Carl 61 Fleetwood Phyllis

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

The oil pressure line should never be a rubber line, as ant expansion of the line will affect the gauge reading.

Are you sure it is Rubber, and not a Black Nylon-like hose?

Bruce.

[Clewisiii]

The oil pressure line should never be a rubber line, as ant expansion of the line will affect the gauge reading.

Are you sure it is Rubber, and not a Black Nylon-like hose?

Bruce.

it is a thick wall line like the power steering hose.

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

Sounds like an industrial unit for ultra high pressures.  Or for use in a high chafing position.

The ones I have here only have an outside diameter of 1/8"

Here is the gauge in my dash that I placed when I purchased the car, so I could check on the Oil Pressure whilst I was initially driving it around.

I had no qualms fitting it in as the dash had already been butchered to fit the radio before I purchased the car.   Since I rebuilt the engine when I got the car home, I haven't bothered to put the gauge back, and have since replaced the facia and fitted a better radio with less damage to the fascia.

Bruce.

[Clewisiii]

Well I got the new starter solenoid. I had to go to three auto parts stores. One did not have one, one was missing the spring and hardware. The last had one.  I thought these were common enough. But I may want to buy a future spare.

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

They are common.

All GM cars that use the same Starter, from 1955, at least in V8's, use that Solenoid, so they should not be that scarce.

Bruce.

[Clewisiii]

Anticipating a good start and run tomorrow. So to make it look the best for a possible video it is a cleaning day today.
I had spots of gear oil on the floor from working with the rear end a few weeks ago.

[Clewisiii]

I got my replacement generator to voltage regulator wire today.

The first one I read the schematic wrong last time and put that upper left ground wire on the battery terminal and fried the wire. 

[Clewisiii]

Well I didn't smoke the wires this time. And the starter is cranking properly.

The engine was coughing with the fuel still in the carb from last week. I did not put the lines back in the gas can.

I have a friend coming over tomorrow morning to help me listen and question everything as the engine goes for real.

I will need to polarize the generator to.

[Clewisiii]

I am happy with the oil pressure. Even with 1-2 second coughs the oil psi gets to 20

[Clewisiii]

But I am a little disappointed with the Bill Hirsch paint. It does not seem to be gas and oil resistant. At least the quart cans I was spraying from just cleaning up a drop of trans fluid from valve cover pulled off blue paint.

The Eastwood Cadillac blue even though it was a shade darker, was as hard as glass. I painted the trans before rebuild and even going through the hot tank for cleaning the paint did not come off.

[Clewisiii]

I had a little fuel leak at the filter out  port. Fixed that. One connection of the trans coolant lines was tightened. Verified my top dead center. Now it is running about 15 seconds. I still need some more adjustment.

It is leaking from the exhaust joints that are not clamped yet. I think just water but the first joint is a little dirty.

Any thoughts on directly uploading videos in forum. My phone records in MP4 I believe but the insert video says only MP3.  I know not to many people upload videos other than YouTube links.

Does anyone know what hoops I will need to jump through.

[Clewisiii]

Well it is running good now. I still have a fuel leak after the filter. I will need to look into that. But I am very happy. It starts easy and clean.

[Clewisiii]

So this is the way I did it. My first YouTube upload.

Starts easy. I am not reving it here.

I still need to look at that fuel leak.
I still need to polarize the generator

I have been topping off the fluids between running the engine.

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

Is this engine a rebuilt one with new Camshaft and Lifters?

If it is, and hasn't had the Cam run in, then DO NOT PROCEED ANY FURTHER until you are prepared to "Run the Cam in".

Bruce.

[35-709]

At the risk of saying something you already know, my apologies, but resist the temptation of starting the engine just to hear how nice it sounds until you can get the car out and give it a good run ---

"Idle time and low load on a freshly rebuilt engine can result in "glazing" of the cylinder walls and prevent the rings from ever sealing correctly."

"After an initial start, the engine should be run for 20 minutes at 2000 RPM to ensure initial break-in of the camshaft."  If you have leaks or something that needs immediate attention, stop the run, fix the problem, restart and run right back up to 2000 RPM to finish the 20 minute run.  This is important.

Looks wonderful.

[Clewisiii]

Running the breakin is next after the leaks are fixed. I cannot run it with gas leaking on top.

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

Immeasurable damage will be caused to the Cam and Lifters even if the engine is left to idle for up to 5 minutes.

The reason for the 2,000 to 2,500 RPM for nothing less that 20 minutes is that the Cam Lobes and Lifter faces are only lubricated from oil splashed up from the rotating crankshaft.  Idling is not fast enough for the oil to be thrown out and wiping the Cam Lobes and Lifters.   I do nothing less than 2,500 Revs.

Plus, the reason for the length of time is so that oil will get into the microscopic pores of the cam and lifters.  Once these areas have been sufficiently lubricated, and all of them, then the engine can be idled, BUT, not for long periods, especially when new.

Bruce.

PS.  Sometimes it is best to not have the owner anywhere within earshot of the running in as the sound of the "screaming" engine can be a bit off-putting to someone who wants to baby their pride and joy.  I know from experience.

PPS.   Plus, connect up a tachometer to observe the revolutions.   You will be surprised what the free-running engine will sound like.   So will the Neighbours.

[Clewisiii]

Does anyone have a suggestion for a temporary tachometer set up for my next step. I don't want to just cycle by ear.

[James Landi]

If you can find a dwell/ tach combination (I think they're still for sale), the dwell meter element of this combo  will serve as a valuable  tool for tune ups.    The engine sounds terrific.  Never heard of the break in rpm/time...Bruce knows his stuff!   A consideration worthy of discussion... this might be a good time to set up a pcv for the engine.  Certainly helps to remove damaging condensation from the ''internals'' on occasional used cars.   Happy day,  James

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

The Dwell Gauges with the Tach is ideal, and is simple to install.   Just read the instructions that come with the units.

If one has a GM HEI Ignition, then there is already a Tach terminal in the distributor cap.

As for break-in times, procedures, etc. that is why mechanics get paid so much     They go to school and learn stuff.

Plus, if not a mechanic, then reading about this stuff is in most Shop Manuals, but if not, should be.

Don't forget that the breaking-in of the Cam and Lifters is different to the Bedding-in of the Piston Rings.   The Bedding in can only be done when the car is on the road -- unless one has access to an engine Dynamometer, then life is easier.

At least with the Dyno, as against on the road, care must be taken to do the bedding-in when there are no other vehicles around to get in the way, as others won't be aware of what you are doing, or get in the way of your seemingly odd accelerating and slowing, multiple times.

Bruce.