Blurry vision... Yes, Nate, you did mention it was a TH350. My eyes just missed it I guess. You need to take care of yourself, you only get one body. My wife would say I need to do what I suggest others to do. If we lived close, I would bring you another project for after your six-banger rehab. If you look real close in the bottom left corner of picture 2, you will see a few loose wires. Do you know where they all go? Dang junkyard guys. Need to take the sidecuts away from 'em.
Electrical "Fun" Yes Steve ; Of course I know *exactly* where those wires go : to the other side of the engine management harness , of course.... . It's funny as I used to get all the electrical problems and re wire jobs . My Electrical works don't look pretty like the Hot Rodders do but they work and to me that's enough . I too use a pair of dykes mercilessly when I'm scavenging ~ I take far more wire than I ever need then I use it to make factory looking repairs & sub harnesses .
! It runs ! YAY ! . Yesterday SWMBO told me to get out of my recliner and get to work before it got hot , I didn't and began working at Noon right when the temperature zoomed up and I wasn't in the shade . In any case , I was plugging away and after five long hard hours I pressed the button and it lit right off , I was pouring fuel into the carby because the fuel pump (mechanical) wasn't priming , when it fired it belched out some raw fuel then a 5" FIREBALL that momentarily set the plywood the engine's sitting on , on fire . I was panicky for a moment there but it went out in a few moments . I still have more small items (anti- diesel solenoid , air cleaner bracket and support tube etc.) to add plus I want to fill the water jacket so I can run it long enough to set the timing . Maybe I'll be able to attach the tranny to - day , we'll see . I had to take some pain pills last night and only got three or four hours of sleep . In any case , I am pleased it runs again . Pictures soon .
10 Dayze Later And some serious Recliner time....... I've been tinkering in it and last night added the extended oil and tranny dip sticks and tubes , re installed the anti - diesel solenoid , other little things like that . I replaced the vacuum & fuel hoses , noticing this : Looks like a regular old , old fuel filter , right ? . Rotate it 180? and see why I always insist upon clear fuel filters : FULL OF CRUD ! .
Oops ~ Out of sequence here . First , I screwed around trying to figure out how to balance the tranny so it'd mate up to the engine easily : Whan you do only stick shifts for 40 years , it's simple : a saddle jack under neath it and hoist up until you can slide it in (yes , I know wrestling a 300 # cast iron manual tranny isn't easy) . This TH350 kept tipping so I got an old seat belt from my favorite scrap yard then tied it 'round the tranny , : this worked pretty well but the weight of the Torque Converter kept tipping it forward so I added a rubber balance strap to the nose of the Engine Hoist : Looks kinda goofy I know but I have very limited lifting ability any more so I have to " Farm Fix " (improvise) and make do as best I can with whatever I have at hand .
More ~ Remember how I'd mentioned I'd ripped the cab floor loose at the toe board pinch weld ? . This is what I found when I cleaned off all the crud : The leading edge of the floor began to slowly rub it's way through the tranny's case : Lucky for me , it never quite made a hole . I hope to get it finished this week and deliver it to Paco Thursday or Friday .
And , My Grand Daughter : My Son was riding her 'round his back yard the last time I visited~ she's turning two years old Thursday and already reads and likes to ride Motocycles .
Update O.K. then ; It's been hot of late but I needed to get this engine done so I worked my narrow behind off : I know it's not show worthy but it's my Shop Truck so no worries . The guys at the Paint Jail seemed impressed . Notice I added longer oil and ATF dipsticks using original GM parts , that's always the best way , my poor old beat to crap back doesn't like me leaning in over the fender to check fluid levels . It took me some time to clean off the gooey black crud coating the entire TH350 tranny :
At The Shop Arriving @ the Paint Jail : Here you can see the power steering filter (magnetic and micronic) I added to the new return hose : I replaced all the various hoses and V-belt , new gaskets throughout and I used Permatex " The Right Stuff " on both sides of every gasket to help this thing be oil tight . The shop is a cornucopia of old Chevys : All these are show cars that will prolly never see the road again . I don't get that .
