Son of Godzilla update - 5/15/07

Saturday night - 7:30PM. Got up early this morning and poured water in the car, in anticipation of firing it later today. After about 3 gallons, I heard the dripping sound. Grabbed my Chinese trouble light (this thing's "trouble" all right) and peeked under the car, to find a small dribble coming from a AN fitting - you 400 smallblock guys know about this one: run a line from the water pump to a hole you've drilled and tapped in the block, between the two center cylinders - helps cool that hot spot. Anyway, the fitting in my block was seeping pretty good. Crawled under for a closer look, when my light blew out the last light bulb I had (that's 6, this week!). Had to leave anyway, to meet my little brother for morning errands...
I drove VW Habit (the youngest Gosson Bro)s slammed VW ragtop to a local car/bike show to power park it, with a For Sale sign in it (now that was fun!). We picked up his son Skyler (I forget his HAMB name) and the 3 of us cruised Lils slammed Chevy PU out to Dr. Lockjaws to bring home my '36 Ford PU body (as mentioned previously on this thread). Long story short, we got it back here, but couldn't lift it over my backyard fence (at the top of a steep hill, on an awkward angle), so had to remove the fence, etc...Finally got back in the shop at 1:30. That's when I remembered the dead trouble light. Went to store for light bulb. Came back home and got wallet with money inside (drivers license, too). Went back to store and bought light bulbs (4). Came back home. Drained coolant, pulled fitting and re-tapped hole, with another 1/4 turn in it. Re-installed fitting. BTW, this fitting is on the passenger side, in between the starter and motor mount, requiring an insane tighten/loosen proceedure of 1/8 turn from above car, 1/8 turn from below car - repeat ad nauseum(!)...Re-filled system with water - no leak!!!
Filled new fuel tank with gas. Use electric pump to fill carbs. Instant leak - 1/2" aluminum line had pinhole (probably caused by errant welding spark during thrash), spewing fuel several inches and spraying everything in sight, then dripping to floor. What to do? With pump off and cap off, pressure dropped to managable level, so I drove to parts store for some 1/2" fuel line to slide over the hard line. Counter guy wanted to play ("What's the application? Does it have air conditioning?", etc). Turns out, they don't have any 1/2 fuel line ("We can order it"), so I used heater hose (temporary). Came home and slid hose on, with clamps - worked fine.
Okay, now I have fuel to carbs and no leaks, so...spin engine until oil pressure comes up, pump gas and hit Ignition switch: Ka-Bloooowey!!! The backfire was impressive, throwing both air cleaner lids flying. I tried a few more times, getting another backfire and nothing else - I got the dang dizzy in 180 degrees off - DOH! Now here's where I show my ignorance. There's still a lot I don't know about this stuff, being a self-taught "mechanic". I don't play with engines every day and sometimes it shows. You'd crack up, watching me set valves! Anyway, I decide I need to get #1 back to TDC (plus 12 degrees of advance, to go with the 20 I have in the dizzy, to give me 32 total, right?), before I pull out the dizzy and re-set it, 180 degrees away. I wanted to get back on my mark, so I could use the same marks. So I start bumping it with the starter, get wind (compression), then sneak up on the mark by hand. But when I'd get about 20 degrees from my mark, I'd hit a tight spot (where'd THAT come from?!) and only the bolt would turn. I ruined a stock crank doing that once and I don't want to hurt my new moly Eagle crank! So I tried bumping it home - seemed like forever, but I couldn't get it to land close to my mark ( was always either ahead of it, or behind it). That's when I smelled the gas. Crawled under car and found fuel dripping from the new fuel tank mounts - something was leaking from inside the enclosure (did it spring a leak in a weld, under pressure of the fuel pump?). Only way to figure it out is to drain fuel and pull the tank, pressure test tank, boil it out again and weld up the hole. This is at least a two day procedure, as you know from last weeks adventures. Anyway, it goes on from there, but I'm too damned tired to keep typing.
Bottom line: I do this for fun. I quit doing it for a living, so I could get back to doing it for fun. And it's been a blast, until I approached this deadline. I was once offered a full-time magazine job, but turned it down, because I'm ascared of deadlines (plus I would've had to move to LA). Tonight, I'm definitely NOT having fun. I'm exhausted. I'm hoping for a good nights sleep and will try again tomorrow. But right now, I'm feeling pretty stupid for putting myself through this. Goodnight...

 

C'mon, sleep is for the weak!! Keep going, man you can do it, hell youd better I have $50 riding on at least one pass!

 

I'm with the Doc on this one... you get all the sleep you need when you're dead

Sounds like you're getting there!

Jay

 

Actually, I got 9 hours of sleep last night! Been averaging about 4 hrs a night, the last few weeks, so this REALLY hit the spot! Brain seems to be working a little better today - so far. I'm heading out there now - well, as soon as I look at some HAMB Drags pix, that is...
Scotty

 

Could the tight spot be fuel in a cylinder (or do you have all the plugs out)? I know I have had both problems when tired (leaving the plus in and having 'fresh' carbs do something weird).

Good luck, and I'm glad to hear you got some 'extra' sleep last night. Especially after so little sleep for so long (been there).

 

My tired brain wasn't working so good when I put the plug wires on the distributor cap last week - at noon today, I realized they were wrong and THAT was why I'd been chasing my tail around here. Jeez! Hit the button and it fired instantly. Still had my fuel leak, so I got on the phone to get another set of eyes over here. Contacted Carpenter Chris (the Indy car guy) and he came right over (whew!). We fired it off and ran it for about a total of 10 minutes, before it got too hot (215) and we had to pull the plug on it. We had a lot of leaks - old ones I thought were fixed and brand new ones, too. I'm gonna have to do something different with the coolant fittings and may even have to abandon the new fuel tank...But it runs! And it sounds plenty hairy(!)... We didn't even get to setting the timing - too bad, 'cause I think it's way retarded: it burned off some of Turboroadsters header coating (shame, because it was so nice). So I'm giving myself until next weekend to fix leaks and break in the cam and change oil and filter and re-run valves. If that happens, I'll swap rearend gears next weekend and start prepping for B-ville...
This morning I was doubting myself big time and got on the horn to Rocky. Caught him in the shower of some fleabag motel at MoKan (God only knows what was happening in that shithole - he had T-bolt, 2Bridges and some other infamous characters in there with him!). Anyway, we all agreed to hit the salt, with or without our cars (2Bridges was having problems with the exotic valvetrain in his porch). When Rocky told me his '46 Chevy PU blazed the MoKan 1320 in 18 seconds (Zowie!), I dared him to tow the porch to B-ville with it - he's thinking about it now...
Feels like I finally had some news worthy of an update - and it also feels like more of the same ("Well, if I can fix the latest leaks, I MIGHT make it - we'll see")...Oh well. All I can do is my best.....Now my weekend is over and it's bedtime again. Wish me luck this week - it all comes down to this...
Scotty

 

Dammit, man, I feel bloody helpless up here...If it was feasible to zip down and help, you know I would do it.....With my inlaws here from Ireland and my work backlog...I can`t do it. If mental willpower is worth anything, though,you have all I can muster....remember...If any of you are caught or killed, the Secretary will disavow any knowledge of your existence...this tape will self destruct in five seconds....

 

This is just my Karma for dropping the ball on your HEI wire - sorry about that. As for the secretary, she's been in denial of my existence ever since that Christmas party, but I don't know what that has to do with anything here...
Hope the Irish-Kiwi Connection is a peaceful meeting up there. Please tell everyone HI for me.
Gotta panic now and get out there and dodge idiots for a few hours, then hopefully get something done on Lil Zilla before bedtime. Twelve days to go...

 

Sending those positive waves man 12 days is plenty................







OK so its not but just keep telling yourself it is

 

Hey dudes,

I got my crew shirt today, along with my Alliance dash plaque. What a HAMBeriffic day.

Hope yours went well too!

Jay

 

More positive waves from here.

 

WOOOOO it FIRED.
That's the important thing right now.At least you'll be able to move it around the paddock under it's own power so bragging rights are safe.And thanks to the salt no one will see the water pissing out of it so there you go!!

Keep pulling man!! It's the last few pulls that count!!


And you can get that dirty mind of yours out the gutter right this minute!!!!!!!

Going heavy on the positive waves btw.

 

Hey, thanks for all the positive waves, guys! I think it's starting to work - I don't feel so panicy now - just really tired.
Went out there today and drained the coolant (there was more in it than I expected to see). Bought some 1/4 NPT adapters to space the fittings away from the freeze plug bosses and also swapped from liquid teflon to good ol' Prematex #2 to seal threads. It took a long time (most of the day), but I think this new set-up will be a lot better - moves the coolant lines away from the headers more and is more user friendly, too.
I then moved on to the leaky thermostat housing. When we saw water coming out from under it the other day, my neighbor says, "Try reefing it down!" and like the adrenaline fueled guy I was, I did just that. Today I realize the threads are stripped in the intake manifold! Went and bought a Helicoil kit and will get to that asap. While out shopping, I also picked up my new fuel shut-off at Charlies. While i was there, I hit him up for about 3 feet of 1/2" aluminum tubing to re-do the whole back half of the fuel system. A couple days ago, I found a leak in that line, apparently caused by errant welding sparks when we did the anti-roll bar job. That may be what's causing the other leak, too. So I'll just cut to the chase and replace the whole thing and know it's fixed - hopefully a faster fix, in the long run...
You'd think I'd be more paniced, with only 11 days to go, but I'm not. Because CC is coming down from Portland to spend the 3 day weekend thrashing with me! We can't lose, now! I'll spend my spare time this week getting pesky stuff like leaks out of the way and then we go nuts:
Find the mystery short and rewire accordingly
Finish breaking in cam, tune engine, change oil and finally test drive the car(!)
Pull out the 3.91 spool and slip in 2.76 limited slip pumpkin
Install new water pump in wagon
Change oil in wagon
Install trans cooler in wagon
Check towing lights
Install SW guages in Morris *
Install Autometer guages in wagon *
Install stereo in wagon *
* = would be nice

So things are looking up. I even took a minute today to trim the hood to clear those whacky new oil fills and played with guages for a bit. Gotta get my beauty sleep now, then go work for da man - should be a killer week, getting everyone all stocked for the holiday weekend (16 hour days), but if I survive, should get lots done this weekend - plus, CC is just a kick in the ass to have around, anyway...
So who all's meeting us at B-ville???

 

Stereo?? You actually gonna get some Hi Fi in yer ride?

Man, I can't even tell you how many times I had a borrowed 'gheto blaster' in whatever beater I was driving for tunes on a road trip.

Sounds like it's goin' better now though. Hope the fuel line is the leak, as it sounds like fixing the tank consumes a full day of time. (positive waves, hmmmmmmmm, positive waves, hmmmmmmm)

 

Everybody Now....ahummmmmmmm...ahummmmmmm:d

 

Hey you guys - all that waving stuff is working: came home from work and not a single drop of any liquid on the shop floor! Of course, I've drained all liquids, but still, the waves are working, man. The waves are working...
Time for me to drop now. In the morning, it's all bees knees and fiddlers elbows around here. Thanks again and keep waving, guys...

 

Man Scotty,
you don't even want to know what I am waving to give you luck! It's starting to hurt...Keep strong and I will have a check in the mail here pretty soon.

Nate

 

Glad you are forging ahead Scotty........ Your competition (Freckeles) had a huge backslide last night and this afternoon.

Long story short ->might be a failed turbo, might be a Head gasket..... Might be more serious. AW FAWK!!!! and only 8 days. If things turn out real bad I have a line on a motor in Boulder CO, but I dunno if there is enough time left to sort out a new engine,

crunch time here, keep fingers crossed.

 

Nate, is that even possible?

2bridges, that's bad.It sucks ass so close to the deadline.
This presents another problem of course.
Who's gonna teach that Scotty a lesson and shut his Morrie down once and for all?

 

Scotty's "Sperm of Godzilla" isn't off the hook that easy. hahahaha - it must be done......

Just got off the phone with my turbo dudes....... It will cost me an arm and both nuts to get one air freighted - but at least I have options if ultimately the turbo is the culprit

soon as it cools back down I will dig back in and get a handle on it. My bet is the HG took a shit with the added boost. Bitch of a job - but plenty of time so long as no other damage..

I realize "freckles" (Porsche 944 Turbo) is the anti-christ and all , but if anybody offers up a chant to the Bonneville gods for a little luck I would be humbly greatfull.

 

just keeps getting better and better.

 

finally another british car.

 

I better come clean before Rocky busts me in front of the whole world.
In my defense- I am certain I have salt-anticipation-stress-disorder.
Humbling and embarrassing but got my shit sorted out.

I totally duped myself. I have been taking all these really short test cruses over the last week. Has been oddly cool in the evenings with high humidity in daytime. Muffler full of water (condensation). Took a good long drive and burned it all out - DUH!

Explains why no fluids were being lost, no fluid contamination, no cold or hot compression discrepancies, no performance issues. Must have been a gallon in there for as much steam as is was making.

Rocky saved my ass on this deal. I was 30 seconds from pulling the head to find what was happening. THANKS AGAIN POP!

too humbled to trash talk......... maybe tomorrow

 

Wow, British car + Water = bad shit.
I didn't know Lucas made exhaust systems?

 

Wow! Lots happening on this thread. Glad Freckles is okay, Jerm! And nate - I'm ready for a check! Bring it on!
Spent Thursday thrashing and getting very little done:
In order to put a helicoil in the thermostat housing hole, I had to remove everything on front of engine(!). THEN I could get in there with a drill. Anyway, that took a long time.
Then I tore out several feet of 22 year old fuel line in back half of car and replaced it with fresh meat. The connection with a "tube nut" was a bear, as I left my 37 degree flare tool in my other pants. The ball peen end of my hammer looks like about 37 degrees though, so that's what I used to get it started, then tightened onto the fitting to get final shape. Sounds simple, but took a LONG time of trial and error. Finally assured I'd nailed it, I put it all back together (tanks, etc) and tested it: Leaked more than ever! Long story short - don't tell the B-ville tech guys, but there's now about 2" of rubber line making the connection. Test fired car and this time.....wait for it.............
Nothing leaks! So it's ready for the weekend thrash.
Thanks for all the positive waves, guys. Gotta go to work now. Hope to have an update or two this weekend. Enjoy yours,
Scotty

 

GOOD DEAL!!!!!!!!

Glad to hear it.

What fuel hose??? I don't see no fuel hose.

 

yup, excellent !

 

Maybe there's something to this positive wave shit after all. . . .

So it all came good huh? Told ya so

 

Wore my 'Son of Godzilla' T today and I must say the story's were right. I was accosted by beautiful women until I was beating them away with a stick. I had job offers from the worlds financial elite, old lady's promised to leave everything to me in there will, people were promising there first born daughter to me.
So yes, it is worth the $$

I implore you to buy a T shirt!

(This has in no way been solicited by Glasson Bros Racing and was prepared of my own accord)


(Can I have that $50 now?)

 

Sunday - 6:45 AM. Started at 6 AM yesterday. Charged battery, filled water, etc - just little stuff to pass the time while waiting for CC to show up. Decided to take the plunge and switch from Autometer to SW guages. Tore wiring out of the Autometers and held the SWs up there and began swapping wires, then realized they're wired totally different. And I don't know what I'm doing (refer to earlier post about burning wiring). So I paniced and swapped it all back to where it was (I hope). Then I decided to seek out the cause of the earlier short/fire. Crawled under car with the trouble light (after changing bulb again) and found nothing! No evidence of any chafed wire or anything. So I re-wired the transbrake and hit the starter: poof! Up in smoke. Okay. Wiring still isn't my thing...
CC and machinist pal Jerry Peckham showed up and we fired the 377 again. Added a few degrees of timing and it ran great! This thing is SO responsive! It's really gonna scream. But it went up to 200 degrees again, so I shut it down and found it leaking again at the hose connection to the water pump. Played with it some, but no improvement. Played some more. Leak worsened some and it sprung an oil leak behind the passenger side cylinder head, which started burning. Check it out and find the cast aluminum (Cal Custom) valve cover has a crack at the bolt boss (Hey, I didn't throw any muscle at that valve cover)! Jerry says he'll take it out to Dr. Lockjaws for welding - what a stud! Call Doc and he says no sweat. Cool. I throw on a spare valve cover and CC and I continue playing Leak Detective. L O N G story short, after 4 trips to parts stores and multiple drainings and refillings, we gave up at 9:30 last night. It was a sleepless night for me. Meanwhile, CC is STILL snoozing like the wind on the couch, as I write this. I don't think that JEGS water pump is machined round at the hose boss. Am heading out to the shop now to do some measuring and head scratching. Swapping pumps would be a big deal, but we'll do what we have to do, of course.
So the crazyness continues. Can we pull it together and get back on track today? Will we end up going from jackstands straight to asphalt next Saturday morning and hit the road running?? Or will we end up driving some Snoozemobile to B-ville, to crew for 2Bridges and his Goldchain Special??? Perhaps we'll get put to work filling in Coddingtons Canyons for a few days, instead of running ourselves????
Stay tuned! And find out, in the next thrilling episode of Son of Godzilla Update!!!