Rebeldryver's '70 Caprice Granny's Luxo-Muscle-Barge

[Scott Liggett]

Did you get some work sourced rockers too? IMO you need to upgrade to something before major damage occurs, cheap insurance. JMO

Got Comp rollers through work.

[Scott Liggett]

New rockers, 3/8" pushrods, and guide plates are in. Looking at them, I was thinking no way my valve covers would fit over these. Thankfuully, I was wrong. They fit.





One of my projects was to put a 180 thermostat in it for winter. The store gave me a 160. I need a new upper radiator hose too.

[malc]

They certainly look man enough for the job....

[Scott Liggett]

Four trips to all three parts store in town and I got all of this mess to replace the upper radiator hose. First, they gave me the lower after they asked me twice which one I wanted. Only, none of them had the correct shaped upper hose. Then, I took the corrugated one, then turned around and went digging in their hose collection to get one that will work. Counter monkeys were in shock when I announced the three footer would work. None of those college grads ever worked a puzzle before. I kept the lower to replace the old corrugated one that was on the car for years.

Oh yeah, the thermostat was misboxed too. I wanted a 180*, geniuses gave me a 160*.

So, I rather miffed driving around today. And, of course, everyone and their uncle wanted to talk about the Impala. I did my Ronny Reagon impression and feigned I couldn't hear them.


I cut off nearly 2 feet of the hose to get what I wanted.


Yes, I had to run the valves again. Yes, there is valve train noise. No, I don't care.

[squirrel]

no drippers on your valve covers, are there?

[Scott Liggett]

no drippers on your valve covers, are there?

No drippers on these. Stock valve covers had them.

[squirrel]

Maybe that's why they fit over those rockers?

[Deaf Bob]

So ripping the guts out of a valvecover may allow them to fit on rockers like that?

[Scott Liggett]

These chromey's are a bit taller than stock. Tall enough that the AC bracket that goes over the top of the valve cover and bolts to the intake may not fit without finangling.

[squirrel]

Ok....they're not stock valve covers. Gotcha!

[Deaf Bob]

Danggg! Thought I found a tip secret....

(or is it supposed to read secret tip??)

[Scott Liggett]

I just had a long conversation with Ron Iskenderian. Yes, of Isky Cams. We talked about my valvetrain noise on my Caprice's 454. Very flattered to talk tech with the head honcho and long time mover in the camshaft world.

He gave me a couple things to try and get back to him on.

[74NovaMan]

I just had a long conversation with Ron Iskenderian. Yes, of Isky Cams. We talked about my valvetrain noise on my Caprice's 454. Very flattered to talk tech with the head honcho and long time mover in the camshaft world.

He gave me a couple things to try and get back to him on.

Very Cool!

[Scott Liggett]

Well, Ron's idea that the oil was getting aerated was a bust. Nope. Not a single tiny bubble in the oil that I can see on the dipstick. So, I decided to adjust the valves the messy way. And, boy, did I make a mess. I used several T shirt rags and towels to keep oil from spraying all over the place. I do it four valves at a time. Loosen the jam inserts on the poly locks, fire engine, back off poly lock to I hear a distinct clatter, then tighten until that valve quiets, then 1/2 turn farther. Do those four valves, shut off engine, retighten jam inserts, cover those four valves so they aren't peeing on hood, fender and garage wall; then move to other four valves on that side.

Results: Nothing. Same damn racket once I run the engine down the road. It's quiet at start up and slow speed driving. Then when I tool down road at 2500 rpm for five minutes, they make noise. Idle speed in neutral goes up 200 rpm too. They never completely quieted down even running poly down to bottoming out lifter.

My thoughts: these lifters suck and are bleeding off at low rpm. It runs fine when you hammer it. Just is noisy at idle. I am considering getting some new lifters from work, dumping in a couple bottles of zinc and rebreak in cam with new lifters.

Backed the car out of the garage and let it run to burn off oil on exhaust while I cleaned up two quarts of oil off my formerly clean garage floor.


Big thanks to Mark Furgal for sending me some garage art in the form of a nice poster of a FFR Cobra. I put it up already with a signed poster of a NGK booth girl I found I still had from 10 years ago.

[STINEY]

Big thanks to Mark Furgal for sending me some garage art in the form of a nice poster of a FFR Cobra. I put it up already with a signed poster of a NGK booth girl I found I still had from 10 years ago.

Pictures or it didn't happen.