Messages

46

Restoration / Drive shaft specs - 69

« on: November 06, 2019, 05:33:43 PM »

Can someone give me actual dimensions of the stock driveshaft and the depth of the front yoke in the Muncie. Our '69 Z28 was a drag race car, we think. The driveshaft is 3-1/2" in diameter and seems the front yoke is shallow in its position in the Muncie. Last night I couldn't find a spec in the AIM.

Thanks

47

Restoration / Re: Door Jamb courtesy light/key buzzer switch

« on: September 18, 2019, 07:07:40 PM »

Thank you...I'll remove it....may as well get some of the details right!

48

Restoration / Door Jamb courtesy light/key buzzer switch

« on: September 18, 2019, 05:19:08 PM »

I have purchased and received a reproduction/replacement LH door switch. It has a rubber sleeve over the plunger. Is this simply to protect the plunger during shipment or was the sleeve installed originally? Doesn't seem to show up in any illustration in the AIM or elsewhere.

Thank you

Paul

49

Originality / 103 octane warning label

« on: September 03, 2019, 08:23:09 PM »

The repro parts houses list an adhesive label warning that 103 octane must be used or.....else, basically...

Is that another invention by a label printer somewhere?

Paul

50

Originality / Battery Caution Tag

« on: September 03, 2019, 07:14:00 PM »

Was this tag attached to the negative post of batteries in 1969 or the earlier years?



Thanks

Paul

51

Originality / Re: Oil Pan and Windage Tray

« on: May 21, 2019, 03:43:23 PM »

Clean all the oil off then hit the bell housing with talcum powder.  I would look for a leak at the back of the intake manifold or the oil pressure port/line area. Oil will run downhill when you are not moving.  It goes all over the place when you drive.

Here's the back of the block before the pan was dropped, no changes to oil pressure sender, intake, valve covers during pan replacement:



I used the Fel-Pro one piece, straightened the pan rails to parallel. Will drop rear of pan to be absolutely certain the gasket tangs fit into the block depressions....but if they didn't, I'd have leakage down the back of the pan, which I don't........only between trans and bellhousing mating surfaces. It is not gear lube.

This is weird....and I am totally befuddled, even more than normal.

paul

52

Originality / Re: Oil Pan and Windage Tray

« on: May 20, 2019, 08:47:21 PM »

Thank you all for the information. I have replaced the flat tray with a correct curved one. My pan is an original '69 Z28 pan with the side rails and deflector at the sump.

However, after all the effort to replace the pan gasket, while replacing the flat windage tray with the correct tray, spot welding the pick up to the pump, and generally look at every possible source in an effort to solve a chronic oil leak, I've failed.

I scrupulously inspected the area of the crank in front of the crank flange when I had the pan off. Not a scintilla of oil build up or staining on it. Based on that I decided not to replace the rear main oil seal, but rather just the pan gasket as the old one fell apart as I dropped the pan.

The pan to block rails were bent at the rear of the pan. I straightened them and made sure that the two rails were parallel to one another front to rear.

I inspected the rear of the block closely when I had the flywheel off to have it and the pressure plate balanced. There was no evidence of any leakage from the cam plug nor oil galley plugs. There is no evidence of leakage other than some slight seepage from the valve cover gaskets, intake manifold seal, distributor seal or oil pressure fitting.

However, after my test drive of the freshly buttoned up engine, I parked it in the garage only to discover that there is still a leak and it is running from the rear to the front, from the junction of the trans and bellhousing. No leak at the pan, front, rear or sides.

The leak is engine oil, it is not gear lube. The transmission (an M22 with the correct casting #s and stampings) was built by Riverside Gear and initially leaked at the countershaft opening when I first bolted it in. They made good on the fix and I have also sealed that countershaft opening with a layer of hi-temp RTV silicon.

I'm frustrated, angry, disappointed, and depressed that I haven't solved this leak....

With all the collective experience out there perhaps someone can tell me what I'm missing. I probably should have done the rear main but there was absolutely no trace of oil or oil staining in that area of the crank forward of the flange.

I am contemplating dropping just the rear of the pan to be certain I got the little teats on the gasket in the relieved sections of the block at the rear. I applied a minimal amount of RTV to those areas, and did the same at the front at the timing cover/block/pan interface. I tried to be certain I seated the pan gasket properly.

For the life of me I cannot think of any other possibility for the leak but there is NO oil dripping down the back side of the sump nor the dust cover, just at the trans/bellhousing junction.

If I have to, I'll pull the engine, take it apart and reassemble it to assure myself that I've done everything possible to solve an oil leak, but I'd like to avoid such a drastic step on a car which is so close to being "finished".

paul

53

Originality / Oil Pan and Windage Tray

« on: May 12, 2019, 01:34:58 PM »

This car has had a chronic oil leak at rear of pan. I dropped the pan to discover the windage tray differs from what I've seen on this era SBCs plus it doesn't match McNeish's pictured curved edge windage tray.

Please take a look and comment:



The pan itself appears to be original:











The left rear corner of the pan is cracked at the horizontal surface and is not parallel to the rails. I can weld that up and straighten the corner if the pan is indeed original, but that doesn't answer the question of the flat windage tray.

I'm ready to pull the trigger to order a replacement pan, windage tray and pickup (PO did not weld pickup to pump body) if this pan and tray are not original and would greatly appreciate any input. Additionally, any recommendations on the pan gasket would be greatly appreciated. Cleaning the timing cover seal is not going to be easy with the engine in the car.

To remove the pan I did the following: drop idler arm from frame; loosen exhaust at manifolds; loosen trans mount bolts at trans; drain radiator and remove lower radiator hose; remove distributor cap; drain oil; remove starter; remove bellhousing dust cover; remove through bolts on both mounts; jack up engine with 2X6 on floor jack at RH exhaust manifold....drop pan.

paul

54

Maintenance / Re: Short cuts/advice in replacing rear main oil seal

« on: April 29, 2019, 08:40:44 PM »

I have done this job before, just not in a Camaro....although I hadn't thought of removing the radiator hose and fan....am I correct in reading your post that I need 4" of clearance, not 2"

paul

55

Maintenance / Re: Temp sending unit for a 69

« on: April 26, 2019, 09:16:14 PM »

My suggestion is to take a reading with a laser heat gauge at the housing to determine the actual temperature there, cold, operating but not yet open and after opening. Far simpler than hooking up a new sending unit. Once you know the differential the ratio can be applied to the resistance values of the sending unit...

There must be far more knowledgeable participants on this Board who can give you a correct part number. When I did a '61 Vette it took at least 5 or 6 different sending units (repro, junkyard and "original") before the gauge was 'accurate'.

paul

56

Maintenance / Re: Short cuts/advice in replacing rear main oil seal

« on: April 26, 2019, 09:06:08 PM »

Do I have to remove mount bolts, distributor cap and rotor, jack the engine up and insert short length of 2X4(on 2" side) between engine mount and frame mount or will the pan drop as long as it is in 5:00 at balancer?

I had planned on loosening the newly-installed trans mount (new gear set in rear, rebuilt and balanced driveshaft, new M22, balanced flywheel and clutch assembly, new pilot bushing)...and of course the starter, etc.

paul

57

Maintenance / Re: Short cuts/advice in replacing rear main oil seal

« on: April 19, 2019, 04:27:11 PM »

Thank you gentlemen. Very helpful. I am also assuming that the mating surface to which you refer is at corners cap to block with RTV, not surface of the actual seal.

paul

58

Maintenance / Short cuts/advice in replacing rear main oil seal

« on: April 10, 2019, 05:26:55 PM »

Any helpful short cuts, cautions, tips, advice on process to replace leaking rear main oil seal....

Done it before but not on a Camaro. The car's currently up on stands; new Muncie ready to go in, bellhousing is off; clutch and flywheel are off for balancing.

I anticipate reassembling flywheel on back, including the rear crossmember mount, freeing side mounts, jacking motor up and then dropping the pan, etc.

paul

 

59

Garage Talk / Absolutely Extraordinary Service

« on: April 03, 2019, 08:08:07 PM »

I've been messing with Tri-Fives, Corvettes, Camaros and other Chevy products for more than 50 years. I've used an awful lot of vendors and suppliers as you can well imagine.

I ordered an M22 for our current project, the '69 Z28, from Riverside Gear in Eaton Rapids, Michigan. Bob Casaday is the owner. The transmission was produced and shipped on the schedule given me. It arrived in its crate and my son and I installed it easily. We wanted to hear its whine and the effect of the new 4.10 rear gear set on this 302's performance. The transmission shifted flawlessly, made the right kind of M22 noises.

But when we parked the car we noticed a significant leak. It was fresh gear lube. The case was leaking at the front.

We pulled the transmission and called Bob at Riverside Gear. He immediately ordered a pickup from my shop by UPS. We re-crated the trans for its shipment. UPS picked it up last Tuesday (3/26).

I received notification today that the repaired (case boring was not to spec at the countershaft) was in the hands of UPS and would be delivered to me on Friday (4/5).

Riverside Gear never hesitated to make good, never queried me about anything I may have done to the transmission. They said: "Box it up, we'll pick it up and fix it so you won't have any additional problems." They did.

I can recommend to the highest degree Riverside Gear if you have any kind of driveline need for which these folks provide parts or service, especially Muncie transmissions.

https://www.riversidegear.com/about-us

paul

60

Originality / Tilt wheel in Z28's

« on: January 23, 2019, 07:31:38 PM »

Was the tilt wheel N33 factory option available to 1969 Z28 buyers? And was N34, the wood wheel available with the tilt column. It would seem from the download of options that the answer is yes, but I have not seen much evidence of tilt wheels in Z's.

Thank you.