Big Blue's Transformation

[85lebaront2]

Got the oil filter/cooler adapter and hose routing figured out. Turns out that routing the hoses outboard toward the frame gets them w/in an inch of the header, so I decided to go straight forward. Given that I pulled the adapter and played with fittings until I got what I wanted.

It looks a bit bizarre, but by using 45's the turns are much more gentle and the position works out just right. Here it is out of the truck:

And here it is installed in the truck:

But just before I started to install the hoses I thought I'd better put the lower radiator hose on to see where it goes. Glad I did 'cause that determines where the oil cooler hoses can go.

However, you can't tell from that pic but the hose is not the right one. Turns out that the 1993+ water pumps have a smaller outlet than the earlier pumps, so the old hose won't fit. That got me to wondering about the upper hose, so I checked. Yuk!

So I called Skiatook Auto Parts, where our guy DeWayne works, and talked to David. He thinks he has the F5TZ-A hose that Bill thinks is the one w/o the kickup. And, he thinks he has the '93+ lower hose. So Monday I'm headed there with the old hoses. And I'll pick up new heater hose, a thermostat, thermostat housing gasket, and coolant.

Last, I emailed with Scotty about break-in oil. Here's what he said:

Use a break in specific oil. 10 / 30 or 40 depending on your bearing clearances.

Penn, amsoil, gibbs are all fine.

You will need to use a hot rod oil for flat tappet cams for the life of the engine.

Do NOT USE shelf oil with ZDDP additive. You will void your cam warranty.

So, what do y'all think about oil? I'm thinking I'll order the Brad Penn Break-In Oil since I have 8 quarts of Brad Penn 30W-40 to use after that.

Gary, 1993+ lower hose is a two part hose to allow for the "grenade". What I am doing for Darth's new engine is a NAPA hose bushing so I can use the 1984-early 1990 lower hose. Here it is on the 1992 up water pump with the 1992 up water pump pulley:

[85lebaront2]

Got the oil filter/cooler adapter and hose routing figured out. Turns out that routing the hoses outboard toward the frame gets them w/in an inch of the header, so I decided to go straight forward. Given that I pulled the adapter and played with fittings until I got what I wanted.

It looks a bit bizarre, but by using 45's the turns are much more gentle and the position works out just right. Here it is out of the truck:

And here it is installed in the truck:

But just before I started to install the hoses I thought I'd better put the lower radiator hose on to see where it goes. Glad I did 'cause that determines where the oil cooler hoses can go.

However, you can't tell from that pic but the hose is not the right one. Turns out that the 1993+ water pumps have a smaller outlet than the earlier pumps, so the old hose won't fit. That got me to wondering about the upper hose, so I checked. Yuk!

So I called Skiatook Auto Parts, where our guy DeWayne works, and talked to David. He thinks he has the F5TZ-A hose that Bill thinks is the one w/o the kickup. And, he thinks he has the '93+ lower hose. So Monday I'm headed there with the old hoses. And I'll pick up new heater hose, a thermostat, thermostat housing gasket, and coolant.

Last, I emailed with Scotty about break-in oil. Here's what he said:

Use a break in specific oil. 10 / 30 or 40 depending on your bearing clearances.

Penn, amsoil, gibbs are all fine.

You will need to use a hot rod oil for flat tappet cams for the life of the engine.

Do NOT USE shelf oil with ZDDP additive. You will void your cam warranty.

So, what do y'all think about oil? I'm thinking I'll order the Brad Penn Break-In Oil since I have 8 quarts of Brad Penn 30W-40 to use after that.

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[Gary Lewis]

- deleted -

Ahhh! Perfect! So there's a bushing that just barely slips on the smaller pump outlet and then larger hose fits.

And the bit about the two-part hose and the grenade fits what David read me from the catalog today, that there are two hoses.

He even had the exact outlet sizes, which I think I wrote down in the shop. So I should be able to find that bushing given the sizes.

I'm going to have to keep a list of all the different parts.

Thanks, Bill.

[Machspeed]

Ahhh! Perfect! So there's a bushing that just barely slips on the smaller pump outlet and then larger hose fits.

And the bit about the two-part hose and the grenade fits what David read me from the catalog today, that there are two hoses.

He even had the exact outlet sizes, which I think I wrote down in the shop. So I should be able to find that bushing given the sizes.

I'm going to have to keep a list of all the different parts.

Thanks, Bill.

Looks great, Gary! Definitely a stickler for details I see....a good thing, I think. I see a work bench that looks worse than mine though. Close, but you take the prize....lol!

You appear to be making good progress lately. I must not be asking enough questions

[Gary Lewis]

Looks great, Gary! Definitely a stickler for details I see....a good thing, I think. I see a work bench that looks worse than mine though. Close, but you take the prize....lol!

You appear to be making good progress lately. I must not be asking enough questions

Thanks, John.

But the work bench you see that is loaded is actually being used as storage of some of the MANY parts that have come off Big Blue and/or Huck and are waiting to go back on Big Blue. So, while it might not count as a messy, loaded work bench, I have a 4 x 8' work table in the other room that is choc-a-block. I'm horrible at keeping things neat.

As for the questions, you gave me a break yesterday. Maybe 'cause of the hot weather?

[Machspeed]

Thanks, John.

But the work bench you see that is loaded is actually being used as storage of some of the MANY parts that have come off Big Blue and/or Huck and are waiting to go back on Big Blue. So, while it might not count as a messy, loaded work bench, I have a 4 x 8' work table in the other room that is choc-a-block. I'm horrible at keeping things neat.

As for the questions, you gave me a break yesterday. Maybe 'cause of the hot weather?

Yeah, thought I'd leave you be yesterday. Actually, I was pretty tied up working on Blackie. All the stuff I took off got media blasted and painted. I spent a good part of the day just cleaning stuff up and prepping it for assembly. Got the new timing chain on but did hit another snare though. Purchased a Fel-Pro timing chain cover kit that came with the sleeve for the harmonic balancer. That sleeve did not go on well, despite all my attempts to make it so. Warped the sleeve on the balancer. Of course, this was after I spent much time cleaning up and painting the balancer. However, I had questions about the balancer anyway, as the rubber was not sitting flush all the way around the unit. In other words, about 1/4 of the circumferential diameter of the rubber was protruding outward between the hub and the outer ring of the balancer. As such, I ordered a new harmonic balancer at O'Reilly's which should be in today. Was thinking while I was detailing the balancer that I should probably replace it. Thinking this was the Good Lord's way of convincing me to do just that.

[Gary Lewis]

Yeah, thought I'd leave you be yesterday. Actually, I was pretty tied up working on Blackie. All the stuff I took off got media blasted and painted. I spent a good part of the day just cleaning stuff up and prepping it for assembly. Got the new timing chain on but did hit another snare though. Purchased a Fel-Pro timing chain cover kit that came with the sleeve for the harmonic balancer. That sleeve did not go on well, despite all my attempts to make it so. Warped the sleeve on the balancer. Of course, this was after I spent much time cleaning up and painting the balancer. However, I had questions about the balancer anyway, as the rubber was not sitting flush all the way around the unit. In other words, about 1/4 of the circumferential diameter of the rubber was protruding outward between the hub and the outer ring of the balancer. As such, I ordered a new harmonic balancer at O'Reilly's which should be in today. Was thinking while I was detailing the balancer that I should probably replace it. Thinking this was the Good Lord's way of convincing me to do just that.

You might be right. He moves in mysterious ways. But if the rubber was protruding then it was time to replace it.

The spedi-sleeve is only a very few bucks, so you didn't waste much money. Just time. But you'll be happy you have the new balancer.

[Gary Lewis]

You might be right. He moves in mysterious ways. But if the rubber was protruding then it was time to replace it.

The spedi-sleeve is only a very few bucks, so you didn't waste much money. Just time. But you'll be happy you have the new balancer.

Spent just a bit of time in the shop this afternoon getting a few things done, and now need to spend time planning for the show.

But, Here's what I did:

• Put the screw and nut in the throttle cable bracket for the speed control cable. I had forgotten.

• Measured the heater hoses to make sure how much to get tomorrow. Looks like 8' will be more than enough.

• Installed the heater hose fitting in the water pump that I'd forgotten. Luckily the one in the old engine was in great shape so I stole it.

• Measured the new and old water pump outlets, 1 3/4" and 2" respectively, so I can get the right adapter tomorrow.

Last, I marked the grille where it was hitting the monster of an engine oil cooler and took off ~3/8" between the red arrows in the pic below.

Just think about how much time it took for to butcher the radiator support, the hood latch support, and the back of the grille to get the exact same cooler in by laying it down instead of standing it up the way the factory did.

[Rusty_S85]

Got the oil filter/cooler adapter and hose routing figured out. Turns out that routing the hoses outboard toward the frame gets them w/in an inch of the header, so I decided to go straight forward. Given that I pulled the adapter and played with fittings until I got what I wanted.

It looks a bit bizarre, but by using 45's the turns are much more gentle and the position works out just right. Here it is out of the truck:

And here it is installed in the truck:

But just before I started to install the hoses I thought I'd better put the lower radiator hose on to see where it goes. Glad I did 'cause that determines where the oil cooler hoses can go.

However, you can't tell from that pic but the hose is not the right one. Turns out that the 1993+ water pumps have a smaller outlet than the earlier pumps, so the old hose won't fit. That got me to wondering about the upper hose, so I checked. Yuk!

So I called Skiatook Auto Parts, where our guy DeWayne works, and talked to David. He thinks he has the F5TZ-A hose that Bill thinks is the one w/o the kickup. And, he thinks he has the '93+ lower hose. So Monday I'm headed there with the old hoses. And I'll pick up new heater hose, a thermostat, thermostat housing gasket, and coolant.

Last, I emailed with Scotty about break-in oil. Here's what he said:

Use a break in specific oil. 10 / 30 or 40 depending on your bearing clearances.

Penn, amsoil, gibbs are all fine.

You will need to use a hot rod oil for flat tappet cams for the life of the engine.

Do NOT USE shelf oil with ZDDP additive. You will void your cam warranty.

So, what do y'all think about oil? I'm thinking I'll order the Brad Penn Break-In Oil since I have 8 quarts of Brad Penn 30W-40 to use after that.

Oil wise, I use 10W30 VR1 racing oil from Valvoline. It is formulated for classic cars as well with high ZDDP levels out the box. I run it in my '56 with the solid flat tappet 292 with no problem. Its not one of those oils that you have to change super often this oil is perfectly fine to be used like regular oil.

I wont be running this oil in my 306 build I am delayed on, I plan on using regular conventional Valvoline 10w30 on break in (cant find out what bearing clearances blueprint uses on their 306 short block I wish I could run lighter weight oil such as 5w20 or 5w30 like late model 302`s) and after break in around 6,000 mi which is what most builders recommend I will switch to valvoline pure synthetic and go from 3,000 mi oil change intervals to 6,000 mi oil change intervals.

[Gary Lewis]

Oil wise, I use 10W30 VR1 racing oil from Valvoline. It is formulated for classic cars as well with high ZDDP levels out the box. I run it in my '56 with the solid flat tappet 292 with no problem. Its not one of those oils that you have to change super often this oil is perfectly fine to be used like regular oil.

I wont be running this oil in my 306 build I am delayed on, I plan on using regular conventional Valvoline 10w30 on break in (cant find out what bearing clearances blueprint uses on their 306 short block I wish I could run lighter weight oil such as 5w20 or 5w30 like late model 302`s) and after break in around 6,000 mi which is what most builders recommend I will switch to valvoline pure synthetic and go from 3,000 mi oil change intervals to 6,000 mi oil change intervals.

Thanks. I appreciate the input. But I'm thinking since I have several quarts of Brad Penn oil that I'll go with their break-in oil and then use their oil long term. It is expensive stuff, but the engine wasn't cheap by any stretch, so I'd better go with what the engine builder recommends.