Hot Rods 1 man engine swap on slopes drwy 63 Impala

This is the logical first step. You paid them nearly $400 to look at it, find out what they did. I'd have to believe compression and leakdown tests were part of that, otherwise what did the money go to? They should have given you written results of that up front.

I'm still not convinced that the engine is junk. My Pontiac convertible was smoking like crazy for a while and it turned out the master cylinder was leaking into the power booster and then engine vacuum was pulling the fluid out of the booster into the intake and I was burning brake fluid. Not saying that's what you have happening here, just trying to illustrate that a smoking/oil burning engine doesn't always need to be replaced.

 

Okay talked to the shop and they did compression and leak down tests. IT’s suggested to get it rebuilt but it will still run until it doesn’t run anymore. It’s not at there yet. He recommended 20/50 oil with zinc to help blow by and use 91 octane gas.
I had to cut the old fuel line for the new carb since it wasn’t threaded. I want to make my own line with what I got . Will this work or will it leak?

 

that looks like it might be the correct fitting. If you cut off the metal tube, and plan to clamp a rubber hose over it, you need to "flare" the end of the metal tube, so the rubber won't slip off, and let fuel spray all over the hot engine. You can just put the end of a #2 philips screw driver into the end of the tube and twist it around, it will flare the tube well enough to keep the hose from coming off.

 

I'm gonna say "Don't try it". It can be done but you are looking at dealing with a lot of problems to do it.

The cherry picker won't roll over those stones and when you try to force it, it may turn over. Or what do you do if you just can't get it to roll?

The plywood will help but generally you tend to get caught in a crack or a wheel off one side of the plywood. What about the transmission.....coming out with the engine or leave in place. Then you have to jack the car up to get under it and thats definitely not good on an angle.

If you had some help it might work better. If you do decide to try it, I'd remove everything from the engine so you are only pulling the shortblock.

You could do the preliminary unbolting and removal and then roll it out in the street for the actual removal.........but then how do you get it back in the driveway......and how do you get the motor into the garage.

I'd clear the garage out.....even if you have to get a storage shed to put stuff in and do it in the garage.
Lot easier and a lot safer.

 

You may want to ask the guy that lives across the street, directly in line with your driveway whether or not he has property insurance.

 

Yeah I’m getting a new factory fuel pump line cause this is leaking but it is running way better than the Edelbrock and adapter.

 

Now we’re kinda back to “who’s on first”?
I don’t want to muddy things up, it’d be nice to know what the results of the test were, and if also a wet test was done. I’d also like to know what color the smoke is, and when the smoke is noticed.
But that’s just me.

 

Does your engine have pcv (positive crankcase ventilation) or the road draft tube ? If there is a blockage in either system it can cause a LOT of smoke. I would check that before going to 20w50 oil.

Since you now have the original Carter in place, make sure your automatic choke is completely functional.

Jon

 

Why 91 Octane? Does that make sense to anyone? My truck failed a leak down, it was a carboned up valve and not a ring issue.

 

@Eth727
More likely Valve seals bad,

Smoke Color when Running ?
Blue = burning Oil
Or
Black = Rich & Gas

White = coolant , Does not sound White

 

Sounds like it needs valve stem seals or something like that if the plug(s) are not oil soaked then I would lean towards the issues are with the top end.

 

Beat me to it

 

The fact that the engine smokes or has low compression is of little consequence to me. My 56 Olds smokes, leaks and has sort of low compression and that hasn't stopped me from putting 10-12K miles a year on the car. IMHO, the most important stat you're looking for is oil pressure. Oil pressure is telling me, "Is this thing going to come apart at the seams NOW?" If the engine has enough oil pressure, and isn't knocking, then it's something you can work with.

Who cares if the car burns oil? That just means you have to keep an eye on your oil level and throw a quart in every few hundred miles. No big deal. If the car has compression and there isn't some major issue like a bad cam or something, then the simple issue is having reliable fuel delivery and spark. Even a pretty injured engine will continue to run, and probably run decently, if there is reliable fuel delivery, good spark, proper timing, etc. And frankly, this should be a fairly simple exercise on a SBC. A $300 Edelbrock 600 cfm carb with $150 HEI from amazon and this ****er should run like a champ.

Pulling an engine is a last resort

 

Wonder if still has points ,
If so When last time serviced & timing checked ?

Most all want to see a High psi
In oil pressure,
Rule of thumb 5 psi per 1,000 rpm's
Being in San Diego Cold temp @ night
60-65 degrees?
20/50 wt oil
Or Straight 40 , 50 wt oil

 

An old car dealer I worked for always said a car that uses oil doesn't use as much gas.

 

Did the shop specify why you needed a new engine ? I'd go back and ask them though they should have listed it on your receipt.

If they don't give you a good answer.........or even if they do......the first thing you need to do is to hook a vacuum gage up and see what it tells you. Then let us know what it says and what your oil pressure is, and if and what color any smoke from the exhaust is. Also, remove the radiator cap and look down in the filler and see if there are a lot of air bubbles or if it has a good coolant flow with only a few bubbles. Also check your oil and see if its gray or has water in it.

Tell us that before you do anything else.

 

I’m glad I didn’t have people close to me telling me I couldn’t do stuff.

 

First off , as an old high school auto mechanics teacher I am worried about your automotive skills or lack of skill. That first and formost includes knowing how to work on and under the car safely.
If there is still a garage in front of that garage door I would do the work inside the garage and only having what ever part of the car I needed sticking outside the door to have room to work. If you don't have a cherry picker you can rent one or maybe better, buy one off FB market place, use it and turn around and sell it for what you paid for it when done. Around here they seem to get bought and sold times over when someone needs one and when they get tired of looking at it.
Then there is having safe jack stands or solid wood blocks to hold the car up so it won't fall on you and if the tires are on the sloped driveway the back tires have to be blocked so they don't roll. Not doing it right will get you injured or killed and or wreck the car.

You have to figure out how you are going to support the transmission when you pull the engine.

That car is easy to work on engine compartment wise as very little is in the way and depending on if you are going to swap engines or rebuld the one you have also includes having some pieces like new motormounts ready to go sitting on the bench if you are doing a swap. That and what ever else is on the list of should replace when items such as radiator and heater hoses.

 

Anthony, its not about telling him he "can't" but that he probably needs to get a little practical experience so he can deal with some of the problems that will most likely occur. Yes, many of us learned "the hard way" but we also often got hurt or started something we couldn't finish. No matter what anyone says here, we all know its wrong to jack a car up when the ground/driveway isn't level. Even Rednecks like me.... know that.

Does the OP have a floor jack.....a real floor jack not one of those OEM POS? Does he have jack stands and chocks? Does he realize when he lifts the rear wheels that nothing is keeping the car from rolling back? Will he have to crawl under it ?

Yes it has been done successfully...........but it will definitely be more difficult and more dangerous. When we suggest that someone just jump into a problem, I think it should be something that he may damage some parts ..........not something where he may hurt or kill himself. It's not "can't" its "shouldn't".

Sorry for the rant Anthony, but I just think this is the wrong time and the wrong problem to deal with until the OP gets much more experience with some other types of automotive problems.

Things happen quickly..........

Might have to click on the "back" arrow at the left of the video below. Watch the 9 second ad with the house picture and it should be next. Car falls off jack and rolls down driveway with owner chasing it.





And another more disastrous one because the guy didn't know how to keep it safe. (I often put wheels with tires under the cars frame so if it drops it lands on the wheels) Watch for the guys legs dangling out the door as it lands on top of two other cars.

https://www.reddit.com/r/AbruptChaos/comments/1i1cpyz/being_a_selfmechanic/




...

 

I agree with @ekimneirbo. Go back and read the OP's plethora of posts on this car and maybe you'll understand we're not trying to be discouraging, but rather trying to keep the guy from getting burnt out in the hobby because he's in over his head too often.

 

Yep. If it needs pulled, he can get practical experience by pulling it
I’ve built wrecks in the yard on un level dirt between trees used as a frame machine.
Never once checked to see if the ground was level when swapping engines in the yard.
pulled em in the mud and on gravel
Swapped ch***is with jack stands and floor jacks.
All that makes you really appreciate level concrete and lifts.
But not having that is no reason not to do something
You’re not limited by tools.
Only imagination

 

had a student that needed an old engine in a beater at school. I told him if he can pull it he can have it.
It was behind our shop in the gravel. He had it out in about an hour.

 

Personally, in my younger years when space was at a premium I removed the grille, radiator& support on a 55 Chevy to pull the engine & transmission as a unit, over the years had scores of tr-fives that had evidence of the radiator supports cut out or cut & welded back in place....

 

Another thing to check, since you had some carb issues, is to see if the spark plugs are still clean. If they got fouled up while monkeying with the fuel system, that can cause some smoking and rough running as well. I just went through that on my current project, it didn't take long to foul out the plugs. It would still run, but poorly and smokey.

 

I hear that. Like I mentioned earlier "If Ya gotta ask,,,"
I think ( my case anyway ) It was a matter of I didn't ask for any permission.
I had seen guys do it ( not up close ) knew it was a chore, and went for it when the time came.
First one was on a down slope driveway, but went OK. Used a cherry picker.
The second was in a garage using a come along. ( not as cool as the cherry picker )
Took a while because it was an old Jaguar receiving an old 283. 'the horror'

 

If it was me, I’d remove the hood,grill, radiator and supports. But that’s just me

 

When I was 15, my first car, a 36 chevy, blew the motor. I barely knew how to adjust a crecent wrench.
Pulled it out with my dads. rope block an tackle to the garage rafters! Didn't break any. Then got a parts car with a good motor and used moms 63 olds 98 to pull the parts car up on its side to unbolt everything as all the chains and jacks we had were already in use. About that time, some neighbor called the police as apparently you are not supposed to have cars laying on their side in suburbia.

I knew right then, never live in suburbia, and I got the job done with no experience, no books, no internet.

 

That's what I'm talkin' 'bout

 

Lots of great information, responses and encouragement here. Other than safety concerns (which I have for him like many of you), I'm in the "go for it" camp. Before spending a bunch of time and money, work with what you've got first. 50 years ago, an old Chevy like this was pretty common and slightly low compression or oil pressure and a little smoking were dealt with by using the thicker oils/additives and hotter spark plugs.

A good tune up, hotter plugs, and a properly rebuilt and installed carb would go a long way to see if this car is runnable as-is.

If I lived anywhere near this guy, I'd just go over in person and look at it with him. It wouldn't take very long to figure out a plan of attack.

Best of luck to the OP.

 

Check out these obstacles if I was to do an engine swap in the future.