Projects Mid Life Crisis 62 Vette

Up under that dash? I don't fit in those the regular way! Can't catch a break, but could have been worse. Pic from 10 minutes ago. Windy, raining and sunny!

 

I expect it's something with the alternator or regulator under the hood. I'll look into it.

also...the starter has been acting up too. this started recently. Grinding first try, then it works. I hope the new flywheel isn't messed up

 

Check headlight grounds, too.

 

I was charging fine when I started looking at things with the volt meter...so I went for another drive, with the cig lighter volt meter in place. Ammeter behaved the whole time, and the voltage started in the mid 13s, and went down to 12.9-13.0 by the time I got home. I ordered a new Volt Regulator, and also bought a new starter, to see if that will fix the occasional grinding.

I'll do more driving tomorrow and see what happens.

 

Back to, electrical, basics.
Whats the charge on the batt at rest. Load test it. Batt at rest may show good but under load the voltage can drop.
Verify batt terminals are clean and tight.
Verify batt cables are not corroded(internally).
Verify grounds(laughs in plastic fantastic) are good and tight.
Dont skimp on your favorite antioxidant compound on exposed connections.

 

Those little voltmeters that plug into the cigar lighter sure beat having the multimeter sliding around on the dash as you are driving!

One of the best and cheapest diagnostic tools I've bought.

 

It was charging happily on the last drive...no idea what's going on, other than maybe dirty contact in the voltage regulator? I bought a new one, to carry as a spare.

 

Fit the new one and carry the old one as the spare. JW

 

Jim, I'd agree with replacing the old regulator, but if it's an old school mechanical one, pop the cover and look at the points. Same drill as ignition points, file and clean contacts.

I'd want a bit more 'overcharge' voltage during running than what you described it dropping to after driving a while. Remember, this was designed for the old batteries that would off gas more than modern batteries plus the margin of error in production means barely above battery voltage passes test, even if it's not optimum.

This is for generator regulators, not alt regulators, but same principle. Lots of other links online.
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum...-volt-reg-can-i-adjust-the-reg-myself.933381/

 

I replaced the voltage regulator, seems to be charging OK.

I'm still perplexed about the oil issue. I removed the PCV valve and left the rear vent open, with a short tube going down. No apparently oil loss from it, and the oil level still goes down, and the fresh plugs I just put in have oil on them after driving less than 200 miles.

I'm going to start taking things apart and see if I see anything...worst case, I'll just put it all back together stock. I have a trip coming up next month, Sick 66, and I need it to be working as well as it was before I "fixed" it.

 

Sooty pipes? I'd expect it if the plugs are wet.
Crank the carb to WOT and shine a light. Oil in the intake?
If oil consumption is the same with and without the PCV and it's not dripping, it's gotta be internal.
Leakdown tester?

 

I pulled off the intake, the gaskets were soaked with oil all around the ports. The bolts were still tight, and the gaskets have even indents showing they've been compressed.

Very strange....

 

I'm sure you did but, did you check the head to intake interface? I'd suspect intake gasket's sucking oil at the bottom of the port's.
F.W.I.W. I've had better luck with the Victor/Reinz hard fiber intake gaskets vs. the Felpro no-stick gasket's. Victor's seem to compress better. Felpro's have always leaked for me.

 

The gaskets appear to be just as compressed at the bottom of the ports as the tops.

I'll see if I can get some pics of the manifold side of the gaskets.

 

Real left field thought here, crack under heat shield?
When adjusting idle, was screw out more than normal (vacuum leak)?
I'd guess that whatever it is, it would tend to ping with oil in the combustion chamber.
Gaskets look good in the monitor.

 

It wasn't pinging. The idle mixture adjustment works as it should. Didn't seem to be sucking air...just oil...

 

A few more pictures. I see oil in the intake ports in the heads, and feel it when I rub my finger in there. But dry in the manifold. So I'm pretty sure that's where it's getting in. The gaskets...one as removed, the other I wiped off the oil. The manifold is pitted all over, I don't think that's the issue, but it might be?

I have a couple more sets of the same type of gasket, might try one with some sealer of some kind...I used Permatex Aviation on the water ports, it held the gasket on well. I didn't put it on the intake ports, I could.



Oh...had a friend visit. He ran over to the tool box, which was convenient, I just picked it up and he ran under to get squished.

 

really left field - SBC oils the top end with the pushrods and rockers. Big holes in the rockers flooding the top? Oil pressure normal during driving?
It's gotta be the rings, valve guides/seals or oil getting pulled into the intake tract. PCV and intake gaskets are the usual suspects on the tract.
I went back and the engine was taken out and upgraded around here.
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/mid-life-crisis-62-vette.1292401/page-47#post-15246016
Heads, cam, lifters, pushrods, rockers, intake. Kind of rules out rings.
EDIT just saw your last post.
Even a stock engine will have some pulsing in the intake. A bigger cam will do this even more. If the intake isn't wet, it's gotta be further downstream.

 

Screw it, ditch the fel pro blue gaskets and put a paper style gasket in with high tack or gaskacinch around the ports. See what happens.

 

That's another thing I've been considering...

 

Agreed. I'd try a more compressible gasket with light sealer both sides. Your discovery of a dry manifold but wet head ports is telling the story. I laughed when you said put it back the way it was before you "fixed it". Boy, been there before!

 

I'll just put it all back together stock. I have a trip coming up next month, Sick 66, and I need it to be working as well as it was before I "fixed" it.

Reminds me of one of my father’s bits of wisdom he always imparted “Beware of improvements “

 

yeah, sometimes it takes a while to make it actually be an improvement!

Another possible source for oil is the intake rocker studs, they thread into the port. I put plenty of sealer on them, so they should not be leaking...but there is some oil collected on them, in the ports. I think I'll remove one or two and see how they look.

I also want to look at the valve stem seals, to make sure I didn't damage them.

 

FelPro 1205?

 

I'm thinking Edelbrock 7201

 

Whichever one, + on the Gasgacinch.

 

Those appear to be 90322-1 Perma-Torque intake manifold gaskets. Those are for cast iron intake on cast iron heads.

You need a soft gasket like Print-O-Seal or other equivalent gasket that has raised silicone O ring like sealer around the ports.

 

I was not familiar with the Edelbrock 7201. I had to look them up. I have a new intake gasket. I like those Edelbrocks!!

 

The gaskets I used are FelPro 1204, they are not Permatorque.

 

Jim,
The picture you posted are Permatorque 90322-1