Maybe tomorrow

[GPster]

I got the (almost) truck back in the garage this week. Had some time to try to get it running today. Almost but not quite.  Turns over with the help of a new battery but the contact on the solenoid that  gives full voltage to the ignition coil while starting is dead. Probably corroded when the starter was under water so maybe it will clean up. Had some concern about the fuel pump because it was open on the inlet and in the flood but it acts like it will pump. The engine started but only runs a short while and then dies acting like it is only running on the prime. Thought the fuel pump had sent junk to the filter and plugged it off. Changed the filter, same thing. Thought the needle/seat was stuck closed, pulled the top off the carb and there was gas to the appropriate level. Put the top back on the carb and am letting it sit til tomorrow. The last time this engine run it still had a '53 Chevy car body around it. These things are simple but they're smarter than me now. Now,when I brought this thing back inside I put jackstands under the rear axel so that the rear tires would turn. The engine was drained, flushed and had new oil put in it. The transmission (cast iron Powerglide was drained and had the fluid changed as best I was able to do and the rear end was drained and only had about a pint of Ohio River under the lubricant. When I get it running I'd like to put it in gear and let it rotate the tires and circulate the oils and fluids without any load on them. Looking for opinions (I know you all have them but on this subject only please). Hope your weekend is successful (mine too). GPster

[rooster]

I went through the same thing with a 60 chevy, but I did it while it was still wet, washed with a hose the dizzy and inside of carb to get the mud out, drained the oil spun the eng to get water out of cyc's ,dried the dizzy ect, had to hookup a gal gas can to the fuel pump, started right up. Soon after that it went to the bone yard, it was shot anyway

sounds like you will get it inside just intime for the winter.

[purplepickup]

I switched the Rambler with the pickup on the hoist the other day and when I went to start the pickup it just cranked and didn't fire.  That's the first time it's failed to start right up.  I had spark but it wasn't squirting gas into the venturi.  I loosened the fuel line at the carb and it definitely had pressure.  I decided to dump a little gas down the carb and it fired right up but died right away too.  It turned out the accelerator pump went bad for some reason.   I poured some more gas down the carb and kept it revving high enough that it didn't need the accelerator pump until it warmed up.  I moved it but I've still got to fix the carb.  

Did you check to see if you're getting a squirt when you pump the throttle?

[GPster]

Oh good a possibility. When I had the top off the carb the accelerater pump actuater seemed stuckbut I couldn't see it too well because the float bowl was full of gas. I didn't pry on it, just left it the way it was and put the top back on the carb. No, it didn't pump but my first thought was that the fuel bowl was empty. It's now just sitting but I know there's gas in it now. You've got me all excited now. I was going to leave it sit til tomorrow. Next question will be who bought out an old parts store and has a kit for that carb? Oh yeh, my doors have been shipped and they should be here via USF by the 14th. GPster

[GPster]

Well I couldn't wait. Thanks to George's eply I went back outside after dinner and the accelerater pump must have loosened up with the gas. Got it running and put 50/50 in the radiator and put it in gear. At idle it just about got to the point where the wheels were turning, then it ran out of gas.I've got a portable boat gas tank that I use for these purposes (says he like he's got a bunch of almost running projects). So it's off tommorrow to get some gas. Probably also go to Tractor Supply and pick up some more cheap oil. The dipstick shows full but it's awfully white and runny. GPster

[rooster]

Joe, did you get it going and inside?

[GPster]

It's inside and runs. Maybe I'll try more today (wife's home with a differant set of priorities).  I bought 6 quarts of oil at Walmart yesterday (somehow the cart ended up full and rung-up at $275.00). Went to church last night to pray for it and then went to Tractor Supply and got an oil filter for it and 5 gallons of gas so I'm ready for more, whenever. Checked the dipstick and it still showing up white. I would have thought that leaving the crankcase undisturbed for 24 hours that if it was more flood water picked up that it would have settled out to the bottom of the pan by now. Maybe the white is just because of the drips of kerosine left after I flushed out the pan. Will discover what ended up in the bottom of the pan when I drain it for the oil/filter change. When I get it running again I'll try the letting the wheels turn trick. There have been no replys saying it was a bad idea so I'll try it. Want to get some fresh grease  in the rear end and get it circulating. Even though I only picked up a pint of water under the lube in the third member, I wonder if there might be something trapped in the closed driveshaft. If there's no more reports or questions today maybe I'll have some news on Chat tonight. GPster

[58 Yeoman]

Would the white gunk disappear if you could run the engine longer to get it good and hot?  I've seen engines that never ran long enough get the white gunk in there from not getting hot enough to evaporate the water/condensation.  Running a can of flush with fresh oil might help.

[GPster]

Would the white gunk disappear if you could run the engine longer to get it good and hot?  I've seen engines that never ran long enough get the white gunk in there from not getting hot enough to evaporate the water/condensation.  

I don't know. The oil was new when I started and after running it appeared. I was afraid to rely on it for lubrication so I am draining it. After the flood the water was drained out of the crankcase (all 6 gallons of it because it had displaced the oil that was in it). I then kerosined the crankcase to flush it and turned the motor over easy. Then put in new oil and a new filter and turned over the engine and let it set until Friday when I got it running. Changing the oil I drained the crankcase today got the white stuff  from top to bottom, A homogenius mixture and no apparent water, I did get a very little water in the bottom of the oil filter canister but because it empties  high on the side I figure it was just trapped in a low place in the flow. I was kind of surprised because I siphoned the canister and got the water first (which I did not see) and then the white stuff. So apparently the water and the white stuff don't mix and they do separate so when there was no water in the bottom of the oil pan I must have gotten most of the water out. When I get it running again I'll hurry up and find an oil pressure gauge and see if that's still OK when running. GPster

[enjenjo]

The white stuff is a water oil emulsion, and it's pretty stable, it'll stay that way for some time. The oil keeps the water from evaporating, and the water droplets are so small they don't clump together into bigger ones that will seperate easier.Drain it and refill again, and you should get most of it, but the best way to get the rest is to get the engine hot enough to drive the water out by evaporation.

[Dave]

The white stuff is a water oil emulsion, and it's pretty stable, it'll stay that way for some time. The oil keeps the water from evaporating, and the water droplets are so small they don't clump together into bigger ones that will seperate easier.Drain it and refill again, and you should get most of it, but the best way to get the rest is to get the engine hot enough to drive the water out by evaporation.

A little trick me and my dad use to use on boat engines. Find a shop close buy that does drilling and uses soluable oil (spelling) It mixes with water. Put about a pint in with fresh oil run it get it hot and drain  the oil then do it again. Then just add fresh oil. We did quite a few engines that got water in em and they all came out fine. We were lucky we had the oil at work. If you cant find any let me know cause I could easily send you a quart or 2 I actually had a nice 18ft jet boat with a 550 hp 427 chevy in it and my lack of checking on it it had filled up with water due to a ton of rain and the bilge pump running the battery down. I did the trick to that one and no problems. I did drain the oil and leave the drain plug out for 2 days just cause there was so much water in it.
Dave

[GPster]

Here's the latest. Ran the engine for a 1/2 hour this morning. The wheels turned (they were up in the air). After a while the wheels stopped turning around (it was in neutral at the time ) so I checked the fluid, not even a drip on the bottom of the dipstick. It took 3 quarts to bring it up to full while running in neutral This evening when I gave it another 1/2 hour of running. This morning was on new oil and a new oil filter. It sure looked scarey to see so much vapor coming out of the road draft tube. I was relieved when it condensed right away and made a puddle of water on the floor. That problem that George put me on may still exist . There is a little stumble when you give it the gas. I'll have to remember to take a bulb for my trouble light. I managed to put the thing up on jackstands in the worst lighted spot in my garage. The engine oil doesn't have that milky look like the last batch suffered from and the tranny fluid looks good. On top of that theconcrete got finished in my driveway. Maybe we'll be able to celebrate the new year by parking on it. Maybe my doors will come tomorrow. Life is good. GPster

[41ChevyTrucker]

GPSter,
Is this the fenderless 51?? I was wondering about your project the other day. Have any recent photos?  Sorry, It's been a long time since I have logged in here. My truck is still in the works too, getting closer every year though.  


_Eric

[GPster]

GPSter,
Is this the fenderless 51?? I was wondering about your project the other day. Have any recent photos?  


_Eric

Look under the heading  the project is a "Roller"  The camera is from my wife's work. It's a good thing she has a key, depending on the holidays another picture should be forthcoming. My Missouri doors are schedualed to arrive this afternoon. Not that the doors will make it look so much different but my old doors are going to be cut-up to provide the needed curved pieces to finish out the firewall/cowl area. I had looked at HAMN (?) in the past to see "dollarbill"'s pickup from information given me by WX Junk and I saw you there.  I wondered then if you had decided to abandon RRT totally. GPster

[GPster]

Kind of jumbled together. Try         the project is a "Roller"          It is under topics that I originated. GPster