1968 BARRACUDA - 440 Water pump housing

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BIG-B-Barracuda

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1968 Plymouth Barracuda - 440 727 8 3/4

[Friday]
So i recently purchased an aluminum water pump housing from summit it came with the bolts and gaskets, figured id take on the "task" this past weekend of installing it.
Moved on ahead, first step drain the coolant followed by removing the battery and battery tray,
water reservoir came off followed by detaching all coolant hoses after that removing the transmission coolant lines before attempting to remove the transmission coolant lines i had spray them down at the connection point with PB blaster still this had no effect and ended up pinching the line after a long time trying to figure out how not to pinch it more than it already was it started to leak. (Bummer) I decided to move on forward and not let it ruin me.
Once the trans. lines were off the radiator, fan, pulley located directly behind the fan, the power steering reservoir and tighten pulleys and belt came off. After removing these it left the water housing exposed and able to remove also removed the water neck, thermostat and water pump and cleaned off the old gaskets [stuck on].

[saturday]
installing everything back i followed same steps in reverse.
Poured in some coolant and about two ounces poured out from some where not entirely sure from where which has me worried at this point thought i had everything tightened down to spec or maybe its leaking from one of the hoses maybe it pinched at the tightening point and it leaked out a bit? i don't know after that small amount of leakage it stopped and it hasnt leaked any more. I decide to walk away from it because worst case scenario i will have to drain the coolant and removed everything to re torque everything. {stresssssed AF}

[sunday]
i go shopping for transmission coolant lines. Autozone has the lines but not the female unions or the brass connection points that go on the radiator and fellow there has no interest of helping out. Move on to O'reilly's staff there was incredibly helpful got me the line it did not have the proper union so he opened one of the pipe cutters from the shelf and we cut the new line and old and reused the old ones and they also flared the lines for me on the spot. The only thing left would be to bend the lines appropriately and install no biggie right? wrong.....
i tried 4 different methods and none of them worked at this point i am overly stressed and just lost all my hair because of it and ended up having a better chance hand bending this thing which i did finished product... [pause] looked nothing like the original in fact it looked like it came out of a horses behind. walked away from it again........[stress]

[monday]
at this point i am about 50$ invested on lines and related tools to bend these things WHICH ARE ALL TRASH ...
Surfing the web monday morning i find them already pre made summit and jegs has them in stock for a total of 47$ out the door with shipping. wich is awesome if i wasnt alread 50$ down the drain from the previous attempts at this point i am bursting with joy order is placed and awaiting for product to arrive. one stress related problem solved which are the lines/.
next AND ONLY stress related problem to solve will be the LEAK POINT>!!!!

{Learn form other peoples mistakes}
 
Yeah, originally planned this to be a 3 hour job tops. which it could of been if everything would of gone smoothly.

damn it......
 
Your not alone. I've gotten used to paying three times more for a project then I should
And there is no such thing as a one hour fix.
Before each project I neel before the Dart
Gods meditate, light candles and burn incense.
 
Ha, I don't even count the first trip to the parts store....

And now that the new darts are out, I seem to end up with metric parts even tho I say 1971...
 
Man.....you sure had a rough go at it.
I go to great lengths not to upset any brake or trans lines because it's always a PITA.....
So what's left to get that beast back on the road at this point?
Waiting on new lines?

Jeff
 
I think you can get a grant for gas money and the words parts counter help is miss leading, most are young kids , you have to
grab them by their ears and look them straight in the eyes. Its scary to look at an old man across the counter who's eyes are blood red from gas and parts cleaners fumes and not come up with the right part.
 
Ha ! that is hilarious...
candles and incense ready for the next time.

lines just came today. [according to tracking number]
i am going to light the candles up and kneel before the Cuda.
and hope that the small A/F leak was just a loose hose clamp.

i do not feel like draining the fluids and removing radiator, battery, battery tray, reservoir, pulleys and the whole front half of the motor just to see whats up with the thing.

fingers crossed.
 
Candles and incense , I didn't say they worked.
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WTF!!!!!!!!!

alright excuse the language, Let me start by saying that i did not have the candles lit nor i kneel to the cuda gods.

Because of excitement of package being there i thought to myself "yes, pre-made metal lines. Easy install. bends already made in all the right places.... yes!...."

not....

[Tuesday]
Get home from work, pick up my package and my excitement can be felt across the world I think to myself yes lines made especially for MY NEEDS ...Hasome! nope, spent about three and a half hours trying to ROUTE these F^&%^ing things then after 3 1/2 hours of getting them through one line turned out to be too long and the other just not in sync at all!

lines purchased were 1968-1970 A-body Big block transmission cooler lines.

i need you're guys help here 'the real CUda GOds....

my car used to be a 318 originally and has a 1973 440 from a charger on a 1968 originally a 727 from what i gather from my fender tag. SO what lines am i looking for? 727 small block cooler lines?
727 big block C-body cooler lines?
 
I am at a loss at the moment and need the Shark back on the road...

you guys need any more info to be able to help me out just let me know.
 
Small block/ big block all the same. Just the
Engine to tranny bolt pattern changes. Are
You just running tranny lines to radiator or
cooler? Why not go down and get a couple
Hydraulic hoses made with correct plumbing ends about $60. Route them any way you want.
 
Call around local radiator shops. It must be
Braided hydrolic high pressure. Also try shops that deal in hydrolics. The place I take my radiator work to did mine.
 
If you have the old fittings take them with you. They will match them. You can't use old as they are for flare fittings. New fittings
Will be crimpted on.
 
OKAY,

[Wednesday]
Added on some hydraulic lines on in place of hard steel lines {transmission cooler line} Did all of that in about an hour maybe 1 1/2 tops. thank god for that.

turned her on sounds fine... except for all that A/F leaking everywhere.

i suspect the water neck.
Hopefully nothing else... will look at her tonight.
 
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