Ok, it's early, but you need to fully document this one Carl. And I expect some quality images. Nice stand btw.
I've started buying parts for the build as I find deals on pieces. Also, I spent way too many hours agonizing over what cam. I don't want a cam that some testosterone-filled dude would put in his engine to impress everyone at the cruise night but I do want one that is at least slightly noticeable. I finally decided on an Elgin CL1066PK cam kit. At 64* overlap it should still have a decent idle. The one thing that drew me to it was the claim by many people that it is an old school cam, and has "lazy" ramps which are easy on cam lobes vs. some of the new cams.
Small Base Circle: No Cam Gear Attachment: 3-Bolt Valve Adjustment: Zero Lash Plus 1/2 Turn Manufacturer: Elgin Industries Manufacturer's Part Number: E1066
__________________
1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles
1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars
Two projects on my plate right now and one is on hold waiting for parts so I decided to strip down the block in preparation of it going to the machine shop for boring. And of course, as always not everything goes as planned. The 2 plugs beside the cam that have the tiny hole in them to oil the timing chain and gears were both super tight. One came out but one finally rounded off on me. Out came the drill followed by a successful extraction with an Easy-out. Now I need to find a supplier for those plugs with the little hole drilled in them. I'm sure there's likely lots of places that sell them.
Chased all the threads in the block except for flipping it over and doing the main cap threads.
You asked for updates with pics Mark, but this is all I got for tonight!
Not this one. The one in the car is. This one uses all the "normal" bottom end stuff instead of that oddball early Mark IV block that I have in the car now.
__________________
1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles
1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars
So today I wanted to install the oil pump pickup in my new oil pump, a job I always hate. Those things always seem to fight me. I mocked it up on a bare block with the oil pan and marked where it needed to be pressed in. I had read a tip about using a split collar for putting it on. I thought why not, I'll give it a try. I'm really happy with how that works. I took the split color and had to bevel the one inner edge slightly because of the curve in the tube.
Once I did that the collar sat nice and straight on there and I put a 3/4 inch open end wrench up against it and then hammered away. After I had the tube in I was debating how to fasten it securely because I've seen more than once when an engine failed because the tube fell out. Guys say you shouldn't spot weld it for two reasons. Number one, you're welding steel to cast iron which doesn't work well. Number two, apparently it can heat up the oil pump housing and warp it. Mark showed us those nice retainers for small blocks but they don't make one for big block as far as I can find . Time to fabricate. I think it's going to work okay, the one that I built.
Mark, did you use/replace these when you built the engine for your 67? The more I hunt for these, the more I find that the only place they were ever used from the factory is in 454 blocks. I find it weird that 396/427 doesn't appear to have them listed.
Anyone have a 396/427 block lying around and willing to see if it has drilled plugs?
__________________
1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles
1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars
Good point, I never thought to ask, I bet the machine shop will install them, you're right. I'll check when I send it out for boring.
I was thinking I might buy brass plugs and use that. Even easier to drill. .030" is a pretty tiny bit!
No double roller for me, I don't like the noise they make. Just plain old steel cam gear and regular style chain. Or are the new double rollers quieter? Years back you could hear a double roller chain long before the car pulled up to you.
__________________
1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles
1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars
I go with single row too, much stronger and its what GM intended.
I like the oil pump idea, i dont think they are cast IRON tho, should be cast steel. they weld just fine, just a simple tack is all thats needed. no heat buildup.
__________________
Beaumontguru
MY BEAUMONT HAS 4 STUDDED TIRES AND 2 BLOCKHEATERS......AND LOTS OF OIL UNDERNEATH. The other one has a longer roof.
Yes, I used the wrong term when I said iron, they are cast but not cast iron.
I had a guy tack my last one when I did the 427 and he mentioned that because it's cast it technically is supposed to be welded different. I may tack this one (or get him to do it) anyway, even with the bracket but I just like the idea that it won't fall out even if the press fit comes loose and the weld would crack. Overdone likely, I know...
__________________
1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles
1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars
Ya, i didnt know there was a bracket for a SBC, i would have put one in. you can never over do things. and peace of mind is a good thing to have when it comes to engine rebuilds.
__________________
Beaumontguru
MY BEAUMONT HAS 4 STUDDED TIRES AND 2 BLOCKHEATERS......AND LOTS OF OIL UNDERNEATH. The other one has a longer roof.
Yes, can't be too careful on GM oil pump pickups. Not the greatest design on the V8's excluding the V8 64-67 Novas which had that long tube for the front sump. The tube had a bracket on one main cap bolt on the L79's and on the regular V8's the block was tapped and a bolt held the bracket to the block. No chance of it falling out on those engines.
__________________
1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles
1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars
It's sure a good looking piece. I used their thinking when I built my big block piece.
Yes, double rollers have always been the way to go since I was a kid and I've had a number of them. Supposedly a lot more "accurate" once the engine has some miles on it. I may still try it but I know the last one I did in the 80's in a 327 was loud I felt.
__________________
1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles
1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars
