jaborch99 said:
Well ... I intended to get more done this weekend but started feeling a bit under the weather so I spent most of my down time binging several episodes of Vice Grip Garage. Thanks to all of you who made that recommendation. Its excellent!
I did accomplish two things - I was able to confirm that the engine WILL turn over manually, and I looked at the dipstick. To my novice eyes, it looks maybe slightly thinner than what I'm accustomed to seeing (from when I change my oil), but if so it is not much. It is certainly not a watery sludge.
I think my next step (whenever I start to feel up to it) is to get some tires on it that will actually hold air (Yes, @Charisatic Megafauna, I tried to air it up. Its like trying to inflate a sock). That way I can much more easily move it around into more convenient spots to do the work that is needed, or even put it on a trailer to haul it somewhere if necessary.
After that, my tentative plan is as follows:
- Vacuum the hell out of it.
- Disconnect and throw away belts.
- Check/replace spark plugs and spray WD40 into the cylinders (per @87IE above)
- Rebuild/replace carb*
- Replace ignition system*
- Clean out gas tank & lines*
- Brake job*
- Replace all fluids
(*= stuff I'' have to learn how to do)
Y'all are helping a ton! Keep the suggestions coming!
That engine has a Carter YF carburetor. I doubt it needs to be replaced, but I can almost guarantee it needs a rebuild after sitting that long. A rebuild kit will cost you about $20. My jeep 6-cylinder had the same carb. The varnish had crystalized so hard I had to use a few love taps with a hammer to get the accelerator pump out. It still rebuild just fine.
Chances are good you will probably need a fuel pump. Heads up on mechanical fuel pumps available today. These used to be a quick and easy remove and replace. Unfortunately, so few cars use them anymore, most of the ones available come from China and are junk. They will either overpressure the float valve in the carb and flood it, or the diaphragm in the pump fails almost immediately. A lot of people save the effort and just convert to electric fuel pump. If you are set on keeping a mechanical fuel pump, the better brands are said to be the NAPA house brand or AC Delco.
Regarding the ignition system, get it running on points first. It should not be too hard and will be cheap. You will also learn a lot. Down the road you can make the decision to go to electronic ignition. You have plenty of options including (*gasp*) putting a GM HEI distributor in it. Personally I hate messing with point ignition, but they are pretty simple.
The Roadkill guys had a saying. Don't get it right; just get it running.
Don't let perfection be the enemy of good enough. Your first priorities should be tasks that get it moving and on the road. Worry about swaps and upgrades down the road. The more it sits, the faster you will lose interest.
