Here's the latest...
Work on the COE has been delayed for a higher priority; work on my 1966 Corvette 427/425 coupe. With only a little over 200 miles on the rebuild of the engine, it developed a ticking noise that sounded like an old manual typewriter at 1500 rpm. Unable to determine the source, I decided to drop the oil pan and check the main bearings.
Found the number 1 and 7 main bearings scored. We thought of possible two causes: (1) defective bearing material and (2) some corrosion debris from the engine block that was not purged correctly and got into the lubrication system and scored the bearings. Why only two bearings? Don’t know.
To ensure no other damage, we pulled the engine out of the 'Vette for a complete cleaning and rebuild. To expedite the rebuild, I sent the block and heads to the machine shop.
Put it together take it apart...
The machine shop was slow on the machine work. Eventually, I received the block and heads back from the machine shop, reinstalled all the accessory components and installed the complete engine (minus the oil pan) back in the 'Vette. For some reason we decided to fill the cooling system before installing the oil pan. Hurray for my friend Zach’s thinking to fill the cooling system before installing the oil pan... As fast as we poured water into the radiator it leaked on the deck. What a mess we would have had if we had installed the oil pan first.
We checked the engine for the obvious places for leaks. No joy. So now what?
This happened late on a Sunday afternoon. Decided the next step was to purchase a fiber optic camera to see inside the block and heads for any obvious problems.
It was very dark inside the block and difficult to see. However, we did find a spot that appeared to be the impact point of a piece of solid lifter. Possible causes: (1) broken lifter many years ago that weakened the wall of the block; and (2) removal of large amounts of corrosion, combined with the weakened wall, resulted in a crack when the heads were installed.
We determined this to be the source of the leak.
Put it together take it apart... again ...
We are getting good at the putting together and taking apart routine. This is not good because NCRS was celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the 1966 at Warrick, Rhode Island 17 — 22 July 2016. My '66 was registered for the 50th anniversary display and as a
NCRS Zoro Arkus-Duntov Mark of Excellence Awardee (One of 1,003 restored Corvettes to receive this award).
Well... we didn't make it. Engine still not back from machine shop repairs. This is the second time in two weeks we had to pull the engine.
Hopefully the cold method of repairs will hold. The cold method of repairs goes back to early 1920 car engines. Engine block and heads should be returned the first week in August.
The next hurdle to overcome will be getting the engine installed, running and detailed in time for "Corvettes at Carlisle." The car has been selected to be in the Delaware Valley Chapter NCRS Gallery XVI, 25-28 August 2016.
So with all this going on there has been little time for the COE. I did order and received a new master brake cylinder, new wheel cylinders for the front and rear wheels, new brake hoses and new brake lines for the rear wheels. Had some time to remove the four rear wheel cylinders and loosened the hydrovac and master brake cylinder in preparation for new parts.
Tuesday night, I finished the sand blasting and painting of the second front brake drum. Only the second rear brake drum to sand blast and paint.
Need to check with the sandblaster to get an estimate of time to complete the sandblasting and painting of the wheels in order to get tires mounted. Before I can install the wheels must install the brake cylinder, hoses master cylinder and hydrovac.
All this takes time. The hot humid weather working on the COE and the up keep of the corvettes have kept things interesting.
And there's still grass to cut, laundry to do and that oh-so-pesky Jay Oh Bee that keeps getting in the way ... (but making all this possible).
Thanks for your interest.
