Build Thread Bird_dog0347's Frankenstang, sure is nice of us to build a car around the fuel filler door

Very cool man.

I'm planning on an aftermarket steering shaft for my car, will this take away the header clearance issues?

Most likely, but my issue wasn't because of clearance with the stock shaft so much as it was due to me being dumb...

Taking a dinner break at the moment. Tried to start it, 99.9% sure I've got the timing wrong with the stabbing of the distributor. Just cranks, backfired once.
 
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Ok, so I'm pretty sure I don't know how to properly set the distributor as all I get is backfires no matter how far left or right I rotate the distributor. I've got everything ready to go, just can't get it to fire off... I'm tired and done for the night, but feel free to explain what I'm doing wrong here as I'm pretty sure I' got the rotor pointed at the #1 plug on the cap at 0 degrees TDC on the #1 compression stroke...
 
Pull spark plug #1 and put finger over hole. Turn crank clockwise till you feel air blowing by your finger. Then I just put a screw driver in the hole and then turn the crank till screw driver no longer is traveling upward. This is tdc #1.
 
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Got it running at 12 degrees timing with the spout out and that's where it seemed to idle the best, might play with it more later. I got my exhaust all back together, and everything buttoned up. I let it idle till it got up to temp and the thermostat opened which allowed me to finish filling the cooling system. I think now my only issue is a screech/squeal sound at startup (has done it for a long time at startup) but now it also makes the sound every time I rev it from idle but stops over like 1500-2k RPM. I think it might be my fan clutch, but don't know how to tell. In the video you should be able to hear the sound when I first rev it... thoughts?

 
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It's on there pretty tight, but I suppose I can tighten it up some and try that since I have the March alternator bracket on there.

So I took it around the block and discovered that I have a leak at the connection to the heater core, guess I'll have to bypass the core for now till I replace it which has always been on my list to do anyways. I also have no vacuum on my brake booster it seems. Felt like manual brakes, but I double checked my vacuum lines and I don't see an issue so I'm not sure what is wrong. I'll have to look at it again later when it cools down.
 
Got it running at 12 degrees timing with the spout out and that's where it seemed to idle the best, might play with it more later. I got my exhaust all back together, and everything buttoned up. I let it idle till it got up to temp and the thermostat opened which allowed me to finish filling the cooling system. I think now my only issue is a screech/squeal sound at startup (has done it for a long time at startup) but now it also makes the sound every time I rev it from idle but stops over like 1500-2k RPM. I think it might be my fan clutch, but don't know how to tell. In the video you should be able to hear the sound when I first rev it... thoughts?


Good job man, you got to feel more than a little satisfied.

That is a wierd sound, it has to be something simple. Will it do that when you rev slowly?
 
Good job man, you got to feel more than a little satisfied.

That is a wierd sound, it has to be something simple. Will it do that when you rev slowly?

Sort of... and yeah, it has to be something related to the belt or fan. It's much louder in person than it is in the video. I think I might disconnect the fan from the WP pulley and start it up to see if it's that or maybe the belt. The belt is on tight, maybe like 1/4-3/8 play when I push on it but I can try to make it tighter as well. I think my next step will be a taurus fan conversion though as well even if the fan clutch isn't the problem. Tonight I need to change the oil in the tahoe for the wife then I'll try to fix the coolant leak and mess with the squeal and the brake booster issue. I want to be able to drive the car in a couple of days after the big storms that are predicted around here tomorrow/wednesday.
 
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Sort of... and yeah, it has to be something related to the belt or fan. It's much louder in person than it is in the video. I think I might disconnect the fan from the WP pulley and start it up to see if it's that or maybe the belt. The belt is on tight, maybe like 1/4-3/8 play when I push on it but I can try to make it tighter as well. I think my next step will be a taurus fan conversion though as well even if the fan clutch isn't the problem. Tonight I need to change the oil in the tahoe for the wife then I'll try to fix the coolant leak and mess with the squeal and the brake booster issue. I want to be able to drive the car in a couple of days after the big storms that are predicted around here tomorrow/wednesday.
Can you snap a picture of your belt for us? Focus on where your belt tensioner arm is.

The company I work for has a plant just below you in Hillsboro. I was talking with the plant manager last week and he said there was some bad weather and flooding going on and now you guys are getting it again? Geez!! I was thinking about transfering down there since that plant doesn't have a resident Engineer but I think I'll take the long cold snowy winters over torrential rain fall, flooding, tornados, and humidity.
 
The storms are predicted for NTX only and shouldn't be another flood event so much as they are predicting hail, high winds, and possible tornados. Honestly it's just a few months out of the year here in NTX where we deal with this but it's NOTHING new, happens every year at this time.

I'm using the March alternator brackets so no stock tensioner.

A81ED6FF-2F12-4E36-9851-266F02863C89_zpskgc0b4w5.jpg
 
Texas
texas house.jpg
 
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The storms are predicted for NTX only and shouldn't be another flood event so much as they are predicting hail, high winds, and possible tornados. Honestly it's just a few months out of the year here in NTX where we deal with this but it's NOTHING new, happens every year at this time.

I'm using the March alternator brackets so no stock tensioner.

A81ED6FF-2F12-4E36-9851-266F02863C89_zpskgc0b4w5.jpg
Have you watched the alternator as you revved the motor under the hood to see if it's moving? I wonder if a 1/4"-3/8" play is too tight and is causing too much stress on a pulley?
 
Have you watched the alternator as you revved the motor under the hood to see if it's moving? I wonder if a 1/4"-3/8" play is too tight and is causing too much stress on a pulley?
I have not, but I will try that later. Like I said, this isn't entirely new, it did it on every startup for the last year or so but only on startup so it never annoyed me enough to do anything about it... now it does it on any startup or off-idle rev so it will be addressed.
 
With my AC and powersteering/hydroboost, the bracket does not have a tensor. When it is cold the belt will squeal. Once warmed up it goes away.... and it doesnt happen all the time either. Its the issue of no tensor best I can determine. belt stretches under rev or start tension and snaps tight hence the squeal on the pully(s). Some folks have suggested soaping the belt, Im still waiting to se if it fades to gone as its fairly gone now....
 
belt stretches under rev or start tension and snaps tight hence the squeal on the pully(s). .
This is what I'm thinking. Since the belt gets tighter with more throttle the 1/4" wiggle of the belt may be too tight when at rest. Once you start to accelerate and put more load on the belt it's stressing a pulley. :shrug: Maybe try loosening the belt a smidge and see what happens?
 
Ok, leak fixed... had to tighten a hose clamp, I am dumb.

Belt squeal fixed, it was too loose. Now has maybe 1/4" play and no noise whatsoever even on start up.

That said, I can't find a vacuum leak and yet I have no brake boost unless I rev it then press the brakes. Not sure what my issue is here, but I'm half tempted to convert to manual brakes.
 
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