Projects Cutting my Hotrod Teeth (57 Chevy Budget build/revival)

Pretty sure your new replacement gas tank was't manufactured right here in the good ol' USA; "their" measurements are't known for any accuracy. Be thankful it's not a Station Wagon or a Sedan Delivery you're working on. A nine p***enger wagon would be different also. If you no don't have a '1957 P***enger Factory ***embly Manual', get one; any of the Tri-Five vendors or E-Bay will have reprints. The tank straps also are't probably spot on; compare them with the old ones. The front "J-hook" goes in first, then the carriage bolts at the rear; you may need to find some longer carriage bolts to make putting things together easier. Who cares if some longer bolts are under there; it's not going to be a completely restored show car, right? You may have to straighten out the "J-hook", then re-bend it if you need more length. How far of a distance do you need for the straps to reach? The intake manifold with the water pooling on top; there's not water in the oil now is there? We've all been where you are; working mostly alone, with limited tools, and little direct knowledge. You will get there; it just takes time, and the car's not going anywhere.
I am Butch/56sedandelivery.

 

I think some water got in the oil so i guess i’ll be changing it again once i put the intake back on. And the old straps are long gone, but the gas tank is identical to the old one so i don’t think it’s that. I’ll work on it some more tomorrow, it ****s how close i am but how far away it is still


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Any quick way to see if i do in fact have water in the oil?


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To see if you have water in the oil.
Water always settles to the bottom...oil goes to the top. You could let it set for a couple of days without running and then get a drain pan ready and remove the oil drain plug for a moment. Look to see if water comes out. Drain until only oil is coming out.
You can pull the dipstick. You may be able to see tiny droplets of water on it if there's any in there. If you run an engine for very long with a substantial amount of water in the oil, they will mix and the end result is gray colored goop. If there is water in the oil, and if you haven't run the engine much, after removing the oil as I suggested, if the oil doesn't look cloudy, you probably don't need to change it again.

 

I think the water may have actually been leaking from the loose hose clamp on the thermostat housing but i’ll drain a little oil out tomorrow and compare it to the remaining oil i have in the can still. If it’s lighter or looks weird i guess i’ll be changing it again

 

What makes you think you have water in the oil? If the manifold was sealed and dist. installed, and I think it was because you had it running, how could water enter the engine??Ralphie

 

How much water are we talking about?


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It is pretty common for water to get in the oil on diesel and gas engines that have wet sleeves. However to fix it properly you needed to find out where that water is coming from. Once there was a D6 caterpillar that was getting water in the oil. The owner went and bought a new oil cooler and called me to change it. Well I showed up and he wasn't there. So I pulled the belly pan and had the oil drained and was removing the oil pan when he showed up. Boy was he mad. He just knew that the oil cooler was the problem. I just let him rant and rave and he left. So we got the pan off and filled the radiator. pressurized the radiator with compressed air and a regulator. and sure enough water started running down alongside of number 5 piston. So I pulled the head. removed that piston and pulled the wet sleeve. It was pinholed from electrolysis. So I took a fine strand of copper wire and ran it thru that pinhole and attached a note . The note read you don't need a friggin oil cooler. And gave it to his office girl and billed her for my time. And she wrote me a check. Well the guy was big about it and came to my place and apologized. So I went back and installed new sleeves and pistons & bearings. And one of the other cyls had broken rings and cracked ring lands on the piston. If you are getting water in the oil you need to be certain where its coming from. watery oil will eat the bearings and ruin the crank pronto.

 

As i mentioned there was water pooled on top of the intake, i had just filled the radiator. It either leaked out of the thermostat housing or the intake gasket. I’m not sure if it got in the oil but if my valve cover wasn’t sealed 100% tight it could have gotten in on the edge. I haven’t ran the engine since before i added water


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huge thanks to RMONTY, this should definitely get me started with the brakes once the parts i ordered come!

 

I think i might have gotten lucky with my water leak, i put a new hose clamp on the thermostat housing and have not seen any water pooled. I took my intake to the machine shop and they told me t would be probably $60 to mill out a hole for the oil fill tube. Guess i’ll keep looking for a spreadbore intake with a hole for the tube


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i haven’t tightened it down yet but turns out extremely long bolts was the secret ingredient. The tank is in fact a little bigger, i had to do some bashing, hopefully i won’t have leaks.... the lip on the sides of the tank is way wider than the original so it hits the tirewell.

 

Your tank looks like it needs to move the drives side a few inches. Those straps should be down in the re***essed areas, and also pretty centered with the folded area of the lip on the outer seam.

 

I’m not happy with the way the fuel line is attached (or lack thereof) so before i actualy drive it i need to secure it better but as it sits right now the fuel system is functional, just waiting for the battery to charge. Need to figure out where i messed up on wiring the alternator since it isn’t charging. So far no fuel leaks, hopefully it stays that way but in a couple hours i should be able to run it off of just the fuel tank!


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It isn’t possible to get it any further to the side. I’ve tried trust me. It’s not going anywhere though


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Looks like you used carriage bolts. I think I see the shoulder. If that is the case you better rethink that and put something in with flat & lock washers that covers that hole. You can always cut off the to long bolts.

 

Carriage bolts are what it came with from the factory


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Also didn't the tank come with some rubber type insulators between the straps and the tank??? Looks like you have metal to metal. I would try to get something in there to eliminate premature wear and squeaks.

 

Then yours looked like they are wallowed out but it's only a picture and I could be wrong. I am not a tri5 guy so I really don't know. It just doesn't look right to me. Doesn't look like the square part of the carriage bolt is sitting properly in the hole. But then again it's just a picture so it might be.

 

I’ll take another look at it and no there was nothing to out in between the straps and tank and there was nothing in there before


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I've never been under a mid 50's chevie but that does not look correct at all. If the straps were located in the recesses the bolts may have been long enough and there should be some type of insulation between the tank and straps to prevent corrosion and wearing through in a relatively short time. Oldest one I was ever under was a mid 60's and that is how they were with the insulating material. Is that tank for a '57 four door, are they for different years or body styles?

 

Pineapple, I need to say something to you...with all due respect. First, please...for your own sake, realize that nearly all the members here have years and years of experience with this stuff. So when you present a problem to them, you really need to seriously and intently listen and consider what they're telling you...and apply the knowledge they're graciously sharing with you. The quickest way to alienate Hambers is if you discount their suggestions...and then you run the risk of them not wanting to try to help you anymore. Even worse...especially with critical systems such as fuel and brakes...a cavalier at***ude might cause you more headache and possibly even put yourself and others in danger. You said, "...trust me..." Trust you?...but you have almost no experience. Trusting them would be a better option for you...always. And then after you have years of experience, you can help others. Re-read what Chris and flatford39 and others have said and act accordingly.
It's not good enough that the tank "isn't going anywhere". You have to do better with positioning. If you've put a fair amount of gas in the tank, drain it. Then loosen those bolts...way loose. Or simply remove the tank. Then take your time and figure out WHY the tank won't move to the left. Or take pics and show us and we'll figure it out together. And then do exactly what our Hamb brothers told you to do.
Most of us have learned from the "school of hard knocks"...lol. We've made so many mistakes that we actually know stuff now...lol. Such as...any time we get the urge to do some "bashing" on a car because something doesn't fit, it's likely that it's not the fault of the product itself, but the installer. Believe ME...I've done bashing, banging, bending, grinding, to make something fit...because the thing was obviously made wrong...only to realize afterward that I was not quite as aware as I thought. Better and more correctly stated, I was fkn wrong...lol.
Please don't take offence...I (and we) are just trying to help. You'll attend the school of hard knocks too if you stick with this stuff. We're just trying to keep you from having to repeat a grade...lol.
Good luck. Have fun. Be careful. HAVE PATIENCE! And listen good to your friends here.

 

Yes $60 is a high price. Cast iron is easy to drill. Just drill a hole with the largest bit you have available. And get a Rat Tail File and keep enlarging the hole by hand until you get a tight fit. Put some lock***e on it when installing the tube.

 

actually there is a strip of tar paper two layers thick where the straps hold the bottom of the tank.

 

Oh...one more thing. You've been not too bad at thanking the guys for helping. That's the second best thing you can do...thank them every single time they save you from some grief, and you'll always be welcome here and you'll have more help than you ever had.
I'll tell you something personal to help further my point to you. I'm almost 61 years old. My wife died 4 years ago. I was fkn devastated. Many many members here helped me through the hard times...more than you'll ever know. There are a handful of them who still pop in (send me messages or call) to make sure I'm ok. I already had a great respect for the HAMB and it's members, but I think that maybe you can understand why now...and I'm not ashamed to say it...that I love every single one of 'em.
Pineapple, you're NEVER gonna find a better bunch of people than here. And the longer you're here, the more you'll realize (hopefully) that that's bible.

 

Glad you're here with us.

 

Just to note......we might know how something goes back but the Chinese that make.much of the new stuff we buy now do not always.

 

You may have already done this but if you have the old tank close by compare where the straps were on it to the new tank. The old straps would have left marks. The old tank should be somewhat clean where the straps were.