Customs 57 Chevy Budget 4 door build

Just tighten everything as tight as you can get it without twisting the bolts off.

 

With 1/2" head bolts he could twist them and break them (been there, done that). 7/16 intake manifold = easier to break, 1/4"valva cover bolts (no torque value there). The he has to get them broken off bolts out. With not a whole lot of experience and the trouble he has already had it may be advisable to use a torque wrench. Just saying here Old Wolf.

 

Got the flywheel back already! Looks way better and only cost me $49 instead of over $100 for a new one.

 

I was just posting a bit of HAMB sarcastic wisdom. I miss the old HAMB . When I first came here the others gave me a hard time. Being thick skinned I gave back as good as I got. I went from being a Fucking New Guy to a Gernade Inspector and then a member in a very short time.

 

I'm adding things up and i might still be able to finish the car for under 4 grand if i can find a deal on some tires and the brakes aren't completely junk.

The motor swap total is about $700 excluding the new fuel line, engine paint, an oil change etc. little stuff really.

 

wonder if they counter sunk the bolt holes for the pressure plate. I've had that problem years ago.

 

I would be more concerned if they balanced it after the shaved it.

 

not much was taken off at all, so i'm not worried about re balancing. The holes are the same as when i took it in, so unless there's any need for them to be counter sunk, i don't have a problem with them being stock.

 

I kind of figured that Old Wolf but didn't want Pineapple to take you seriously Sir.

 

You can put the fly wheel on the engine and start the bolts but will need to torque them properly when you tighten it. Try and get everything together so if you have to rent a torque wrench you can just do it once and address everything at the same time.

 

You can buy a click torque wrench for less than 35 bucks at the auto parts store. Bending beam torque wrench for less than that.

 

I did mine by hand and it cost nothing but it's not as purty as that one.

You are young, find a deal on an inexpensive torque wrench then you will have it. As noted, you don't need an expensive one for your needs.

 

I debated just sanding the surface with really fine sandpaper but stuff like this i want to do right so i have a reliable car that im not constantly trying to get running right


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I haven't really looked at torque wrenches lately as I have both Ft. and In. LBS. click style but I didn't know they still made bending beam ones.

 

A few things to think about..

Belts, hoses, fluids-tranny too, (rear end soon), gaskets.

Might want to get the radiator checked now. Personally I'd start off with a new water pump too.

Have a way to bypass the heater core just in case.

First startup and run, do it with just water. No use wasting coolant if there a leak somewhere.

Just buy a TW, heck, the cheapest one now days has to be at least as good as the ones most of us were using back in the day. Main thing on the stuff you're doing isn't so much that 40 foot/lbs is 40 foot pounds, but that all bolts are at the same tightness. If you get a clicker, make sure you back it off when not using it.

re: the 3 step sequence...say you are doing the FW at 75lbs...snug up hand tight click at 50, then 60-65 then 75.

25-50-75 is too much of a spread.

 

oh yeah that reminds me, when i took the motor out a ton of trans fluid ran all over the ground so it's going to have to be refilled. how do you do that with one of these saginaws? like how to i get the correct level? also while it's out should i do anything with the trans?

radiator seems fine, doesn't leak so that's good enough for me, heater is definitely getting bypassed, belts and hoses are all good enough to use. I'll worry about that stuff when I'm actually trying to use it as a car for now old stuff that works is good enough.

 

Menards has a clicker torque wrench on sale for $30 in the flier for next week.

It will ring up for the sale price tomorrow, most likely.

 

The filler plug on the side of your trans is the way to check and fill it. Squeeze gear oil from the bottle into the hole, until the oil starts to run out. Replace the plug. Its full then. It will probably take more than one quart.
If you aren't using anti freeze for testing purposes, remember to drain it out so nothing freezes and breaks!

 

Well, Chevy57dude let you know you have a side plug....been awhile since I fitzed with those older manuals, but I don't recall fluid spilling out like an auto trans would, (GM) when the drive shaft was pulled...so might do some research there...oh...fill from the side plug...when the fluid seeps out, cap it...but I'm till wondering why it would spill out-then again, been many a year ago when I pulled one...reason I mention this, you don't want to fill it, install it as it's fluid is running out, right?.

So...while the tranny is out out..flush it out...let it dry (flushing hopefully will get any gunk out of the bottom...if not, and there's a lot of gunk...gotta make a plan B).

Thing is, you're at a point to do it all right once, or do things again a bit later. When you get a few years on you, you realize (i/e) it's easier on you back to change a water pump before you install the motor, than it is when the motor is in the car.

Kinda like the story Robert DuVall told Sean Penn in the Movie Colors.

Baby bull wanted to run down the hill and bang him a cow.

Daddy bull said "let's walk down and bang them all".

 

Alright thanks i’ll take the side cover off the trans and make sure it all looks good inside while its out.

How hard is it to change an intake in one of these cars with the engine in still? I have every part i NEED at this point so i could just slam the engine in with the intake and valve covers i have and worry about changing it when i have the money and time. If i have to pull the engine out just to change the intake i’ll just make sure i get it how i want it before dropping it in.


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That isn't a Saginaw trans. Its a 318 Muncie. there is a square headed plug on the side opposite the shift lever cover. That plug is the fill hole and fluid level .

 

Really? I thought all the transmissions were saginaw until the muncie 4 speed in like 58-60


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The Saginaw transmission has a 7 bolt side cover and did not come out until the mid sixties. What you have is commonly called the Peanut trans. It has a 4 bolt side cover and first and reverse are not synchronized. and you can easily change the intake with the engine in the car.

 

Found a video on youtube of a guy taking the intake off the small block in his 57 without moving the engine at all so i guess until i get paid in a couple weeks im just going to have to wait to get the intake and valve covers i want but I’ll definitely still change it over. Tomorrow i’m going to try to get the engine painted and put together so that in a couple weeks when school is out my dad and i can finally get it running. I think i might even paint chevrolet script on the covers i have to tide me over until i can afford an aluminum intake

Might even stick these on

 

Even before you paint it, is the oil pan gasket leaking, front or rear seal, fuel pump plate, or front cover? A little seeping will be OK but if they are obviously actively leaking now would be the time to change those gaskets. If you have to change the fuel pump or plate gasket beware of the fuel pump pushrod falling out. Not a serious thing but someone will have to chime in if it does on you as there is a simple way to hold it in but I don't remember. Been in the early 70's since I even worked on a SBC.

 

That transmission should take gear oil not transmission fluid. From your post I could not tell if you new that.

The oil will run out the tailshaft when the driveshaft is removed. If you have an old yoke from a driveshaft put it in the transmission. They also sell a plastic plug for the same purpose. I don't know if you can buy those at a parts store. I have bought them at Charlotte Autofair.

If you wait to fill it after it is in and the driveshaft is connected you will not lose any more gear oil.

 

Yeah i’m learning the hard way with the fuel pump lol. Oh well now i’ll know for next time

 

Does this look like there’s a pilot bushing in the crank already? I don’t think there is one but i just wanted to check before i put it all back together

 

No

 

And double no.
Take steel wool or scotchbrite to the inside diameter of the crank and polish it before driving the bushing in. Carefully!