1946 gmc

[05snopro440]

Being that the heads came from the machine shop how will you remove the oily residue on the surfaces before painting?

It looks like he cleaned them already, but I use a good wax and grease remover before I paint anything bare metal.

 

[05snopro440]

Yesterday I cleaned the heads off thoroughly with brake cleaner, masked them, and sprayed them red. They look awesome! The exhaust port design of the Buick means some of the paint will burn off shortly after I get it running, but sitting on the bench they look amazing. My new head bolts arrived, head gaskets arrived, waiting on exhaust gaskets and some other odds and ends. Going to paint up the manifolds and valve covers and clean up the intake this week preparing to start putting it back together. I might put the heads on this week.

 

[05snopro440]

Well after a comedy of errors, here's what I have to report:

I ended up taking the front cover off the engine to replace the rope front crank seal with a rubber seal. Got that back on, then my new aluminum thermostat housing wouldn't fit, it was hitting the distributor. So I switched to the old stamped steel one. Then the intake bolts wouldn't fit, so I had to hog out the holes very slightly. Got it all back together and running and the thermostat housing was a geyser.

So last night I re-stabbed the distributor 2 teeth over which allowed me more room for my new aluminum water neck, which with High-tack gasket sealant, arp bolts, and a good gasket solved my issue.

Got the truck running and it sounded good. Then I discovered something else... I'm not getting oil to the driver's side valvetrain. So now I need to solve that issue. The lifters weren't noisy, so hopefully it's something simple.

So now the distributor is back out and valve covers are back off so that I can try to figure out what it's doing and try to re-prime it and get oil to the lifters.

Man, this thing likes to fight me.

This isn't to mentioned whacking myself in the head with the harmonic balancer trying to get it off and hurting my neck and shoulder in the process, plus having to do everything seemingly 3 times. It has been quite the adventure. I hope I can solve the oiling problem easily.

Thank goodness I have a lift, it has made this whole process so much easier.

 

[05snopro440]

Being that the heads came from the machine shop how will you remove the oily residue on the surfaces before painting?

E-man, I can confirm that the wax and grease remover plus a good spray with brake-clean was sufficient to get paint to stick.

 

[Bamamav]

Your thread over on the PORK ended up being a ****ing match from the know it alls and ended up locked. I just don't understand those people, if something doesn't suit them they lock it. So glad we can agree to disagree here without all the BS!

 

[05snopro440]

Your thread over on the PORK ended up being a ****ing match from the know it alls and ended up locked. I just don't understand those people, if something doesn't suit them they lock it. So glad we can agree to disagree here without all the BS!

Yeah. Yet somehow I was the problem. I actually had an old guy reach out to me who was disgusted by the treatment I received AND he helped me solve my issue with great advice. The one guy that was extra annoying "Don't expect to get your question answered, these threads evolve and it's not all about you because this off-topic info might help someone in the future" (what?!?) got a nice locked message from me asking why he was so adamant that someone accept treatment that he himself would be upset with.

A few days before that, there was a thread about the recent announcement from The Rodder's Journal. Ryan threw a hissy fit and closed the thread because the owner of TRJ is a close friend of his and no comment that was anything other than positive would be tolerated.

That's 2 strikes against it for me. One more, and I'm closing my account. They have some cool content but some days it's just not worth it.

 

[05snopro440]

Your thread over on the PORK ended up being a ****ing match from the know it alls and ended up locked. I just don't understand those people, if something doesn't suit them they lock it. So glad we can agree to disagree here without all the BS!

I realized that when people post car show photos there that because they heavily curate the content, it really misrepresents those shows. It creates this illusion that there's this large community of those that think exactly the same as them where every show is really more just like my local show.

 

[Bamamav]

Yeah, not many shows cater to only old stuff. Most of the ones I go to may have 5-6 pre 60 vehicles, and most of them are tri five Chevys. My 47 has been the oldest one at several of them. Doesn’t matter to me, I like about everything with wheels.

There’s a few level headed guys and a bunch of closed minded ones. They may have a million members, but only 30-40 who actually post anything. I’ve sent several our way, some came, some didn’t. Most of those that did liked it here.

 

[05snopro440]

Doesn’t matter to me, I like about everything with wheels.

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[05snopro440]

The oiling was resolved, my dad and brother and I ran it while oiling the valvetrain manually. About 5 minutes later, all the rockers got oil. Both sides were having some issues.

I finally got it running and got to drive it. Unfortunately it still has the off-idle stumble but I think I'm finally on the track to solving that today. I'll have to get some more parts but hopefully this week I can resolve that finally.

 

[05snopro440]

I figured I should share some engine photos while it looks this good, it's not often it's all cleaned and shiny.

 

[BillM]

Well it sure looks good (after all that fighting!)
Did you ever get the flat spot solved Snopro?

 

[forbigpicture]

Lookin' good Sno !!!!!

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[Old Iron]

That Buick engine looks good sittin in there

 

[05snopro440]

Well it sure looks good (after all that fighting!)
Did you ever get the flat spot solved Snopro?

I need to order more parts for the carb. There was a performance store open yesterday in the city but they didn't have quite what I needed. I'm putting larger nozzles in the accelerator pump circuit and it seems to like it.

Now with the head work the carb wants more jet (plugs show lean) and it wants more fuel off the hit. Fingers crossed I'm getting close.

 

[05snopro440]

Thanks guys, a lot of work but at least it's nice to look at.

 

[lowbudget50]

It does look really good in there!!! You will get it knocked out, then enjoy it

 

[bob w]

It's clean all right.

 

[05snopro440]

It does look really good in there!!! You will get it knocked out, then enjoy it

Hoping so! It's a learning experience but wow has it been frustrating!

 

[smallfoot]

Man, that looks nice! I'm glad you posted pix of that engine bay. I've been running thru my mind figuring how close everything will be putting a BBC motor in my 46. I was wondering if any inner fenders might have to be cut.