Never rains.........

[Bitzer!]

Hi all, just a quick update.

After a month of working all hours & weekends I thought I'd finally have four days on the truck. The missus and lil legs gone to her mothers so the time was all mine.

Courtesy of Chris I had booster, rear wheel cylinders and brake hoses to fit. All went smoothly enough, couple of rusted bolts that needed a bit extra but none the less- job done.

A pal came over this morn, bled the brakes- job done.

The plan today was finish ripping out all the old wires, run new and start a fresh, Thought we'd drive it out now it can stop. Filled the rad up and fired her up, the first real run up. Sweet as a nut, exhaust making the deep rumbling sound I'd yearned for. Three minutes later a puddle on the floor, loose clip on hose maybe? Nope the rad had sprung a leak. Triffic.
Drained the rest of the water and thought we could run it out with no water as it's only a few yards.

Starter motor made horrendous noise. Started fine earlier. Investigation followed and the actual case has cracked.

So we struggled in the limited space and got most of the wires in place and lights etc working. Just need to shorten wires and tidy up.

So that sums up my day. It never rains but it pours..............

Andy

[bake74]

     I hope you mean the radiator case broke and not the engine case. 

[Engineer]

I think he means the starter housing had cracked.

I busted the aluminum nose off a starter that I had on a 400SB once. Straight short to ground. + battery cable caught on fire.......Much fun that day lol.

[Bitzer!]

I spoke to a guy about the rad, he says new they can sit on a shelf for years. Never dry store a used rad, they corrode inside out. Mines been out four years, lesson learnt.
Yup the starter motor casing cracked. I'd shimmed it as directed, paperclip gap etc. not sure why but that's life. Think I'll my a hi torque mini and get them to fit!!

[bake74]

     That is better than the scenario I had playing in my head.

[Blazin]

I had a 454 in my 74 Malibu that used to break starter nose cones four or five a year until I put a mini torque gear drive starter in it. After that it was fine.

[Bitzer!]

Quick update after a disasterous weekend.

Rad back from repairer, done a mint job. Fitted and coolant done.

New hi-torque starter fitted. checked the gap and no shim required, spot on.

The 454 fires up and ticks over lovely, spins the water and thermostat opens.

Job done and game on!!

[thirsty]

That's great news Andy! Good job not letting it get the best of you.

[bake74]

     very happy to hear you can move onto the next project.

[Bitzer!]

It's all good guys. Now I can get on with all the other jobs! Diff gasket changed and fresh oil, rear all new wires and connected. The lenses are a nasty fit, I offered up the old ones and they look rubbish too!!

[jaredts]

Nice work, man!  I know the feeling, but you can solve all this one step at a time, and everything you make better to solve a problem, is, well...better.  Like the high torque starter.  I switched to one recently and I'm sold, they are great.

[Bitzer!]

The worst of it all was four days to myself and all good intentions.

Felt like it'd been two big steps backwards instead of one giant leap forward.

That's life, problems solved and I know they're properly fixed. Rad was pressure and flow tested and the starter is brand new. Surely not much left to go wrong is there.........

[Captkaos]

Glad the brake parts worked for you!

[Bitzer!]

Yup the brakes went on like a dream fella 👍 jus need to find more hours in the week somehow!!