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Technical 283 sbc

Discussion in 'Traditional Hot Rods' started by coolieman, Aug 19, 2016.

  1. coolieman
    Joined: Jan 31, 2010
    Posts: 155

    coolieman
    Member

    Hello, I have a 1960 283 single four barrel that was rebuilt 25 yrs ago it sat in garage until I put car on the road fresh gas and fresh carb starts and runs good 60 lbs oil pressure cold 30 lbs hot problem is after it sits a few days it knocks for a few seconds then quiets down what could have been effected by it sitting so long it still has canister oil filter oil pump from rebuild ? any ideas Thanks.Mike
     
  2. tractorguy
    Joined: Jan 5, 2008
    Posts: 894

    tractorguy
    Member

    How bad a "knock" is it ? Very heavy such as rod, main, piston or lighter such as valve train ? Have you been able to hook up a good manual oil pressure gauge to see if knock is consistent with a momentary lack of oil pressure ? You could have a loss of oil pump prime for some reason. If "knock" is lighter, you could have a hydraulic lifter that bleeds down and needs a little time to pressurize again. Also, you may simply have a piston that has a slightly looser skirt clearance than the others and its takes a little time for the cold piston to expand and knock goes away. Not totally uncommon on older engines, even one that has been rebuilt.
     
  3. coolieman
    Joined: Jan 31, 2010
    Posts: 155

    coolieman
    Member

    It's a hard knock like a rod but only a couple seconds it already has a mechanical gauge I didn't know if maybe the filter could have come apart or a check valve in pump I just didn't want to start changing parts til I get some ideas from you guys Thanks,Mike
     
  4. AHotRod
    Joined: Jul 27, 2001
    Posts: 12,216

    AHotRod
    Member

    I'd put a new WIX filter on it ASAP and be SURE you are using oils that have the correct additives for our old engines, or it won't last very long at all.
    We only use Brad Penn Oils, period.
     
    zombiecat likes this.

  5. Johnny Gee
    Joined: Dec 3, 2009
    Posts: 12,600

    Johnny Gee
    Member
    from Downey, Ca

    Unclear if this problem you describe was there when you awoke the sleeping 283 or it appeared later. If it happened from the beginning you have a clearance issue (possible machine shop error). If it started later, you now have a clearance issue that's more than likely going to get worse. What's the real cause or blame ?, that's unimportant. But before having to do a full tare down to find the problem. What's the history with the fuel pump. New, or an old unit that's been sleeping beside the 283 also ?
     
  6. Mr48chev
    Joined: Dec 28, 2007
    Posts: 33,861

    Mr48chev
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    +1 on the Wix filter or a Napa Gold filter.
    Make sure you get the old O ring gasket out and the new one in the groove, I usually used a tad of grease on them to get them to stay in place.
    Nothing wrong with a canister filter a lot of diesel trucks still run them. Spin on filters are more convenient and a bit less prone to leak but not necessarily a better filter as far as filtration goes.

    On the "rebuilt" 30 years ago unless the seller gave you receipts showing that it was bored and all new parts were put in it the engine may not have had much more than a ring and valve job with new rod bearings. Those engines didn't go a lot of miles before needing to have a ring and valve job usually around 60K and those were good for about 35/40 K in most cases before the engine needed a full rebuild. I'd think about pulling it out and tearing it down and checking it all out before I ended up replacing a broken engine.
     
    Last edited: Aug 19, 2016
  7. Sounds like a lifter bleeding out while sitting. JW
     
  8. hayu
    Joined: Feb 8, 2010
    Posts: 30

    hayu
    Member

    lifter bleed down was not uncommon with them. Buddy
     
  9. coolieman
    Joined: Jan 31, 2010
    Posts: 155

    coolieman
    Member

     
  10. coolieman
    Joined: Jan 31, 2010
    Posts: 155

    coolieman
    Member

    Thanks again but It is not a lifter when motor was being done I was in /out of shop checking progress had to bore it 30 over so I know pistons are new have records of work done other than oil pump or filter I don't know what could impede oil flow at start up I think I will change pump and filter see what happens ,Mike
     
  11. elba
    Joined: Feb 9, 2013
    Posts: 628

    elba
    Member

    I had a 350 that sounded like a rod knocking - turned out to be a lifter . I spent many wasted hours finding the problem. It sounded like somebody was inside of it pounding with a big hammer.
     
  12. After rereading your fist post I still say it's a lifter. I have built hundreds of SBCHEVS in the 80s including my own 283 (301) That I built in 83 and only fired it up for the first time in January and it developed a lifter knock, then reduced to just a annoying tapped noise. JW
     
  13. Wix or Delco filter element and go with a high ZDDP oil. I'd use a 10w-40 which will flow immediately. You may just have to run it a while, as long as you have no knock while its running.
     
  14. Blues4U
    Joined: Oct 1, 2015
    Posts: 7,589

    Blues4U
    Member
    from So Cal

    Depends on the filter, but if you're talking about Wix filters, the cannister filter for a SBC has cellulose meda with a 25 micron absolute rating while the, 51060, 51061 & 51069 spin on have "enhanced" cellulose media (whatever that means) with a 21 micron absolute rating, and the 51060XP has a synthetic media, they don't give the absolute micron rating, they give the Beta Ratio (this is better info) which is B2 = 20, which means it removes particles down to 2 microns at 95% efficiency. This is the one to use IMO. Note that the 51060R is intended for racing and so the focus there is on high flow rates, not filter efficiency, the nominal rating is only 61 microns, so it allows oil to pas through at a high rate, but it also allows very large particles to pass as well. In this case, a racing filter on a street engine is not a good thing. Unless you like tearing down your engine a lot and buying new parts.

    Go with the 51060XP, it is a very good filter, at a fair price.
     
  15. coolieman
    Joined: Jan 31, 2010
    Posts: 155

    coolieman
    Member

    Johnny gee what did you mean about fuel pump will they make a noise or did you mean oil pump
     
  16. coolieman
    Joined: Jan 31, 2010
    Posts: 155

    coolieman
    Member

    Just to note why I thought about filter back in the day w
    Back in the day we had a race car that lost oil pressure when we took motor out we changed everything to put on spare motor the last thing we took off was the oil canister and the top of filter had came off and was sucking in the return hole
     
  17. Pat Thompson
    Joined: Apr 29, 2012
    Posts: 256

    Pat Thompson
    Member

    Crankshaft end play???
     
  18. tractorguy
    Joined: Jan 5, 2008
    Posts: 894

    tractorguy
    Member

    Yes, very very possible and often overlooked by many rebuilders.
     
  19. DeucemanLt1
    Joined: Aug 15, 2014
    Posts: 151

    DeucemanLt1

    Why the concern about filter and oil pump? How many miles have you put on it, if any? Does it still have break-in oil in it? Without more facts it is hard to diagnose your problem.
     
  20. coolieman
    Joined: Jan 31, 2010
    Posts: 155

    coolieman
    Member

    As I stated in my last post had a filter come apart yrs ago and I don't know if oil pump would have some sort of check valve to keep prime ? since it only does it for a few seconds after sitting I'm thinking it is a oil supply problem thought something could have gotten clogged will sitting so long
     
  21. RichFox
    Joined: Dec 3, 2006
    Posts: 10,020

    RichFox
    Member Emeritus

    I think I might remove the valve covers and coil wire and plugs. Get somebody to spin it over while you use a tube to listen to the valves and rockers. Look around. Make sure you don't have a leaking lifter before you pull the pump.
     
  22. primed34
    Joined: Feb 3, 2007
    Posts: 1,407

    primed34
    Member

    Fuel pump will knock also.
     
  23. Johnny Gee
    Joined: Dec 3, 2009
    Posts: 12,600

    Johnny Gee
    Member
    from Downey, Ca

    Fuel pump. Yes it can but is it is the question. Usually it's constant when a fuel pump is bad and won't go away. However it's possible that once fuel pressure is achieved the knock can/could stop. This is why I ask if it was new or old.
     
    falcongeorge likes this.
  24. Having set for 25 years I would suspect some weak valve springs. Just think, some of them were compressed for all that time. I'd just replace them all.
     
  25. blackanblue
    Joined: Feb 20, 2009
    Posts: 417

    blackanblue
    Member

    I agree with the wix filter but use joe gibbs in my 31 and 52 both pricy but better than a rebuild.
     
  26. Blues4U
    Joined: Oct 1, 2015
    Posts: 7,589

    Blues4U
    Member
    from So Cal

    That's not how metalurgy works, springs do not loose their spring rate from sitting in a compressed position, they can weaken through cycles, but not while stationary. At least not in the kind of time frames we're dealing with here.
     
  27. I should have said that there may have been some that were now slightly shorter in length. Am I also wrong on that too? Thanks for the education as I also have some old rebuilds awaiting new lives.
     
  28. coolieman
    Joined: Jan 31, 2010
    Posts: 155

    coolieman
    Member

    I don't want to beat a dead horse but I think I have an update on noise since I am by myself its hard to start and listen too but if you have ever noticed when you reach into car and turn switch the motor it kicks a little bit when it fires up thats when I hear( rattle/ knock) passenger side front just for 2 seconds Thanks for your responces ,MIke
     
  29. Motor mount issue?
     
  30. slowmotion
    Joined: Nov 21, 2011
    Posts: 3,330

    slowmotion
    Member

    Goobered fuel pump rod? Pump bleeding off? I'd be looking in that area real close.
     

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