[Glenn Lever]

Some more photos to finish the last reply

[marks73ta]

That's a great idea. Should work great. Mark L

[Glenn Lever]

Ok, I have come to the conclusion that the dragster will look very nice at the Indianapolis show on the 9th of February, but it may not be a runner. I believe there are just too many things that need to be completed.

Progress was made at the OFFICIAL Car Nuts (I say this as there are a group of upstart Rochester Street Rod members in the sissy warm state of Florida that are tiring to latch onto the name).

Lenny has taken on a number of tasks. He has become the computer operator and has been pressed into service as an order placer with both Jegs and Summit. He also started incasing the wiring harness in split harness covering. He also has gapped and replaced all the spark plugs.

Tom has moved on to finishing the install of the remote oil filter bracket. He has welded it up and powder coated it. All that needs to be done now is to bolt it in.

The headers have arrived. The holes in the header flange were flame cut and were a little irregular. Billy and Jack spent a fair amount of time filing out the holes so that all the bolts could be installed at once. As it was about ¾ of the bolts could be install, but the last one or two would not thread into the head. That has been remedied. It was also found that the header bolts I had on hand were not long enough and new ones have been ordered.

The differential was disassembled and inspected and then reassembled again. We found there was a fair amount of grime inside the housing and on the axles themselves. Look closely at photo P1150024. Gears are 3:70

We went to bleed the brake system and discovered there was a vent hole in the master cylinder cover. Normal, correct? Well not in this system as there is a remote reservoir on this system that is above the brake calipers (calipers are above the master). When we filled the remote reservoir we had a brake fluid fountain out of the top of the reservoir. That problem was fixed by welding up the vent hole. The system was bled and we had a very spongy petal. The master cylinder was removed and bench bled. The result was it was much better, but still not acceptable. A vacuum pump was used to draw the fluid out of the calipers while tapping the sides of the calipers to try and get the air bubbles out of the system and this helped but it still is not right. This will have to be revisited.

So.......we have fluid in two systems now with no leaks.

Tomorrow is kitchen work day and morning I will be moving a car.

There will be no unofficial gathering on Monday.

[Glenn Lever]

More Pictures.

[Glenn Lever]

Ok, I feel like a schizophrenic, one update predicting doom and gloom and this one that is all good.

For an unofficial car nuts meeting we had Tom Deyle, Vince Falco, Jim Boehly, and Jack Dennis show up to lend a hand.

Tom finished up the install of the modified remote oil filter. He also modified the volt meter bracket and installed it (does not sound like much until you realize this is all stuff that has to be created).

Jack went through all the hose clamps and removed the excess band that was sticking out to the clamps. Verified that all clamps were tight and filled the coolant system. The water pump was run and there are no leaks! That makes two of the five fluid systems that have fluid and no leaks.

Vince removed the valve covers, and cleaned any grime that had fallen through the holes in the covers before they were covered with tape (more of a precaution than anything else. He then added 8 quarts of oil into the engine. The oil system was primed and brought to pressure. It was noticed that there was no oil come up to the rocker arms. It turns out that the Pontiac engine is like a Chrysler engine in that the oil for the lifters comes through the number four cam bearing. If the cam is not lined up so that the oil can pass through the lifters will not get oil. Pressure did build in the system and we had no leaks! That makes three of the five fluid systems that have fluid and no leaks.

Jim put fuel in the tank (after he was reassured that the fuel system had been gone through and that all fittings were tight). The fuel pump was run.
Guess what? I had forgotten to check the fittings at the carburetor. Jim almost received a gas shower. After those lines were tightened up the fuel system was run and brought to pressure. No leaks. That makes four of the five fluid systems that have fluid and no leaks.

The neutral safety switch in the shifter was checked (not intentionally). We went to crank the engine over with the starter but it would not crank.

We brought the mulitmeter out and starter to check wiring and relays. In checking the wiring we found the wiring for the neutral safety switch. We then realized that the shifter was in gear (remember there is no drive shaft and the shifter cable is not hooked up to the transmission). There are parts coming from California to get that task done (why are all the good parts 5 days way in California?).

It should be noted that all these test runs were through the wiring system that has been installed over the last two weeks.

Speaking of wiring the harness is almost complete. The transmission brake has been wired; the low oil pressure warning has been wired; the volt meter wiring has been completed; shift light wiring is complete ( in that process the air scoop was removed and disassembled. Any bolt that could come loose inside the air scoop has either been double nuted, and the screws in the lights have been covered in silicone sealer so that the carburetor will not get the chance to suck any unwanted stray items into it.

We are looking to fire the engine up that Saturday. Before that we have to get the transmission cooling system completed and filled with fluid (the last fluid system), the coil has to be installed, the spark plug wires installed and the oil pressure gauge has to be plumbed.

That does not sound like much, but tomorrow I have to move a car, Wednesday I will be in the shop powder coating. I believe it can be done.

I talked with Roo Man today and he said the drive shaft should have been drop shipped today, he is checking to make sure that was done. If so it will not be long before the dragster will be able to move under its own power.

Don’t get me wrong there are still a lot of loose ends to complete. Not the lease of which is wiring the steering wheel to activate the air shift and transmission break (we are really not sure how to accommodate this, in the Firebird there was a lot of steering column to rap a coiled cord around, in the dragster the steering wheel is right up against the gauge panel and does not allow for this); plumbing for the air shift; receive and install the control cables for the fire system, main power shut off; driveshaft; the list goes on, I will keep you updated.

There will not be any unofficial meeting of the car nuts Tuesday or Wednesday, but will be Thursday and Friday with an official meeting on Saturday where the intention is to fire up the engine. This engine has not run in over a year! It needs to live again!

[02Hawk]

Antifreeze?

[Jack Gifford]

Glenn- incorrect statement about top-end oil going through a cam journal (see my response over on PZ forums).

[Glenn Lever]

Originally Posted by 02Hawk

Antifreeze?

I knew I would get questions on that and I tried to miss lead people by showing a picture of water coming out of the jug but...

Yes I put antifreeze in the coolant system as in Feburay I have to trailer it to Indiana.

Once the winter is gone the system will be flushed and only water added.

[Glenn Lever]

Originally Posted by pontiac jack

Glenn- incorrect statement about top-end oil going through a cam journal (see my response over on PZ forums).

Just shows you what I do not know.

[Glenn Lever]

Ok, the unofficial car nuts meetings have resumed. Today we had Lenny and Tom. They both put in over time today and we worked a solid six hours.

First up was to develop a list of things that have to be completed for the Saturday morning start up. Looks like there will be good attendance as there are already three people that have spoken up that they will be there. I know of several others that are planning to be there that have not yet spoken up.

This is the list;
Install the transmission cooler
Run the transmission lines from the transmission to the cooler (no easy task as they have to run around the engine plate (through the chassis))
Plumb the oil pressure gauge
Install longer header bolts (the ones currently holding the headers on are only in by a couple of threads)
Install the distributor
Install spark plug wires
Hook up the water Temperature gauge
Add ZDP to the oil

Most of the tasks are very close to being completed or have been completed. We really had a productive day.

Lenny removed the old header bolts and installed the new longer header bolts. Some of the holes had to have a tap run through them to clean out the paint that someone sprayed on the engine. He continues with incasing the wiring harness.

Tom made brackets to hold the transmission cooler between the frame rails at the front of the dragster. There just is no space to put it anywhere else. He also wired the volt meter. The brackets were then powder coated. He also engineered the hole to run the pipe through the engine plate for the oil pressure, this hole is in exactly the right place and exactly the right size for the pipe. Look closely at picture P1200034.

Other tasks that were worked on or completed were;

The spark plug wires have been installed. These are the old wires from the firebird. I do have a new set (cut and fit) that will be installed once the valve covers have been trimmed down. The current set of valve covers are junk and were used to paint the engine. They will be pressed into service for the start up on Saturday.

The transmission coolant lines have been run from the transmission to the front of the dragster. These are all hard lines with no rubber connecting hoses. They pass through the holes in the frame to get around the engine plate. The last line that will connect up the cooler still needs to be made. That will be done tomorrow.

A bracket was created to hold the ignition coil. Than it was powder coated. This was done by adding to an existing bracket that Roo Man created to hold the throttle cable.

We used a cross on the end of the pipe that Tom plumbed to added the oil pressure sensor for the data logger, the low oil pressure sensor, and the feed for the oil pressure gauge.

The capillary tube for the water temperature gauge has been run but still need to have the installation completed.

The ZDP was added to the oil.

The engine was rotated to 28 degrees advance on the compression stroke of the number one cylinder. The distributor was then dropped in with the rotor pointing directly to the number one cylinder location on the cap.

So what is left of the Saturday fire up?

Mount the transmission cooler and finish the plumbing to the cooler.

Wire up the coil.

Wire up the low oil pressure light.

Double check everything!!!!

Get some ear protection!

[mechanickeith]

looking good Glen!! I see I'm not the only one to use a rubber freeze plug to fill a dist. hole!

[Glenn Lever]

Originally Posted by mechanickeith

looking good Glen!! I see I'm not the only one to use a rubber freeze plug to fill a dist. hole!

Works really well to keep all the unwanted junk out of the engine.

[Brian Baker]

Egad that's a lot of wiring...glad I didn't have to sort it out (LOL). Coming along nicely but I do hope you are going to replace that plastic tubing for the oil pressure gauge with something stronger and safer (like braided hose).

[Glenn Lever]

Ok, every task on the start up to do list is completed – the first fire up on the engine in the dragster will be 9:00 AM tomorrow morning!

The transmission cooler has been installed. A great deal of effort went into bending hard lines for the cooler. Many attempts were made and several pipes were discarded in order to get the lines to run side by side from the rear of the dragster to the front. I have been informed that I should not use hard lines as the dragster will flex and cause these lines to crack and spill fluids. Defiantly do not want that so I guess I will have to replumb with braided lines. I’m in a quandary however. I’m told not to put holes in the engine plate, and the holes provide in the chassis are not large enough to take the braided lines????

The old, fat, gray haired guy was caught working again (well he appears to be working; maybe he is just a good actor).

The low oil pressure warning light is functioning.

Fluid has been added to the transmission which means that all five fluid systems are full.

The coil is connected.

Although the start up task list is completed the overall list is still quite long.

Tail light wiring has been tested and is wired to be a indicator light the master switch is on (any time the master switch is on the tail light will be on (it is LED so draws next to no current))

Master on off knob has been powder coated red and now must be labeled “push off”

See you in the morning for the fire up, I suggest you be on time as I am anxious to hear this engine run.

[rumair]

i was going to say something about the tranny lines when i was reading your last update yesterday. can the holes in the chassis be enlarged?

[02Hawk]

I love the honey-do list on your planning white board....

[BruceWilkie]

Did you revisit your brake system? Fluid resevoir above calipers? Resevoir vented? Possibly need a low pressure residual valve. The street rod guys should have an answer, call Speedway motors.

Hardlines in rails can stay but should connect with flex lines after they exit to avoid cracking or loosening.

No lines through rear motor plate but plate "could" technically have holes in it as long as they dont actually weaken the structure. You want to sheild brake and fuel lines from damage should something come apart.

Looking good!

[Glenn Lever]

It runs!

Some small problems;
There is a concern about heat transfer out of the radiator (not enough?)
Front seal on in the transmission is leaking a little (have to pull the tranny and put another one in)
Line to the oil pressure gauge needs to be replaced with braided line.
Scoop takes too long to put on and remove.
Safety wire caliper bolts
Catch can for transmission vent.

John posted this to U-Tube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VyxcAcBJTGc

This is raw video with no editing. Tom is putting together an edited piece.

[Glenn Lever]

Tom has worked his magic and come through before his self imposed dead line and produced another excellent start up video (the third one for me, two on the firebird, and this one)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLTuVDhOotw

[Glenn Lever]

Ok, had a great turnout today and it was very productive. A lot of the tasks on the board were crossed off.

Lenny and his grandson (I cannot remember his name, shame on me) bled the drakes one last time.

Bill crated a bushing to go around the transmission coolant lines where they pass through the chassis.

Steve installed the drive shaft. The engine was started, the transmission was run through its gears, the transmission brake was tested, and reverse was tested (this transmission has a pro brake in it so you have to hold the transmission brake in order to get reverse). All worked correctly.

The fire bottles were removed by Steve, Lenny and Lenny's grandson for the trip to Indiana as they are not allowed to freeze (garage is always heated so up to this point it was ok to leave the bottles in the chassis). All the fire suspension lines were check for tightness.

Jack added a clamp on the fuel line as it was unsupported in the upturn to the carburetor.

Tom made yet another bracket for the dragster, this time it was to add support to the remote oil filter lines.

The valves covers are back from the machine shop were the insides were machined out to reduce their weight. These are case covers and weighed a ton. They are taller than the stamped covers that were used to keep the paint off the rocker arms when the engine was painted. Tom and Vince adjusted the spark plug wires so that the new valve covers would fit under the wires.

As if there was not enough going on we had a side project going on. That project was to build some stanchions that will be used to rope of the dragster at the upcoming show. Billy, Don, worked on this project. We are build these stanchions from an interesting collection of items. The bases are old rotors (which have been sand blasted), the posts are 2 inch electrical conduit, The conduit is fastened to the rotor with conduit connectors that have had their retaining nuts welded to the rotors (they can be unscrewed from the nut welded to the rotor), The top is a fence post cap that is fit on top of another conduit connector that has been cut in half.
The stanchions will all be powder coated so all the pieces match.

The tail light has been installed by Vince. The plan is to light the tail light at the show with a small power supply.

The throttle cable was move to run under the oil pressure gauge line as it was kinking the line. Braided line has been ordered to replace the plastic line.

The valve covers have been powder coated gold and then clear coated on top of that. Burns down tubes have been added and the completed covers have been bolted on the dragster.

As a finishing touch for the show Lenny and his grandson bolted on some wheel caps on the wheels.

So as you can see a lot of small tasks were completed today that have been hanging on for dear life on the to do list, but are now complete.

The body that is sitting on the back porch will be coming back into the garage and be reinstalled on the dragster this week. There are a number of tasks that need to be completed to go racing (not the least of which is to address the overheating problem, can anyone guess how that will be addressed? It will definitely get you attention when you hear the solution.)

The current plan is to load the dragster this coming Saturday, Sunday, or Tuesday depending on weather. We will need a number of helping hands to get it down the driveway. I know that Sunday is the super bowl but this can be done in the morning and should not take too long. Let me know what days you can help out and I will add that into the mix of the weather. I did watch the extended weather tonight and Saturday looks to be promising at the moment.