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-   -   Restoring Rusty (https://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/showthread.php?t=645440)

Gregski 09-18-2016 07:54 PM

Re: Restoring Rusty
 
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time to remove the Hooker header off of the driver side, on this side we were running a Mr. Gasket gray gasket and to no surprise this side leaked too, I don't even flinch any more people, headers leak

Gregski 09-18-2016 07:58 PM

Re: Restoring Rusty
 
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and how does the header look like, ah yes, SBD this side was Silent But Deadly

Gregski 09-18-2016 07:59 PM

Re: Restoring Rusty
 
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and just a quick look see at that Mr. Gasket gasket off the truck - aka The Smoking Gun

rich weyand 09-18-2016 07:59 PM

Re: Restoring Rusty
 
Biggest thing once you have them back on is to 1) get them hot, and then 2) torque them while they're hot.

Lots easier to do this if you have the socket-cap header bolts, and use a hex ball driver.

This set comes with the ball driver:
http://www.jegs.com/i/Mr-Gasket/720/3420G/10002/-1

Gregski 09-18-2016 08:02 PM

Re: Restoring Rusty
 
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well I've had it with that #1 pipe crowding #5's space where you can't even run a plug wire straight up through there, so something had to be done

first we tried a little gentle persuasion

Gregski 09-18-2016 08:08 PM

Re: Restoring Rusty
 
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the way I see it there are two types of Car People

1. Hot Rodders

and

2. Those who never cut up a set of "perfectly" good headers - ie The Others

Gregski 09-18-2016 08:14 PM

Re: Restoring Rusty
 
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and grinder and paint make me the welder I aint

Gregski 09-18-2016 08:14 PM

Re: Restoring Rusty
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by rich weyand (Post 7717055)
Biggest thing once you have them back on is to 1) get them hot, and then 2) torque them while they're hot.

Lots easier to do this if you have the socket-cap header bolts, and use a hex ball driver.

This set comes with the ball driver:
http://www.jegs.com/i/Mr-Gasket/720/3420G/10002/-1

Thanks Rich, those look like the ones I got already and still with these headers you gotta use an open wrench on some of them cause not even that hex ball driver can get in there

Gregski 09-18-2016 08:18 PM

Re: Restoring Rusty
 
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and back on they go, now we have a nice gap between the #5 cylinder same as all the others

rich weyand 09-18-2016 08:19 PM

Re: Restoring Rusty
 
Also, after a dozen or so temperature cycles, torque them again.

Once they're tight, they'll stay that way, but to get them there, you have to get them to conform to the heads.

Gregski 09-18-2016 08:20 PM

Re: Restoring Rusty
 
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best thing about 70s SMOG exhaust manifolds is that they make terrific hold it downs for when you need a third hand like when you is a welding

Gregski 09-18-2016 08:26 PM

Re: Restoring Rusty
 
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and the driver side noodle ready to go back on absent the resonator

Gregski 09-18-2016 08:30 PM

Re: Restoring Rusty
 
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brand new set of AC Delco R44LTS spark plugs rode shot gun home with me, then we gapped them to .050" to make the H.E.I. distributor happy

made in Mexico so they gotta be good

maybe I already ranted about this maybe not, but GM recommends R43LTS in one 350 HO engine spec part number 19210007 and R44LTS in another part number 1921008 for the 350 HO Deluxe engine

Gregski 09-18-2016 08:32 PM

Re: Restoring Rusty
 
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tested the #5 plug wire with one of these Hazard Freight flicker jobbies, hey its from Harbor Freight so it's gotta be good

Gregski 09-19-2016 10:20 AM

Re: Restoring Rusty
 
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Quote:

Originally Posted by rich weyand (Post 7717088)
Also, after a dozen or so temperature cycles, torque them again.

Once they're tight, they'll stay that way, but to get them there, you have to get them to conform to the heads.

Rich I literally went dumpster diving for the REMFLEX instructions since I recalled seeing something in there about "they don't require re-tightening!" something to do with their rebound properties

please see below

SkinnyG 09-19-2016 10:45 AM

Re: Restoring Rusty
 
I've been very impressed with Remflex header gaskets. I use them on everything now.

I have been most unimpressed with Mr. Gasket anything.

hatzie 09-19-2016 10:59 AM

Re: Restoring Rusty
 
I've always had to re-torque headers because the bolts loosen up from thermal cycling. The gaskets are almost secondary.

hatzie 09-19-2016 11:01 AM

Re: Restoring Rusty
 
I've always had to re-torque headers because the bolts loosen up from thermal cycling. The gaskets were almost secondary.

Those gaskets might be worth a second look.

68Timber 09-19-2016 11:22 AM

Re: Restoring Rusty
 
It looks like the flange is the problem, not the gaskets. The round flange with square gasket ports isn't giving much of seal in the corners. If you built up the corners with your welder and smoothed them with a flap disc you'd have more surface area on the gaskets all the way around.

68Timber 09-19-2016 11:28 AM

Re: Restoring Rusty
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by 68Timber (Post 7717662)
It looks like the flange is the problem, not the gaskets. The round flange with square gasket ports isn't giving much of seal in the corners. If you built up the corners with your welder and smoothed them with a flap disc you'd have more surface area on the gaskets all the way around.

Based on soot patterns on the flange in post 4654.

Gregski 09-19-2016 12:21 PM

Re: Restoring Rusty
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by 68Timber (Post 7717662)
It looks like the flange is the problem, not the gaskets. The round flange with square gasket ports isn't giving much of seal in the corners. If you built up the corners with your welder and smoothed them with a flap disc you'd have more surface area on the gaskets all the way around.

Bro I had the exact same thought, I may just have to do that

rich weyand 09-19-2016 12:57 PM

Re: Restoring Rusty
 
They brag about not having to re-tighten the header bolts because everybody and his brother-in-law knows that 1) you have to re-tighten header bolts, and 2) it's a PITA.

The temperature cycling loosens the bolts. Let's put it this way. If temperature cycling causes the bolts to squirm, they aren't going to make themselves tighter.

The other issue is that the headers, once they have been heat cycled, move about a bit as well. Sort of like the metal pops you can hear from the ductwork in the house when you run the heat for the first time in the fall. The expansion causes the metal to squirm about a bit, to find itself.

Similarly, once a set of headers has been heat cycled a few times, when you take them off you find that the bolt holes aren't all quite in a line any more, and the head flanges aren't all quite in the same plane anymore. The header tubes are different lengths, with different bends, so they react differently to the heat.

The heat-cycle-then-retighten is to keep working the bolts until you get them to a place where they are happy and stop squirming about. I have the garage check torque on mine with every oil change. Once in a while they find one a bit loose. Usually not any more, but for the first couple of times after the new engine went in, there were multiple loose ones.

The tighten-while-warm is to get the head flanges all agreeing again on being in the same plane and the holes all in the same line while the header pipes are a little flexible, so you can get a pretty uniform crush on the head gasket, rather than have it tight on one side of the flange and not on the other.

All that being said, as you said above, headers are more prone to leak. That's why the factory doesn't use them. If they didn't leak, given that they provide benefits of power and efficiency compared to cast manifolds, cars would have them stock from the factory.

harley87ta 09-19-2016 11:02 PM

Re: Restoring Rusty
 
From your pics looks like the new gaskets cover your header ports pretty good

Jake Wade 09-20-2016 07:00 PM

Re: Restoring Rusty
 
Felpro 1444 header gaskets have never failed me for an application like yours.

Gregski 09-21-2016 02:33 AM

Re: Restoring Rusty
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by Jake Wade (Post 7719322)
Felpro 1444 header gaskets have never failed me for an application like yours.

Thanks for the part number. have you used them on the L31 Vortec heads specifically, I believe they are a different animal, and maybe more important have you used them with the Hooker Comp headers, I think the headers are the issue here

Gregski 09-21-2016 02:42 AM

Re: Restoring Rusty
 
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So what is The Greg up to when he's not chasing exhaust leaks?

Well I've been tuning the carburetor in preparation for maybe one more dyno pull before this year is over, I am really hoping for 300 horse at the rear wheels.

I get really Geeky with it in my sister thread INNOVATE DLG1 Wideband O2 Oxygen Sensor Tuning Diagnostics Logging Air Fuel Ratio etc if you aint seen it yet.

This means converting my 4160 Holley carb into a 4150.

Here are the pics of the 4160 model with a thick metering block in the front and only a thin metering plate in the rear

Gregski 09-21-2016 02:53 AM

Re: Restoring Rusty
 
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and here it is all "converted" to a 4150 using the Holley Kit Part Number 34-6SA

if there is one thing I love about Holley is their very super simple part numbers

the kit just comes with a secondary metering block and a longer straw aka transfer tube and some hardware ok and new gaskets

the metering block is super lame, the idle mixture holes are there but are not threaded nor drilled all the way through, so you do not end up with what they call a 4 corner idle

the block also does not have an opening for a power valve nor pre drilled holes for a secondary accelerator pump, but that's ok, this is not a double pumper

Gregski 09-21-2016 02:57 AM

Re: Restoring Rusty
 
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so since you didn't ask I'll share anyways

a plate is like saying something is hard coded, ie it is not adjustable, you want to change the way the secondary circuit flows you gotta buy a whole new plate with different termite tunnels in it

a block on the other hand is adjustable though not all blocks are created equal, in this one for example the only thing I can adjust or replace are the jets, but hey that's better than nothing

A company called Quick Fuel Technologies does it right they make Holley like carbs with metering blocks that you can adjust everything on, emulsion tubes, idle jets, power valve restriction channels, say what? yeah you heard me

here we stare and compare a secondary metering plate to a secondary metering block

Gregski 09-21-2016 03:07 AM

Re: Restoring Rusty
 
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alright so now we are cooking with Propane! ha ha

but we want more...

we want new center hung float bowls with sight glasses for adjusting float levels cause that remove a side bolt and watch fuel poor out on to the hot engine block aint no fun

Gregski 09-21-2016 03:10 AM

Re: Restoring Rusty
 
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but of course the new float bowls come plane Jane naket so now we need to source new center hung floats and their hanger hardware and we also need new DUAL inlet hard fuel line to replace that pesky transfer tube

Gregski 09-21-2016 03:14 AM

Re: Restoring Rusty
 
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so nothing to it but to do it

so yeah the old 4160 came with side hung floats (who knew there was different kind am I right fellers?) now not all 4160 carbs come with side hung floats, some do come with center hung, all that 4160 means is one block and one plate but we already pounded that horse to death

so yeah the floats aint transferable (kinda like my junior college recreation and leisure class, ha ha - I'm looking at you American River College)

Gregski 09-21-2016 03:17 AM

Re: Restoring Rusty
 
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and yeah the 200 lbs Gorilla did break the Accelerator Pump Umbrella Check Valve whilst trying to transfer the Accelerator Pump from the old float bowl to the new one - I mean sometimes I don't know my own strength

(yes I did just use the word "whilst" it's a lost art I tell yeah)

Gregski 09-21-2016 03:19 AM

Re: Restoring Rusty
 
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so went to the local Hot Rod Shop to pick up one $10 dollar replacement part and came home with this

this ever happen to you fellers?

Gregski 09-21-2016 03:21 AM

Re: Restoring Rusty
 
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alright got the new Umbrella Check Valve installed and got the Accelerator Pump transferred

Gregski 09-21-2016 03:23 AM

Re: Restoring Rusty
 
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and got my new 4150 carb all buttoned up, looks more and more like the real deal now don't it?

nothing against Edelbrock but Holley is just a sexier carb in my opinion

Gregski 09-21-2016 03:29 AM

Re: Restoring Rusty
 
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KOOGLIE MOOGLIE

just when I thought we were out of the woods the darn new dual hard fuel line fittings don't fit, they are way too small, the holes in the float bowls appear to be huge like 7/8ths and these fittings are like 5/8ths

it ain't easy fellers, it aint easy

Jake Wade 09-21-2016 06:56 AM

Re: Restoring Rusty
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by Gregski (Post 7719757)
Thanks for the part number. have you used them on the L31 Vortec heads specifically, I believe they are a different animal, and maybe more important have you used them with the Hooker Comp headers, I think the headers are the issue here

Yes, they fit the L31 heads perfectly. I have not used them with the Hooker headers though.

peabobble 09-21-2016 07:21 AM

Re: Restoring Rusty
 
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Might be missing the adapter gizmo. [ATTACH]1572964

Will206 09-21-2016 09:00 AM

Re: Restoring Rusty
 
Yea, you need a 7/8-20 adapter to I think 3/8. I don't know if it's inverted flare or NPT though.

I just went though this because I converted everything to black anodized AN fittings, and I literally just took a second freelance Webdev job to afford this stuff.

Also, I decided to go with the Quickfuel Slayer 750 on my 383, it seems to work great so far.

Hewfil1 09-21-2016 09:41 AM

Re: Restoring Rusty
 
Gregski, is it a 4160 or a 4150? You mentioned 4160, then later 4150. I'd like to know as I might decide to go with this rather than the $400 Edelbrock I was looking at. As I also have a 1974 GMC with 350ci V8.


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