My '69 Build

[Devin]

Deeper into the rabbit hole we go. It is a good thing this bolt broke off. As I was taking the water pump off, I noticed that the sealer that I used was still tacky. I took a tip from a friend and used anaerobic sealer. However, I guess that I need to read the damn instructions next time. I didn't realize that you had to also apply an activator. No big deal, right? Wrong. I also used the anaerobic sealer to the timing cover gasket. So, I have to take that off now, also. So, I get to take the crank pulley and damper off.

Well, at least I will get to definitely verify the crank position. %)

For supposedly being a "smart person", I sure do a lot of dumbass things.

Things continue sucking....

 

[bax]

No sucking is getting it running and it leaking all over then you have to take it all back apart. Thats sucking. Your Ok, just in and out of love.

 

[Devin]

Yeah, maybe. If someone would have walked up to me today and offered a fair amount, I probably would have sold her. To top things off, I filled up my NP435 with some Red Line yesterday. And you guessed it - I have a nice, slow leak. So, I get to drop the tranny in the near future. And my 9" is leaking, too. Guess I don't know how to seal things very well. %)

 

[needabronco]

Well, just wait until you throw on your first coat of paint and get a nice big fat hanger right in the middle of the door or something..... Trust me it's painful sanding off $200 worth of paint to fix a problem only to throw another $200 worth of paint on...:-X

I still have a couple of leaks that I haven't fixed. Just try and think of it as a 40 year old truck!;D

I know this isn't the encouragement you were looking for.

 

[Devin]

Well, shit just keeps getting better.

I went ahead and replaced my water pump bolts with a trip to the hardware store. Well, it turns out I should have sprang for the grade 8 bolts. I was putting the timing cover back on and was tightening up one of the "new" bottom bolts and it sheared off in the block. I just about lost my mind right then and there. I was not even getting on it - it was just a piece of shit bolt. So, I start the process of drilling the bolt out. I get most of it out and then start running a tap down the hole. Going nice and slow, backing out often to clean material out. Well, in this process, I hit some bolt material and it starts to bind up a bit, so I give a little more torque. Yeah, you guessed it - my F*#*ing tap snaps off in the block. So now I gotta go see if someplace around here has a tap extractor. I doubt that they will since I live in such a smallville, so I will have to wait for one to come in on order.

This is un*#(%ing believable. I am beside myself. I am so pissed off right now.


On a good note - I fixed my tranny leak. For once, it was something simple.


Stupid f*#(ing project.

 

[nmgearguy]

Hey Devin,

Just read your entire build thread and it looks awesome. Good for you for doing something different. I pulled a decent 400 out of my 78’ F-250 to put a 460 in a few years ago and since then the 400 has been sitting in my shop just gathering dust. It’s yours for the asking if you want it. Engine has ~70k on it and still has the stock manifolds and a water pump (with the stock water pump bolts). I would be happy to see it go to someone who could use it. I live in the Jemez and work in LA and heck, I’ll even deliver to see that bronco of yours.

 

[Devin]

Hey Devin,

Just read your entire build thread and it looks awesome. Good for you for doing something different. I pulled a decent 400 out of my 78’ F-250 to put a 460 in a few years ago and since then the 400 has been sitting in my shop just gathering dust. It’s yours for the asking if you want it. Engine has ~70k on it and still has the stock manifolds and a water pump (with the stock water pump bolts). I would be happy to see it go to someone who could use it. I live in the Jemez and work in LA and heck, I’ll even deliver to see that bronco of yours.

PM sent.

 

[Devin]

Well, I got the tap broke in the block thing taken care of finally. Buttoned her back up. I did a brush test on the battery and didn't see any problems. Then I hooked up the power and started testing some things. Fuel pump works. So far, it is the only thing that I have tested that works. Dash lamps don't work, extra gauge lamps don't work, no blinkers, etc, etc. So, I get to go electrical hunting tomorrow. Oh joy. ;D

 

[bax]

Can't you all just feel the love? I can feel it.
It's going to be worth it.

 

[Mark]

Dash lamps don't work, extra gauge lamps don't work, no blinkers, etc, etc. So, I get to go electrical hunting tomorrow. Oh joy. ;D

Oh hell Devin, this type of thing happens to all of us.
Probably something simple..

 

[bmc69]

I been away fer a while and whilst gone, Devin has written a book...a tragedy it looks like.

 

[Devin]

I been away fer a while and whilst gone, Devin has written a book...a tragedy it looks like.

Tragic comedy, maybe?

 

[bmc69]

Tragic comedy, maybe?

LOL..yeah..that be it.

 

[Devin]

Inching forward. I found the problem with the gauge lights. I then attempted to hook to the Commander ECU, but my laptop didn't have a com port. Off to Radio Shack to get a com-usb adapter. Laptop still couldn't see it even with that. So, I assume that it is because I need to have the key in the "ON" position instead of the "ACC". Well, to do that, I need to get some fuel in the tank. That is good - I needed to get the fuel system primed anyway and check for leaks. I found three leaks. One was in my fuel lines under the truck - fixed easily. The other two were on my passenger side fuel rail. When I was installing the fuel rails, I was worried that they might leak. The end NPT threads weren't machined very deep, so I only had minimal thread engagement with the fuel connections. Well, I should have trusted my gut. Now I will have to yank the fuel rails off and run them up to a machine shop - I don't have an NPT thread tap that big (and we all know how good I am with taps, anyway %) ).


Sigh.

 

[bmc69]

. Well, I should have trusted my gut. Now I will have to yank the fuel rails off and run them up to a machine shop - I don't have an NPT thread tap that big (and we all know how good I am with taps, anyway %) ).


Sigh.

Good grief..I tested the thread engagement with an NPT nipple before
I called 'em deep enough. 3/8" NPT taps are cheap at Tru Value hardware store or Home Depot..

 

[bax]

I did not use a pipe thread in my fuel rails. I used a 3/4'' 16 straight thread. The end I threaded into the rail has an o ring for a seal. Never had a problem. pipe thread should work good. making them deeper should be no problem. I have noticed different pipe nipples can vary on how deep they thread into the same hole.
machine shop for a pipe thread? really. I would think the cost of the tap would be less than the machine shop bill. Plus no waiting. and now you own a new tool.
Keep working, you will get it.

 

[Devin]

Must just be the nipple on the end of the fittings I chose like bax said.

 

[Devin]

The main reason I brought up the idea of bringing them to a machine shop was I didn't know if I was going to need to drill the hole any deeper. Well, I took the rails off this morning and was in luck. There was plenty of real estate to cut the threads deeper. My father-in-law had a tap. The only trouble I have now is that the threads on one of the fuel connections got kind of screwed up when I was originally putting them in (trying to force just a little more thread engagement). So, I am going to see if I can clean up those threads. Otherwise, I will have to order a new connection.

 

[bax]

You can do it. Even if it takes you, all night long!

 

[74 Bronco Boy]

Lookin good Keep it up!!

Alec