The Stovebolt Site Forums Project Journals Archived Journals 1948 Chevy 3/4 ton - Poncho

If you were to use the Stovebolt Image Posting protocol, we all could view your excellent photos directly in your threads. It’s all the rage, everyone’s doing it! Why not give it a try? Instructions are in the left margin of every page.

I used the full editor and Attachment Manager, never works for me. Possibly because I use my phone browser?

You youngsters and your new fangled gadgets.

Looks great you should have no problems especially with no sheet metal up front, put some pictures on when your done.

Front mount bolts don't go in because of the timing cover. Do I need to pull it off again?!

If the bolts are the right size and length, they should JUST go in with the timing cover in place. The attached photo was the solution a PO used on my truck - not recommended. I bought 7/16 Carriage Bolts. Made sure the square openings were the right size (may have had to relieve one just a touch) and I believe I had to cut the bolts to the right length. Also drilled them for cotter pins for the castle nuts. I believe the originals were fine thread, but I bought coarse thread, the only thing I could find - Link

So this front cover has a threaded block right in the middle. I had to shorten the bolt shoulder on each one and ream out one hole slightly, but both bolts dropped in place:

Looks like you might need to check the fit of those two bolts in the sleeves in the engine mount pad. I would probably tack weld the bolt heads in place so they don't turn. The bolts heads should probably be all the way down on the front engine plate, not up where that block is. No idea why that threaded block is there. Maybe a modification someone did along the way to run the bolts up from the bottom. I went the other direction, mounting the entire engine mount assembly to the the engine. I think it'll be easier to stab the bolts into the frame holes instead of hitting the sleeves when lowering the engine in place.

Got them to seat down, mounts all bolted in.

Storm knocked out power, just in time but guess we're done for today.

So lots of mating surfaces are painted on the block. Which are important to strip before assembly?

Water pump,valve cover,side cover,thermostat,manifolds,and distributer ,did I miss any

Fuel pump?

Oh ya and the one that caused me trouble the ground strap

Starter! Critical for a good ground path.

Starter bellhousing bolts? Or ground strap?

Yes fuel pump ,and good point from Kevin starter to belhousing to ground strap to frame to neg cable that attaches to frame by battery box

Speaking of battery cables I got some from battery cables Canada from Winnipeg they are top quality .I got thick ones so they were about 120 bucks but well worth the money.

I forget if the strap sits on the frame or under it. Cleaned up the braided copper, anything I can apply to keep it shiny?

On my truck, the ground strap was on top of the frame like you have it shown. But put the bolt in from the top and the nut on the bottom. That way, if by chance the nut comes off, at least gravity will keep the bolt in place and the strap won't fall off. Also, that same bolt holds a clamp for the positive cable going to the starter. As far as keeping the strap shiny, I sure don't know of anything. I think they're available tin plated, which holds off discoloration for a while. There's a picture in THIS POST of when I was disassembling my truck.

You will have to take the paint off the frame we’re the strap goes for a good contact put a little grease between the two so it won’t corrode

Ya, will clean the frame and put some anti-ox on the wire connections.

For the fuel pump, I put it on and traced it then took it of and wheeled the paint off. Do I need some permatex on the gasket? Blue locker on the bolts? What can I put on the fuel body to keep it clean looking? Does fluid film dry?

I don’t think fluid film drys ,there are lock washers on the bolts for the pump but a dab blue thread locker would not hurt. A gasket is necessary for the pump and whatever your preference to use with it or be it dry up to you .

I wish I had a preference 😉. No leaks is my preference!

I'm not sure it's really necessary to remove the paint where the fuel pump goes. There's no need for it to be grounded to the block. I don't think I'll even bother removing the paint where the manifolds bolt up. The paint will serve as gasket sealer to my mind. I think it's too much trouble to remove the paint, especially at the manifold mounting surfaces. I know If I did do that, there would be bare spots where I "colored outside the lines" with a wire wheel that would be susceptible to rust.

I have always cleaned off the surfaces then put on silicone or aviation gasket shellac with the paper gaskets . On the cork gaskets I have used a little bit of white grease . I am always concerned about leaks and have took my time to have everything clean and tightened up evenly but it is always frustrating when you do all that work and it leaks but that’s the way it goes at least for me.

I picked up some Ultra Grey for assembly, was planning on doing a light smear on both sides of the gasket. Hope that will work.

Also, petcock wouldn't come out of the old block, so I'm likely just going to keep the plug in it. Probably not something I will ever use...

Flywheel is back from machine shop. Do we reuse those bars with the corners turned up to hold the bolts? Or lock washers and blue goop?

I just reinstalled my flywheel and used both the keepers and threadlocker. The corners of the bars get pretty buggered up, but if they're still intact, I would advise reusing them.

👍

Painting the flywheel now, going to mark it up as suggested by Deve:

http://devestechnet.com/Home/Flywheel

Prepping for water pump, how do you cleanup behind the pulley?

Also, when the relocation plate is installed, do you paint the back of it before installing on the engine?

While in there with the drain petcock, many years of dirt can clog the drain, get a stiff wire and when you can get water in the block, clean it out so it drains well. Big blocks have 2 drain plugs.

Ed

So I should get a new petcock for the block and take out the plug? To run water through it before starting?

Well, if that petcock is fine, use it, just make sure it flows well before you close your engine up.

Ed

The petcock is on the old 216 and isn't coming out. The 261 has a plug in it, just trying to figure out if I need one...

Take the plug out and check if it is plugged you can take a wire and wiggle it in and around there and make sure it is clean .once you are satisfied it is clean you may want to flush out with water as I think you said you have a new rad .they may have cleaned the block when it was rebuilt.After you are satisfied it is clean I don’t think you would use the petcock for while anyway and all it does is make it easier to open up to drain the block. I would also be careful taking the plug out as not to damage the threads and the block.

What year is your 261 the water pump is the older style .they are used but on the newer motors with a conversion plate .

I'm using the 216 pump on the 261 with the adapter plate.