Low vacuum issue solved

[396 Signet]

Bought a '65 Satellite in the southwest a couple years ago. In general a really nice car but some previous owner(s) just screwed up every maintenance item they performed. Most dangerous was 2 brake drums completely nonfunctional which I fixed pronto. Their calling card was that crappy orange RTV which they slopped on anything they touched. Funniest was trying to fill the heater core with the stuff to stop a leak (it didn't).

Gradually fixed everything except the motor which I'm doing now. It had really low vacuum, power was not great, seemed to use some oil, and there was always a fog of oil mist under the hood. Car had 135k so what the hey, maybe time for a rebuild. There was orange RTV in various places so I knew things might be screwed up. The bottom end was never touched & in great shape although the original pistons were 0.053" in the hole which translates to no where near advertised 10:1 compression (chambers were about 84cc). Someone had recently did a quicky valve job & they re-used the old valley pan. It was leaking badly, sucking in oil through the ports big time. It also had a nickel-sized rust hole on top from a critter pissing on it, probably a chipmunk given the acorns. Check it out-

 

[eric383]

I am always amazed at what the shady shade tree mechanic does. Just when you think you have seen it all.

 

[rrTor-Red]

bought a '65 satellite in the southwest a couple years ago. In general a really nice car but some previous owner(s) just screwed up every maintenance item they performed. Most dangerous was 2 brake drums completely nonfunctional which i fixed pronto. Their calling card was that crappy orange rtv which they slopped on anything they touched. Funniest was trying to fill the heater core with the stuff to stop a leak (it didn't).

Gradually fixed everything except the motor which i'm doing now. It had really low vacuum, power was not great, seemed to use some oil, and there was always a fog of oil mist under the hood. Car had 135k so what the hey, maybe time for a rebuild. There was orange rtv in various places so i knew things might be screwed up. The bottom end was never touched & in great shape although the original pistons were 0.053" in the hole which translates to no where near advertised 10:1 compression (chambers were about 84cc). Someone had recently did a quicky valve job & they re-used the old valley pan. It was leaking badly, sucking in oil through the ports big time. It also had a nickel-sized rust hole on top from a critter pissing on it, probably a chipmunk given the acorns. Check it out-

View attachment 308993

what the............?

 

[Xp29h]

Funny how those previous owners liberally use that rtv stuff. My engine was all blue with so much of it.

 

[396 Signet]

Funny how those previous owners liberally use that rtv stuff. My engine was all blue with so much of it.

Yeah, the orange & blue RTV is something I never use on engines. The grey stuff is really good for sealing oil & they use it on most newer engines in lieu of gaskets. The black stuff is also pretty good. I bought this car from a flipper who said he was told the engine was rebuilt which had me scared given the half arsed work that was done. Turns out all they did was knurl the guides/ add new seals, put in a windage tray and the world's cheapest new timing chain. They dipped all the blind hole bolts in that orange RTV & it was just hanging off them. As a final indignity they painted everything including the wiring harness in 70's blue paint. Not that I'm complaining, actually kind of funny. All the original bearings, crank, & cylinders were fabulous shape. Going to rebuild this motor right this time, putting in 440 rods with custom light weight flat tops, 0.040 quench, original 383 short stroke crank, etc. It will run properly next time out!

 

[396 Signet]

Some more pics, those insulation bags were saturated, weighed a couple pounds each. Couldn't figure why there was oil coming down the bellhousing. Last all cleaned up & ready for machine work, very hard to find anyone to tank motors anymore due to all the EPA regs.

 

[Cranky]

I am always amazed at what the shady shade tree mechanic does. Just when you think you have seen it all.

Actually, it's a slap in the face to shade tree mechanics. I call those kinds of people whack jobs. My first engine swap actually had a chain hoist hanging from a tree only because the 10x25 garage had my room mates car in it getting it's engine swapped out. At least there was a nice breeze outside where the garage was hotter in hell inside and my room mate was sweating his butt off lol