A fellow mentioned here that after a valve jb engines use oil. That is because they didn't flush out the antifreeze with water before taking the head off and it got down into the rings and antifreeze is a sugar based alcohol. I noticed this problem and figured it out about 40 years ago.
No worries on that. The rad didn't survive the wreck in '67, the remaining coolant that was left maybe filled the lower half of the block. The only thing that was in the cylinders was penetrant to get it unstuck...
Well, I've been picking away this for the last couple of weeks hoping to get it to run. It's been frustrating but...
It will require some further tuning, right now it won't idle and is rough down low. I need a cooling system before I can dick with that. Anyways, forthe first time in 49 years and 3 months it runs again!!
Rene, those inline sixes had a fiber camshaft gear originally and they broke teeth and wore off teeth easily. Have you ever had a look at the timing gear set on that engine. The replacement timing gear sets are always aluminum cam gear and steel crank gear. That might be the timing issue on your 261. GM was asleep when they put those silly fiber camshaft gears in the 55-62 235/261 sixes and some of the small block V-8's like the 265/283. They were obviously meant to keep the engine running quieter but i find my 261 runs very quiet with the aluminum cam gear. I am really enjoying following your 57 Pontiac threads. Cheers. George
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1957 Pontiac Pathfinder Deluxe sedan restored 261 six
1974 Chevrolet Caprice Estate wagon low mileage original 400 V-8
No real updates. I've been working 65 hours a week for the last two years paying off a surprise Canada Revenue debt ($40K...ouch!)
As to the 57 I want to get my work space tidied up and get the car turned around and centered so it's easier to work on. Some of the issues with the engine running are all "sticky" related in my best guess. I am thinking of pulling the 261 out and dis-assemble on a stand and do a thorough clean and re-assembly. I have done several compression tests and get some wildly fluctuating results suggesting valves and lifters sticking and unsticking. I guess I could also try some varsol in the oil and "hope" that does the trick.
Scott from Cold War Motors has offered to help get the front sheet metal on the car, take care of some minor dents and paint to match the rest of the original paint on the car. The idea is to have it appear as if it was parked in that garage in 1967 a day before being wrecked.
None of this stuff is a big expenditure, so it could technically be driving around this summer coming.
I will be posting any updates here first, I haven't gone anywhere.
