Merle Coggins

Maybe you need to change your name from Andy to Finn... ?

As it usually the case... "You get what you pay for".

Are you sure the clutch is releasing? Try putting it into 1st gear, then start it with the clutch depressed. Hopefully it won’t lunge forward while cranking. If that is successful, put it into neutral and release the clutch pedal. Now try again to go into first, but this time wait 5-10 seconds after depressing the clutch pedal. 1st gear doesn’t have synchronizes, so it is common to get a little grinding when the gears are still spinning. Try putting it into 2nd first, to get the gears to stop spinning, then drop back down into 1st.

It's been a long time, but I seem to recall Clevite and/or Seal Power on my pistons and rings.

Yup... 218 crank with 230 rods would leave the pistons short at the top of the stroke, reducing the squeeze. 230 crank with 218 rods would punch the pistons into the head. They must match. As for oversized pistons. Have your machine shop check their sources. When I had my block bored the machine shop sourced the pistons and rings for me and made sure the bores were honed to match the pistons. I don’t remember the brand, but there are available from pretty much any reputable engine parts supplier. On the cam bearings... oversize would refer to the block bore, if you had to align bore the cam journals. If you didn’t need to do that you likely need standard bearings. If in doubt, have them measure the block bore and cam journals for you.

I don't see the dog bone / slugger wrench in that photo. Are you using that, with a large hammer, to tighten the puller screw? A breaker bar, or impact gun, isn't enough. You need that dog bone.

We often heat gears or bearings in oil to ease press fits onto shafts. I've also frozen shafts or bearings in dry ice to shrink them to ease pressing. I've also done both as you have. Usually if it doesn't slip together quickly, before the heat starts to transfer, you're screwed and will need a good press. The key is to have everything setup and ready, then work quickly.

Interesting that Chrysler used that technology on the industrial engines. I've worked with many diesel engines with gear driven cams. It's fairly normal technology in that world. In some engines they are geared directly as you show, and in others there are idler gears between the crank and cam gears. On the newer Volvo engines, with overhead cams, they are still gear driven with several idlers in between. Some of these idlers also drive other accessories. Obviously cams can work in either direction as long as they are ground properly for that rotation direction. Was the delay in getting your cam ground due to the lack of understanding of the reverse rotation, or just because you weren't important enough for them to get on it? We would all hope that all customers would be treated with equal importance, but in reality the high volume customers tend to get more attention.

The B1B truck is much easier. Just 3 bolts and one brake line and it’ll come right out. It’s fairly easy to access on the front side of the bell housing. Might need to work from the top and bottom, depending on your arm length.

Depends on what you’re testing...

Isn't there some place that holds an annual pumpkin chucking contest? I've seen things on that. People come up with some pretty elaborate slingshots, catapults, and trebuchet's in attempt to get the most distance out of an orange gourd.

Interesting diagnostic approach. That’s certainly thinking outside the box.

The B3 had an under-the-dash parking brake vs. the floor lever, so the linkage arrangement was different. I don't know if that will have an effect on how your WC linkage will attach to the trans.

Then and Now Automotive.

The line from the pump down to the frame is likely the suction line. Unlikely it was leaking that much gas unless the tank level is higher than the hose. If it was pumping out as much gas as you state, and stopped leaking when the engine was shut off, you have a leak on the pressure side. Inspect everything well.

I have an electric fuel pump on my truck too. I initially had it inline with the mechanical pump to assist in filling the carb after a long period between uses. I found that sometimes it couldn't pump through the mechanical pump, but if I cranked the engine briefly it would begin to flow. I believe the diaphragm position had something to do with that. I also found that it was handy to switch on when things got hot under the hood and the mechanical pump struggled to pump. The electric pump would give a boost to the mechanical pump and the engine would run better. Since then I have replumbed it to run in parallel with the mechanical pump. They both have internal check valves that prevent back flow. I ran a second fuel line, along side the first one, for the electric pump. A tee fitting at the outlet of the tank to feed both circuits, and a tee fitting at the outlet of the mechanical pump to merge the pump outlets. This has worked well for me for the last couple of years. I can still use the electric pump to prime the carb without worry about the mechanical pump blocking it. And I can still use it as a booster if needed.

Start with a voltage check at the coil and points. This will establish if your key switch is good, and if the points can provide the necessary ground for the coil.

If it is as good as you describe I would only check that it is full of lubricant and leave it alone. I would only open it up if I needed to replace the seals due to leakage. If it holds oil and has very little play, as you describe, why mess with it?

Double check your points spring. I had it happen to me. I didn’t get the spring hooked properly and there was very little spring tension. It would start and run great at lower RPM. when it got up around 2000 RPM the points would start to float and the timing would go crazy. Engine would loose power, cough, and sputter.

At least a day or 2... ?

I believe the originals were clear. I used the green tint on mine and I'm happy with it. The green tint was cheaper from my glass guy because that's what he had in stock.

There SHOULD be a dimple in the end of the axle shaft. This dimple helps to center the puller. And as mentioned, be sure they are using the correct type of puller. It should attach to the lugs and press against the end of the shaft, with a point on the end of the puller bolt that centers into the afore mentioned dimple. I recommend leaving the nut on loose to catch the drum when it pops loose. Otherwise everything will go flying across the shop.

There should be an adjustment on the clutch pedal. You may need to back off the adjustment bolt to allow the clutch fork to move further, then readjust to the proper free play once it’s together.

My engine block has a threaded bolt boss along the oil pan rail, under the starter. I used that to run a ground wire between the engine and the chassis. If your engine has that it may be a good ground location for your main battery cable.

Looks good.