube, pump to carb line.

$575IMG_20230317_125951902.jpg
"My interest is in the future, because I am going to spend the rest of my life there."  Charles Kettering

Clewisiii

Now to decide how rich I am.  Having my Radiator re-cord and looking at the radiator mount insulators.   

I have cleaned my originals.  They are still very rubbery, playable, and are complete.  They just have some staining that will not come off.   

IMG_20230318_102121234.jpg

Now to buy new they are $34 a piece.  I don't think $150 is worth replacing parts that are still good. 

Screenshot_20230318-102428-451.png 
"My interest is in the future, because I am going to spend the rest of my life there."  Charles Kettering

James Landi

 THe price seems to me to be "a rounding error" considering all of the personal resources you've expended to date. I wonder if they're selling old new stock, in that case, the flexible parts may well be beyond their expected service life.   If it's a choice, my vote is to get that GM radiator professionally serviced--- and with a thoroughly clean coolant passages, you'll not be hounded by over heating the engine, or "damaging hot spots" in the cooling circuits.  Thank you for keep us in "your loop."  James

Clewisiii

Well my trans internals were rusty.  We will see what it looks like after cleaning. 

I didn't expect perfect after sitting for 45 years.20230322_132443.jpg20230322_130324.jpg20230322_125833.jpg   
"My interest is in the future, because I am going to spend the rest of my life there."  Charles Kettering

Clewisiii

This was some of the rust out of the engine block when I took that apart.

FB_IMG_1580473028745.jpg
"My interest is in the future, because I am going to spend the rest of my life there."  Charles Kettering

Clewisiii

I bet these will work for my Fleetwood rear window drains.  Found in a parts catalog for Impala.  IMG_20230323_120153512.jpg
"My interest is in the future, because I am going to spend the rest of my life there."  Charles Kettering