My car is completely dead, AGAIN.

I took Faye out last night to the Night of 100 Elvises. This was the second time I've driven her any real distance since having her back together as I was still having carburetor issues.

Everything was going swell, we had a great time at the show and then I fired up the car and started heading home. Just as I got about halfway to my destination. I looked down at my oil pressure gauge and it was reading zero. I immediately pulled off the road and shut the car off, and jumped out and checked the oil. That's when my worst nightmare was confirmed... there wasn't any. I called a friend to get me, left the car where I turned it off and called my dad.

Earlier in the day my Dad and I did some last minute things on the car like hook up my heater switch, clean the whitewalls and check the oil. Everything was great and the car seemed to be running pretty well.

I few weeks back we discovered a tiny hole in my oil pan and we ran a screw with a rubber grommet into the hole as a temporary fix. I posted an ad here for a new pan and had no luck finding one (new or used) in the meantime. In fact I just posted another want ad yesterday when I got home. Since I haven't really been driving the car, it wasn't a problem as I checked it regularly and was extra careful knowing it was there. That all ended last night when something evidently hit the pan when I was driving (never heard it) and bent the screw back making the hole larger. We dropped the pan and found the tell tale metal in the pan and checked the first bearing which was completely toast. So basically, my bearings are fried and this engine (with less that 100 miles on it) is done. All this after having my car apart for a year and a half, and doing everything but paint and the interior (which I did right after I bought the car).

For those of you who have followed this build, you know how much we've gone through and how close we were to really having this car right. We've had so many challenges along the way, and she's fought us really hard to get to this point. I'm just sick that this happened and feel so bad about it I can't even think straight. I haven't posted any updates in a while, mainly because I was afraid that the minute I posted that the thing was done, something else would go wrong.

My dad has a small block in the garage that he's graciously donating and we're going to build it and put it in. I'm DONE with six cylinders, and I'm too poor to buy another engine so I have to take this 350 and be done with it. All I really want to do is drive my car, and get some of my life back. As much as I've enjoyed learning how to work on my car, I'm ready to ENJOY DRIVING it again, but that's just not happening.

In the meantime, I'll be stripping this 235 down and selling off all the performance parts to make money to build the small block. The head is completely rebuilt, with a $300 valve job, I have fenton split manifolds that haven't been on the car for more than a couple of days, lots of carburetors, chrome dress up stuff, an adapter plate for putting a late model tranny on the 6, and lots of other stuff like a Langdon's HEI, coil, etc. I'll be listing them in the classifieds soon.

Sad, poor, and over it.

Stacey

 

That really sucks Stacey, I have had that experience in the past... just when you think the nighmares are over... you develop a new one. I think sixes a cool as hell too, but the old SBC is kind of a no brainer after all your problems. Good luck with it, and Faye will be just as cool, but a little stronger to boot. -Joe

 

Dont give up on the 6.You are gonna pull it out to do the 350,why not just have the 6 crank re-ground ?? That and some new bearings and an oil pump will cost way way less to do than converting your car to a 350-350 set up.Just a thought.

 

I'm very sorry to hear that Stacey. Almost like losing a friend Your decsions are your own,and you will be happy to drive Faye again,albiet with a bent eight. I'm suprised nobody came up with a good pan. good luck,Sparky

 

Sorry to hear the news.

Take a deep breath, throw a cover over the truck, (out of sight and out of mind) and just get away from it for a few days.

You'll have it on the road again in no time.

 

If money is an issue, I'd think that finding a good running 6 cyl to R&R would be cheaper and quicker than converting to the V8.

 

I'm a day late (as usual) reading this, but if you decide to do the six my boss has a huge stash of stock 216/235 parts/builders. I can get you a pan (please don't hate me) a crank, or whatever you need.

 

On eBay, you'll sell the fenton and other stuff for more than enough to build your other motor. (That screw in the hole would have worked better with no washer, maybe a little liquid solder instead)



off all the performance parts to make money to build the small block. The head is completely rebuilt, with a $300 valve job, I have fenton split manifolds that haven't been on the car for more than a couple of days, lots of carburetors, chrome dress up stuff, an adapter plate for putting a late model tranny on the 6, and lots of other stuff like a Langdon's HEI, coil, etc. I'll be listing them in the classifieds soon.

Sad, poor, and over it.

Stacey[/QUOTE]

 

Bummer.

I'n not a sbc hater like a lot of the guys around here, but I agree that fixing the bottom end & replacing the pan is a cheaper option than going 350/350.

If you want to keep the 6, I'd consider the real costs before you give up on it.

 

damn Stacey,

don't give up on the six,
you are all set up for it now,
all the hard work is done,
drop that short block off have it gone through again,
it will go back together so easy,
every nut, bolt and part has already been fit and tested

the V8 only sounds like the easy way out

 

dont give up on that motor .. i just went threw hell with my sbc talk about shiming it to hell and back i got new barings my crank had to be sanded and polished . the pan wouldnt seal had to get a new one and a new timing cover and a wholllllle bunch of other things and she's back and running now
so keep that six dont give up if theres a will theres a way

 

well my car is running just fine, however, it's a bit cold and mostly rainy, my car has been in the glass shop for a month of its 6 week old resurrection. the glass guy is on the top of my hit list for when i snap. he has managed to remove and replace front and back windshields with new seals that I had to track down on the internet, order and pay for myself, the wind wings are cut as well as the back windows (flat glass) and are still not installed after 3 weeks. *foams at mouth, dreaming of smokey burnouts*

 

Stacey, Sorry to hear about this. I was just wondering how things were going with you the other day, now this. Keep your head up girl, you've gotten this far & done a great job so far.

The 6 is still a good engine it's just too bad your temporary fix on the oil pan was less temporary than you had planned on.

Billy

 

Stacy.... Nothing looks like a well dressed six cylinder. Dont give up. sometimes shit just happens..I'm with 60's Style-keep the 6

 

I'm really sorry to hear about your bad luck. Here's my advice. Stick with the six. Remove it and replace the crank bearings and oil pump. Youve alreaddy done it once,the second time will be easier just cuz your familiar with the process. If you do something different you start the learnig curve all over. You already have all the cool parts and know the process. Just do it again.

 

I usually put a SBC in everything.......BUT .........
rebuild the six........find another pan.......you can fix the 6 .....a lot easier than the V8 swap. and for less money too......

You have ALL the neat 6 cylinder stuff...
Just fall back, rest a little and then fix the six......just my nickel......or as our President says.....stay the course....

 

I think the bigger reason for going SBC aside from the fact that my luck with 6's has been BEYOND abysmal, is that my Dad could build one blindfolded. He's been great about dealing with the sixes, but its been almost as much of a learning curve for him (with 30+ years of experience with engines) as it was for me (ZERO experience with engines).

Our agreement when I put this new 235 in was that if it died, the next engine would be a SBC. As far as costs are concerned, I don't know how this will all shake out, but I do know that we have everything we need already to put the SBC in Faye. I already have the 350 turbo in my car with the dead engine, and aside from fabbing new motor mounts and bringing the transmission forward, I have no idea what all is involved. I also know that I can use lots of things that are on my current engine like my starter, alternator, etc.

What I do know, is that my chances of convincing my dad to do anything with this six, are slim to none. It may be more work getting the SBC in my car, but I think he'll resent it much less knowing that once it's in, he'll be dealing with an engine he knows well, vs always being out of his element on the six. And since I'm not in a position to rebuild this engine by myself, I'm willing to change routes for the sake of my Dad.

Personally, you could throw Fred Flinstone under the hood to power the car at this point and I wouldn't care.

Period correct, and "cool looking" hasn't gotten me out of the garage in all this time. Everything I've done for the sake of having a certain look or sound has given me nothing but headaches and all I want is something that runs so I can drive and enjoy my car.

Maybe I'm wrong, but I'm trying to cut my losses at this point, and this seems like the right thing to do. And at this point, i'm willing to concede anything to get my car going again. I've worked too hard for too long to have nothing to show for it.

Stacey

 

Hey look on the bright side , you know you are a "real car guy " now , you saw the oil pressure before it did real damage.


Now that the sump is off you should be able to just weld it up.... if it is thin in that area clean it up and straighten it then braze a patch on the inside . Fill the outside with braze afterwards and sand to finnish/paint.
The steering might have hit that screw and torn it out , tie rods move in some odd arcs/angles as you drive .

Depending on which cap you pulled off you might not have damaged much at all, the bearings further away from the oil pump will probably be the worst.
The crank might only need a polish, and the oil gallerys cleaning out, with any luck only the big ends, not really a biggy compared to remounting everything and making new shifter , radiator , hoses wiring, and all the related stuff, including clearance for the dissy and exhausts .
Oil pump can be rebuilt ,if it is in fact damaged, white metal shouldn't hurt it ( just make sure you clean out the bypass as well as the rest of it, check the clearances.
If you had driven it for long enough to do real major damage it would have seized and broken something, like a conrod or piston.

cheers
97

 

If you do change your mind and decide to keep the 6 in the car, I have access to a surplus of stock 235 chev parts, including about 12 oil pans for probably any config you need, most of my engines were running at the time they were pulled, and since im not a chev guy, have no problem with tearing into any of the engines for what ever parts you might need to get your going again, if i don't move some off them soon, there all going back to my buddys junk yard for scrap.

 

It will be cheaper and easier to just fix the six, and you get to keep all your speed parts.

 

Hey, the 235's not dead, it's just a little ill. I'll bet if you offered to feed and water (beer ?), you could get some nearby Hambers to come by and lend a hand. Just a thought. I sure I'm not the only one who would love to hear you kept the six, instead of giving up and going the bellybutton route. Even with a sbc totally done and waiting, I'm sure redoing the basement of the six would be much cheaper and faster and easier, not to mention, satisfying. Don't give up!

 

Damn Stacey...I was Sorry to read Abou tthat..Hope all goes well with the New Motor....Good Luck

Brett

Those welding Leathers still holding Up Okay.

 

Stacy dont give up on that six it took me two years to get my six together and get and adapter plate for the 350 trans it a tri power that had given me hell to tune and if you need any six cyc parts i probably have them email me at chris_hali@yahoo.com i do have a crank and oil pan and tons of other parts that ihave collected so not give up i probably have everything that you need and we mite be able work something out i'm just a 50's type of guy that loves six's but if you still want to sell the six parts let me know sorry if i am a day late and a doller short but if you do want to keep it i have the parts

 

Good-bye Stovebolt...Hello SMALL BLOCK!

Gonna be a slam-dunk here, guys...the car already has a Mustang II crossmember and a TH-350 in it, along with power disc brakes, open drive rear axle, 12v wiring, cable throttle control, etc.

Trim the firewall ribs and the V8 will fit right in on commonly available swap mounts, and 66 Chevelle 283 radiator hoses fit perfectly with the stock radiator.

Faye is gonna have a whole new attitude...and she'll be a joy to drive!

One more dead Stovebolt in the pile represents PROGRESS!

 

Put a 390 Cadillac in it... Don't let anybody give you any crap girl...you've gotta decide what's right for you...good luck which ever path you take...

 

I'm sorry to hear about your car, Stacey. Are there a lot of Marylanders on the board? Maybe a HAMB thrash is in order if you decide to keep the six. I rely pretty heavily on my own dad, learning along the way, so I can understand how you might feel torn about the V8 versus I-6 deal. Is your car supposed to be a hot rod or a custom? I feel bad for not knowing, but I'm really crummy at keeping track of that kind of thing. If it's a custom, it probably shouldn't have the hood up much anyway (ruins the lines), so I would feel less bad about seeing a 350 in there. In fact, maybe run Moroso v/c and a K&N filtertop to assist in resisting the temptation to open the hood at car shows or cruise nights!

 

HEY, it's a Chevy in a Chevy, the HAMB family can score and use the parts, your pop is your buddy in Faye, makes him happy and you're back on the road sooner. What's not to love?

Good luck and happy motoring.

In the CD player: Terrapin Station- Greatful Dead

 

Hee hee! I knew Hack would find this thread!
He talked me out of a 216 for my Chevy and boy howdy do I appreciate that!! My buddy's inliner took a serious DUMP on the way home from the Pileup this year and we had to rent a truck and trailer to get it home. He is now in the process of making the 350/350 conversion, because he "wants a motor that works". (This after a six-month $$$ build on the 6.)

The more people I talk to about this issue, the more stories like yours I hear. Fuck the 6, splash oiled=dog shit. People run SBC's beacause they're good motors, anyone who tells you different is dumb.

 

I think we've all been there and done that (in are own toopid ways)


A buddy hear just went thru the same thing with his 56 inline six. Nice truck and hes had it for years and years (28 I think). After a complete buildup, he had an very serious (engine)fire. Rebuild the motor and new paint (again). Put about 500 miles on it and it drank its on water/antifreeze which cooked the head and glued the rings and bearings. Rebuild again. Put about 300 miles on the truck and while out for a drive on a sunny day, the cam grenaded and spilled down into the engine.

No more six cylinder. They werent worth crap from day one. He put a 350 in it and has been driving the doors of it. it recently garnered some notoriety in a local car mag. Only took 12 years to roll the odometer 900 miles. this fall he's put on 5 times that much.

moe

 

Sorry to hear that. I gotta go with a lot of other guys on here though and say keep the six. The 350 seems easy, and you're actually half way there already it sounds like, but there's a whole bunch of small crap that goes along with it.

I'm guessing when you say that the bearing(s) is(are) really bad that the crank is bad too? If not, just chuck some bearings in and see what happens. I've done that to a few engines and haven't had a problem. I'm not overly hard on my cars though. Hell, you can rebuild that whole engine with it still in the car. Especially if everything's been done recently and there's nothing stuck. It's a tough call, but I'm a 6 guy, so you know my answer. Best of luck either way though.

Deke

Tony Joe White - Poke Salad Annie