The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Adjusting valves on 283...again??

The first thing to look for to see if your engine is an original is the valve covers. The screws for the valve cover will be offset on a '58, not straight across from each other.

The next thing is to see what the block casting numbers are near the distributor on the rear drivers side are. You also want to check the build date and decipher the stamp pad on the front of the engine on the passenger side just in front of the valve cover.
THe heads also will have casting numbers and date codes under the valve covers.If there is a twist cap on the valve covers, the engine is most likely a later model. A '58 engine will also have an oil filler/breather cap on a long neck coming from the front of the intake manifold. On the rear of the block, it will also have a breather tube running down and be open near the starter. My '58 also had "X58" heads. That marking is cast on the side of the head near the exhaust ports.

except he's got a '61 Builder .... still the same location for the dating info tho'

yes Adam, the OD 3spd's come up regular, here or e-bay, put a post in the parts wanted

Bill

OOPS!

Adam61: sorry to interupt this semi-private thread but do you mind if I ask your age?
Thank you.

53moneypit, I'm 29. So yeah, quite unfamiliar with these older vehicles that seem to need endless maintenance. Definitely a whole different ball game than my other vehicle the Corolla:D

Red, question about the 3 speed with overdrive. My truck originally had a 3 speed on the tree, and still has the steering column for it. the shifter has been taken off, but I believe the shifting linkage is all still in the column. But I don't know if it had overdrive. if not, would the original column still work, or would I have to swap it out? Also, I just had the driveshaft replaced. It was pretty expensive...but I guess with a 3 speed, I'd have to have this $500 job done all over again, eh?

the column shift stuff is all the same, OD or regular - linkage should include the shaft down the column and thru the firewall to a small box on the column in the engine compt, then 2 rods from the arms on the box to the trans [OD is controlled electrically and by a seperate cable control] - the lower rods will prolly be gone, but may be available with the trans

if the 4spd driveshaft is too long [yoke spline will be the same], it shouldn't cost much to have it shortened - could be the same for either trans, and if not, a used one from a truck that had the 3spd would also work

Bill

Thanks Bill. Yeah, the box at the end of the column in the engine compartment is no longer there. Just a gap in the column, you can see where the linkage was somehow hooked up. Lower rods are gone. Not much of the system is really still there. The driveshaft apparently was a two piece with a joint in the middle, when the truck was new. So the story goes, whoever replaced the tranny with the 4 speed took out the driveshaft, and shortened it by cutting out the middle joint, and welding the two halves together to create a one piece. This worked horribly, and would practically vibrate the mirrors off the truck. After having the shaft replaced, most of the vibration is gone, but some is still there because the yoke on the rear end is worn. Man, this truck needs everything! But I guess it should, it is 48 years old.

Ok, I know we've all beat this thread to death, ha ha!! But, I noticed something today. That lifter noise, generally don't hear it when I drive the truck 50 kilometers an hour or under (30 miles) But, when I drive it about 80 kilometers (50 miles, I think) or higher for about ten minutes or so, and then slow down, I hear the tapping, it's quite loud. My question is, does this mean my oil pump is slacking off, not doing its job well enough to get the oil up to the rockers when the engine's revving higher? I imagine they are pretty simple to change out?

Lifters are probably weak.

Yeah...that would make sense...those are easy to change too, helped do it on a 350 once.

But...You did mention oil pressures that are low. I don't think I'd go through new lifters unless you can figure out why the pressures are low.

Before sticking a bunch of money in it only to find out it has a more serious problem, try some more diagnostics.

What is the compression of each cylinder? Try a leak down test too. That will help determine whether or not your valves or rings are shot. Make sure the engine is timed correctly and note the spark plug colors. If you have access to a scope that you can look into the cylinders with, look for carbon, or lack of carbon on top of the pistons. A piston that is really clean, or the edges of the piston are clean (bare metal) would suggest that oil is getting past the rings and "washing" the top of the piston. The top of the piston normally should be carbon coated to some extent, and colors ranging from tan to brown to black depending on how well the fuel is mixed and burning.
A significant amount of "wash" around the valves can suggest that valve guides and/or seals are worn and have accessive clearance.

Those things won't tell you why the pressure is low, but it may tell you whether or not your engine is just tired and worn. You may have to pull the oil pan to find out what kind of shape your cam, main and rod bearings are in. You could also use a long feeler guage to get an idea of how worn your cylinders are.

I think your lifters may be making noise because of low oil pressures, probably caused by excessive main bearing clearance. But that is just a gueass. Without verifying a lot of things first, it's always a guess.

Well, It goes through extremely little oil, so I kinda ruled out the rings and valves being worn. Oil stays pretty clean on the dipstick too. I think the rod bearings and lifters make the most sense....I really have no access to diagnostic tools, as I don't own them, and don't have any friends who are mechanics. I have family members who are, but they live in another province.

Are tools to check compression expensive? How is it done? What's a leak down test, and how is that done?

Compression Test - A simple Guage costs from $30-60. Warm engine to operating temp. Remove coil wire. Pull one spark plug at a time, insert compression guage into spark plug hole, Hold throttle wide open and crank the engine over. Watch the guage and record the pressures at least three revolutions. The guage will go up each time. After recording each cylinder Pressures, compare the results from all the cylinders.

Leak down test puts compressed air in each cylinder and measures how much air leaks out through the valves and/or past the rings. Each cylinder needs to be on the compression stroke when testing. You will listen for air leaking to determine where it is leaking from.

I would suggest the compression test first. That will pinpoint if a problem is in the combustion chamber area.

You say it uses very little oil. How much oil does it go through in say, 500 miles? (1/4, 1/2, 3/4 quart)

Well, I haven't been keeping track of how many miles I've put on the truck, mainly because the speedo has been broken for most of the time. But, I'm gonna guess for every 500 miles (about 800 k's I think) it goes through maybe a 1/4 of a liter. I don't know what that is in quarts. Yeah I know, darn Canadians, ha ha!

I'll have to keep my eye on it more, now that the odometer is working again.